Opening its final nonconference series of the season, Syracuse (5-10-7, 4-2-3 College Hockey America) fell to North Dakota (10-9-2, 6-8-2 Western Collegiate Hockey) 4-1 in the first of two games in as many days in Grand Forks, North Dakota.

The Orange managed only 15 shots and squandered three power-play opportunities while surrendering 35 shots and five penalties.

Despite 19 combined shots, the first period remained scoreless for 19 minutes. With 59 seconds remaining, UND defender Gracen Hirschy opened the scoring with her sixth goal of the season, with assists to forward Amy Menke and defender Halli Krzyzaniak.

The goal gave North Dakota an early lead, and one it wouldn’t relinquish on Saturday afternoon.

In the second, SU goalie Jenn Gilligan held firm for 10 minutes en route to 31 saves. But with 11:39 to go in the period, forward Allie LaCombe was called for hooking, leading to UND’s third power play of the game.

A minute later, forward Layla Marvin found the back of the net for a 2-0 lead.

Forward Kayla Gardner put the dagger in the Orange with 8:50 left in the third, marking the ninth time the Orange gave up three goals or more this season.

Two minutes later, though, SU was given a glimmer of hope via Stephanie Grossi’s sixth goal of the season. The Orange wouldn’t crawl any closer, as it wasted a power-play opportunity and allowed an empty-net goal with 18 seconds remaining to put the cap on an 0-2 start to 2015.

The teams will face off again tomorrow at North Dakota at 3 p.m.

Compiled by Jack Rose, staff writer, jlrose@syr.edu

Published on January 10, 2015 at 7:47 pm