Syracuse Opens Regular Season Against Clarkson

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The defending College Hockey America champion Syracuse Orange open the regular-season this week with a home and home series against 2018 NCAA National Champion and No. 3-ranked Clarkson. Puck drop for game one is scheduled for Sept. 27 at 6.pm. in Tennity Ice Pavilion. The teams then travel to Potsdam, N.Y. to play at 3 p.m. on Saturday. Parking and admission for the game at Tennity are free.

LAST TIME OUT
The Orange are coming off a 4-1 exhibition win over Montréal on Sunday. Syracuse saw production from up and down the lineup, with goals coming from senior Savannah Rennie, freshman Madison Beishuizen, and juniors Emma Polaski and Jessica DiGirolamo. Three of Syracuse's goals were scored on the power play. Freshman Brynn Koocher led the team in faceoff victories, recording 10 in her first outing in a Syracuse sweater.

STEERING THE SHIP
The defending conference champions are led by redshirt-senior captain Lindsay Eastwood this season. Eastwood is joined by alternate captains junior Kristen Siermachesky and senior Logan Hicks.

Eastwood played 33 games last year and led all Orange defensemen in goals (9) while ranking third in points (14). Eastwood finished the year tied for the team lead in game-winning goals (3) and was second in power-play goals (4). Her postseason efforts earned her a spot on the CHA All-Tournament Team.

Siermachesky skated in 31 games for the Orange last season, recording two goals, an assist, and 30 blocks. One of her goals came in the CHA championship game against Robert Morris and ultimately helped send the Orange to their first NCAA berth.

Hicks tallied a career-high six points last season points, scoring one goal and carding five assists in 38 games. Hicks also logged a career-high 32 blocks during the year.

12 YEARS IN
Head coach Paul Flanagan enters his 12th season with the program and 21st overall. Flanagan has accumulated a 393-268-64 record since he began coaching, and has led Syracuse to a 163-185-40 record since the team's inception in 2008.

SERIES HISTORY
The Golden Knights and Orange have squared off 18 times. Clarkson holds a 16-1-1 all-time series lead over Syracuse and was victorious in last year's two meetings, earning 6-2 and 4-3 victories.

SCOUTING THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS
Clarkson finished the 2018-19 campaign with a 30-8-2 record, winning the ECAC tournament and making it to the second round of the NCAA tournament where the Golden Knights lost, 5-0, to eventual title winner Wisconsin.

Clarkson returns two-time All-American Elizabeth Giguere. The junior has registered 53 goals and 91 assists since joining the program. In goal for the Golden Knights this season are Amanda Zeglen and Maire-Pier Coulombe. Coulombe appeared in just three games last year, recording 48 saves while allowing four goals. Zeglen is a transfer from Ohio State who appeared in 13 games, including 12 starts, going 9-3-0 and earning a .902 save percentage and a 2.20 goals against average over two years (2017-19).

WHAT LIES AHEAD
Following the two games against Clarkson, Syracuse is set to host on Boston College on Saturday, Oct. 5 in Tennity Ice Pavilion. Puck drop is set for 3 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

Madison Beishuizen

Jessica DiGirolamo

Lindsay Eastwood

Logan Hicks

Brynn Koocher

Emma Polaski

Savannah Rennie

Kristen Siermachesky

Syracuse University Athletics