Six minutes passed. The clock remained at 1:24 in the third period. Syracuse was waiting to see if its blown 2-0 lead was remedied by an Anonda Hoppner goal. But after video review, it was waved off.

Over two months since their last NCAA win, SU coaches, players and parents were beside themselves. It seemed all too fitting that a team mired in a program-record losing streak should have their last chance to take the lead taken away in such fashion. But Syracuse’s senior leaders weren’t fazed.

“Regardless of if it’s a goal or not, we’re not losing this game,” captain Lindsay Eastwood said. “And that’s exactly what we did.”

After two first period goals from Syracuse, Robert Morris fought back, matching the Orange’s scoring success. After Hoppner’s potential goal was waved off, the two went to overtime. And 2:37 into extra time, Eastwood lifted the Orange (5-16-1, 5-4-0 College Hockey America) to a 3-2 victory over league leader Robert Morris (8-11-4, 6-2-1).  This is SU’s first NCAA win since Nov. 4 and first home win of the season.

SU began the game on the offensive, both on and off the ice. While the Orange created multiple scoring opportunities, the characteristically reserved audience at Tennity Ice Pavilion matched their intensity — urging on the players and riding the officials.

The fans were awarded with a “highlight reel” goal with 12:12 left in the first by sophomore Emma Polaski, who teed off on a one-timer courtesy of senior captain Allie Munroe.

“I just worked on one-timers last week in practice, so it felt really good to put that in the net,” Polaski said.

The Orange were gifted with another 2-on-1 opportunity five minutes later, right as they came off a penalty kill. Kelli Rowswell carried the puck as close to the goaltender’s left as possible, baiting the defender to slide over. This made freshman Lauren Bellefontaine wide open on the other side of the net to give Syracuse a 2-0 lead.

Robert Morris continued to generate shots of their own, ultimately outshooting the Orange 18-6 in the period, but SU held a 2-0 lead into the break.

In the second, the Orange were plagued with defensive breakdowns and penalties. First, sophomore defender Jessica Digirolamo was stranded on a 3-on-1 break. In her attempt to halt the rush, she screened senior goaltender Maddi Welch from a wrist shot that halved SU’s lead.

Later in the second, a hooking call put Robert Morris on the power play for the second time that period. In the midst of killing the penalty, SU’s Kristen Siermachesky was called for checking. RMU smartly pulled their goalie, kept play alive and evened the score on a 6-to-4 advantage.

Robert Morris stayed on the attack, SU seemingly incapable of clearing the puck from its zone. With 1:11 remaining, Robert Morris was given the benefit of another 50-50 checking call. But freshman Abby Moloughney drew an interference call with 8.4 seconds remaining to send both teams into the final period at even strength, 4-on-4.

After a slow 20 minutes, SU returned to the offensive in the third period. Polaski hit another one-timer that RMU’s goalie couldn’t handle, but a whistle blew play dead before she could bury the rebound.

RMU responded with a chance of its own two minutes later, hitting the post on a drive that Welch was screened from. In pucks that Welch did see coming, she saved 26 of 27.

At 14:33 into the third, Rowswell was called for interference. Sensing the importance of this game, both Eastwood and Munroe laid out to stop multiple shots, preserving the deadlock.

“That’s what you expect,” head coach Paul Flanagan said, “You need your best players to be successful, and they went above and beyond.”

The Orange then drew a penalty of their own to return the teams to even strength. And while Hoppner’s disputed kick did not give the Orange the lead with 1:24 to play, it was the end of any legitimate scoring opportunities in regulation.

In overtime, the Colonials won the faceoff and got off an on-target shot seconds after that Welch gloved to stop play. SU then regrouped and started creating chances of their own, ending with Eastwood’s winning slap from the point.

Eastwood was mobbed by her teammates, a celebration that would continue for some 30 more minutes in the locker room.

“You gotta let them enjoy it tonight — you always hear that,” Flanagan said, “But I think they’ll be good. Our veterans will do a good job of getting them to refocus.”

Syracuse last won a game on Nov. 4, dropping 10-straight games. But on Friday, the Orange bypassed a blown lead, finished in overtime and pushed their conference record to over .500.

“I think some teams bloom later than others, and I think that’s what we’re doing,” Munroe said.

Published on January 19, 2019 at 12:53 am

Contact Tim: tnolan@syr.edu