With a struggling offense, Syracuse’s defense has been burdened by jumping into the attacking zone. To reinforce this strategy, its defense holds itself to a motto: “Take care of business in the back and go to work up front,” redshirt junior Lindsay Eastwood said.

Throughout the season, Syracuse (4-12-1, 4-3 College Hockey America) has facilitated much of its offense, both on special teams and at even-strength, through its defensemen.

They’ve patrolled the blue line and crashed the net. Of the seven players with at least 30 shots on goal, three of them — Allie Munroe, Jessica DiGirolamo and Eastwood — are defensemen.

But Syracuse has scored two goals in its past four games and 2.12 goals a game this season, the second-worst in the CHA. The backline feels the pressure to step up and provide a scoring boost, Munroe said. Syracuse will need its defensemen to pick up its struggling offense if it wants to break its six-game losing streak.

“To add that extra man on the attack is really important, and this defense, I think we all know that we need to produce to be successful,” Munroe said. “It’s fun to play offense, too.”

Munroe, a defenseman on the first line, leads all SU skaters in points (12). DiGirolamo, a sophomore, cracks the top five for the Orange with eight points (four goals, four assists). Both Munroe and DiGirolamo, as well as Eastwood (seven points), have been pivotal in any offensive production the Orange have been able to generate in their streak.

Last weekend against No. 1 Wisconsin, Munroe scored the lone goal in a 6-1 loss on Saturday. The play started with DiGirolamo, who blasted a shot on net which rebounded right to Munroe’s stick.

“It was a nice play for (DiGirolamo) to jump up in the play and I just wanted to get up there,” Munroe said.

Laura Angle | Digital Design Editor

 
DiGirolamo and Munroe being involved on the attack is emblematic of defensemen joining the offensive attack, one of the most consistent ways SU has created chances.

Even against SU’s toughest opponents, the defense still has found a way to find the net. All three of Munroe’s goals have come against top-ranked opponents — No. 1 Wisconsin and then-No. 2 Clarkson.

Although they are committed to joining the attack, the Orange’s defensemen haven’t forgotten their roles in the defensive zone. Munroe, Eastwood and DiGirolamo, in that order, are also leading the team in blocked shots.
 
Sophomore forward Emma Polaski, who leads Syracuse in goals (eight), credits the defensemen for being options on the blue line, always ready to launch shots.
 
Eastwood’s slap shot makes her a particularly dangerous weapon on the power play. During an advantage against Princeton on Nov. 11, she blasted three shots in a row from the blue line in one possession. In another power play later that game, another slap shot was barely deflected high and wide from the net. The threat of Eastwood’s long range shot has been key in Syracuse’s power play, which ranks second-best in the CHA with 13 goals in 17 games.
 
While patrolling the blue line, Eastwood’s objective, naturally, is to score. But she said there is value in “getting pucks to the net” and creating chances by getting in close.
 
“It’s creating offensive chances and we’re capitalizing on them,” Eastwood said. “It’s awesome when you see the defense jumping in and getting on the board.”

Published on December 6, 2018 at 1:50 am

Contact Danny: dremerma@syr.edu | @DannyEmerman