Syracuse prepared all week for Quinnipiac, but really it was for preparing for Kelly Babstock.

All that practice paid off eventually.

Syracuse defeated the Bobcats 4-0 in the Tennity Ice Pavilion on Saturday. The win came one day after the Orange fell to Quinnipiac 3-2, SU’s first chance to see Babstock in person. Going into the game, the Orange knew its focus was going to be on Babstock, the nation’s leader in points per game, goals, goals per game and power-play goals.

To stop Quinnipiac’s starting center, Syracuse defender Jacquie Greco said the team placed its emphasis on Babstock.

“This weekend, we actually treated the whole team like they were a bunch of Babstocks,” Greco said. “We played the other girls just as hard as we played her, and I think that helped us.”

In Friday’s 3-2 loss to Quinnipiac, Babstock scored one goal. Syracuse assistant coach Ali Domenico said the defensive lines weren’t changed that much to stop Babstock.

“We weren’t just trying to narrow in on her. We obviously know she’s a pretty effective player on the offensive end,” Domenico said. “I think just be aware of when she’s out there and where she is on the ice.”

On Saturday, Babstock only managed to take two shots. She also spent four minutes in the penalty box.

SU head coach Paul Flanagan said he wanted his players to be aggressive and not let her bully them.

“You know don’t let her push you around,” Flanagan said. “She was in the crease trying to push our goalie around both nights and she doesn’t need to play like that.”

Syracuse forward Cara Johnson got into a little rumble with Babstock with about six minutes left in the second period. Both players were seen conversing and the confrontation ended with each player shoving the other in the face.

After the game, Johnson said she didn’t really remember the argument occurring, but did talk about how she worked on containing Babstock.

“We knew coming in that she was a pretty good player,” Johnson said. “She had like 14 points in four games. She’s really shifty so you gotta make sure she doesn’t get around you.”

Flanagan told his players not to take this kind of aggressive play from her, but at the same time to not retaliate in a way that will land a penalty.

“You don’t have to hit her. ‘Stay in her face’ is kind of a slogan that we used,” Flanagan said. “I think from her, there was a lot of frustration. I think she came in thinking she was going to continue on her torrid scoring pace.”

The frustration Flanagan talked about landed Babstock in the box twice during game two. The second time Babstock landed in the penalty box, Syracuse scored on a power-play goal by forward Nicole Ferrara.

Syracuse goalie Kelly Billadeau, who started on Saturday after not playing on Friday, said she tried to look out for Babstock when she was on the ice.

“I know when she’s out there and I keep that in the back of my mind,” Billadeau said. “But you’ve got to be worried about the whole team, not just one player.”

Cara Johnson also mentioned trying to be aware of where Babstock was on the ice.

“If I saw her I would try to be on her at all times, keep her in the corner of my eye,” Johnson said. “Push her when she was close, especially near the net.”

Greco played against Babstock for a while and knew Babstock was going to be the star player on Quinnipiac.

“We always play a team where there is that one girl,” Greco said. “We didn’t play the other girls any differently then when played her and in the end, I think that really helped us.”

Published on October 22, 2012 at 12:02 am

Contact David: dlauterb@syr.edu