Syracuse women’s ice hockey continues four-game win streak, beats LIU 5-2
SU women's ice hockey tops LIU, 5-2
Coming off a back-to-back three game win streak on a road trip at Lindenwood, the Syracuse women’s ice hockey team was ready to continue that battle against Long Island University on Friday.
Following the weekend that doubled their season win number, Jessica DiGirolamo and Allison Small won CHA Player and Goaltender of the Week, respectively. DiGirolamo tallied five goals and one assist in the sweep and Small logged 64 saves in the wins.
Despite Small’s strong weekend, freshman Amelia Van Vliet started in goal for the Orange. LIU won the initial faceoff but strong defense from the Orange slowed the Sharks’ first drive toward the net. LIU got the first shot of the game but were halted with a strong stop from Van Vliet.
The puck now in LIUs end, Syracuse was unable to get a shot off and the puck headed back into the Orange zone. After a short-lived skate in the Orange end, Syracuse wanted more offensive zone time and a near miss from Brynn Koocher off a missed shot from Kambel Beacom added a little more pep in Syracuse’s step. The Sharks quickly brought it down to the other end but to no avail as Van Vliet followed it all the way in and made her second save of the night.
A hard hit on Koocher sent her to the bench but that didn’t knock Syracuse’s confidence as they ripped another shot on goal right after play resumed. A cross-checking call on LIU’s Morgan Schauer put the puck in the LIU zone and gave Syracuse a one-player advantage. While LIU initially came out strong on their penalty kill, Saige McKay joined Schauer seconds later for a tripping call and all of a sudden, LIU only had 3 players on the ice and Syracuse was ready to show their strength in the offensive zone.
DiGirolamo’s super close shot that pinged off the cross bar was almost tapped in over the line, but Kenzie Harmison came to the rescue and it was back to a 5-on-4, then full strength.
All season long, Syracuse has shown quiet determination from the bench and this tilt was no different. Following a hooking call on DiGirolamo, the Sharks turned the puck over and Abby Moloughney whipped a quick shot at Harmison that was quickly blocked by the LIU goaltender. Shortly after Anna Leschyshyn found herself in a one-on-one down the right side of the ice, popped the puck up to the end of her stick and flipped it up over the right shoulder of Harmison to put the Orange up 1-0. The shorthanded goal was Leschyshyn’s first goal at home of the season and Kristen Siermachesky logged the assist.
Another smack to the pads of Van Vliet as she stopped another from going through and Syracuse still had the upper hand. Syracuse continued to lay on the pressure as Mae Batherson and DiGirolamo rocketed back-to-back shots from right in front of the blue line that were all stopped by Harmison and the Orange were unable to add to their lead.
After a couple close calls with quick back-to-back Syracuse turnovers in the Orange zone, Syracuse managed to bring it back into the Sharks zone and get a quick blocked shot off as well as a hooking penalty called on Victoria Klimek.
Down a player, Syracuse was on the penalty kill for the second time in the first period and did not want to give up their lead. Shortly after the Klimek call, Lauren Bellefontaine was sent flying after trying to get a shot off on a one-on-one and now both teams had a player in the box in the last four of the first.
With Paula Bergstrom serving two for tripping, DiGirolamo wanted to strengthen the Syracuse lead badly, putting herself in the middle of two great plays around the net but was unable to get either of them to go. Van Vliet had an intense close save after taking one straight on and with a quick lift of the glove, tipped the puck up over the net.
Shelby Calof had a wide-open shot and took advantage of it, flinging it toward the LIU netminder from behind the circle and put the puck right past Harmison’s shoulder quicker than she could move to stop it. Rayla Clemons and Beacom picked up the assists on the 2-1 Orange play.
The second period saw more back-and-forth action as neither team could get a grasp on the puck in either zone for more than a few seconds.
