Syracuse improves on power play heading into Cornell game
When Caitlin Roach scored her second goal of the season on a power play against Union on Oct. 26, it gave Syracuse a 2-0 lead en route to a comfortable 5-2 win at Tennity Ice Pavilion.
Had it not been for the series of events that occurred afterward, the goal might have easily been forgotten.
Ten minutes later, on the next Union penalty, Margot Scharfe connected. Seconds later it was Nicole Ferrara who put one in the back of the net on the power play. Melissa Piacentini connected on the last power-play opportunity to top off the scoring in the third.
Five Dutchwomen penalties led to four Syracuse goals. It was tied for the most power-play goals in a game in program history.
“You can’t rely on your power play every night like that, and certainly in past years it’s been anemic,” Syracuse head coach Paul Flanagan said. “It’s nice to see them getting goals, and I think a lot if it is nothing too extravagant. It’s really just getting pucks on net.”
That game against Union may have been an anomaly, but the Orange has taken care of business on the power play front all season. It has converted on 18.2 percent of its opportunities. That number is a vast improvement from the 12.7 percent last season, and SU will look to continue that trend Tuesday against Cornell at 7 p.m. at OnCenter Complex.
“Our power plays have been working,” sophomore Nicole Renault said. “We work on them all the time in practice. I think with time they’ll get better.”
With 16 power-play goals on the season, the Orange is just five from last season’s total of 21. Aside from 19.5 conversion percentage in 2009-10, this season is shaping up to the best season in terms of power plays ever for the Orange.
And everyone has gotten in on the action.
The 16 goals have been split up among 10 different SU players. Jessica Sibley, who leads the team in goals with six, has scored a team-high three goals on the power play.
Syracuse has connected on at least one power play during 12 of its first 13 games on the season, including eight during a five-game winning streak that spanned Oct. 19 to Nov. 10.
Even with the ability to convert on opponents’ penalties, Scharfe, whose 10 career power-play goals are the most of anyone on the team, said there was still room for improvement in the area.
“Just getting bodies in front and capitalizing on the rebounds is something we need to work on,” Scharfe said.
Flanagan doesn’t shy away from discussing the importance of scoring on the power play, noting that one or two plays can change the outcome of a game.
“A lot of games in our sport are so close,” Flanagan said, “2-1, 3-2, and the special teams, on the one end if you kill the penalties, you’re going to have a lot of success.
“But you’ve got to be able to execute on the power play.”
