Mercyhurst Up Next For the Orange

Syracuse (6-4-0, 2-0-0 CHA) vs. Mercyhurst (6-4-1, 1-1-0 CHA)
Date & Time	Friday, Nov. 15 \| 7:00 p.m.
Location	Erie, Pa. \| Mercyhurst Ice Center
Game Notes	Syracuse
Live Stats	Hurstathletics.com
Streaming Video	America One Sports
Social Media	Facebook \| @cuse

Syracuse (6-4-0, 2-0-0 CHA) vs. Mercyhurst (6-4-1, 1-1-0 CHA)
Date & Time	Saturday, Nov. 16 \| 2:00 p.m.
Location	Erie, Pa. \| Mercyhurst Ice Center
Game Notes	Syracuse
Live Stats	Hurstathletics.com
Streaming Video	America One Sports
Social Media	Facebook \| @cuse

SYRACUSE, N.Y.—The Orange (6-4-0, 2-0-0 CHA) looks to continue its five-game winning streak this weekend at Mercyhurst (6-4-1, 1-1-0 CHA). Syracuse's unbeaten streak is the longest in the CHA and fifth longest among Division I teams.

CLOSE CALLS WITH PENN STATE
• Syracuse won both its games against PSU last weekend by just one goal, the closest margin of victory all season, and is now on a five game winning streak.
• The Orange won 2-1 on Saturday afternoon, taking the lead 3:10 into the game. PSU tied it at the end of the first period but SU had the last say, notching the game-winner 1:27 into the third stanza.
• The Orange played from behind on Sunday until they made up for the deficit in the third period, scoring two goals to force overtime and win 4-3 in extra minutes.
• This was the first time this season that Syracuse played an extra period. The last time SU played in overtime was the CHA Semifinal win over RIT.
• Melissa Piacentini led the team in points on the weekend with three, scoring both of the goals in Saturday's game and assisting on the game-winner on Sunday.

SCOUTING MERCYHURST
• Mercyhurst is 6-4-1 on the season and comes off a split with Robert Morris last weekend in its conference opener. They are currently ranked tenth in the USCHO.com poll (Nov. 11) as well as in the USA Today poll (Nov. 12).
• The Lakers rank first in the CHA (seventh nationally) in scoring defense, allowing an average of 1.64 goals per game. They also rank first (seventh nationally) in the penalty kill, stopping 91.2 percent of opponent man-up opportunities.
• Christine Bestland is Mercyhurst's leading point scorer with 15 on the season off five goals and 10 assists.
• Emily Janiga and Jenna Dingeldein each have five goals of their own, the most of any Laker this season.
• Amanda Makela is the goalie for Mercyhurst, starting all 11 games of the season and recording a 6-4-1 record. She has a .935 save percentage, which ranks second in the CHA behind SU's Kallie Billadeau, and a 1.73 GAA, also second in the CHA. She is tied for second in the nation with four shutouts.

GET BY WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM RENAULT
• Nicole Renault leads the team in assists with nine, collecting a combined five against BC and Union on Oct. 25-26.
• She currently averages 0.90 assists per game on the season, which ranks first in the SU record book and third in the nation. Her career average of .43 APG ranks seventh all time at SU.
• Renault ranks first in the CHA in power play points with seven and six of those points were helpers.
• She also ranks first in the CHA and ninth in the nation in points per game for a defenseman, averaging 1.00 points in 10 contests.
• Renault has recorded three multi-point games so far this season, all attributed to two or more assists. Each of those games were wins, recording two helpers against No. 10 Northeastern and No. 4/3 Boston College and three against Union.
• Last season Renault recorded 11 assists in 36 games played.

BILLADEAU TURNS A CORNER
• The senior goalkeeper has won her last two contests after losing four in a row and has three total wins on the season.
• Billadeau turned her season around against No. 4/3 Boston College, taking a decisive 4-1 victory over the Eagles and then went on to take a 2-1 victory over Penn State last weekend.
• She currently ranks third in the CHA and 11th in the nation in goals against average (1.88), allowing just 13 total goals in seven games played.
• Her save percentage (.943) is the best in College Hockey America and ranks seventh among all Division I schools. It is also the best season mark in SU history.
• After the 2-1 win at Penn State, Billadeau has reached the 2,000 career saves mark, the only Syracuse goalie to reach that benchmark.

DRINKWATER ON A ROLL
• Senior goalie Jenesica Drinkwater is a perfect 3-0-0 on the season in her three starts against Providence College (10/19), Union College (10/26) and Penn State (11/10).
• She recorded 25 saves against PC, which got her over the 1,000 career saves mark (1,023) and currently has 1065 career saves.
• Drinkwater has a .918 save percentage and a 1.99 goals against average. Her GAA would rank 13th in the nation and fourth in the CHA if she met the minutes qualification.
• If Drinkwater plays in at least one of the two games at Mercyhurst she will meet the minutes minimum to qualify for national and conference rankings.

SPECIAL TEAMS SUCCESS
• The Orange has scored 13 power play goals so far this season. Aside from the shutout at No. 3 Clarkson, SU has scored on the power play in every game.
• The success is highlighted by an incredible performance on the power play against Union College, scoring four power play goals on five opportunities.
• Syracuse ranks seventh in the nation on the power play, converting 23.6 percent of the time and is 12th in the nation in the penalty kill (89.1%).
• SU went on a four game streak of preventing opponent power play goals, stopping 27 consecutive man-down situations. Penn State broke the streak last weekend, notching a power play goal on its first opportunity to tie the game at 1-1.
• Syracuse is effective on special teams 56.4 percent of the time which ranks eighth nationally, although the Orange has had more special teams opportunities than each of the schools ranked above them.
• Syracuse is 13-55 (.236) on power plays this season and has netted 13 of 68 man-up shots (.191).
• Senior goaltenders Kallie Billadeau and Jenesica Drinkwater have combined to save 77 of 83 man-up shots taken by SU opponents so far this season (.928).

Syracuse University Athletics

Next Event

Related News

Related Videos