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A shot from Erin Brusseau hit off Teagan Healslip before Syracuse retook possession. SU’s second shot came 1:50 into the first period and its first goal would come shortly after. Just 19 seconds after the Brusseau miss, Mik Todd escaped from a scrum in the corner to find Rhea Hicks between the circles. She cocked back and fired into the back of the net, giving SU a 1-0 lead just 2:09 into the game.

Syracuse (8-15-1, 5-2 College Hockey America) topped Lindenwood (2-21, 2-7 CHA) 4-1 in the first of a two-game set to snap a six-game skid. The Lions are the first conference team to play a second series against SU this season. So, they knew how to play the Orange, staying in the game despite fewer offensive opportunities. SU outshot Lindenwood 37-23 and the Lions’ goalie, Natalie Ferenc, saved 33 shots to Arielle DeSmet’s 22.

DeSmet reached 2,000 career saves in the first period, adding to her lead at the top of SU’s all-time saves list. But Lindenwood evened the score at the period’s end, sending a tie game into the first break. Morgan Neitzke scored with 1:56 left in the period off an assist from Chloe Corbin. That allowed the Lions to erase the deficit, despite SU leading 15-9 in shots on goal in the period.

The game’s first power play occurred early in the second period after a Todd penalty. Hannah Johnson blocked two shots, one from Neitzke and one from Molly Henderson, in the first 20 seconds. Then, SU managed to force and win a faceoff before avoiding damage on the penalty. A few other failed penalties (from both teams) brought a lull that spanned through the second period. The 1-1 tie persisted into the final period.

A last-second tripping penalty on Thea Jorgensen gave SU a full power play to begin the third. But despite seven shot attempts in those two minutes, the Orange couldn’t get anything to fall and the game remained knotted at one.

SU got another gift just 46 seconds later when Sarah Davies was called for holding. Another power play commenced and SU made five more errant attempts with no payoff. But on the final swipe, as time expired in the penalty, Mae Batherson hammered it home. SU took a 2-1 lead with 15:34 remaining in the game.

The dagger came off Hicks’ stick seven-and-a-half minutes later, an unassisted goal to give Syracuse a 3-1 lead.

The first time around, the Orange swept the Lions at home, with Syracuse outscoring Lindenwood 8-4. In the first game, Madison Primeau earned her first-career hat trick and in the second, Tatum White squared up a slap-shot game-winner with 4.8 seconds stuck on the scoreboard. Needless to say, the first series provided plenty of action. This matchup didn’t meet the expectations that the first series set.

Lindenwood ranks dead last in the CHA in goals allowed per game (4.65), 1.4 more than the next-closest team. However, Syracuse has yet to surpass that average in three tries against the Lions this season. The Orange have scored four goals in each of their matchups.

Published on January 20, 2023 at 10:34 pm

Contact Wyatt: wbmiller@syr.edu