By Brian Piendel

SYRACUSE, N.Y.— The Syracuse Men's Hockey team (8-9-3) and Delaware Blue Hens (11-10-2) split the weekend series with neither game decided in regulation. The first game ended with a shootout victory for the traveling Blue Hens at Tennity Ice Pavilion on Youth Hockey Night. The Orange claimed a dramatic overtime victory after a late equalizer at an AHL arena in the second game. 

The Orange celebrated "Youth Hockey Night" during the first game of the home series against the Blue Hens on Friday night at Tennity Ice Pavilion. Both teams came out flying, creating chances at both ends of the rink early in the game.

It was the Blue Hens that struck first on the power play. Delaware forward Mason Moore converted a rebound with 13:33 left in the first period to take an early lead. 

Syracuse's Jack Duffy tallied his first career goal in Orange to knot the game back up at one with 5:19 left in the first period. Senior captain Connor Chesner's initial shot was denied by 

the Delaware goaltender and slotted into the back of the net by Duffy. 

Following the Orange's goal, the team's offensive aggression continued with five scoring chances created before the end of the period, but the teams went into the intermission tied at one. 

Syracuse junior forward Kade Cook put the Orange in the lead for the first and only time of the first matchup four minutes into the second. First-year forward Chris Fanning and  sophomore forward Jack McCormick with the helpers on the Orange's second tally.

Despite the lead change early into the second Delaware added the next two goals on 5-on-3 man advantages. The first came from a one-timed slapshot from Jack Keller with 4:13 left in the period. The Blue Hen's third was the result of a bar-down wrist shot from Austin Vecchio's stick with 1:43 left in the second. 

Sophomore defender Ryan Thomas found the game-tying goal and his first of the season in his first game back from a broken jaw just over three minutes into the third period. Junior forward Brendan Duffy and junior defenseman Carter Rugg were credited with the assists on the powerplay goal. 

Neither team found a breakthrough until the seventh round of a shootout that saw Delaware's captain Cody Dias bury the game winner past Syracuse goalie AJ Finta. UD took game 1 of the weekend 4-3 in a shootout. 

Game two took place at the Upstate Medical University Arena at The Oncenter War Memorial, home to the AHL's Syracuse Crunch, with a noon puck drop. 

Delaware tallied first on a redirected wrist shot from the blue line just under five minutes into the game. The Orange responded with a 2-on-0 breakaway. Senior forward Jack Wren passed the puick across the net to linemate Kade Cook for a one-timed finish with 12:40 left in the period. 

Following three near misses that rung the post off Orange sticks in the period, the Blue Hens scored again at 11:35 on a rebound and took a goal advantage into the first intermission. 

The teams continued to push for a goal in the second period with no success. The Blue Hens then hit the post six minutes in the period, and Syracuse couldn't convert a 2-on-0 breakout in the final two minutes, maintaining a one-goal lead for Delaware to end the middle frame. 

Both teams continued to attack with no scoring until the final 6.5 seconds of regulation. The Orange called a timeout and pulled Finta with 2:30 left, generating five shots on goal in the final minutes. Senior forward Jack Wren picked up the puck in front of the net with 6.5 seconds left to play and powered the puck into the net to extend the game to overtime for the second straight game. 

The Orange took full advantage of their newfound momentum in overtime with a 2-on-0 breakaway slotted away by Ben Brant with 2:05 left to play. First-year forward Nathan McLean set up Brant with a perfect pass across the crease to Brant for a one-timed finish,and the Orange claim a vital point in the standings. 

"I'm thankful to have a linemate like Nate [McLean] who makes my job easier. This win shows the character of our team and how resilient we are as a team", said Brant after the second game.

The Orange hit the road to take on Oswego on Thursday at 7:30 pm and Robert Morris University on Friday at 8:30 pm and Saturday at 3:30 pm. 


Syracuse Men's ACHA Hockey would like to thank the Syracuse Crunch for their continued support of the program