Get the latest Syracuse news delivered right to your inbox. Subscribe to our sports newsletter here.

Despite being on a power play, the Orange couldn’t string anything together offensively for the first 30 seconds of the second period. After Vermont dumped the puck deep into Syracuse’s defensive zone, Syracuse retaliated.

Behind the red line, three of the four skaters on the ice surrounded Tatum White, who sent the puck to Sarah Marchand – also behind the red line but to White’s left. Vermont’s other skater trickled over to Marchand leaving nothing but ice between a cutting Rhea Hicks and Catamount goalie Jessie McPherson. Marchand passed the puck to Hicks, who saw her shot blocked.

In the ensuing 30 seconds, while still at a 5-4 skater advantage, SU kept applying pressure to Vermont’s defensive zone and created another opportunity to score. After putting a move on Krista Parkkonen down the left side of the rink, Hicks skated up the rink along the red line looking to score. With an opening, Hicks fired off a shot that ricocheted off Jessie McPherson giving her another chance to score, but McPherson was able to cover up the puck and effectively kill Syracuse’s second power play opportunity of the night. 

“Special teams is something that we work on a lot, especially that we’re getting deeper into our season,” Sarah Thompson said. “(Special teams) is going to be extra important, especially for big teams like this. It really makes a huge difference and it’s how you win games, so we’re working on it a lot.”

In a tightly contested game, a power play goal proved to be the difference as Syracuse (7-13-1, 4-2 College Hockey America) fell to Vermont (13-7-1, 8-5-1 Hockey East) 2-1. Despite narrow advantages in shots on goal (20-18), shots (41-32) and faceoffs won (30-26), the Orange were 0-3 on their power play opportunities while the Catamounts were 1-3.

In its three power play opportunities, Syracuse was only able to net a total of two shots on goal. Nationally, Syracuse has been one of the better power play scoring sides. Its 11 power play goals are tied with Clarkson for the 13th most among Division I teams. Additionally, Syracuse has been one of the best short-handed teams in the country. Its four short-handed goals are the fourth most among Division 1 teams. Given how successful the Orange have been on special teams, today’s performance was a huge disappointment.

“I thought we were better in some areas, but we didn’t get that goal we needed. (We made) minor improvements, but I would’ve liked to see a little bit more production from our power play,” head coach Britni Smith said.

After a brief four-on-four around the midpoint of the first period, Syracuse returned to full strength while Vermont was still down a player. When Vermont was on a power play, Lily Humphrey was called for tripping, giving the Orange a one-player advantage for the next 1:25.

Vermont’s clearance sent the puck behind Syracuse’s red line and Mae Batherson controlled the puck and brought it up the ice. As she approached Syracuse’s blue line, Batherson dished the puck left to Mik Todd. Seeing Lauren Bellefontaine open down the opposite side of the rink, Todd fired the puck across the ice to Bellefontaine in stride. With Sini Karjalainen quickly approaching, Bellefontaine dropped the puck behind her to Sarah Marchand. Marchand quickly fed the puck back to Bellefontaine on a 1-2 pass. 

With breathing room, Bellefontaine attempted a backhanded shot, but Sarah Levesque slid and blocked the puck with her knee. Immediately, Levesque got back up, gained control of the puck and cleared it all the way across the rink back near Syracuse’s red line. In the ensuing 45 seconds, despite its advantage, SU didn’t muster any shots on goal and the Catamounts cleared the puck a third time. 

After Thompson was called for tripping with 8:35 left in the first period, Vermont received its second power play of the night. Establishing the puck in Syracuse’s offensive zone, Natalie Mlynkova swung the puck to Karjalainen at the center of the blue line. With Syracuse’s defense playing conservatively, she dished the puck right to a wide-open Theresa Schafzahl. 

As Schafzahl received the puck, White and Hannah Johnson shifted toward her and left Mlynkova unmarked on the opposite side of the rink. Mlynkova skated toward the crease and Schafzahl hit her in stride. With no defenders in front of her, Mlynkova collected the puck and fired a perfectly placed shot between Arielle DeSmet and Mae Batherson to give the Catamounts a 1-0 lead.

One minute later, with Thompson back on the ice and Syracuse back at full strength, the Orange responded. Gaining possession near SU’s red line after stopping Vermont’s attack, Thompson drove the puck up the ice. Up the ice and toward her left at the center of the ice, Rayla Clemons slipped behind the defense and Thompson made a beautiful pass to Clemons in stride. Using her excellent speed, Clemons made a move to the middle of the crease and scored.

When Corinne McCool scored her second goal of the series around the midpoint of the second period, that proved to be all the Catamounts needed to sweep the Orange. Although Syracuse had its third power play opportunity of the night in the second, it didn’t string anything together offensively and had no shots on goal. 

“(On power plays) this weekend, it was just a little lack of urgency,” Smith said. “Understanding it’s possession over position, and we got to work to get possession before we worry about getting into our setup.”

Published on December 10, 2022 at 8:52 pm

Contact Justin: justingirshon@gmail.com | @JustinGirshon