No. 7 Quinnipiac shuts out Syracuse in dominant win

Quinnipiac proved why it’s the No. 7 team in the country Friday, shutting out Syracuse women’s ice hockey 3-0 at Tennity Ice Pavilion. The Orange fell to 2-3 on the season, ending a two-game winning streak. All three losses have come against ranked teams.

After a slow start to the first period, Quinnipiac opened the scoring at 8:59. With defender Jocelyn Fiala in the box for the Orange, Quinnipac sophomore Taylor Brueske put one just over the left shoulder of goalie Ava Drabyk to convert the power play for the Bobcats.

Syracuse hung with the Bobcats during the first period. It won an equal number of faceoffs and held the Bobcats to just eight shots on goal. The game’s momentum swayed in the Bobcats’ favor early – Bruesky converted after the Orange failed to get a good shot on goal during an early opportunity.

Quinnipiac came out of the locker room to start the second period, playing more aggressively and looking far more dominant for the rest of the game. 

The Bobcats capitalized on a goal early in the second period, scoring despite a tough angle off the stick of junior Kahlen Lamarche. Their final goal came again on the power play, this time from senior Emerson Jarvis late in the third period.

Quinnipiac applied consistent pressure at the end of the game, totaling 24 shots on goal in the final two periods. Syracuse constantly found itself defending rather than creating scoring chances of its own.

The Orange may have let in more than three goals if not for the exceptional play of Drabyk in goal. Drabyk wasn’t expected to be a starter at the beginning of the season, but she’s excelled so far, keeping Syracuse in every game she’s started, even against the high-caliber competition. Her coach had high praise for her work.

“Ava’s been super steady throughout the week, leading up to the game,” Associate head coach Heather Farrell said. “She competes in practices, she works hard, and she really shows us that she’s getting better and committed to it. She keeps everything very calm for us. You can’t be happier with Ava.”

Drabyk saved 29 of the Bobcats’ 32 shots. 

“I think I’ve really found my place and settled in,” Drabyk said. When asked about what it felt like to learn she would be starting, she said, “I was really excited, obviously that’s something everyone dreams about, and that was my dream.”

Offensively, Syracuse did have three additional power plays, but failed to take advantage of any of them. This continues a familiar trend for the Orange, who have struggled on the power play all season. Farrell believes that was a key reason they lost Friday. 

“We had some good movement, good opportunities to take advantage on the power play, but we didn’t tonight,” Farrell said. “We were hesitant, we need to get more volume of shots. I think we gave up a couple grade A scoring opportunities on the power play today.”

The conference schedule opens next Friday against Delaware. Despite the loss tonight, Coach Farrell thinks the Orange is set up for success in AHA play. 

“If we can continue to compete this way against top-10 teams, we’re only going to get better,” she said. 

The Orange will have a shot at revenge against the Bobcats tomorrow at 3 p.m. at Tennity Ice Pavilion.