Orange Lose CHA Opener; Will Play #15 PSU Again Sunday

Saturday, October 28

Syracuse, NY

1:00 pm

Syracuse University

3-6-1, 0-1-0

#15 Penn State

2-6-1, 1-0-0

Penn St.

Syracuse

Orange Lose CHA Opener; Will Play #15 PSU Again Sunday

10/28/2023 5:50:00 PM | Ice Hockey

Box Score

Series Details: vs. Penn State, Saturday, Oct. 30 (1 pm)
Location: Tennity Ice Pavilion, Syracuse, N.Y.
Watch: Saturday
Live Stats
Twitter: @CuseIce
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Syracuse defenseman Alexandria Weiss tallied her first Syracuse goal and goaltender Allie Kelley registered 39 saves in a 4-2 loss to #15 Penn State in the College Hockey America conference opener on Saturday at Tennity Ice Pavilion. Syracuse (3-6-1 overall, 0-1 CHA) trailed 2-0 in the third period when Weiss tallied her goal at the 2::37 mark. Penn State (2-6-1, 1-0-0) scored four minutes later to take a 3-1 lead, which it held until the final minute of play. Syracuse pulled Kelley with two minutes remaining and forward Darci Johal's power play goal made it a one-score game, 3-2, with 22 seconds remaining. The Nittany Lions added an empty net goal with 16 seconds left for the final score.

Syracuse and Penn State will play the second game of the series on Sunday, Oct. 29 at 1 pm when the Orange host a Halloween Celebration. All fans are invited to come to the game in costume to compete for prizes and to attend a post-game meet and greet autograph session following the game.

"We focus on the process," said head coach Britni Smith. "It is important for us to see the growth we have had since the first game this season and from our games last year against Penn State. Tonight we are happy with our compete and our battle, and our effort to come back there in the third, and there are some things we will clean up for tomorrow. Now our focus is on how we get the win tomorrow."

Kelley recorded 16 of her 39 saves and neither team scored in the first 20 minutes of play. In the second period, Penn State's Julie Gough made it a 1-0 game scoring on assists from Tessa Janecke and Carrie Byrnes with 16:49 left. Penn State opened a two-goal lead with 8:01 left in the second period when Leah Stecker scored on assists from Alyssa Machado and Maeve Connolly.

In the third period, Weiss scored to get Syracuse within one, 2-1, with more than 17 minutes to play. She picked up the puck on the board at mid-ice and carried it to the left circle where she fired a shot that ricocheted off PSU goalie Josie Bothun into the net. Four minutes later, Kendall Butzke scored on assists from Brianna Brooks and Katelyn Roberts to give Penn State a 3-1 advantage.

Orange forward Darci Johal closed the gap to one, 3-2, scoring a power play goal with 22 seconds left in the game. Defenseman Kailey Langefels passed to fellow blueliner Rachel Teslak who fired a shot from the point which was knocked down in front of the crease then Johal put the loose puck into the back of the next for her third goal of the season. Teslak has scored three points in the last three Syracuse games and has five points on the season. Penn State tallied the final goal on an empty net.

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