Eight minutes into the first period, SU head coach Paul Flanagan sported a small smile on the bench.

With the Orange already up three goals against Rochester Institute of Technology, he was more than content with the play of his team.

Riding a three-goal first period, Syracuse (10-17-2, 9-5-1 College Hockey America) strolled to a 7-1 victory over RIT (4-22-3, 1-14-0). The Orange recovered after a three-game losing streak with sophomore forward Savannah Rennie’s opening goal in the third minute of the game. SU did not back down, scoring two more goals in the next six minutes to push the lead to three, ending any possible hope for an RIT comeback in a decisive first period.

“When you’re a team that has been shut out seven times this year, it’s pretty important to get on the board,” Flanagan said. “Scoring the second and third one was pretty good. I think that gets RIT back on their heels a little bit and we could just feel a lot of energy.”

With 15 minutes remaining in the first, Syracuse was once again threatening in the offensive zone. With the puck tied up in the corner, junior defender Allie Munroe skated past the blue line unguarded and tapped her stick to the ice twice, calling for the puck. Senior forward Alysha Burriss, noticing the open player, took the puck and fired it back to Munroe. Still without a defender paying her any attention, Munroe fired a low shot into the back of the net, pushing Syracuse’s lead to two.

“I knew I had traffic in the front and just wanted to get it on net and hopefully create a rebound or obviously put it in the back of the net,” Munroe said.

Munroe, who tallied a goal and two assists on the day, was rewarded for incredibly hard work on the ice, senior defender Megan Quinn said. Munroe now has 12 points on the season.

The Orange dominated possession in the first period. SU totaled 21 shots and won 14 of the 22 faceoffs.

SU used the momentum gained in the first to extend the lead in the second, Munroe said. Goals via Burriss and freshman forward Victoria Klimek put the Orange ahead by five.

After first-career goals from sophomore defender Allie Olnowich and freshman forward Ronnie Callahan, SU cruised to a six-goal win.

“I didn’t even know it went into the net at first,” Olnowich said. “We did a drill a couple weeks ago … where we were taking slap shots from right inside the blue line so I just kind of just said let’s get this on net and see where it goes.”

The Orange is now in third place in the CHA, three points behind Mercyhurst. With an end of the season showdown with first-place Robert Morris approaching, Flanagan is excited with the direction of the team.

“Moving forward, it gives you some confidence,” Flanagan said. “You like to think something like that is contagious.”

Published on February 9, 2018 at 11:01 pm

Contact Adam: adhillma@syr.edu | @_adamhillman