By Linc Zdancewicz
Kingston, RI – Syracuse lost two close games to another ESCHL rival in Rhode Island this past weekend, falling on Friday 5-3, and again on Saturday 4-2. With this series sweep, the Orange lost six of their last seven games.
Syracuse went into the weekend still missing their captain Sam Hutchinson to injury. However, a familiar face was back, with Jack Alecia coming off the Injured list. Alecia currently sits at 2nd in the team in points despite missing several games due to injury. The junior is averaging over a point per game so far this season.
“It was good to have [Alecia] back as he’s a big part of our offense and has been one of our veteran leaders for our team,” Coach Timmons said.
The Orange shook up the lines in preparation for Friday, giving freshman Connor Rolston his first start. Kade Cook was also moved in the lineup, centering Cam Gaffney and Brock Alvers, who found success the previous weekend. Senior Chris Spano would take the net in the first game going into the series.
Syracuse was deadlocked at zero from the start of the first period, chronicled by penalties. The Orange went to the box early and were on the PK. Shortly after their solid work on the penalty kill, Syracuse went on a stretch of three consecutive power plays, all of which were subsequently killed by URI.
After missing on three power plays in the first, the Orange would go down a man once more, where Rhode Island would then score, going up 1-0. Syracuse then rallied back into the lead with two goals in the second. Conor Rolston scored his first goal in his first game to tie the contest after banging home a rebound from a Jack Wren shot. The returnee, Jack Alecia netted the second, putting his goal total to 13 on the year. Brendan Duffy and Aidan Emery added helpers to the Alecia tally. Syracuse’s lead continued into the second intermission after killing off an Anthony Larkin roughing penalty late in the middle period.
Syracuse started the third looking strong with their 2-1 lead. However, the game would start to flip with a quick URI goal to tie the game at 2 early in the final period. A tripping call just two minutes later put Syracuse on the penalty kill again, where they would give up another goal, this time on the power play. Less than a minute after Rhode Island’s power play goal, the Rams scored their 3 straight tally, going up 4-2 on the Orange. Looking to gain momentum back, Jack Wren netted his 5th goal of the season from Jack Alecia to bring Syracuse back within one score at 4-3. The hope of a comeback was alive in Kingston. Coach Timmons pulled Spano with roughly a minute left in regulation, looking for a spark but it was all for not as Rhode Island kept the puck out of the net and capped their victory off with an empty netter with just six seconds remaining.
With their mistakes from the previous game made clear, the Orange looked to come out strong in their second game, looking to tie the series. Their fire was likely lit by Syracuse’s most vocal player, Anthony Larkin, as he was celebrating his 100th game with the Orange.
“To play any meaningful game after high school is not an easy task,” said Larkin on hitting the century mark. “To play 100 in a Syracuse sweater has been… an honor. The boys and staff were awesome throughout the day and made the celebration so special.”
The first period commenced and the Orange scored quickly with Jack Wren’s 6th goal of the year and 2nd of the weekend. Their strong play continued, putting chance after chance on Rhode Island’s netminder, Nick Maringola. Syracuse’s hot start would continue when Jack Alecia put in his second tally in two days and his 14th goal on the year to give the Orange a 2-0 lead. Syracuse had played a nearly perfect period of hockey until Rhode Island answered back with over a minute in the first, finishing the period up 2-1.
Despite their strong start in the first, Rhode Island killed off an early Syracuse power play and began to come back. Rhode Island would knot the game at 2 just six and a half into the penultimate period. After the Orange had a goal called back that would have given them a 3-2 lead, URI would score just minutes later on the powerplay, giving the Rams a 3-2 advantage instead. The period would go on to end with a whimper with Syracuse still down by a score.
As Orange came back onto the ice for the third period, they were not ready for Rhode Island to come out swinging, scoring just in 11 seconds into the third to go up 4-2. The grind to comeback was evident from Syracuse but they would find themselves unable to score in the third, falling to URI once again, 4-2. Syracuse once again became the victims of two powerplay goals, getting outshot by Rhode Island in both contests on the weekend.
With the series loss to URI the Orange have now been swept in three out of six series since Alumni Weekend, totaling just three wins since October 19th.
“(A) big part of it is staying healthy,” said Coach Timmons. “(We) had some crucial injuries to our top guys over the past month…It’s a tough schedule… but it’s good to go through these pains to help us sustain growth… If we learn from it and put the work in during the week, it will come together.”
Syracuse will resume regular season play against their inner-state rivals, Niagara University on Saturday, January 11th 2025, in Lewiston NY at 7 p.m. They will come home to play the Purple Eagles the next day in Tennity Ice Pavilion at 2 p.m.
All home games are held at the Tennity Ice Pavilion on Syracuse University’s campus and are free for students and the general public. Home games are also streamed live on the SU Hockey Network.
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