By Owen Sienko
Syracuse, N.Y. -- The Syracuse Orange (10-11-3) lost 4-3 to the New York Violets (8-7-2) last night in a tight, physical game. The Orange outshot their opponents 35-27, but a strong second period from the Violets ultimately decided the game.
When Syracuse captain Peter-Owen Hayward opened the scoring just 3:19 into the game, it looked like the Orange might walk to a victory. Then, just 17 seconds later, NYU freshman Mac Brice silenced the Syracuse bench with his team’s first shot of the game.
The rest of the period stayed fairly evenly-matched. The teams traded a power-play opportunity each, but the penalty killers came out on top. By the time the buzzer sounded, the Orange had outshot the Violets 12-7.
Syracuse continues to get their chances in the second frame, but just could not solve goaltender Patrick Cavanaugh.
In what was perhaps the turning point in the game, a pair of NYU penalties with 8:32 and 8:07 left in the period gave the Orange 1:25 of five-on-three time. Despite peppering Cavanaugh with shots, the power-play unit was unable to finish.
Once again, the teams went on to trade power-play chances, but nobody could capitalize.
During the second intermission, Orange alternate captain Ford Hatchett expressed frustration with the team’s inability to finish chances.
“We’re flying,” he said on his way to the locker room. “Just need to get a goal.”
Hatchett took it upon himself to make his own wish come true in his first shift back on the ice.
Just 23 seconds into the third period, Hatchett stripped the puck from an NYU attacker in his own zone and turned on the jets. After taking it coast-to-coast past three defenders, the big man faked out Cavanaugh and deposited the equalizing goal, exploding into celebration.
After the early Syracuse goal, the Violets bounced back again with 16:37 on the clock thanks to forward Scott Mulligan, who taunted Hatchett as he skated past the bench.
The celebration duel raised the temperature of the game moving forward, and both teams laid on heavy hits throughout the remaining 16 minutes.
With just over eight minutes left, Syracuse forward Matt Jacobs finished a tic-tac-toe passing play with linemate Tim Kalinowski to even the score again at 3-3. With the momentum favoring the Orange, NYU’s resilience would be tested once more.
Just 2:35 later, the Violets passed that test thanks to an unlikely bounce. NYU forward Brandon Wilky fired a high shot from the point that Hatchett attempted to glove down out of the air. He ended up redirecting the puck onto the stick of Violet Frank Horowitz, who netted the game-winner.
Despite dropping last night’s game 4-3 to their rivals, the Orange still left the ice proud after presenting a $4000 check to the Susan G. Komen foundation.
“Some things mean more than a hockey game and certainly the work we did for Komen is up there,” Tim Kalinowski said after the game.
Syracuse will get another chance to secure increasingly important ESCHL points against NYU tonight at 7:00 in the Tennity Ice Pavilion.
Alternate captain Luke Caddo said he is confident his team will finish on top with just a little bit of fine-tuning on defense.
“Today it’s gonna be about finishing our chances and playing a full 60 minutes,” Caddo said. “We had some lapses in the D-zone and NYU was able to score on them, so if we can eliminate those we should be in good shape.”
Fans can tune in to watch the game live on the team’s YouTube channel starting tonight at 7:00.
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On Twitter: @OsienkO
By Email: oasienko@syr.edu