Allowing both teams to reset, Bellefontaine brought it all the way down to the LIU zone but the Sharks didn’t like that and sent it flying to the other end. But Syracuse was quick to bring it back down and Leschyshyn got a shot off that was stopped by the goaltender. Hannah Johnson wanted a chance of her own and ripped a quick one off but that was also stopped by Harmison.
With two seconds left in the LIU penalty, Tatum White swapped places in the box and sat for two for cross checking. Despite being down, Bellefontaine got a quick shot off that soared high and the puck was once again sliding back into the Syracuse zone.
Ashley Morrow capitalized on the one-player advantage and took her shot from within the left circle and bested Van Vliet for the Sharks’ first of the night, bringing LIU within one. Now back to full strength, Megan Roe for LIU managed to get another shot off that didn’t get past Van Vliet this time.
Tempers rose and Koocher ended up in the box after a checking call, so Syracuse was back to killing another penalty after not getting the chance to catch their breath from the first one.
A breakaway opportunity for Moloughney was stopped and another shot from DiGirolamo wouldn’t go but Syracuse was starting to tire out the LIU line that was desperate for a change. Syracuse did well for themselves in the defensive end and kept their one-goal lead with under 10 to go in the middle frame.
A LIU defender knocked Calof’s shot down and the puck was headed into the other end until LIU turned it over and Cuse had another chance to add to their lead. Clemons’ speed almost landed her another goal, but she got caught up in a sea of blue and yellow sweaters and couldn’t finish the rush.
A scuffle in front of the net was proof of the rising frustration from both teams following another blocked shot by Van Vliet. Double penalties were called on Tatum White for slashing and LIU for interference off the faceoff so that had to be redone but the penalties didn’t shake either team as both didn’t let up in either zone.
Linn Ploug sent one high and wide and the puck was brought back into the LIU zone by Siermachesky and Leschyshyn. A quick shot off by Leschyshyn wasn’t enough and Syracuse went back on the defensive drive as both penalties came to an end.
Renee Hoffmann picked up a hooking penalty that moved the puck to the Sharks zone with under a minute remaining in the second and it was all Orange from there. Batherson slid a pass over to Bellefontaine who flung one over the pad of Harmison for Syracuse’s third goal of the night and first of the second stanza.
The beginning of the third period saw a strong offensive start for Syracuse and had LIU looking like they were on the penalty kill with the amount of pressure the Orange put on the Sharks.
Abby Latorella collided with her netminder, Harmison and was sent straight to the locker room after skating off under her own volition.
Klimek and Moloughney got into it with some LIU skaters after Bellefontaine’s shot was blocked. Following the tussle, Batherson shot a rocket that almost slid right under the pads of goalie and got another shot off that was deflected wide.
More penalties resulted for both teams as Roe landed in the box for holding and DiGirolamo sat for interference but nothing was done on the 4-on-4 for either team and Cuse successfully killed the remaining time in their penalty.
Leschyschyn got her second of the night as she quietly drove toward the net, found an open goaltender and popped one past the Harmison, resulting in a timeout call by LIU and a fourth point added to the Syracuse side of the scoreboard. DiGirolamo added to her success from the past few games and tallied the assist on the goal.
Latorella had a quick return from her collision and a quick return for LIU, cutting Syracuse’s lead in half with under nine to go in the final frame.
Reeling from their newfound confidence, number two for LIU, Paula Bergstrom tried to add another with two strong shots toward the net that both flew high and wide but LIU found themselves with too many players on ice and landed in the penalty box once again.
However, White said too many LIU players, not enough Orange goals and getting up close and personal with Harmison, launched one in for Syracuse’s fifth of the night and second of the period. The power-play goal was assisted by Marielle McHale and Madison Beishuizen.
Alva Johnsson ended the game for LIU in the box for holding and was released with one minute to go in the contest. Syracuse held on to their 5-2 lead.
The Orange return to the Tennity Ice Pavilion on Saturday against the Sharks, looking to sweep the second team in a row at 2 p.m.
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