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Ahead of Syracuse’s Atlantic Hockey America Quarterfinals matchup with Robert Morris, minimal playoff experience loomed in its locker room. Despite head coach Britni Smith’s seven NCAA Tournament appearances as an assistant at Clarkson, 15 of the Orange’s 24 players hadn’t encountered postseason ice.

However, through two playoff games — a win over Robert Morris on Feb. 22 and one versus Mercyhurst on Friday — the inexperienced players had pushed their postseason nerves aside, even though freshman forward Peyton Armstrong said they were very prevalent.

After blanking the Lakers on Friday, the nerves finally caught up to No. 3 seed Syracuse (15-22-0, 11-9-0 AHA) on Saturday as No. 2 seed Mercyhurst (19-15-2, 13-6-1 AHA) shut it out 4-0. SU’s defensive structure broke down while its offense was outshot by 23, leading to the blowout defeat.

Through SU’s two postseason games, its defense has stood out as the X factor. Two one-goal differences occurred and the Orange’s back end did just enough to hold on to their lead both times. In an overtime battle against RMU, Syracuse allowed just two goals on 42 shots. Then against Mercyhurst Friday, Allie Kelley held the Lakers silent with 47 saves.

Unlike its prior showings, SU’s defense gave in on Saturday. Mercyhurst peppered the net on Kelley and Co. all day, and it started early and often.

Of the first eight shots of the contest, the Lakers had six of them. But as Kelley withheld each shot attempt on Friday, she carried her momentum into Saturday. Kelley earned 13 saves in the first period.

Still, Mercyhurst scored first. With 15:22 to play in the opening period, Chantal Ste-Croix received the puck on a feed from Vanessa Upson. The forward had harmed the Orange in previous games, scoring two goals in the season series, and looked to add to the total early on.

With Upson controlling the puck, skating down the right line, Sami Gendron stayed attached to her hip. The defender got her stick on the puck but returned it to Upson soon after. Before wrapping behind Kelley as Gendron looked to push Upson away, she threaded a pass to the slot, where Ste-Croix beat Maya D’Arcy.

With Kelley’s attention on Upson around the net, Ste-Croix buried a one-timer past the goaltender, giving the Lakers an early lead.

When Syracuse is down in contests, results don’t often bode well. The trend continued on Saturday. Following Ste-Croix’s netter, play went end-to-end for four minutes. The Orange fired three shots on goal toward the net, but Magdalena Luggin — who didn’t play Friday — and Mercyhurst’s backline evaded each one.

In response, Marielle Parks pelted an attempt toward Kelley, but she notched her second save of the day. Though, following Kelley’s glove, Mercyhurst got the puck right back.

Unlike the Lakers’ first score, SU’s defense crowded its defensive zone, pestering Mercyhurst’s Regina Metzler enough to make her give up the puck. On a feather pass from Metzler, Makayla Javier received the puck. Javier, a defender, had scored just seven goals in her three years with the Lakers. But Saturday was her best offensive showing.

With Mercyhurst’s defensemen pinching up to build on their one-goal lead, Javier ripped a shot over Kelley’s right shoulder. The blast beat SU’s defenders flat-footed, padding the Lakers’ advantage.

The Orange continued the first period with few real chances to add to the scoreboard. To end the opening period, Mercyhurst had a stretch of 13 straight shots in under three minutes before another barrage of six.

The second period looked to repeat the first despite Syracuse’s 15 minutes to regroup. In the first five minutes, SU won the shot battle, but as mentioned previously, Mercyhurst’s D-core held firm.

Shots by Bryn Saarela, Gendron, Jessica Cheung, Rylee McLeod, Armstrong and Jackson Kinsler all wore down Mercyhurst’s defensive corps, but when its offense got the rock, it was ready to go.

Julia Schalin, Upson, Mahoney, Avery Norman, Sydney Pedersen and Parks all strained Syracuse. Four saves by Kelley, along with a block by Jocelyn Fiala, kept the deficit at two, but it didn’t last long.

Jade Maisonneuve held the puck as Syracuse played a zone defense. She found Upson as Pedersen crashed the crease. With Upson passing by Pedersen, she laid the puck to set Pedersen up for a shot that hit but trickled off Kelley’s pads into the back of the net.

As if Syracuse had nothing more to fight for, its lifeless offense continued to cough up the puck, giving Mercyhurst another set of four straight shot attempts. Mercyhurst kept firing pucks on net, and while its first few chances were turned away, its relentless pressure eventually paid off.

With a player advantage following a McLeod interference penalty, Upson, who’d already tallied two assists, found Javier. Near the center crease, Javier slapped it past Kelley again. Saturday was Javier’s first career multi-goal game.

Syracuse was deflated. Its offense looked lackluster, and its defense fatigued. Thirteen more shots piled on the pressure, and despite none of them entering the net, the relentless attack all but secured Mercyhurst’s win.

With little hope of making a comeback, Syracuse fell flat again in the third period. The Orange pestered Mercyhurst with just three shots on goal, failing to extend their three-game win streak and forcing a game three on Sunday with an AHA Championship appearance on the line.

Published on March 1, 2025 at 6:19 pm

Contact: jordankimball28@gmail.com | @JordanKimball_