The Orange is not usually known for scoring pretty goals, but its poised offensive attack was on display in the team’s regular-season finale.

Shiann Darkangelo scored on the power play and seniors Holly Carrie-Mattimoe and Jacquie Greco scored for the Orange as Syracuse (19-14-1, 13-6-1 College Hockey America) cruised to a 4-1 victory over Lindenwood (7-24-3, 7-10-3) on Wednesday night.

While the Orange offense was clicking across the board, it was the pressure it put on Lindenwood that created its scoring chances.

“I thought our 2-3 forecheck worked really well and showed on the scoreboard,” Greco said. “We had a lot more chances and buried those chances.”

In Tuesday’s game, head coach Paul Flanagan felt that when his team was passing the puck back to its blue line, the pairing was too close together. When the defensemen shot the puck, it would just get jammed into someone’s pads.

But on Wednesday, the Syracuse defensemen did a better job spreading out so the Lindenwood forwards had trouble packing it in near the middle of the zone.

On SU’s third power play of the night in the second period, the team capitalized on tic-tac-toe passing – starting from the blue line.

Cara Johnson held the puck on the boards and fed Brittney Krebs at the point. Krebs then fired a pass down to Carrie-Mattimoe in the near corner. The senior captain then quickly slid the puck to the slot where Darkangelo redirected it into the net past goaltender Nicole Hensley’s low blocker side.

“I am in the middle on the power play and we were just trying to move it around the top so I could open up,” Darkangelo said. “The goalie ended up going right and I redirected the puck left.”

Darkangelo’s goal gave the Orange a 2-1 lead, and ended up being the game-winning goal. But SU wasn’t satisfied with just a one-goal lead.

After losing the previous night’s contest by one goal, the Orange was determined to avoid another close, late-game battle.

At 6:17 in the third period, Margot Scharfe lined up for a faceoff to the right of Hensley. She cleanly won the draw back to Greco. With no hesitation, Greco skated to the right and fired a wrist shot. The puck traveled through several players and ultimately went untouched into the back of the net.

“That was a low shot that kind of had eyes,” said Flanagan. “It just found its way in.”

In the locker room, Darkangelo told Carrie-Mattimoe she was going to set her up for a goal in her final home game.

Nearly nine minutes later, Darkangelo did just that as Syracuse’s offense struck again.

After receiving a pass in the neutral zone from Darkangelo, Carrie-Mattimoe skated into the zone and fired a wrist shot from the left side over Hensley’s glove and into the net.

Although this was her 39th career goal, this one was different.

“I just wanted to get it on net and luckily, somehow it was a snipe,” Carrie-Mattimoe said. “I don’t usually do that but I guess a little luck was on my side tonight.”

While Flanagan hopes his team will keep the goals coming when it takes on either RIT or Penn State in the upcoming CHA playoff semifinals, he is proud of the way his team ended the regular season.

“You couldn’t have scripted it any better,” Flanagan said. “For (Greco and Carrie-Mattimoe), to be able to start a game and play a big part in the victory – it’s pretty nice.”

Published on February 28, 2013 at 1:25 am

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