ERIE, Pa. - Junior Emily Janiga scored twice and junior Jenna Dingeldein scored the game-winning goal with 7:19 left in regulation as the #9/10 Mercyhurst University women's hockey team scored three times in the third period to come-from-behind to defeat Syracuse, 3-2, at the Mercyhurst Ice Center on Saturday afternoon. The win, which snapped a three-game winless streak, improved the Lakers' record to 17-4-3 overall and 8-3-1 in the College Hockey America standings. The Orange dropped to 6-11-8 overall and 4-3-4 in conference play.

With the victory, the Lakers now hold a four-point lead over second-place Penn State and have a five-point advantage over Syracuse, which dropped to third place in the standings. Mercyhurst improved to 29-1-3 lifetime against the Orange in the all-time series.

Things looked grim for Mercyhurst as Syracuse scored a goal in each of the first two periods to take a 2-0 lead after forty minutes. Stephanie Grossi gave the Orange a 1-0 lead when she knocked home a rebound past senior goaltender Amanda Makela during a 5-on-3 power play just 3:42 into the contest. Jessica Sibley and Akane Hosoyamada had the assists.

Thanks, in large part to, four first period power plays, the Orange outshot Mercyhurst 15-5 in the opening twenty minutes.

Syracuse, again on the power play, took a 2-0 lead at 8:37 of the second period when Melissa Piacentini beat Makela for her 12th goal of the season. Nicole Renault and Hosoyamada had the assists on the man-advantage goal.

Mercyhurst owned a 12-9 shot advantage in the middle period.

The Lakers then used the man advantage to their advantage in the third. With Syracuse's Kaillie Goodnough in the penalty box that carried over to the start of the final stanza, Janiga finished off a brilliant tic-tac-toe passing play just 14 seconds in to cut the Syracuse lead to 2-1. Janiga's team-leading 18th goal of the season was assisted by senior Shelby Bram and junior J'nai Mahadeo.

Janiga struck again on the power play at 6:55 when she chipped home a pass from the point off the stick of senior defenseman Molly Byrne and past Syracuse goaltender Jenn Gilligan. Janiga's 19th goal of the year was also assisted by Mahadeo.

Dingeldein then gave the Lakers a lead they would never relinquish with her 12th goal of the season, beating Gilligan over the glove hand from the right wing circle. Byrne and Bram had the assists.

Syracuse would pull Gilligan for an extra attacker down the stretch but could not get the equalizer.

All five goals on the afternoon came on the power play. Mercyhurst was 3-for-7 with the skater advantage while Syracuse was 2-for-8.

Makela stopped 30-of-32 for her 17th victory of the season. Gilligan fell to 6-10-7 with 21 saves. Syracuse held a 32-24 shot advantage, but 14 of its shots came during power play chances.

Bram's two assists pulled her to within two points of reaching the century mark in her collegiate career. Janiga and Dingeldein became members of the 100-point club earlier this season.

The Lakers return to action on Friday, Janaury 23 and Saturday, January 24 when they go out of conference, and on the road, to take on St. Lawrence.