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Down 2-1 with 45 seconds to play, Syracuse pulled goaltender Allison Small and sent in an extra skater. The Orange worked the puck around Robert Morris’ zone in an attempt to take advantage of their numbers-up situation, and 20 seconds later, the puck was cycled to Mae Batherson, who played a hard pass left of the net. It found Jessica DiGirolamo at the goal line, forcing Colonials’ goalie Raygan Kirk to shift left.

DiGirolamo fired the puck across Kirk’s crease, setting up Tatum White for a one-time shot. With the right side of the net unprotected, White fanned on the speed of DiGirolamo’s pass sending the puck wide and to the corner, prompting a final Robert Morris clearance that would eventually run out the clock and bury Syracuse’s overtime hopes. 

In Syracuse’s (2-5-1, 2-3-1 College Hockey America) first game in 41 days — and its first of 2021 after last weekend’s series was postponed due to COVID-19 — the Orange were narrowly outlasted by Robert Morris (6-2-1, 6-2-1 CHA), 2-1. Despite a strong offensive showing that was much improved from December, the Orange still came up short, scoring only once on a power play opportunity through Hannah Johnson six minutes into the third period. 

SU conceded the game-winner four minutes later via Robert Morris’ Maggy Burbidge, who beat two Orange skaters to a loose puck in Syracuse’s zone and skated freely. Burbidge decked Rayla Clemons before taking an open wrist shot. The puck beat Small glove side, and the Colonials hung on for the win.

“We just didn’t get a lucky bounce,” associate head coach Brendon Knight said of the loss.

Without head coach Paul Flanagan, who wasn’t present due to non-team-related COVID-19 protocols, Knight was responsible for which line skated on Friday night. Knight relied “heavily on those first two lines,” he said postgame. In particular, Syracuse’s top forward line stepped up, accounting for a quarter of its 32 shots against the Colonials.

When offense was most needed, Syracuse’s main forward unit of White, Lauren Bellefontaine and Abby Moloughney stepped up. They created the team’s biggest chances through odd-man rushes, including two-on-ones, three-on-twos and breakaway opportunities.

Midway through the second period, on the Orange’s final penalty kill, Bellefontaine stole the puck at Syracuse’s blue line, falling to the ice while accurately finding the stick of a rushing Moloughney on breakaway. Her wrist shot was easily gloved away by Kirk, but Syracuse’s top line looked much more lively than it had in December.

During the extended break, Knight said the team worked on its offensive zone forecheck — and it showed right from the get-go.

Syracuse worked on its offensive zone forecheck during break, according to associate head coach Brendon Knight, and the improvement from December was apparent. Courtesy of SU Athletics

Syracuse took four penalties against the Colonials, and the first penalty kill unit was often a combination of the White, Bellefontaine and Moloughney trio. Despite being short-handed, Moloughney, a junior forward, killed off the majority of each penalty, finding ways to generate offense down a player.

As Syracuse dumped the puck out of its end and into the Colonials’ zone in the first period, Moloughney continued the pressure. Emily Curlett attempted to find a cross-ice pass, which Moloughney intercepted and set herself for a quick wrist shot on goal.

Syracuse did capitalize on its only power play of the game, however, putting its strategic offensive pressure to use. As they had done all game, the team’s puck movement in the Colonials’ zone was quick and forceful. In the dying seconds of the power play, Anna Leschyshyn cycled the puck to White, who set up Johnson at the point. Johnson’s wrist shot was directed at the traffic in front of Kirk and was redirected off Robert Morris defender Emilie Harley and in for her first collegiate goal.

“She’s been rock solid for us since day one,” Knight said.

Syracuse’s top units dictated the momentum for both teams in Friday’s back-and forth battle. On Robert Morris’ opening goal, a backhanded cross-ice clearance by Kyleigh Hanzlik glided past three Orange skaters in the neutral zone, setting up Anjelica Diffendal on a breakaway, where her wrist shot beat Small’s blocker side for her third goal of the season.

Postgame, Knight cited Syracuse’s key missed chances and lengthy 41-day break as reasons the Orange weren’t clinical enough.

“It was pretty messy. Our execution wasn’t great, but it was kind of to be expected,” Knight said.

Published on January 23, 2021 at 12:18 am

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