Syracuse claims 1st victory with 3-2 win over Stonehill
Syracuse defeated Stonehill 3-2 Friday for its first victory of the 2025-26 season. The Orange delivered a dominant offensive performance, notching 42 shots on goal. Lars Jendruschewitz | Senior Staff Photographer
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In its season-opening loss against then-No. 6 Minnesota Duluth last Thursday, Syracuse was immediately flabbergasted.
Caitlin Kraemer weaved through the Orange defense to light the Bulldogs’ lamp 27 seconds into the season. SU failed to recover and dropped the contest 4-0. It had chances to respond, but its 0-for-6 power play mark hindered any chance at a comeback.
Syracuse held UMD off the board for nearly 35 minutes in last Friday’s shortcoming, but Molly Cole completed a fastbreak attack soon after to give the Bulldogs a lead they wouldn’t surrender.
The Orange’s inability to strike first has hindered them in their young season. Having held Minnesota Duluth scoreless for over half the contest in its last game, SU had the chance to deliver back-to-back strong starts against a less formidable opponent in Stonehill on Friday, possibly striking first for the first time all season.
Syracuse (1-2, 0-0 Atlantic Hockey America) completed half of that puzzle Friday in its 3-2 victory versus Stonehill (0-1, 0-0 New England Women’s Hockey). Its early blunder in its season-opener was indeed not a fluke. The Orange were on the ground looking up at the Skyhawks even earlier than they were in their first contest against Minnesota Duluth – 11 seconds into the game, to be precise.
The reason the Orange were pinned was because of their weakness at the center dot. The Orange have shown flashes of faceoff prowess, but the unit has struggled early in games. The last time SU won the opening draw of a contest was six games ago, dating back to last season’s AHA postseason win over Robert Morris. The first tie-up dictates the course of a matchup, and during this drought, SU went 1-4.
Nea Tervonen has been Syracuse’s go-to center on faceoffs, and she defeated Maddison Achtyl with ease to start the first period. The junior knocked the puck back to her left, but it cruised along the boards behind the Orange’s cage.
Achtyl chased it down, beating all five SU skaters to the puck. She caressed the puck and glided behind the back of the net. The New York native tapped it to Lily Geist, who returned it. Achtyl pushed the puck along Bella Gould’s crease, leaving Gracie Sacca to punish her.
Last week, Syracuse didn’t retaliate. Goaltender Ava Drabyk took a beating because the Orange couldn’t clear the puck out of their own zone. Eighty-six shots on net across 24 hours was not sustainable for the Saskatchewan native, and it was a reflection of SU’s inability to protect her on defense. It was also a reflection of poor offensive possessions, as Ève Gascon stopped all 46 of SU’s attempts in that span.
One-hundred twenty-four minutes is all Syracuse needed. Less than four minutes into the game, Jessica Cheung kept a possession in the attacking zone alive by dumping it behind the Skyhawks’ net. Stella Costabile retrieved it, wrapped around and delivered a dime for Tervonen to finish. The Finnish forward notched her 11th goal of her SU career.
Determined to earn its first lead since Game 3 of the AHA Semifinals last season against Mercyhurst, SU kept its foot on the gas pedal. After Sacca’s early goal, the next 14 shots on goal belonged to the Orange.
The first period has been far from Syracuse’s forte, but it took 44 seconds in the second frame to snap the tie. Jackson Kinsler notched a shot early in SU’s possession. Its defenders engaged in a line change, but Kinsler and the attackers remained on the ice as the Orange recycled the puck out of the back. Costabile pelted the puck at Eve Stone, and Kinsler slipped the rebound under her legs to make it 2-1.
SU kept its ruthless approach intact by continuing to test Stone. Eventually, another puck made its way behind the crease. Six-and-a-half minutes later, Peyton Armstrong coasted her way around the net, but she couldn’t find anyone open.
Emma Gnade made herself available, and she stuck the puck to her stick off Armstrong’s delivery, flipped her hips and scored Syracuse’s third goal of the game.
SU’s attack was fierce Friday. It won the shot battle for the first time since its win against RMU on Feb. 8. A 42-26 performance in the shot column came out of nowhere after failing to squeak out 20 shots in its last outing.
On the other side, besides the early miscue, Gould had a stellar day, and the Orange’s defense did its part in protecting her. Gould was culpable for conceding the Skyhawks’ second goal, though. Seven seconds after killing an SU power play. Reagan Whynot was intending to dump the puck up to three patient Stonehill forwards. Instead, she beat Gould through her five-hole.
That would be the last change to the scoring column. SU dominated possession throughout the third period and outshot Stonehill 20-9. The Orange also played disciplined hockey, as they didn’t record a penalty in the final two frames. Faceoffs were steady throughout, as Tervonen and Gnade paired double-digit draw victories with their goals.
Stone was pulled in the waning moments of the contest, and Syracuse celebrated its first victory of the new campaign. For the first time all season, the Orange flipped the switch and delivered a convincing win against a strong nonconference opponent on Friday.
