SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Fresh off a shutout loss, Syracuse Ice Hockey found its offensive rhythm, defeating Delaware 4-1 inside Tennity Ice Pavilion Friday.
Syracuse went more than five minutes without a shot on goal, with Jocelyn Fiala going to the penalty box for a high-sticking foul during the stretch. But once the Orange began testing Delaware goalie Charlotte Payne, the offense opened up.
Of SU’s 44 shots, four of them found the net, giving Ava Drabyk the offensive support she needed.
Rachel Walsh found Lauren Broderick for a one-timer wrist shot at the left side of the blue line for Syracuse’s first goal on Payne in the two game series.
“We really wanted to create some chaos in front of [Payne] today, and I thought we did a much better job of that,” associate head coach Brendon Knight said after the game.
Syracuse led 1-0 with 10:16 remaining in the first period and took that lead into intermission.
In the second period, Delaware went 10 minutes without a shot, and Syracuse capitalized on its second goal 50 seconds later.
In Delaware’s territory, senior forward Jackson Kinsler played the puck off the boards, passing to sophomore Emma Gnade, who dangled through multiple defenders, got in front of the crease and beat Payne to the bottom-right corner of the net.
After Thursday’s offensive struggles, Gnade said the positioning on her goal was a part of the game plan.
“We only had four shots in front of the net, and we knew that she was a goalie that struggled with rebounds and shots in front,” Gnade said.
SU added another goal before the public address announcer could mention Gnade’s. Rylee McLeod got a loose puck and wrapped around the crease, getting to the left side of the net before poking a backhand shot just past Payne’s outstretched foot for her fifth goal of the season.
Through two periods, SU led 3-0.
It was quiet the rest of the way until Drabyk made an acrobatic stick save off a rebound shot by Delaware, keeping the Blue Hens off the board. Drabyk saw an unlucky bounce off a Syracuse defender find the net with 4:02 remaining in the game, but that was the only blemish of her 20 save showing.
On Thursday, Drabyk allowed just one goal in a shutout loss. Gnade said the Orange wanted to give her more offensive support.
“We need to always have her back and always just come back stronger for her, especially after yesterday’s game,” Gnade said.
Kinsler put the game on ice with an open-net goal just before time expired.
SU Ice Hockey plays next against Lindenwood at 4 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6 in Missouri.