New Hampshire Defeated By Syracuse, 3-2

Senior forward Sara Carlson had an assist for the Wildcats
Prd Time  Team Score Type Scored By Assists
1st 4:20  SYR1-0 EV Emily Costales (1) -
2nd 10:26  SYR2-0 PP Heather Schwarz (1)Nicole Ferrara/2, Stephanie Grossi/4
2nd 17:48  UNH1-2 EV Amy Schlagel (1)Sara Carlson/1, Haley Breedlove/1
3rd 9:37  SYR3-1 EV GW Nicole Ferrara (2) -
3rd 13:15  UNH2-3 PP Amy Boucher (1)Amy Schlagel/2, Sara Carlson/2
Scoring 1st 2nd 3rd Final
Syracuse  1113
New Hampshire  0112
Shots on Goal 1st 2nd 3rd SOG
Syracuse  75315
New Hampshire  57517
Team Stats and Records  PP PIM SHGF
Syracuse (1-2-0)  1/5 4/8 0
New Hampshire (0-3-0)  1/3 5/10 0
Syracuse Goaltending MIN GA 1 2 3 Saves
Jenn Gilligan (W, 1-2-0)60:002 56415
New Hampshire Goaltending MIN GA 1 2 3 Saves
Kyra Smith (L, 0-1-0)58:563 64212
Empty Net1:040     

DURHAM, N.H. - Amy Schlagel (Blaine, Minn.) and Amy Boucher (Edmonton, Alberta) both scored goals as the University of New Hampshire women's hockey team battled back from a pair of two-goal deficits, but Syracuse University prevailed 3-2 Saturday afternoon at the Whittemore Center.

UNH is now 0-3-0 while Syracuse moves to 1-2-0. The Wildcats recorded a 17-15 shot advantage and went 1-for-3 on the power play. The Orange, who scored one goal each period, was 1 of 5 on the power play.

Sara Carlson (Hutchinson, Minn.) recorded an assist on both goals to match her career high of two. Kyra Smith (Littleton, Colo.) made 12 saves, including six in the first period, in her collegiate debut.

Nicole Ferrara led the Orange with a goal and an assist. Emily Costales and Heather Schwarz were the other goal scorers. SU goaltender Jenn Gilligan made six of her 15 saves in the second stanza.

Syracuse took an early 1-0 lead at 4:20 of the first period on Costales' unassisted tally. Jessica Sibley kept the puck in the zone in the high slot and Alysha Burriss advanced down the slot. Smith pokechecked the puck away but Costales, who trailed down the slot, gained possession and lifted a shot inside the right post.

Midway through the period, Costales generated another dangerous scoring chance when she skated deep in the right circle before wristing a shot steered aside by Smith's blocker.

UNH went on the first power play of the game at 12:13. One minute later, Carlson snapped a low shot from the high slot through traffic but Gilligan extended her left leg pad for the save.

With Syracuse back at full strength at 15:00, Ferrara's bid from the left doorstep was stopped and covered by Smith. The visitors took a 1-0 lead and 7-5 shot advantage into the first intermission.

New Hampshire produced a dangerous scoring chance in the opening minute of the second stanza when Boucher led a 2-on-1 rush down the left wing and her shot from the faceoff dot was snared by Gilligan's glove.

The Orange went on their first power play at 2:28 and Smith twice denied Schwarz to keep the 'Cats within one goal. Immediately after the 'Cats returned to full strength, Cassandra Vilgrain (Calgary, Alberta) advanced 1-on-1 into the right circle and her shot was blocked away by Gilligan.

At 7:30 of the second period, Devan Taylor (North Billerica, Mass.) stole the puck in the neutral zone and skated into the left circle. She slipped a centering pass into the slot, but it was out of Vilgrain's reach.

Syracuse extended the lead to 2-0 with a power-play goal at 10:26. Stephanie Grossi advanced the puck from the left corner along the boards to Ferrara, who in turn snapped a pass to the slot and Schwarz fired a shot inside the left post.

In the 12th minute, Gilligan stopped the initial shot off the stick of Jonna Curtis (Elk River, Minn.) from the right circle, but Curtis circled behind the net and at the left post she sent a shot across the crease.

With the teams skating 4-on-4 in the 14th minute, Carlson moved the puck across the high slot to Schlagel, whose one-time slap shot from the right point was stopped by Gilligan.

The Wildcats capitalized on a faceoff win in the offensive zone to pull within 2-1 at 17:48. Haley Breedlove (Plano, Texas) initially drew the puck back and poked it to Carlson at the left point. Carlson once again sent a pass across the high slot to Schlagel and this time she ripped a shot into the upper-right corner for her first goal of the season.

UNH tallied a 7-5 shot advantage in the second period to level the shots at 12 through 40 minutes.

Syracuse reestablished a two-goal lead, 3-1, at 9:37 of the final frame when Costales collected a loose puck in the defensive zone, skated down the right side around a defender to the right doorstep and lifted a shot into the upper-right corner.

The 'Cats closed within 3-2 with a power-play tally at 13:15. Schlagel's initial shot from the right point was blocked by a defender in front but Boucher, from her knees, lifted a shot from the slot inside the left post. Carlson, with the cross-ice pass to Schlagel, was also credited with an assist.

UNH pulled Smith in favor of an extra skater with 65 seconds remaining and called time out with 51 seconds on the clock.

Curtis' shot from the low slot was stopped by Gilligan with 25.5 seconds to play. Seconds later on another faceoff to Gilligan's right, Boucher drew the puck back and Curtis, who was on the boards, looped behind to gain possession. She continued toward the slot and her screened wrister was caught by Gilligan.

With 17 seconds on the clock, Schlagel's slapper from the right point was blocked by an SU defender and the Orange cleared the puck into the neutral zone to secure the victory.

New Hampshire returns to action Oct. 17 (3 p.m.) at Merrimack College for the inaugural meeting against the Hockey East newcomer. The Wildcats' next home game is Nov. 1 (2 p.m.) against Boston University.