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With Syracuse tied 2-2 against St. Lawrence early in the second period, Sarah Marchand pulled down an attacker and was called for a holding penalty. Syracuse faced a man-down situation for the second time in the game. 

First, Hannah Johnson blocked a St. Lawrence attempt before Rachel Bjorgan picked up the loose puck. But Rayla Clemons pressured her into a turnover, starting a Syracuse break.

Clemons accelerated past Rachel Teslak into the attacking zone and closed in on goal as defenders collapsed around her. At the last second, she slid it across to an unmarked Sarah Thompson at the far post, who scored into an open net, giving Syracuse a 3-2 lead. Thompson’s score was a part of three special teams goals that helped Syracuse overcome a two-goal deficit in the first five minutes. 

Special teams have played a huge role for Syracuse ice hockey this season. SU is tied for third nationally and leads College Hockey America in short-handed goals with four. It is also second in the CHA with 11 power-play goals, tied for ninth nationally.

“Understanding how important special teams are to overall team success is big,” Syracuse head coach Britni Smith said. “It’s a time whether you’re a man up or down that can really change the feel and look of the game. We’ve really taken pride in making sure that we’re the team that comes out with momentum.”

Clemons, Marchand, Thompson and Tatum White have all scored short-handed goals for the Orange this season. Thompson leads the Orange with three power-play goals. Sarah Marchand and Madison Primeau have two, while five other SU players have netted goals in man-up opportunities.

Smith emphasizes strength on either side of a power play, and dedicates time with her staff to pay close attention to small details that could give the Orange an advantage. The Orange have a success rate of 0.200 on power plays this season while holding their opponents to 0.132. Smith knows that although man-up opportunities are about putting pressure on the opposing team, Syracuse won’t score on every power play. Instead, having an extra player gives teams a chance to “take hold of the game,” Smith said.

Man-up opportunities allow a higher chance to find openings in the defense. Given just two minutes, basics such as crisp passing and patience in the offensive zone can be crucial in executing a strong power play. 

“I think we’ve been especially strong this year in those situations,” Clemons said.

With two power plays in the first period against Lindenwood on Nov. 4, Syracuse punished the Lions’ both times. Hannah Johnson wasted no time on the first power play, scoring just eight seconds into the first man-up opportunity. After Thompson’s faceoff win, Rhéa Hicks released a shot that was spilled by the opposing goaltender before Johnson cleaned up the rebound to give Syracuse a 1-0 lead. 

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Syracuse was on the power play again with just under a minute left in the first period. Thompson threaded a pass to Terryn Mozes. Mozes shot, but Natalie Ferenc saved the shot. Hicks controlled the rebound and played it to an unmarked Primeau, who one-timed the puck past Ferene for SU’s second power-play goal of the opening period. 

Clemons plays a major role in Syracuse’s penalty kills. Her speed puts opposing defenders under pressure and disrupts their attacking rhythm. Clemons best showed off her speed against St. Lawrence, when she assisted Marchand’s go-ahead goal with 1:52 left in the second period.

While shorthanded, Clemson focuses on picking the right moments, dubbing them as “triggers.” This helps her to not get dragged out of position, leaving an opening for the attackers to exploit. 

“It’s when we recognize when we should be a little more aggressive or whether we should fall back and just play it smart,” Clemons said. “We’ve worked on that enough in practice, and we all know that when it’s time to get the puck and try to score.”

Smith says scoring shorthanded goals “gets everyone fired up” on the bench. Teams don’t usually expect to be attacked while on the power play, so when Syracuse goes forward, the Orange can catch their opponents off guard.

Other SU players have stepped up since a couple of key special teams members are out injured. Defenseman Mae Batherson missed a couple of games and forward Anna Leschyshyn appeared in just six games. 

“We’ve had different opportunities where people have had to step up into different roles,” Smith said. “I don’t think anyone specifically stands out in terms of being better than anyone else. It comes down to the team focusing and locking in.”

Published on November 29, 2022 at 12:11 am

Contact Zak: zakwolf784254@gmail.com | @ZakWolf22