As Syracuse continues to grind its way through a tough conference schedule, the chances have been numerous and, at times, tantalizingly close. But the finishing goal hasn’t been there.

And senior forward Melissa Piacentini has been at the forefront of the Orange’s scoring problems. As one of the more offensive minded players on the team for the past three years, she has only seven goals on the year after scoring 18 last year and 17 the year before that. She hasn’t scored in eight games since a 7-2 loss to Boston College on Dec. 10, in which she scored both goals for the Orange.

SU (12-13-3, 8-4-2 College Hockey America) is within two wins of overtaking Mercyhurst (12-10-4, 9-3-2) for first place in the CHA standings with only six games to go, and head coach Paul Flanagan said when the time is right, the forward will score and the slump will fade away.

“If she just wasn’t manufacturing opportunities and chances I’d be nervous,” Flanagan said. “I would have to say the old adage, ‘she’s been really snake bitten.’”

Piacentini said she also believes over the next few weeks her fortunes should change and that her assists are still a positive stat for the team. Her lack of goal scoring, she said, has led her to become more of a playmaker.

“I just need to stick to my style of play and things will work themselves out,” Piacentini said. “I’m perfectly fine getting an assist. As long as I’m doing a role that’s going to help us win the game.”

Flanagan has consistently praised her ability to generate offense and this year, Piacentini already has a career-high in assists with 19. Her 20th assist will make her Syracuse’s all-time leader in that category.

Piacentini’s development has turned from more of a pure goal-scorer to more of a thinker, as evidenced by the 57 assists she has accumulated since her freshman year.

Flanagan has seen Piacentini’s development as a player. When she was younger, her situational awareness wasn’t as keen as it is now. Defensively, she’s also improved.

With both offensive and defensive instincts at such a high level, Piacentini has been able to grow into a responsible two-way player and thus has allowed her assists to matter just as much as goals.

“She’s a team player,” Flanagan said. “Whether it’s an assist or even if you make a play that ends with a goal … you’re doing good things. She’s making things happen, and I’m very confident that she will be there when we need her”

One of the beneficiaries to Piacentini’s playmaking has been leading goal-scorer Nicole Ferrara, who has 12 goals on the season. Ferrara says that she would have likely had fewer goals on the season without the on-ice vision of Piacentini. Ferrera had not scored more than 10 in a full season before this year.

“Every time you step on the ice, it’s a big opportunity to prove yourself,” said Piacentini. “It’s something that I’ve always kept with myself to work for.”

Published on February 3, 2016 at 1:14 am

Contact Jake: jafalk@syr.edu