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With nearly a minute left in overtime, Syracuse’s Victoria Klimek swiped the puck in neutral ice and skated up the left flank before cutting diagonally toward Vermont’s goal. Klimek sped past two UVM defenders along the way and found herself in an open pocket of space. The SU forward sliced a shot across the face of the goal but could only watch as the puck slid just wide of the left pipe beyond the goal line with momentum carrying to the opposite side of the ice.

The Catamounts recovered possession and skated out the final seconds without creating any last-ditch opportunities for themselves. The final buzzer sounded, leaving Syracuse and Vermont deadlocked at 1-1 at the conclusion of a vacillating overtime period.

An evenly-matched contest saw Syracuse (5-6-3, 4-2-0 College Hockey America) draw 1-1 with Vermont (6-6-2, 4-3-1 Hockey East) on Friday, marking the Orange’s third tie of the 2021-2022 season. The puck was shot 68 times between both teams in the first two periods, but neither could put the puck between the pipes until the third.

This tempo resulted in Arielle DeSmet and Blanka Škodová battling to keep the contest scoreless, as the opposing goaltenders combined for 45 saves in the first two periods to restrain the scoreline. DeSmet ended with a .971 save percentage compared to Škodová’s .967, and the Vermont native totaled 34 saves in her home state compared to Škodová’s 29.

But it was DeSmet who blinked first in the goaltender staredown when Vermont’s Sini Karjalainen received a pass from Kristina Shanahan on the right flank. With no defenders near, Karjalainen fired an uncontested shot into the top left corner of DeSmet’s goal three and a half minutes into the third period.

Vermont’s opener was the culmination of the offensive pressure it had accumulated in the opening minutes of the third period. The Catamounts entered the final session of regulation with a newfound sense of energy, immediately intensifying their forechecking against the Orange. Syracuse struggled to release the puck from its defensive zone and were outshot by Vermont 8 to 2 in the first eight minutes of the third period.

But in the following sequence of play, Syracuse regrouped and prevented UVM from doubling its lead. The Orange stabilized the pace of the game, scrapping for loose pucks and sharpening their markings of UVM attackers as the third period progressed.

With six minutes left in regulation, SU forward Madison Primeau notched the sixth goal of her freshman season to equalize with an unconventional effort. The puck initially slid into the path of Primeau after fellow forward Rayla Clemons poked possession away from the Catamounts in a scrum on the right side of Vermont’s goal. Two UVM defenders then rushed toward Primeau, forcing her to dribble the puck with her back facing the goal. But she wasn’t discouraged from making an attempt on goal, as the freshman quickly spun in place and slapped a shot in between her pursuers that hooked just under the crossbar and in.

DeSmet made three more key saves in the remainder of regulation to force overtime. SU defender Shelby Calof had the best opportunity to snatch a winner in the final minute when she skated past two Vermont defenders at the edge of the UVM defensive zone to create an open shot for herself. But Škodová was up to the task and there to make the stop.

It sent Syracuse into overtime for the sixth time this season. Both the Orange and the Catamounts created multiple offensive opportunities in the extra period, but neither seized a deciding goal.

Published on November 26, 2021 at 11:20 pm

Contact Bryan: brbrush@syr.edu