SU falls 4-0 to No. 6 Minnesota Duluth for 2nd straight game
Although it faced just a one-goal deficit through two periods, Syracuse faltered late in its second straight 4-0 loss to Minnesota Duluth. Lars Jendruschewitz | Senior Staff Photographer
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Syracuse’s season-opening loss to Minnesota Duluth on Thursday was essentially sealed 27 seconds in. Caitlin Kraemer put SU’s defenders on skates, gliding past them for an early goal.
It set the tone for what followed. Headlined by their woeful 0-for-6 conversion rate on power plays, the Orange were outclassed all night. Each time SU was within striking distance, Bulldogs goalie Ève Gascon was ready for the save.
Despite a few positives, such as goalie Ava Drabyk’s 91.7% save percentage, it was a less-than-ideal start to the year for head coach Britni Smith’s squad. SU entered Friday in danger of its first 0-2 start since 2021-22.
That became a reality. Syracuse (0-2, 0-0 Atlantic Hockey America) fell 4-0 to No. 6 Minnesota Duluth (4-0, 0-0 Western Collegiate Hockey) for the second straight night. SU held the Bulldogs to just one goal through two periods, but their three third-period goals propelled a dominant victory.
“This was a good test for us to start against a team that’s the best right now,” SU associate head coach Heather Farrell said. “They’re well-coached and have a good goalie.”
Even with the loss, Syracuse’s start was encouraging, although anything would be an improvement over Thursday’s nightmare first 30 seconds.
The Bulldogs controlled possession early on, generating several scoring chances within the first few minutes. But unlike yesterday, the Orange’s defense forced Minnesota Duluth into multiple poorly-timed shots on goal. Whether it was Tova Henderson or Rae Mayer, its early looks sailed several feet above the goal.
On Thursday, Syracuse struggled on power plays. Friday, it was both squads but mainly the Bulldogs early. Minnesota Duluth couldn’t capitalize on its first power play of the night, as its early episode of poor shooting continued.
Through the first 10 minutes, Syracuse was outshot 6-1. Its defense bent but didn’t break, while its offense struggled to find cohesion for the second straight night.
With 8:06 remaining in the period, the Bulldogs had their best chance of the game, as they crowded around the goal and nearly knocked the puck through Drabyk for a goal. Following a promising debut on Thursday, Drabyk went a perfect 13-of-13 in the first period on Friday.
Less than a minute later, the Orange met their internal enemy from their season opener again: the power play. SU threatened and was nearly in striking distance after Nea Tervonen’s shot on goal, but nothing amounted from the possession.
With the Bulldogs gaining momentum toward the end of the first period, pressure mounted on Drabyk. Both Kraemer and Josie St. Martin pelted the freshman netminder, but she barely had to move for her 12th and 13th saves.
“(Drabyk) is battling and competing. It’s good to get a first-year some time against the best to see where she is right now,” Farrell said. “She did a really wonderful job this weekend.”
The score after the first period indicated a fierce and competitive battle. The shot on goal disparity said otherwise. The Bulldogs outshot the Orange 13-4, and it was just a matter of time before Minnesota Duluth’s domination showed on the scoreboard.
A string of crisp passes on a fastbreak found Molly Cole ready to test Drabyk. After a flawless first period, Drabyk failed her first test of the second. Without hesitation, Cole fired the puck into the net from in tight to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 advantage.
Against a team of the Bulldogs’ caliber, Syracuse doesn’t have the luxury of getting outshot while remaining competitive. SU was lucky the game didn’t get out of control early.
No goals were scored, but Syracuse put up a respectable 33 shots on goal Thursday night. Through two periods on Friday, it had just seven. When playing the sixth-best team in the country, that’s not exactly a recipe for success.
Poor communication. Deflections. Blocks. It was a disastrous second period for SU’s offense.
The third period looked different. Syracuse finally appeared to be capitalizing on its power play. Heidi Knoll weaved through a barrage of shoving and wrapped around the net for a shot attempt.
Just SU’s 10th shot of the night, Knoll’s attempt unsurprisingly went right into Gascon’s gloves.
A few minutes later, Kraemer stormed into the crease on a two-on-one fastbreak for a highlight-reel goal. Kraemer’s playmaking and scoring ability were SU’s Achilles’ heel through the two games.
Whenever Syracuse put together a solid passing sequence, a turnover resulted soon after. It was microscopic for its early start.
Nobody has come close to replacing the offensive production of Bryn Saarela, who led the Orange with 17 goals last season. With Saarela’s departure, SU’s offense looks lifeless.
Drabyk could only keep the game tight for so long. Another breakaway led to a Thea Johansson goal, which prompted SU to empty its net.
The two-game series ended how it started: an uncontested Bulldogs goal. Johansson tacked on her fourth goal of the season in the waning minutes of the third period.
If Syracuse wants to improve from its 15-23 finish last year, it’ll need to shore up two main things: its power play conversion rate and its transition defense. Through two games, the Orange have been pitiful in those areas.
“We have a lot of work to button up some areas,” Farrell said.
