Syracuse’s offense stumbles in season-ending 2-1 loss to No. 3 Penn State
Syracuse's offense struggled to get off the ground Saturday, leading to its season-ending 2-1 loss to Penn State in the AHA Semifinals. Peter Radosh | Asst. Copy Editor
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Stagnant. Hesitant. Timid. Careless.
Four fitting adjectives to describe Syracuse’s offense against ranked opponents this season. SU scored just 10 goals in 13 games against top-15 teams, recording an 0-11-2 record in those contests.
It wasn’t always doom and gloom, as the Orange’s offense showed promise in ties against then-No. 5 Cornell and then-No. 13 Mercyhurst. But overall, prolonged scoring droughts hindered Syracuse from competing with the NCAA’s cream of the crop.
SU’s offense notably struggled against Penn State this year, mustering just five goals across five games against the Nittany Lions. Facing elimination in Game 2 of the Atlantic Hockey America Semifinals Saturday, Syracuse desperately needed a spark.
But it never found one. Syracuse (15-18-4, 10-11-3 AHA) narrowly fell 2-1 to No. 3 Penn State Saturday, ending its season in the AHA Semifinals for the second straight year. Ava Drabyk saved 93.3% of shots in net to keep the Orange in the game, but a stagnant offense prevented SU from capturing an upset.
“We played with a ton of heart tonight,” SU head coach Britini Smith said. “Being able to say, ‘You left it all on the ice, and be proud of that,’ is something we’re lucky to say at the end of our season.”
In three games at Pegula Ice Arena this season entering Saturday, Syracuse was outscored 25-2. Sure, the catastrophic losses could partially be attributed to poor goaltending and discipline. But the Orange’s offense isn’t faultless either.
Whenever SU’s offense started to gain momentum in its 7-0 loss Friday, it crumbled. It allowed Penn State to pounce on Drabyk, and in turn, run away with a win. Even if the Orange scored a goal or two, it wouldn’t have stood much of a chance.
Saturday was a vastly different story. From Drabyk’s 28 saves to outblocking PSU 11-3, Syracuse was on the doorstep of a monumental upset. Outside of Janecke, SU’s defense held Penn State’s Olympians at bay.
It didn’t matter due to Syracuse’s meek offense.
The Orange didn’t record a single shot in the first period. Penn State’s stout defense limited its opportunities, but SU was also hesitant to push the puck up the ice. Anytime it tried to sustain possession, a turnover or stolen puck would follow.
Jackson Kinsler had a solid look on goal late in the period, but lost control of her puck moving into PSU territory. It was a microcosm of the entire frame and foreshadowed what would ensure throughout the game.
Syracuse even led the faceoff battle 8-5 after the first period. Led by Emma Gnade, the unit displayed a glimmer of hope early, but once again, it didn’t amount to any offense.
“Penn State is strong, big and physical, so you can’t expect to be seeing offense readily,” Smith said. “I thought we did a good job of being opportunistic.”
Despite a woeful start, SU’s offense briefly caught fire in the second period. After a tripping call on PSU goalie Katie DeSa, Kinsler redeemed herself with a power-play goal to tie the game at one. Unlike the first frame, the Orange’s offense showed aggression by pestering DeSa, and eventually, cashed in.
“(Kinsler) continues to work hard to find her opportunities, and do what she needs with the ice time she gets on the power play,” Smith said.
Syracuse routinely put itself at a disadvantage offensively with penalties. Penn State recorded five player-up chances, where all SU could focus on was containing Janecke rather than generating offense.
But even when SU had 20 seconds of a player-up advantage early in the third period, it stumbled. Any momentum it had in the second vanished.
Peyton Armstrong dished a feed to Gnade, but Penn State broke it up. Jordan Blouin couldn’t maintain her puck. Rylee McLeod crashed into the wall after squandering a 1-on-1 scoring opportunity. Whatever it was, Syracuse couldn’t find the equalizer.
In desperation mode with under three minutes to save its season, SU fell flat. Whenever it pushed its way into PSU’s offensive zone, a DeSa block or save ensued.
Even if it didn’t know it then, Syracuse’s 4-0 opening night loss to then-No. 6 Minnesota Duluth was a sign of things to come offensively. And with its best chance to stun the Nittany Lions all season, SU’s offense was its Achilles heel.
“This is a group that from day 1 of our season has made major, major strides,” Smith said. “That comes down to the commitment, heart and the desire to want more.”
