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The 2024 calendar year consisted of ups and downs for Syracuse ice hockey before beginning 2025 against Minnesota Duluth. SU won just three-of-14 contests from January to February following a 4-14-2 start to its 2023-24 campaign, resulting in its first College Hockey America playoff absence in program history.

Over their unusually long offseason, the Orange were forced to completely retool their roster after the losses of high-flying forwards Darci Johal and Kate Holmes due to graduation. Their defensive pairings also took a major blow when veteran blueliner Alexandria Weiss was also forced to bid the team farewell with a cap and diploma in hand.

Because of a busy offseason for head coach Britni Smith and her staff, Syracuse made noise through the first half of its 2024-25 campaign, thanks to its wave of newcomers. SU looked to continue to do so to start 2025 Thursday on the shores of Lake Superior against Minnesota Duluth.

In the first-ever meeting between the two programs, Syracuse (7-13-0, 5-3-0 Atlantic Hockey America) fell 6-2 to No. 4 Minnesota Duluth (12-5-2, 8-4-2 Western Collegiate Hockey Association). The Orange’s attack simply couldn’t keep up with the Bulldogs’ formidable offensive front, getting outshot by 35. SU’s special teams also struggled throughout the contest, converting on 1-of-4 power-play opportunities and surrendering a power-play goal.

Despite nearly a month-long break from action, the Orange looked sluggish in the opening 20 minutes and failed to match the Bulldogs’ speed and urgency early on. This allowed Minnesota Duluth to generate chances from inside and outside the slot area in front of SU goalie Allie Kelley. While Syracuse’s attack was stymied by the Bulldogs’ aggressive forecheck early on, its defenders were also quickly worn out by UMD’s long offensive possessions, which forced them to take sloppy penalties.

Just past the midway point of the period, the Bulldogs earned their first power-play opportunity but were held at bay by Syracuse’s penalty kill, which entered the game with a 78% success rate. In the period’s final five minutes, Syracuse’s shorthanded unit was tested again following a Rylee McLeod hooking call.

This time, though, the group was burned by the sixth-best player-advantage unit in the country. With time and space in front of the cage, UMD’s Caitlin Kraemer ripped the puck top shelf past Kelley for her ninth goal of the season and fourth in as many outings.

By the first intermission, the Bulldogs had tallied 29 shot attempts compared to Syracuse’s lowly seven and had mustered 13 more shots on goal than the Orange.

Looking to put the first period in the rearview mirror, Syracuse was given a power play less than two minutes into the middle frame. Although its player-up unit has fallen out of the country’s top 10 as of late, it finished 2024 red hot with four goals in its last six contests. Right on cue, Syracuse’s special teams unit continued its scoring ways, as Charli Kettyle’s shot from in close beat UMD goalie Ève Gascon to knot the game 1-1.

But the celebration was short-lived for SU. The Bulldogs jumped right back on the attack and drove hard to the front of the net. Amid the chaos in the slot area, Minnesota Duluth’s Olivia Wallin gave her team the lead back, 2-1, by poking home the rebound.

Syracuse’s power play returned to the ice two more times in the final 10 minutes of the second period. However, UMD’s shorthanded unit proved it had learned from its previous defensive blunders.

By clogging the front of the net and using fearless blocks to keep the puck away from their goaltender, the Bulldogs’ penalty killers shut down Syracuse’s potent power play on back-to-back chances. To make matters worse for SU, Minnesota Duluth lit the lamp twice in the final thirty seconds of the period.

With 29 seconds left, Clara Van Wieren used her defender as a screen in front of Kelley and sniped the puck home. Then, with less than a second remaining, Jenna Lawry cleaned up the garbage in the Orange’s crease to bring the Bulldogs’ advantage to 4-1. At that point, SU trailed 35-8 in shots on goal.

Syracuse’s Bryn Saarela has stepped up consistently in 2024-25, seeming to find ways to score in almost any situation. With eight points in her last three games, Saarela picked up right where she left off with her 11th goal of the season to cut UMD’s lead to 4-2 just under five minutes into the third.

But for the rest of regulation, the Bulldogs continued to have their way in the offensive zone. Under two minutes after Saarela’s tally, Mary Kate O’Brien found herself unmarked in the slot and wristed the puck home to restore Minnesota Duluth’s three-goal cushion.

In the final minutes of the period, the Bulldogs created a three-on-three chance off the rush. With a wicked wrist shot from the right hash mark, Wallin’s second tally of the day all but sealed UMD’s victory and brought its lead up to 6-2, which proved to be the final score.

Published on January 2, 2025 at 6:41 pm

Contact Matthew: mgray06@syr.edu