Friday, January 6
Syracuse, NY
7 p.m.
Syracuse University
vs
#5 Mercyhurst
SU Resumes CHA Play vs. #5 Mercyhurst
1/5/2012 10:21:16 AM | Ice Hockey
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Roster | Schedule | Season Stats | Game Notes |
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Roster | Schedule | Season Stats |
The Syracuse ice hockey team begins a five-game homestand this weekend as the Orange welcomes No. 5 Mercyhurst to Tennity Ice Pavilion in a rematch of last season's CHA Championship. The two-game set is slated to begin Friday night at 7:00 p.m.
Storylines Vs. The Lakers
Mercyhurst enters this weekend with a 14-4-0 overall record, and will be playing its first conference games of the season. The Lakers are the nine-time defending CHA champions, and come into the weekend set as the No. 5 team in the nation.
Mercyhurst boasts the nation's second highest scoring offense at 5.22 goals/game, while the defense is averaging just 1.72 goals against/game (seventh lowest in NCAA). The Laker power play unit is clicking at nearly 33% this season with 24 goals on 82 opportunities. The Lakers are led senior forward Bailey Bram, who has 48 points (21 goals, 27 assists) and leads the nation with 2.67 points per game. She is also tied with Cornell's Jillian Saulnier for the nation's lead in goals per game (1.17), including 10 power play tallies which lead all scorers in the NCAA.
Mercyhurst has ten players with double-digit point totals already this season, including Christine Bestland's 39 (15g, 24a), Jess Jones' 28 (9g, 19a) and Kelley Steadman's 26 (16g, 10a). Hillary Pattenden is 12-4-0 between the pipes this season for the Lakers, posting a 1.72 goals against average and .939 save percentage, which are both seventh in the nation.
Up Next: No. 3 Cornell
Syracuse will continue a string of three-straight games against top-five opponents on Jan. 17 when No. 3 Cornell visits Tennity Ice Pavilion for a 7:00 p.m. puck drop. The Big Red (10-2-0) defeated the Orange 9-2 earlier this season at Lynah Rink in Ithaca. SU is 1-2-0 all-time against Cornell, with the lone win coming on Jan. 5, 2010 in overtime. It was Syracuse's first-ever win against a nationally ranked opponent.
Last Time Out: Colgate Shuts Out SU At Starr Rink On Monday
Sparked by a four-goal second period and 33 saves by Kimberly Sass, Colgate (7-10-1) shutout the Syracuse ice hockey team (8-12-1) on Monday night at Starr Rink, 5-0. Jenesica Drinkwater (nine saves) and Kallie Billadeau (15 saves) split time in goal for the Orange.
SU thought it had taken a 1-0 late in the first period as Lisa Mullan one-timed a shot past Colgate goaltender Sass as time expired. Officials reviewed the play, eventually overturning the original call and disallowing the goal. The Colgate offense exploded during the second period, scoring four times on tallies from four different scorers. Colgate extended its lead to five 9:48 into the third period as Brittany Phillips netted her ninth goal of the season off a faceoff draw in the SU defensive zone that beat Billadeau for the score.
Production On The Penalty Kill
Syracuse is 15th in the country in penalty killing this season, successfully killing of 84 of the team's 100 penalties (84.0%) through 21 games this season. The Orange has one shorthanded goal this season, coming from Holly Carrie-Mattimoe in the second period at No. 2 Cornell on Nov. 1. During the past six games, the SU penalty killing squad is 31-of-33 (.940), including the last 16 straight dating back to the second period against Robert Morris on Dec. 9.
Dominating The Faceoff Circle
Through 21 games this season, the Orange has won 52.2% of its faceoffs (631-of-1209). SU has either matched or exceeded its opponents' faceoff wins in 13 of the team's 21 games this season, including each of the last five. In Syracuse's eight wins this season, the Orange has won 53.2% (235-of-437) of its draws. Leading the way for SU in the faceoff circle in 2011-12 is freshman Shiann Darkangelo, who has won 57% of her draws (219-of-384).
Scharfe Hitting Her Stride When It Counts
Sophomore center Margot Scharfe has six points in her last eight games (two goals, four assists), including a four-game point streak from Dec. 2-10. Scharfe is second on the team this season with 13 points on six goals and seven assists, and has 28 points (13 goals, 15 assists) in 57 career games played. Her 15 career helpers rank 10th on the all-time SU record list.
Saturday, February 07
Friday, February 06
Thursday, February 05
Tuesday, January 27
