SU ice hockey drops overtime heartbreaker to Clarkson

The Syracuse women’s ice hockey team suffered a 3-2 overtime loss to the Clarkson Golden Knights at the team’s home opener on Thursday night.

For the first time since 2019-20, spectators were allowed to enter Tennity Ice Pavilion.  Fans from Syracuse and Clarkson University showed up to cheer on their respective teams.

The Orange started the first period sluggishly, allowing the Golden Knights to create opportunities on the offensive end. SU eventually picked up the energy, as senior goaltender Arielle Desmet saved 8 shots in the first 12 minutes.

Seconds later, Clarkson forward Laurence Frenette scored her 2nd goal on the season to put the Golden Knights ahead 1-0 off an assist from forward Caitrin Lonergan.

Throughout the rest of the period, both teams traded shot attempts, and the Orange earned multiple power-play opportunities but could not convert.

Syracuse started gritty in the second period in a 2-1-2 formation like a pack of wolves, hungry to change momentum after a lackluster first-period performance.

Graduate student defender Jessica DiGirolamo led the defense with multiple blocks and created offensive breakaway opportunities for her teammates.

10 minutes into the second period, freshman forward Sarah Marchand made a sharp pass through two Golden Knights defenders, to senior forward Lauren Bellefontaine. Bellefontaine received the pass and scored her second goal of the season to tie the game, 1-1.

The rest of the second period featured physical play from both sides, resulting in multiple penalties and key faceoffs in either team’s defensive zone.

17 minutes into the period, Clarkson junior forward Brooke McQuigge scored a dagger that stung through multiple Orange defenders. The Golden Knights reclaimed the lead, 2-1, off the assist from forward Anne Cherkowski.

As the third period began, Syracuse and Clarkson’s fans traded team chants back and forth, doing their part in propelling their team to victory.

“Just the whole crowd being here. We haven’t had fans in a long time, so I think that had a huge part in our aggression resulting in us tying the game.” Bellefontaine said.

The period was intense from the start, as both sides received multiple warnings from the referees for their physical play. Minutes into the period, Clarkson forward Miranda Gaudet tripped an Orange player to put SU in a power-play situation.

The Orange took advantage and shot the puck nine times in the two-minute power-play, but Clarkson goaltender Michelle Pasiechnyk and the rest of the Clarkson defense prevailed.

Halfway through the period, Clarkson defenders watched as Orange sophomore forward Tatum White’s flying shot sliced by and into the back of the net to tie the game 2-2.

The rest of regulation included multiple chances for both teams, only for the match to head into overtime.

Three minutes into the first overtime, Clarkson’s Lonergan scored her third goal on the season to clinch the victory off the assist from forward Gabrielle David.

“Win, lose, or draw, if you compete hard and go after them and they’re a really good team, that’s gotta give us a lot of confidence,” Syracuse head coach Paul Flanagan said.

The Orange will play the Clarkson Golden Knights again on the road this Saturday at 3 p.m.