The Roller Coaster that Syracuse Ice Hockey’s Ridden this Season
By Ben Chadwick | @BChad214
To put it simply, last season was one to forget for Syracuse Ice Hockey. The Orange went a measly 7-24-3 with just a 4-12-2 conference record. Not only was it SU’s worst record of the 2020s, it was the worst season of its 17-year history.
Fast forward to the start of their 2024-2025 campaign, things looked awfully familiar. Through its first 11 games, ‘Cuse was just 2-9 and riding a nine-game losing skid and had reached a new low point on their roller coaster ride. But something clicked for the Orange with the New Year’s break on the horizon.
In the last three weeks of its 2024 schedule, Syracuse won five of its last eight and turned that abysmal 2-9 start into a more optimistic 7-12 record halfway through the season. In its last series of the year, ‘Cuse snagged two 4-1 home victories over Robert Morris. But a daunting January slate was just waiting to rain on SU’s parade at the top of the roller coaster.
And that’s exactly what it did. Not one, not two, but three top-10 opponents made up five of the first seven games in 2025 for ‘Cuse. And it’s safe to say that its momentum came to a screeching halt.
First, Syracuse headed west to face No. 4 Minnesota Duluth. In the first-ever meeting between the two schools, the Bulldogs dominated. In its 6-2 win, Minnesota Duluth tallied a whopping 50 shots on goal to SU’s mere 15. Although the Orange put up a fight in its 2-1 loss the next day, the descent down the track had already begun.
Syracuse dropped its first two AHA games of 2025 in a doubleheader against Mercyhurst the very next weekend. And unlike the usual rhythm of the ice hockey season, Syracuse had just two days to recover before facing yet another powerhouse in No. 6 Cornell. Once again, SU was shut down in every facet. The Orange only got off 14 shots on net in their 6-3 loss to the Big Red. Now sliding back down the roller coaster, there was no end in sight for ‘Cuse. But for one Syracuse player, the end to a five-year record chase was suddenly within grasp.
Ahead of its doubleheader against No. 9 Penn State, SU goalie Allie Kelley found herself just 33 saves shy of the all-time NCAA career saves record. And in a heartbreaking 1-0 overtime loss, the grad student did just that. However, the record was the last thing on her mind that day.
“It was nice to see all the support from the fans,” Kelley said. “I was kind of confused when everybody rushed the ice, I thought maybe it was TV time out or something. It was an unfortunate way to get that saves number, but I think we fought hard and we’ll come back tomorrow looking for the win.”
Unfortunately for the Orange, the Nittany Lions weren’t fond of going the distance in game #1. PSU cruised to a 4-0 victory in game #2 and SU’s coaster cart kept speeding along its downward slope.
But with its ranked gauntlet out of the way, ‘Cuse could start to see the end of the ride’s never-ending drop. Syracuse geared up for a home and home against RIT, a team it held just a one-point lead on in the conference standings. But a 2-1 road loss for the Orange wasn’t exactly what they were hoping for. ‘Cuse Head Coach Britni Smith wasn’t ecstatic about the defeat.
“I think the biggest thing for us is just trying to eliminate the roller coaster” said coach Smith. “In a 60-minute game, you’re not going to have complete possession or domination, but its about being able to really recognize when they’ve started to gain that momentum and simplify our game. In terms of a complete 60, I don’t think we had it tonight, but I don’t think it’s a matter of lack of effort or ability. I think it’s just kind of recognizing those moments and situations, and again, having a young team, those are lessons we’ve got to learn.”
Well, lesson learned for SU. In game #2, not only did Syracuse win the season series 3-1 over RIT, its 3-2 victory marked the first win of 2025. After eight straight losses, the end to the roller coaster’s plummet was finally in sight.
And that brings us to the present day. Syracuse (8-20, 6-8 in AHA) is tied for third in the conference with three weeks left to go in the regular season. Up next, SU hosts Lindenwood on Friday at 4 p.m. to kick off its senior weekend. With a six-team playoff ahead, the Orange look to host their first-round postseason matchup and start climbing up the tracks once again.
