When Megan Quinn lined up on the blue line in practice as a freshman to take shots on goal, Syracuse goalkeeper Jenn Gilligan never knew what to expect.

Some players shot the puck hard enough to leave a stinger, but Gilligan said Quinn was “hit or miss.”

“Now it’s kind of one of those ones where you’re like, ‘Oh boy, this might leave a bruise,”’ Gilligan said.

Quinn, a sophomore, has transformed her game on the ice. After a fairly a one-dimensional role as a defender last season, the sophomore has embraced her new role, playing all three zones. She’s stronger, quicker and has an improved shot, making her a key contributor for Syracuse (5-5-1, 3-1-1 College Hockey America).

She’s on the penalty kill and the power play, using the endurance from a running background to help her handle extended minutes. She’s seeing time on offense to show off her improved shot, and through 11 games this season has tallied two goals and five assists for a total of seven points, good for fifth on the team.

“In just a year, she’s gone from being just a defenseman … now you’re going out there, a little more sense of purpose,” Syracuse head coach Paul Flanagan said.

Last season, Quinn said she would get pushed around on the ice. In the offseason, there was a plan in place to fix it.

Quinn put on about 15 pounds of muscle, strength added through squats, bench presses and chin-ups. She’s testing better in the Syracuse weight room. Now, the roles from just a season ago have been completely reversed.

“This year I’m bumping people around,” Quinn said.

She also worked to fix her shot, making a conscious effort to keep her head up and stay wary of how she shifts her weight when she’s sliding.

It’s a testament to the repetition she poured in over the summer on the driveway and on the ice. They were just minor adjustments to her fundamentals to increase efficiency, but the major differences are something Gilligan has experienced firsthand.

“I think she’s getting a lot more confident,” Gilligan said. “ … freshman year it can be a bit of a roller coaster for everybody, so I think she’s kind of settled in.”

While her shot has made her valuable on the power play, her speed has made her an indispensable part of Syracuse’s defense. Flanagan said he relies on Quinn’s agility to move the puck out of the zone and then jump in the play offensively.

In high school, Quinn was a distance runner. She ran 3- and 5-kilometer races and specialized in the 1,500- and 3,000-meter runs in track. In preseason workouts, her blazing speed caught the eye of her teammates.

“We watched Quinn going and we’re like, ‘Is she on the hockey team or is she on the track team here? What is this business?’” Gilligan said.

With the number of minutes she’s playing, Quinn has had to fall back on her endurance. She’s able to handle the workload of playing defense, the penalty kill and the power play.

Flanagan said that her strength “equals confidence,” a process that’s finally lending itself to increased productivity. Quinn’s been given an extended role, and is thriving as a jack of all trades.

“It’s definitely a privilege,” Quinn said. “It feels good to play all three and they have confidence in me. I think it puts more confidence in myself too.”

Published on November 10, 2015 at 10:29 pm

Contact Matt: mralex01@syr.edu