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On Saturday Syracuse fell to No. 3 Colgate by multiple goals for the second time that week. The Orange lost by six and three goals respectively, but they showed improvement and flashes of potential in their second loss to one of the best teams in the country.

Freshman Madison Primeau scored two of her three goals this season in the Colgate series, and in the second game the team showed defensive improvement, winning the faceoff battle and holding the Red Raiders to two fewer goals. To prepare for conference play, Syracuse played a tough nonconference schedule.

The Orange also lost and tied St. Lawrence — which is currently 2-2-2 overall — in a season opening home and away series. The Saints’ only lost to Clarkson, which Syracuse lost to in overtime twice. Clarkson also received 21 votes to be in the top 10 as of Oct. 18.

The Orange have less than one week to regroup before beginning playing Lindenwood in the 20th anniversary season of Conference Hockey America. Looking ahead at the overall record of its CHA opponents, Syracuse is at the middle of the pack and will have a tough task ahead to rise to the top.

Syracuse went 1-4-2 in nonconference play so far this season and will play Lindenwood and RIT, both of which are undefeated, followed by series against Penn State and Mercyhurst, which both finished top two in the conference last season.

Syracuse hasn’t had a losing conference record since the 2011-12 season when the Orange finished 1-8-3. Since then, Syracuse has posted a 98-57-20 record in the past nine seasons under head coach Paul Flanagan.

Last year Syracuse compiled eight conference wins and one tie against conference foes, finishing fourth in the conference behind Mercyhurst, Robert Morris and Penn State. This season before conference play begins, Syracuse sits in a similar position, with the third-best overall record in the conference behind Penn State and Mercyhurst.

But the conference looks different this season, as Robert Morris’ hockey program was cut due to lack of funding as well as a number of other factors, according to TribLive. Syracuse starting goaltender Arielle DeSmet transferred from Robert Morris and has provided a major lift, as Syracuse has recorded 183 saves so far this season.

With Robert Morris no longer being in the conference, Syracuse will only play 16 regular season conference games instead of its usual 20.

Syracuse’s first two conference series look to be advantageous to get its second win of the year, as Lindenwood and RIT haven’t won any games this season. Both teams have given up a combined 87 goals. Syracuse, Penn State and Mercyhurst have only given up 48.

The Orange’s next conference series is against last year’s regular season CHA champion Penn State, who finished with 16 conference wins and has the lowest goals scored against them this season.

Last season, Syracuse lost to the Nittany Lions in overtime during the first game and won the second one of the series. Syracuse also beat Penn State in the conference tournament at the end of the season.

After a break for a nonconference away series against Vermont, Syracuse plays its toughest test of the season in a series against Mercyhurst from Dec. 3-4. Mercyhurst currently posts the best record in the CHA, and it leads the conferences with 31 goals, Penn State and Syracuse following behind it at 15.

Excluding the potential matchup against Penn State in the Battle in the Burgh tournament, Syracuse doesn’t play a conference game again until Jan. 21 after the Mercyhurst series concludes. To end the regular season, the Orange finish with eight straight conference games, a rematch series of two games against each conference opponent.

“We’ve got teams waiting for us,” Flanagan said. “We’ve got to be mentally prepared.”

Published on October 20, 2021 at 8:51 pm

Contact Adam: amccaffe@syr.edu