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Syracuse (9-18-2, 6-5-1 College Hockey America) has suffered two separate six-game losing streaks already this season. Those two skids surpass the 11 total losses the team had all of last season. 

During their CHA Championship run in 2022, the Orange had an 11-4 conference record, achieved through more efficient defense and better individual production than the current team. 

Here’s a closer look at how the Orange have fallen off statistically since last season, most notably in CHA play. 

The conference defense conundrum

In conference play this season, Syracuse has earned a total -53 +/-, outscored by eight goals in 12 games. Last season, SU had a +16 goal differential and a +9 +/-. It allowed 34 conference goals in 16 matches last season, but has already allowed 40 in just 12 games this year. The Syracuse defense has fallen off significantly from a statistical standpoint and it’s losing games.

While 10 people from last year’s team had positive conference plus-minuses – four of which graduated – now only three SU players have positive splits. Syracuse’s defensive struggles are the primary reason, as it ranks last in the CHA in blocks per game, averaging just under 10. 

Syracuse’s former All-Conference goalkeeper Arielle DeSmet has also struggled in conference play relative to last season. A stout 1.64 goals per game average in CHA play was sufficient to lead the Orange through the conference tournament. But a 3.24 average this season has made it difficult for Syracuse to stay at the top of the conference. 

SU does not rank first in any of the 13 overall statistics in the CHA despite there being just five teams.

The shoes aren’t filled

Syracuse lost its top-three shot-takers from last season: Jessica DiGirolamo, Victoria Klimek and Abby Moloughney all took over 100 shots before graduating last spring. In their absence, Syracuse hasn’t produced the same offensive numbers. 

This season, only one player is on pace for 100+ shots, Tatum White, and she has just 12 points on the season ranking seventh on the team. SU’s leading scorer, Lauren Bellefontaine, is the next-closest with 75 shots and 26 points. 

Stephanie Zaso | Digital Design Director

White scored the last-second goal against Lindenwood with 4.2 seconds on the clock, but apart from that, has been quiet offensively this season. She has just one more point than she did last season with a much more prominent offensive role.

Madison Primeau, who broke the freshman scoring record last season with 10 goals, has produced similarly this season. However, she still averages less than 2.2 shots per game, ranking seventh on the team despite her clear inclination towards scoring the puck. 

Overall struggles

The Orange are struggling overall as well as in the conference. What was a +4 goal differential last season turned into -20 so far this year and, accordingly, the team’s goals allowed per game average has risen from 2.40 to 2.80 this year. DeSmet, the seventh goalie in team history to reach 1,000 saves, has regressed less overall than in conference play, but her goals per game average has still jumped one whole score. 

Head coach Britni Smith has acknowledged the importance of early momentum multiple times this season. SU’s shot percentage is .016 less than their opponents, while it also averages less shots per game. Most recently, SU was outshot 51-26 by Mercyhurst, which set its season-high for shots allowed in a tie with the Lions.

That doesn’t put the Orange in a great position to succeed, so if they don’t get on the board early, it seems to all fall apart. Unfortunately, those issues with swinging momentum exist within the season dynamic as well as the single-game one.

Stephanie Zaso | Digital Design Director

Can’t control the momentum

The second losing streak started because of a Penn State sweep where it demoralized the Orange defense, pouring on 15 goals in two games to SU’s three. The team completely lost momentum, basically conceding the second game in the first period when the Nittany Lions went up 4-1. 

In the first loss, a shutout to the then-No. 12 Nittany Lions, SU’s Charlotte Hallett took possession near her own goal, down big in the third period. But, she whiffed, and her lackadaisical swipe skipped on the ice and right over the puck. PSU forward Tessa Janecke pounced on the barely-moving puck to score from point-blank range, making it 4-0, which would be the final. 

That was the Orange’s first conference loss since Feb. 11th of last year. But after that effortless moment, SU lost five more games, giving up at least two goals in all of them. That streak has extended to SU’s current play, dropping nine-of-12 games since its first meeting with the conference rival. After sweeping both Lindenwood and RIT earlier this season, the Orange split with both over the past two weeks, and lost to Mercyhurst 6-1, who’s also in the conference.

Published on January 29, 2023 at 9:53 pm

Contact Wyatt: wbmiller@syr.edu