Small, Moloughney Help Syracuse Defeat Robert Morris
By Ben Spector
CitrusTV Ice Hockey Reporter
MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. – Syracuse Ice Hockey took the ice against Robert Morris after almost a week off. The Orange came into Moon Township, Pennsylvania looking for its first win of the season against the second-ranked team in the CHA, and it took care of business. The Orange (9-8-1, 7-6-1 College Hockey America) took down the Colonials (13-6-1, 11-6-1 CHA) 3-1. SU’s Allison Small started in net for the first time in over a week and she turned into a brick wall, allowing only one goal and totaling a career-high 49 saves for a 98.0 save percentage, while Abby Moloughney scored in her second game in a row.
The first ten minutes of this game offered limited opportunities for both sides. A lot of dumping and chasing for each team, but one mistake led to a glorious opportunity for Robert Morris. RMU forced a turnover in the neutral zone, leading to a three-on-one breakaway chance and Lexi Templeman put it away in tight for her sixth goal of the season. RMU could not hold on to its one-goal lead for long, as with 4:28 left in the period, Anna Leschyshyn buried a rebound and tied the game for SU. Leschyshyn picked up right where she left off from last week, as this goal marks her sixth goal in three games. Both teams went into the first intermission having scored one goal.
In the second period, the game opened up for both teams. RMU and SU were going back and forth trading chances. Tatum White had a tremendous chance from the left circle with ten minutes left. In the end, Abby Moloughney gave Syracuse the lead on SU’s second powerplay of the game. Lauren Bellefontaine passed the puck into the blue paint, and Moloughney put it into the back of the net with six minutes remaining in the period. Moloughney now has a goal in two straight, and she helped Syracuse enter the break with a one-goal lead.
The third period was all about Allison Small. The netminder was making save after save, keeping SU in the lead and giving them time to keep on scoring. Hannah Johnson stepped into the slot and fired one into the back of the net with four minutes left in the game. This marks the third goal of her career and put the icing on the cake for Syracuse.
Syracuse is right back at it tomorrow. The Orange face Robert Morris at 2 p.m.
bespecto@syr.edu | @bespector
