SU Set For Weekend To Northeastern, UNH

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	Roster	Schedule	Season Stats	Game Notes
	Roster	Schedule	Season Stats	Game Notes
	Roster	Schedule	Season Stats	Game Notes

Coming off a 1-1-0 start to the season at the East/West Showcase last weekend, the Syracuse ice hockey team heads to New England for a matchup with Northeastern and New Hampshire. The Orange will square off with the Huskies on Friday at 3 p.m. at Matthews Arena before traveling to Durham, N.H. for a date with the Wildcats on Saturday at 5 p.m.

Last Friday's win against St. Cloud State marked the first time in Syracuse ice hockey history that the team has won its season opening game. The Orange was previously 0-2-1 in season openers.

The Orange return 17 letterwinners from last season's squad, including seven upperclassmen (four seniors, three juniors). Seven freshmen joined the Orange for the 2011-12 campaign, and all seven played in both games last weekend. The freshmen contributed three of SU's six points over the two games.

Storylines Vs. Northeastern and New Hampshire
SU opened last season with a game against both the Huskies and Wildcats at the Tennity Ice Pavilion, as the Orange tied Northeastern 4-4 on opening night before picking up a 4-2 win against then-No. 8 UNH. Syracuse is 0-0-1 against Northeastern, and will play at Matthews Arena for the first time in program history. The SU and New Hampshire series is tied at 1-1-0, with the Wildcat win coming on October 10 at the Whittemore Center (3-2) when UNH was ranked third in the country. SU is 4-3-2 all-time against Hockey East foes.

Friday will be Northeastern's first game of the season. The Huskies were 16-13-8 last season, and advanced to the Hockey East Championship game before falling to Boston College, 3-1. Junior Rachel Llanes is the team's leading returning scorer. She had 12 goals and 19 assists last season. New Hampshire is off to a 2-0-0 start, with wins coming in a weekend sweep at Niagara. Kristina Lavoie, Kristine Horn and Nicole Gifford all have three points so far for the Wildcats.

Last Time Out: SU Splits At East/West Showcase
Syracuse opened the 2011-12 campaign last weekend at the East/West Showcase in Minneapolis, Minn. The Orange began the season with a 2-1 win against St. Cloud State on Friday night before dropping a 4-0 decision to No. 4 Minnesota on Saturday.

Friday saw the Orange score two first period goals within 1:55 of each other to knock off the Huskies. Sadie St. Germain and Lisa Mullan scored for SU, while Jenesica Drinkwater made 32 saves between the pipes.

Kallie Billadeau got the start in goal on Saturday, and made 46 saves as the Gophers shut out Syracuse, 4-0. Minnesota outshot the Orange 50-10, and scored two power play goals in the contest.

Up Next: Home Opener Vs. Clarkson
Following four road games to start the season, the Orange will host the team's home-opener on Friday, October 14 at Tennity Ice Pavilion against Clarkson at 7:00 p.m. SU will then complete the home-and-home series on Saturday in Potsdam. SU has faced off with the Golden Knights twice in the teams' history, with the all-time series even at 1-1-0. Syracuse picked up a 3-1 win against Clarkson last season.

Sophomore Sensations Secure The Cage
Sophomore goaltenders Kallie Billadeau and Jenesica Drinkwater split time between the pipes for the Orange last weekend. Drinkwater got the starting nod against St. Cloud State on opening night, making 32 saves in a 2-1 win. Billadeau started against No. 4 Minnesota the next night, making 46 saves.

Through one week of the season, Drinkwater is seventh in the nation in save percentage (.970) and tied for eighth in goals against average (1.00). Billadeau, who started the final five games of the 2010-11 season, was peppered throughout the game against the Gophers. She has a 4.00 goals against average and .920 save percentage.

Skelly Reaches 100-Game Milestone
Lisa Mullan and Julie Rising became the first ice hockey student-athletes to reach the 100-game plateau in the team's final game last season. Senior co-captain Megan Skelly joined her former teammates in the season opener against St. Cloud State last weekend when she played in her 100th career contest. Taylor Metcalfe, who has dressed for 96 career games through three seasons with the Orange, is next on the list for SU.

SU Shares The Puck
Syracuse finished last season with 153 assists, which ranked 10th in the nation. SU's average of 4.25 helpers per game was also among the nation's best at 12th in the country.

Despite losing the top-three assist leaders from last season's team, the Orange returns three skaters who registered double-digit assists last season in Akane Hosoyamada (16), Holly-Carrie Mattimoe (11), and Megan Skelly (10).

SU Picked To Finish Second In CHA Preseason Poll
Syracuse, last season's runner-up in the College Hockey America Tournament, has been tabbed to finish in a tie for second in this year's CHA Preseason Coaches' Poll. Mercyhurst, last year's tournament champion and NCAA Tournament participant, collected nine points and three first place votes to claim the top spot.

The Orange is picked to finish tie with Niagara for second in the conference, while Robert Morris is predicted to finish fourth.

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