Syracuse has never won a College Hockey America title in the program’s 10 years of existence. But even in the midst of its longest losing streak in program history — now at 10-straight games — there’s still an opportunity for an Orange title run with more conference play looming.

“Obviously we’ve been struggling,” senior captain Allie Munroe said. “But throughout the room, we still have confidence in each other.”

All four wins for Syracuse (4-16-1, 4-4 College Hockey America) have come against conference opponents. SU hadn’t played a conference game since Nov. 16 before Friday’s 4-2 loss to Rochester Institute of Technology. Conference play is the sole determiner of seeding for the postseason tournament, and the Orange began a stretch of 13-straight games against CHA opponents on Jan. 11. If the playoffs were to begin today, Syracuse would be the fourth seed of six teams despite being on pace for its worst program winning percentage ever (.214).

Winning games has been difficult for Syracuse’s young and inexperienced defense, which relies on upperclassmen Lindsay Eastwood and Allie Olnowich. All other defenders have a plus-minus rating below minus-14. So as SU’s deficits grow from its backline’s play, its offensive play hasn’t been able to recover.

While the younger defensemen have struggled, the team’s younger forwards have thrived. Freshman Lauren Bellefontaine and sophomore Emma Polaski are second and third on the team in points, respectively.

When the Orange last reached the conference finals in 2016-17, they had a 5-11-5 record before winter break. In its 10 years of existence, SU has still managed to make the finals six times, even with mediocre fall records.

The first half of SU’s season is primarily against nonconference opponents — many of them ranked — in order to test SU before the home stretch in conference play, Polaski said.

This season, SU finished 0-12-1 in nonconference games with nine matchups against the nation’s top-10 teams. While the Orange were outscored 47-13 in those contests, head coach Paul Flanagan sees worth in the first half of his season.

“The experiences we’ve had in this first half are really going to help us in the second half,” Flanagan said, “Just knowing we have to do things quicker.”

CHA teams also play with an underdog mentality, Munroe said. Considering their cumulative lack of success against top teams such as Wisconsin, Minnesota or St. Lawrence, CHA play gives teams an opportunity for a level playing field.

“We know each other,” Munroe, the team’s leading goal scorer, said. “We know how they play, we know what’s on the line and we know that we might see them come playoff time.”

While the extra motivation didn’t help in SU’s first conference game of the new year — in which RIT scored four first period goals — the Orange outshot the Tigers, 40-36, and goaltender Maddi Welch pitched a shutout in 40 minutes of relief.

The bulk of SU’s conference games remaining are against five CHA teams, all without winning records. But with the worst overall record in its conference, Syracuse still has opportunity to reclaim its season in the final stretch.

“Right now, we’re the underdog everywhere,” Munroe said. “But I don’t mind that and I don’t think anyone else in the room does. We have a lot to prove.”

Published on January 13, 2019 at 9:57 pm

Contact Tim: tnolan@syr.edu