BOSTON - With the score tied at one through 40 minutes of play, Syracuse netted three third period goals to down the No. 10 Northeastern women's ice hockey team (0-1-0) on Friday night at Matthews Arena, 4-1.
Maggie Brennolt scored the lone goal for the Huskies, while Chloe Desjardins made 26 saves in goal. SU held a slight 30-28 edge in shots on goal during the contest, and went 2-of-6 on the power play. NU, meanwhile, was held scoreless on the man advantage, going 0-of-3.
Syracuse came out of the gates flying, maintaining puck possession in the Northeastern zone and testing Desjardins with shots from all angles. Margot Scharfe nearly put the Orange on top less than two minutes into the stanza when she sent a backhand on goal from the slot after taking a pass from the right side, but Desjardins was up to the task, making the save and covering for the faceoff.
Near the midway mark of the frame, the Huskies began to tilt the ice, and almost took the lead when Bella Sinsigalli rocketed a shot from the point, but SU goaltender Kallie Billadeau (27 saves) flashed the glove to make the save.
Northeastern generated nearly half of its seven first period shots during the squad's lone power play of the frame, including a blast from Maggie DiMasi from the right point that Billadeau saved.
The teams continued to trade chances into the second period, with NU holding a 12-7 edge in shot during the middle frame. Desjardins came up with a big save 2:25 into the period when Melissa Piacentini fired a shot on goal from the slot, with Desjardins steering it into the corner.
Nicole Ferrara had a chance to put the Orange on the board 13 minutes into the second with SU on the power play. During a two-on-one with Scharfe, Ferrara received a pass as she cut to the left post, but fanned on the shot to send it wide.
Northeastern would strike first two minutes later when Brennolt netted her first goal of the season when she took a pass from Chelsey Goldberg at the point. Brennolt quickly settled the puck before sending threw traffic, off the stick of a Syracuse defender, and through the legs of Billadeau for a 1-0 NU lead.
The Orange would level the score at one aside, however, exactly one minute later on Ferrara's first of the season. With Syracuse on the power play, Caitlin Roach intercepted a clearing bid at the blue line and skated in on goal. Roach then threw the puck into the slot, where it ricocheted off the skate of Piacentini and onto the stick of Ferrara, who beat Desjardins for the score.
Syracuse came out of intermission firing on all cylinders, scoring three goals in less than 10 minutes and outshooting the Huskies 14-9 in the final frame. SU took its first lead of the night 5:25 into the period when Sadie St. Germain put home her own rebound for her first goal of the season. After taking an outlet pass from Nicole Renault, St. Germain flew through the neutral zone and into the attacking zone before sending a low shot on goal. Desjardins stopped the initial shot, but the rebound popped out in front of the crease, where St. Germain hammered it home for the score.
Four minutes later, Syracuse extended its lead to two when Jessica Sibley netted her first collegiate goal with the Orange on the power play. With Brittney Krebs and Renault playing catch at the blue line, Renault then sent the puck into the faceoff circle to Sibley, who slung it past Desjardins for a 3-1 SU lead.
The Huskies nearly cut the deficit to one midway through the period when Katie MacSorley, at the end of her shift, caught up to a loose puck in the attacking zone before snapping a shot on Billadeau. Billadeau got a piece of the puck, but it trickled across the goalmouth before Paige Savage could get a stick on the rebound.
The Orange would add to its lead with 5:44 left in regulation as Allie LaCombe blasted a shot from the slot past Desjardins after receiving a pass from St. Germain.
The Huskies will be back in action on Saturday when they host RIT in a 3 p.m. game.
Game Notes: Northeastern is now 2-1-1 all-time against Syracuse, and 25-6-3 in season openers ... Brennolt scored her first goal since Jan. 11, 2011 vs. Wisconsin, a span of 83 games ... Hayley Masters notched her first collegiate point with an assist on the Brennolt goal.