Syracuse Handles Hopkins 14-11
from press release
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Second-ranked Syracuse
(4-1) used a balanced offensive attack to defeat No. 6 Johns
Hopkins (3-2) in a rematch of last season’s national
championship game on Saturday, March 14 at the Carrier Dome. The
Orange featured nine different goal scorers, including four players
with multiple goals.
Senior Matt Abbott collected a career-best four points (2g, 2a)
and sophomore Josh Amidon notched his first career hat trick with
three scores. Senior Pat Perritt and sophomore Stephen Keogh
rounded out SU’s multiple-goal scorers. They both had two
goals Saturday.
Senior Kenny Nims was the catalyst for the Syracuse attack. He
passed out three assists and tied Abbott for team-high scoring
honors with four points (1g, 3a), all of which came in the first
half.
Syracuse scored six consecutive goals in the span of 10:40 during
the first and second quarters to take a 7-3 advantage and gain
control of the game. The run couldn’t have come at a better
time for the Orange as the Blue Jays scored on their first three
shots and led, 3-1, after the first six minutes.
Senior Scott Kahoe, Abbott and Nims each recorded two points in
the scoring run. Kahoe had a pair of assists and Abbott and Nims
each contributed a goal and an assist. Redshirt freshman Tim Desko
capped the run with an easy score in transition. The play was set
up by freshman Kevin Drew who raced into the box after a Hopkins
turnover and dished to Nims who found Desko for the goal with 12:58
to play in the first half.
A score by Kyle Wharton at the 10:33 mark ended the Hopkins
scoring drought and cut the SU lead to 7-4. The Orange still led by
three, 8-5, at the intermission as the two teams traded tallies in
the last half of the second quarter.
Syracuse kept its foot on the gas in the second half, outscoring
the Blue Jays, 2-1, in the third quarter and netting the first
three goals of the fourth period to take its largest lead of the
day, 13-6, with 5:14 to go. Keogh notched back-to-back goals to
close the run.
But Johns Hopkins didn’t go quietly. The Blue Jays outscored
the Orange, 5-1, in the last 4:04 to produce the 14-11 final score.
Chris Boland sparked the Hopkins offense with two goals down the
stretch and Wharton notched three assists in the scoring spurt.
Faceoffs played a key role in the Blue Jays’ comeback as
they won eight of the 10 draws in the fourth quarter and owned a
17-12 advantage for the game.
Wharton finished with a game-best five points (2g, 3a). Boland
added four (2g, 2a) points for the visitors. Blue Jays’
goalie Mike Gvozden made 15 saves in a losing effort.
Syracuse outshot the Blue Jays, 45-34, in the game, and held a
29-9 advantage in shots during the first half. The Orange also won
the ground ball battle, 30-22. Sophomore Joel White collected five
ground balls to lead the Orange in that category.
Syracuse continues its homestand on Saturday, March 21 when it
hosts Binghamton at the Carrier Dome. Faceoff is slated for 2 p.m.
on Time Warner 26.
Game Notes: The win was the Orange’s third straight against
the Blue Jays, equaling its longest winning streak in the series
… Syracuse also won three consecutive games against Johns
Hopkins from 1986 to 1988 … Nims extended his point-scoring
streak to 21 games … Senior Spencer Van Schaack scored his
first goal of the season in the second quarter …
Kahoe’s two assists were a personal best … He also
established a career high with 10 faceoff attempts …
Sophomore Tim Harder set career highs in both faceoffs won and
attempted, going 7-for-14 at the X … Members of
Syracuse’s 1989 NCAA Championship team were recognized at
halftime … The 1989 Orange finished the season 14-1 and
defeated Johns Hopkins in the national title game, 13-12.
