Up 2-1 halfway through the third period on Feb. 14, Madison Beishuizen skated stride-for-stride with a Lindenwood forward. As they neared the boards, Beishuizen sent the Lions player down to the ice and herself to the penalty box, where she joined teammate Victoria Klimek. For the next 50 seconds, Syracuse would be killing a 5-on-3.

After Lauren Bellefontaine cut off a Lions pass and cleared the zone, Klimek returned from the box. Still down a player, the Orange prevented Lindenwood from leaving their own zone for most of the remaining power play. Forecheckers Bellefontaine and Amanda Backebo forced turnovers behind the Lions’ net and soon enough, Beishuizen was out of the box as well. A 3:06 penalty kill. Zero Lindenwood shots.

A Syracuse (12-18-2, 10-6-2 College Hockey America) penalty kill that struggled during non-conference play — allowing a goal in nine-straight games — turned a corner once CHA play began. While one half of the special teams unit has improved, the other has gone cold — SU’s power-play has scored on 5% of opportunities in the past 12 games. Balancing special teams success will be vital as SU looks to repeat as CHA champions in the conference tournament next month.

In the same Lindenwood game, Syracuse went on the power play tied at two. After winning the face-off, the Orange controlled possession and proceeded to blast shots on net. After blocked shots and timely saves from Lindenwood’s Annika Asplundh, it seemed the game was headed for overtime.

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Instead, Syracuse kept probing, never allowing the puck to leave the zone. Eventually it found its way to Mae Batherson at the point. She wound up and found the top corner for the game-winner.

“If your power play is cooking pretty well and your (penalty kill) is doing well, yeah you’re gonna have success,” head coach Paul Flanagan said.

Both Robert Morris and Mercyhurst — the two teams Syracuse trails in CHA standings — have scored more and allowed fewer goals than the Orange because their power-play percentages rank third and sixth in the nation, respectively. Similarly, both teams have top-15 penalty kills.

“Robert Morris has run the same power play for the eight years that I’ve been here and nobody can stop it,” associate head coach Brendon Knight said. “So I’d love to sit down with them and pick their brain a little bit.”

The Orange’s penalty-kill unit has allowed just one power-play goal in the past eight games. During non-conference play, the Orange allowed 15 power-play goals. Against non-CHA opponents, they had six or more penalties four times, but since, only once — against Penn State on Nov. 24. Being forced to kill fewer penalty minutes, SU’s penalty-kill percentage has risen to 27th in the country.

“I think for one, we aren’t taking as many penalties as we are known for,” said Lindsay Eastwood. “But we’re focusing, we’re bearing down, we’re following what we’re being told to do, and we’re following directions and it’s working.”

But, over the past 12 games, Syracuse’s power-play units are a combined 2-for-37. Flanagan and his staff have tried to mix up power-play lines and draw new plays. They have even broadened the power play to three units, something they’ve never tried in Knight’s eight-year tenure. SU’s trying anything to find a solution.

After instability across all facets of the game early in the season, Syracuse’s goaltending, forechecking and penalty kill have all fallen into place. If the Orange are to make another CHA tournament run, the power play must too.

“I think a lot of times the power play can either be a momentum-builder or a momentum-killer,” Knight said. “So if you’re on the power play, and you don’t even set up in their zone and they’re constantly icing the puck on you it’s just a real momentum-shifter.”

Published on February 26, 2020 at 11:05 pm

Contact Gaurav: gshetty@syr.edu