Box Score (PDF)

SYRACUSE, N.Y. --- After averaging just over a goal a game heading into Saturday's game at Syracuse, Cornell women's hockey exploded for three goals in the first period en route to a 5-2 win over the Orange at War Memorial Arena.

Senior captain Cassandra Poudrier began the offensive onslaught just 1:08 into the game, netting her first goal of the season off assists from juniors Hanna Bunton and Kaitlin Doering. Bunton then got her fourth of the year when junior Sydney Smith and Poudrier teamed up to break the puck out of the Big Red zone and send a long pass to Bunton, who skated into the Syracuse zone and made a move around Orange goaltender Jenn Gilligan to put the Big Red up 2-0 with 2:55 to go in the period. Then, with 1:16 left, senior Taylor Woods sent a puck out in front of the net, where freshman Diana Buckley tapped it over to junior Brianna Veerman, who redirected it past Gilligan, giving Cornell its highest offensive output of the season before the first horn had even sounded.
 
Freshman goaltender Marlene Boissonnault was tested early in the second period, with Laurence Pourlier getting off a point-blank shot from in close, but Boissonnault knocked it down and smothered it quickly, denying a rebound. With just under a minute to play in the second, Nicole Ferrara was the recipient of a pass in front of Boissonnault on a Syracuse odd-man rush, but Ferrara's shot went wide, leaving the score at 3-0 in favor of Cornell through two periods.
 
The Orange attempted to mount a rally on two separate occasions in the third period, but the Big Red answered quickly both times. Stephanie Grossi scored for Syracuse just 11 seconds into the period, but sophomore Sydnee Saracco created an offensive opportunity and dished the puck off to freshman Pippy Gerace, who got around Gilligan for her second of the season 4:17 into the period, pushing Cornell's lead back to three at 4-1. When a power play goal from Alysha Burriss brought the Orange back within two, Veerman put away her second of the afternoon 22 seconds later off a centering pass from Woods. Buckley and Woods picked up their second assists of the game.
 
Heading into this season, the team emphasized that the Big Red would need offensive production from all skaters, rather than just a few individuals, to be successful. With Poudrier, Smith and Buckley registering their first points of the season Saturday, 13 of the 18 skaters who have seen playing time this season have now gotten on the scoresheet.
 
Boissonnault came up big for Cornell, making 19 saves, including several of the spectacular variety, in her first career win.
 
The Big Red improved to 2-4-1 on the season with the win, while Syracuse dipped to 5-7-1. Cornell will face another College Hockey America opponent next weekend when the Big Red travels to Mercyhurst for a pair of games 7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 20 and 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 21.