Albany found a way to take Derek Maltz out of the game. He was held almost completely in check in Syracuse’s season-opening loss to the Great Danes. It created opportunities for others, but it meant one of the worst statistical games for the attack since he entered the starting lineup.

Once again, he was limited to just one goal in Syracuse’s 6-2 win over Army, but in the defensive showdown that the game became, it was a world of difference from his first game of the year.

“Last week, they did a pretty good job of not sliding off me and I was just trying to move as much as possible and create opportunities for my teammates,” Maltz said. “But today, they were sliding off me a little bit.”

It was a tactical difference between Great Danes head coach Scott Marr and the Black Knights’ Joe Alberici. Marr made sure Maltz wouldn’t beat his team and never had his defenders slide off the junior. Alberici played a straight-up approach, not treating Maltz any differently.

It showed on Maltz’s second goal of the season. During an uncharacteristically up-tempo second quarter, SU attack Kevin Rice passed to Dylan Donahue on the right side of the crease. Army’s defense and goaltender Sam Somers slid to Donahue, leaving Maltz unmarked on the other side of the crease. Donahue fired a pass by Somers to the wide-open Maltz, who tossed the ball into the back of the net and gave SU a 4-1 lead.

Syracuse’s six goals came from six different players. A week ago, the Orange leaned heavily on midfielder JoJo Marasco, who tallied eight points. Maltz scored just once against the Black Knights, but it was largely due to the game’s pace.

“A lot of it had to do with the possession time we had, and them going to goal and making saves forces us to be a little more patient, and it was good,” SU head coach John Desko said. “The tempo helped us win the game.”

Still, Maltz’s day could have ended better. He got off six shots, five on net, and all five were good opportunities. Were it not for a career-day for Somers, he would have scored even more on his point-blank opportunities.

“There was a couple shots I should have had,” Maltz said, “but the goalie had a good game.”

Late in Syracuse’s explosive second quarter, Matt Harris gathered a ground ball near midfield along the right sideline. The Orange offense went to work in an unsettled situation.

Maltz found himself alone on the left side of the field, and fired a low shot past Somers. But a whistle had blown. Timeout SU. Maltz’s second goal of the day was waved off.

“We could have gotten one more goal if the coach hadn’t called a timeout,” Desko joked, “but other than that, we did a pretty good job today.”

Published on February 25, 2013 at 12:26 am

Contact David: dbwilson@syr.edu | @DBWilson2