Strong SU defense backs up Amelia Van Vliet’s 1st career shutout

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Five seconds remained in the game. Five seconds until Amelia Van Vliet could skate off with her first career shutout in just her second collegiate start. Alex Thomas broke to center ice fast, desperately trying to shake the SU defenders and find a path toward the goal. But with a quick slap of the puck from defenseman Shelby Calof at center ice, LIU’s squandered its final chance to score. 

In its fifth straight victory, Syracuse’s (8-8-1, 6-6-1 College Hockey America) defense backed up Van Vliet for her first career shutout in a 5-0 win over LIU (2-8-0, 0-0-0 New England Women’s Hockey Alliance) on Saturday. The win marks the Orange’s second consecutive series sweep and fifth straight victory, the first five-game winning streak since the 2016-17 season. 

“Our D as a group used each other with reversals and D-to-D,” head coach Paul Flanagan said.

The puck dribbled out to center ice. Syracuse had just begun its second power play of the first period after a slashing call was handed to LIU’s Matilda af Bjur. The Sharks’ Megan Bouveur gathered it over the block ‘S’ logo, looked up and saw nothing but empty ice between her and Van Vliet. 

Her breakaway proved unsuccessful, however, as her shot was weakened by Hannah Johnson, whose attempt at pick-pocketting Bouveur from behind ultimately led to a slashing call. But the Orange defender saved Van Vliet from having to make another tricky save, and the two ensuing faceoffs — both won by LIU — came up empty. SU maintained its 1-0 lead.

“In the first period, Amelia had to bail them out … but I think from that point on we were really good,” Flanagan said.

Syracuse entered Saturday down forwards Emma Polaski and Sarah Thompson, who were sidelined due to lower body injuries. The onus was on SU’s defenders to pick up the slack, on a group of starting defenders that included two underclassmen.

With six minutes remaining in the first period, LIU finally broke out of the Orange’s suffocating offense. Rayla Clemons lost her faceoff from the LIU’s far-side circle. She tried to dive on the puck but was unable to grab it before Megan Roe skated off toward center ice. Roe broke left, unsuccessfully trying to shake off Calof. Roe was forced behind Van Vliet and had to pass it to Thomas. The freshman’s pass was intercepted, picked up by Calof, and an offensive possession that began 25 seconds prior was over.

Forcing a one-pass possession was something Flanagan pointed out postgame.

“I thought (the defenders) moved the puck well. We didn’t force a ton of passes,” Flanagan said.

Syracuse dominated the first period offensively, and Van Vliet only saw five shots on goal in the opening 20 minutes. But on the rare occasion the Orange didn’t have the puck, Van Vliet bailed out a lazy defensive squad. Ten seconds after the opening puck drop, LIU’s Maggie Culp gathered a loose puck, slid past the Orange defense and fired a shot into the chest of Van Vliet.

But the defense later settled down after a goal by Lauren Bellefontaine gave the Orange a lead early in the first period. While it was a forward that scored, two SU defenders contributed to the score and were marked with assists. 

Jessica DiGirolamo sat in the nearside faceoff circle. Her pass went to Mae Batherson at the top of the key. Batherson pump-faked toward the goal, then checked the puck down to Bellefontaine, who rifled it in. Just under seven minutes into the game, the Orange found a lead they never relinquished.

“Hannah (Johnson) had three (assists) and Kristen (Siermachesky) had a couple helpers, so it’s good to see them do stuff offensively, too,” Flanagan said.

Much of the offense for Orange defenders this season has come from DiGirolamo, who entered today with a team-leading eight goals. But on Saturday, she was one of four defenders to record an assist. 

The strong defensive unit led to SU’s first shutout since a 3-0 win over RIT on Feb. 3. Once the final horn sounded at Tennity Ice Pavilion, the Orange skaters excitedly headed to their freshman netminder.