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Upperclassmen fueled Syracuse’s offense last season. Bryn Saarela (17 goals), Tatum White (seven) and Charli Kettyle (nine), three of SU’s four leading scorers, were all graduate students.

That experience was extremely evident in the playoffs. In the Orange’s come-from-behind, double overtime victory over Robert Morris, Saarela tallied the third-period equalizer. The following weekend, Kettyle notched SU’s lone goal in a 1-0 Atlantic Hockey America Semifinal win over Mercyhurst.

But with the three graduate students leaving last offseason, who would step up in a similar situation this year? A senior in Charlotte Hallett or Heidi Knoll? A junior in Jackson Kinsler?

The answer was none of the above. Despite zero prior playoff experience, it was freshman Emma Gnade. Gnade often provided an inconsistent offense stability this season and led SU with eight goals, including a hat trick against RPI on Nov. 29.

On Saturday, she delivered her signature moment — a double-overtime goal to keep the Orange’s season alive and send them to Penn State next weekend.

Gnade’s game-winning strike propelled Syracuse (15-16-4, 10-11-3 AHA) to a riveting 4-3 win over RIT (16-18, 11-13 AHA). While SU led 3-1 early in the third period, two Tigers goals in a 29-second span tied the game before the Orange ultimately prevailed. Ava Drabyk made numerous clutch saves, and Syracuse’s first line shone en route to the victory.

“When you come down to your second overtime it’s about heart and grit, and we found a way to put it in the net,” SU associate head coach Heather Farrell said. “Overall, really, really thrilled with our effort.”

Syracuse was limping into Saturday. After an encouraging tie against then-No. 13 Mercyhurst on Feb. 13, SU was dismantled by the Lakers 7-0 in its next game. The Orange looked lifeless and feeble all game, trailing 3-0 after the first period and showing little fight after.

The series was yet another example of SU’s inconsistency all season. Whenever it seemed to turn a corner, it put up a dud.

“We never dwell on our past games,” Farrell said. “We didn’t hang our heads, we played right to the end of that Mercyhurst game.”

After a dormant first half of the opening period, SU skated rapidly down the ice in transition. On a 2-on-1 breakaway, Peyton Armstrong dished a cross-ice feed to Jordan Blouin. From the right side, Blouin fired the puck past RIT goalie Brenna McNamara to give Syracuse a 1-0 lead.

Less than five minutes later, the Tigers knotted the score at one. Drabyk denied Madison Buziak’s initial shot, but RIT quickly got the rebound before Tilli Keraenen scored.

SU showed more of a pulse in the first period Saturday than in its 4-2 loss to the Tigers on Feb. 7, but the score remained tied. RIT’s physicality and aggression on both sides kept Syracuse from pulling away late in the opening frame.

The second period was a vastly different story. After Armstrong found Blouin for a goal in the first period, roles reversed six minutes into the second. Blouin saw Armstrong streaking down the left line and dished her a pass, leading her to cash in to regain SU’s lead.

The Orange were careless with the puck and committed several costly turnovers in their last loss to Mercyhurst. Though it only held a one-goal advantage, Syracuse gifted RIT just one power play Saturday, and the Tigers didn’t capitalize.

Everything was going Syracuse’s way early in the third period. Drabyk was making timely saves, and its underclassmen were shining offensively.

Five minutes into the third, Armstrong doubled SU’s lead. Gnade’s shot ricocheted off McNamara’s pad, but Armstrong was there for the putback goal. The Orange were coasting and had the Tigers on the brink of elimination.

Then disaster struck.

After a series of cross-ice passes, RIT’s Kolbee Ashe scored to cut its deficit to one. SU’s breathing room continued to shrink, and a pesky Tigers squad wouldn’t go away yet.

Twenty-eight seconds after Ashe’s goal, RIT evened the score. Drabyk and Stella Costabile bumped into each other, and Linda Rulle pounced to make it 3-3. Once a surefire win turned into a dogfight, and Syracuse’s 7-0-0 record when leading after two periods was in serious jeopardy.

“RIT is a great team, and they found a way to push back and make a push at the end,” Farrell said. “That’s part of hockey. I love the way our team responded.”

Momentum was shifting. RIT’s raucous crowd was only getting louder. McNamara was making Syracuse’s offense look foolish.

The Orange had multiple chances to gain the lead back late in the third period. Kinsler and Rylee McLeod each had solid opportunities on goal, but McNamara gloved them both. Gnade curved around the crease and unleashed a well-timed shot, but RIT’s netminder denied it.

It was a complete 180 from what transpired at Mercyhurst on Feb. 13, where Syracuse had its back against the wall and got a Kinsler goal to force overtime.

Saturday was also an unfamiliar feeling for Drabyk. Outside of last Saturday’s loss and the Penn State series in November, it’s been mainly smooth sailing for the Saskatchewan native. Allowing two goals in 28 seconds was unbeknownst to her.

Yet Drabyk faced an array of shots in overtime. Ashe and Keraenen continued to pester her, and it seemed the Tigers were just a lucky bounce away from victory.

Despite a rough patch, Drabyk found her rhythm late in the first overtime, and SU slowly regained momentum. It wasn’t enough to fend the Tigers off in 20 minutes, but it would be soon after.

In a rollercoaster year riddled with thrilling finishes, Gnade provided the ultimate thriller three minutes into double overtime. While RIT challenged the call at first, Gnade tipped in the game-winner to send the Orange to Penn State.

It was brutally ugly at times. Syracuse let the game slip away on multiple occasions. But just as it’s been all season, its underclassmen came through in pivotal moments.

“We’re really thrilled to be the ones that came out on top,” Farrell said.

Published on February 21, 2026 at 9:16 pm
Contact Spencer: sabrod@syr.edu | @spencerbrod20