Game Details: Saturday, November 20, 3 p.m. (Tennity Ice Pavilion/Syracuse, N.Y.)
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For the second time in the last four games in the series between Syracuse and Penn State an overtime was required to determine a winner. After neither team scored in the first 62 minutes, Penn State’s Natalie Heising scored a goal 2:36 into the overtime session to give the Nittany Lions the 1-0 win. In the last 17 meetings between the teams, there have been four ties and nine one-goal games. Syracuse and Penn State will play the second game of the series on Saturday at 3 pm at Tennity Ice Pavilion.
“We showed that we can play when we want to. In the second period we stepped up, had a really big penalty kill, and did a really good job from there on out,” said head coach Paul Flanagan. “It is obviously disappointing to lose a game like that, but we responded. It is a really fine line between winning and losing. We just have to get better at the little things. As long as everyone in our locker room recognizes that, we will be fine.”
After getting outshot 19-6 in the first period, the Orange offense came back to put 26 shots on goal to Penn State’s 19 in the final two periods and overtime. Syracuse, which ranks 14th nationally in the penalty kill, shut down both Penn State power play opportunities.
“A lot of our offense after the first period emanated from our defensive zone because we were moving the puck up a lot quicker,” Flanagan said. “Our defense was hitting the stretch person with the pass so all of the sudden their defense was backing up because they had to. Once we did that, we got some good opportunities and then our kids were a bit re-energized.”
Syracuse (4-6-2 overall, 3-2 College Hockey America) used two goalies in the game. Starter Allison Small recorded 19 saves to keep the Nittany Lions (7-4-2, 4-1-0) off the scoreboard in the first period but did not return to the game due to an injury. Senior Arielle DeSmet took over in the net to start the second period and made 18 saves in the final 42:36 of the game.
“Arielle went in and played very, very well coming off the bench cold to start the second period after Allison’s knee was really bothering her and she limped off the ice at the end of the first period,” Flanagan said. “Arielle made some really good saves to give us a chance to win. The five defensemen all rotated in and we played all four lines. Everyone was contributing.”
It was the sixth overtime game in the series. Syracuse is 3-2-1 in those games. The Orange lead the 39-game series, 28-5-7.
Admission to Orange ice hockey games is free. All fans attending games must adhere to Syracuse University’s COVID-19 policy, which can be found here. The game will be streamed on Cuse.com.
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