Syracuse blanks RMU 3-0 behind strong 1st period, collects 3rd straight win
Syracuse ice hockey secured its third straight victory, defeating Robert Morris 3-0 on the road. Three SU players scored in the first period. Courtesy of RMU Athletics
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MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. — The final stretch of 2025 was anything but boring for Syracuse.
Facing a mix of conference and nonconference foes, SU went 2-2-3 over its final seven contests of 2025. Of those games, five of them were decided by one goal or in shootout fashion. Pushed to their limit through a gauntlet of games that bled into extra time, the Orange welcomed the month-long pause that followed.
Long layoffs can have a way of rejuvenating teams. For Syracuse, that’s seemingly been the case. To open 2026, SU handily collected six AHA points in its series sweep of Delaware on home ice — a place where wins have been hard to come by this season. Spearheaded by their power play, the Orange claimed a comeback victory in Game One, then completely dismantled the Blue Hens the next day by a 4-0 margin. After barely scraping past Delaware twice back in October, its more convincing showing this time felt like a step forward for SU.
In its first road game of 2026, Syracuse (12-11-3, 7-6-2 Atlantic Hockey America) extended its win streak to three games with a 3-0 victory over Robert Morris (10-13-2, 6-7-2 AHA) Friday night. The Orange were propelled by a dominant first period that saw three different SU players light the lamp. Fresh off her fourth AHA honor last weekend, Ava Drabyk pitched her second straight shutout to backstop the win with a 19-save performance.
“I think the break was much needed for everyone on our team,” SU forward Makenna Williment said postgame. “We had a bit of a rough start at the beginning of the season, but I think when we came back we regrouped and we talked about our team beliefs more. Now, we’re all on the same page.”
Taking the ice for the first time in nearly a month, it was expected that the Colonials would show some early signs of rust Friday night. They did just that, looking out of sorts from the moment the puck dropped. It only benefitted the Orange.
A sloppy tripping penalty by RMU gave SU’s player-up unit a chance to strike less than a minute in. Despite holding the puck for most of the two-minute span, it failed to test goalie Maggie Hatch with a shot on net due to two heroic Colonial blocks. However, the attempts were a sign of things to come for Syracuse’s offense.
Just over four minutes in, a shot from the right blue line by Sami Gendron deflected right onto Williment’s tape, who found herself with space inside the right circle. Winding up for a slapshot, she ripped home her first career goal past Hatch’s glove to give the Orange an early edge.
“(Williment’s) been working hard for that. She’s had a lot of chances and hit a couple posts, so for her to get that tonight was nice to see,” Smith said.
Even with its first tally secured, SU showed no signs of slowing down and continued to push the pace as the period went on via its forecheck. Flexing their offensive depth, the Orange then doubled their lead thanks to another depth piece. Pouncing on the loose puck at the top of the crease, Charlotte Hallett fired the rebound past Hatch’s outstretched pad. While usually relied on for her physicality, the strike marked the veteran winger’s second in as many games.
Already on the back foot, RMU showed its first real signs of life at the midpoint of the frame by firing four shots towards Drabyk, who casually turned each bid aside. Her efforts led to RMU falling into yet another penalty, and this time SU made it pay.
Coming off a two-goal performance days ago against Delaware, the Orange’s power-play once again came through Friday night. Standing at the blue line, Jessica Cheung dished the puck over to Emma Gnade, who sat unmarked at the right circle. With the help of a little puck luck, Peyton Armstrong deflected the shot behind Hatch. The netminder didn’t see the puck until it landed behind her.
“We challenged our power-play players to take ownership of it and to make sure that that’s something that gives us a spark. Our goal is to make sure that each weekend we’ve had a power play goal, and they’ve one-upped it,” Smith said.
Everything was coming up Syracuse, which took a comfortable 3-0 lead into the first intermission.
Thanks to multiple timely saves from Drabyk and an airtight defensive performance in front of her, that advantage held firm over the next 40 minutes. Of the Colonials’ 35 shot attempts in the second and third periods, 19 of them found their way on net thanks to SU’s willingness to block shots — a trait that’s defined its identity for much of this season. Still, Smith went out of her way to praise her young goaltender postgame.
“I think we played a pretty gritty defensive game, but (Drabyk) earned this one tonight. She’s probably just building more and more confidence as we go,” Smith said.
The same can be said for the Orange, who now suddenly find themselves amid a three-game winning streak to open 2026. They’ve caught fire at the right time. How much longer they can keep it burning will likely determine its postseason fate.
