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Just over 12 minutes into the first period, Maya D’Arcy started an attack, delivering a pass to Kate Holmes. Holmes collected it and struck the puck towards the net. Goaltender Hannah Saunders saved the shot, but deflected it back in front of the net. With multiple skaters from surrounding the goal, Mik Todd was the first player to react, escaping the group to chip the puck past Saunders, giving Syracuse a 1-0 lead.

Three separate goal scorers lifted Syracuse (2-0, 0-0 College Hockey America) to a 3-2 win over Post (0-4, 0-0 New England Women’s Hockey Alliance), completing the two-game season-opening sweep on the road. The Orange never trailed in the game, putting pressure on Saunders all game, firing 40 shots while Post was held to 20. SU advanced to 2-0 for the first time in the 16-year history of the program.

Three minutes into the game, Syracuse drew a penalty after Jodie Rose was called for hooking. With Syracuse a player up, Saunders made five of her 37 saves over the next two minutes to keep the game scoreless.

Three minutes later, Todd was called for a penalty, putting the Eagles in a man-up advantage. SU goalkeeper Allie Kelley responded by stopping the next four Post shots, maintaining the 0-0 score.

The Orange stayed strong during the power play and, upon getting its fifth skater back, they forced Post into their defensive zone. The shot from Holmes set up Todd for the opening goal.

After the first 20 minutes of play, Syracuse led 1-0 while leading the Eagles in shots 11-5.

Eight minutes into the second period, both teams traded shots. Post turned it over, giving freshman Nea Tervonen the puck. Tervonen, with skaters on both sides, fired a shot from distance 25 feet with no hesitation. The puck slid under the legs of Saunders, giving the Orange a 2-0 advantage.

Two minutes later, with the Eagles threatening inside the Syracuse defensive zone, Charlotte Hallett was called for a penalty after a scrum with a Post player. Hallet’s penalty put the Orange back down to four skaters.

Holmes and Macy Peterson set up for a face-off to resume play, where SU led 36-23 in the game. Post gained possession and just five seconds into the man-up advantage the Eagles capitalized as junior Sajel Desai netted their first goal of the season, cutting SU’s lead to 2-1.

The Eagles continued their pressure in the Syracuse defensive zone in the second period. At the 12:24 minute mark, Hannah Luckman led a Post breakaway, maintaining two steps on the nearest defenders. Luckman fired a shot towards the goal, but Kelley saved the shot, keeping SU on top. Syracuse led 2-1 at the end of the second period, with both teams increasing their shots, Syracuse maintained its shot lead 28-16.

40 seconds into the final frame, Holmes fired a shot on net but it was blocked initially. Just like Todd’s goal, Holmes’ shot was cleaned up for a score, this time by forward Haley Trudeau, putting Syracuse up 3-1.

With 12 minutes remaining, Rachel Teslak was called for interference, placing Post in their third power play of the game. Over a minute into the man-up advantage, Maddy Noonan possessed the puck on the left side of the net. With Peterson to her right, Noonan slapped a touch pass to Peterson who slipped the puck past Kelley, cutting the SU lead in half again to 3-2.

The Syracuse offense kept the puck in the Post defensive zone for a majority of the third period. Tatum White, Heidi Knoll, and Teslak each fired shots in the final frame, as the trio combined for 13 of SU’s 40 shots. In back-to-back contests, the Orange have totaled more than 40 shots while holding the Eagles to 20 or fewer.

The Orange played stout defense for the remainder of the contest despite Post going man-up after taking Saunders out of the net with 1:05 left. The Eagles took four shots in the final minute, but Syracuse held on. The defense coupled with strong face-off play, led by Tervonen and Holmes who each had double digit faceoff victories, led Syracuse past Post 3-2, advancing SU to 4-0 all-time meetings.

Published on September 30, 2023 at 5:44 pm

Contact Timmy at: tswilcox@syr.edu | @TimmyWilcox32