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Amid its recent nine-game losing streak, Syracuse head coach Britni Smith constantly told her players to “play the full 60 (minutes)” and to “trust the process.”

But words can only do so much. Actions speak much louder.

Bryn Saarela’s two-goal performance sparked a comeback 4-2 win over RIT on Nov. 15, ending SU’s nightmarish slide.

Looking to stay in the win column, the Orange traveled to Maryland Heights, Missouri, to face Lindenwood on Friday. The Lions opened their campaign winless through nine games and entered Friday’s matchup with a 1-3-0 record on home ice and in conference play.

Despite each team’s slow start to the season, Syracuse added another victory to its strong 13-3-1 all-time road record against the Lions.

In its matchup against Lindenwood (2-12-1, 1-4-0 Atlantic Hockey America), Syracuse (5-9-0, 3-2-0 AHA) secured a third consecutive victory, 2-1. After a slow offensive start, Allie Kelley’s 17 saves in the second period gave the Orange the chance to rattle off two goals between the second and third period. The Lions cut the deficit to one in the final minutes of play, but Syracuse held on for a gutsy road win.

In the first period, Syracuse’s offense controlled play in the opening five minutes, generating shot attempts from both its defenders and forwards. But it seemed the Lions had put their conference woes on the back burner, as they quickly settled into their defensive game.

With sacrificial blocks in front of their own net, Lindenwood repeatedly turned away SU’s shots, making it difficult for Syracuse’s shooters to test Lions goalie Anna LaRose. The netminder only faced five shots on goal in the opening period.

Eventually, Lindenwood’s offense got on the front foot and tested Kelley, who is no stranger to stopping pucks. With routine saves in close range, she held off the Lions’ cross-crease attack and gave the Orange a chance to score the game’s first goal.

So far this season, one of Syracuse’s strengths has been its supremacy in the faceoff dot, winning just under half of its draws. SU captain Tatum White is also ranked No. 20 in the nation in faceoff wins. However, SU struggled in the faceoff dot during the first period.

The Lions finished the first period up 12-9 on draws, even holding the Orange in their own end with four consecutive faceoff wins midway through the period.

After a back-and-forth final five minutes of play, a late push by Saarela and Mik Todd tested LaRose with back-to-back shots on goal, but the first period ended scoreless.

In the second period, the Lions turned up the heat on offense, but it seemed every time their attackers put pucks toward the net, Kelley was there to make the save.

After opening the period with a successful penalty kill, Nea Tervonen’s roughing minor sent SU’s shorthanded unit back out onto the ice. Despite their 11% conversion rate, the Lions’ power play looked dominant. But so did Kelley.

Entering Friday’s matchup, Kelley led all active NCAA goalies with 3,742 saves across her five-year career. She added to that total by putting on a show in the second period with 17 stops, including back-to-back diving saves to deny one-timers at point-blank range. All the Lions could do was shake their heads in disbelief.

While the ice had been tilted in favor of LWU for the majority of the middle period, the Orange somehow still managed to open the scoring. With 18 seconds left, Peyton Armstrong scored off a rebound to give SU the lead on one of its few offensive chances in the frame.

After spending most of the period on the attack, the tally was a tough pill to swallow for Lindenwood.

After falling behind late in the second period, the Lions looked completely deflated to start the final period. While Syracuse’s offense found its form and built momentum, Lindenwood was held shotless through nearly the first 10 minutes of play.

Things only got worse for LWU down the stretch.

A roughing minor gave Syracuse’s power play unit its first chance of the contest, and it converted for the seventh time this season, as Charli Kettyle slipped the puck between LaRose and the left post, doubling SU’s lead. The finish was Kettyle’s team-high fifth goal of the season.

Down the contest’s final stretch, Zsofia Pazmandi gave the Lions a chance with a top-shelf goal to bring Lindenwood within one, and a late penalty by the Orange gave the Lions hope they could force overtime. But Kelley remained a brick wall in the net for SU. With the help of key blocks from their defenders, the Orange escaped enemy territory with a one-goal victory for the second straight game.

Published on November 22, 2024 at 8:26 pm

Contact Matthew: mgray06@syr.edu