Syracuse head coach Paul Flanagan hasn’t found a surefire starting goalkeeper. Since presumptive starter Édith D’Astous Moreau left the program, Syracuse has fluctuated between senior Maddi Welch and junior Ady Cohen in the net. But with their inconsistencies, Flanagan began a search for a third goalie to add options.

Four months into its season, SU added Allison Small, who entered the transfer portal from Quinnipiac University in December. Small, a sophomore, started in three games this season for QU before leaving.

Now with Small, Welch and Cohen on the roster, Syracuse (5-17-1, 5-5 College Hockey America) has decided to ride with the “hot hand,” playing whichever goalie has recently impressed, Flanagan said. Syracuse is last in the CHA in save percentage, with its three goalies combining to stop 86.5 percent of shots faced. Welch has started 17 out of 23 games, but her save percentage (.868) is slightly lower than Cohen’s (.870), with Small potentially adding a new element.

“It’s not like we have anybody pegged,” Flanagan said. “Right now, we’ll go with who’s playing well.”

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SU’s rotational approach began in the Theresa Humes Invitational, when Welch started the first game, but Cohen played the next two. In Cohen’s two starts, she made 52 saves and surrendered one goal, earning her a chance to start the next game — an eventual 2-1 loss to RPI.

Coincidentally, Small was first cleared to join the Orange roster that morning, eligible to play immediately. Flanagan deviated from the “hot hand” strategy, instead starting Small, wanting to wanting to “throw her into the fire” three days after she had been cleared. In Small’s first appearance for the Orange, she only lasted 20 minutes in the net, allowing four goals in the first period.

“I suppose if she pitched a shutout and played really well, we’d be geniuses. That’s not what happened.”

Small faced 17 shots on goal in the period, often on odd-man rushes and breakaways. “We didn’t give her much help,” sophomore forward Anonda Hoppner said. “That’s not a snippet of her skill at all,” Hoppner added.

Though Welch said she supports whoever the coaches deem best in the net, Flanagan acknowledged there was likely frustration among players after he gave Small the nod.

Welch returned in Small’s place after the first period, denying all 19 shots she faced. Welch has started each game since, including last weekend when she starred in the team’s first home win, but struggled the next day. In SU’s most recent series, against Robert Morris, Welch allowed two goals on 30 shots Friday and four goals on 23 shots in Saturday’s loss.

The fluidity at the goalie position comes directly after Abbey Miller, the former CHA goaltending trophy winner, graduated last year. She started 29 of 36 games last season.

SU hasn’t had a consistent goalkeeper like Miller this season, but having three goalies who can all play large stretches of time can be valuable for when fatigue kicks in, Cohen said. Three goalies also give Syracuse more flexibility if someone gets injured.

“I think (Small) fits in well between Maddi and I,” Cohen said. “… It would be good to have three goalies playing.”

Published on January 22, 2019 at 11:12 pm

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