Hope turns to Heartbreak for Syracuse Ice Hockey in loss to No. 6 Cornell

By Ben Chadwick | @BChad214     

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Syracuse Ice Hockey (7-17) found themselves on top of the world after the first period against No. 6 Cornell (12-4-3). Then, the Orange began hurtling back down to Earth before eventually crashing into a 6-3 loss. So what happened?

Well, the Big Red were utterly dominant when they had all five skaters on the ice. But, that wasn’t the case for a good portion of the first period. Eight minutes into the game, Cornell received back-to-back penalties in just 30 seconds. SU’s leading goal scorer Bryn Saarela promptly took advantage by rifling the first goal into the top right corner. Then, when an unsportsmanlike penalty was called on the Big Red in the final few minutes, sophomore Jackson Kinsler increased the lead with her first goal of the new year. But the celebration promptly came to a halt.

Throughout the first 20 minutes, freshman Jeanne Lortie was guarding the net for Cornell in the first start of her career. Then, usual starter sophomore Annelies Bergmann checked in. The Big Red proceeded to suffocate any offensive chance for the Orange and kept the puck in SU’s zone for the large majority of the game. Cornell tied things up at two in the second, then made it five unanswered goals halfway through the third. 

Syracuse defender Jocelyn Fiala did notch the second goal of her career in the final 90 seconds, but an empty net goal for Cornell quickly canceled that out with just 23 seconds left.

The Orange have now lost 16 straight to the Big Red, with their last and only win coming 15 years ago. 

Syracuse looks ahead to its doubleheader this weekend when it hosts No. 10 Penn State. Game #1 is on Friday at 6 p.m. in the Tennity Ice Pavilion.