It was only the second period, but RPI needed to clear the puck out of its zone and stop the Syracuse pressure. The Orange had a two-goal lead that threatened to increase. Emma Polaski tied up her opponent and kept the puck in the zone, though. 

She regained possession, dished a quick pass toward Kelli Rowswell and darted to the net. Rowswell sauced the puck across the goal to a wide-open Polaski, who buried the puck in the net giving Rowswell the assist and her 50th career point.

In Syracuse’s (9-16-1, 7-4-1 College Hockey America) 5-1 win over RPI at Tennity Ice Pavilion, the Orange outplayed the Engineers (0-27-1, 0-16-1 ECAC) for the entire 60 minutes. And in the win, three Syracuse players — Jessica DiGirolamo, Kelli Rowswell and Ady Cohen — all hit personal career milestones. Both DiGirolamo and Rowswell surpassed the 50 career points plateau, while Cohen hit a career-best six wins on the season.

“It’s always nice to you know hit those career milestones,” Cohen said. “So it’s a big step and you just gotta keep moving forward in the last leg of the season here.”

Even though Cohen is a senior, she’s never had a season as the undisputed starter in net. Last year she only had five wins, two of which came in the CHA tournament when she backstopped the Orange’s first title in program history. In 2019-20, her final season at SU, Cohen’s still a part-time starter in net but has already bested her season-high in wins.

For most of the game against RPI, Cohen didn’t have many chances for saves, as shooting opportunities for the Engineers were few and far between. But Cohen delivered with big saves when needed that put her on track for a shutout. However, an RPI shot from the point with nine minutes left was tipped and bounced in under Cohen, who had no time on the redirect.

“It’s kind of one of those lucky tips where you see the puck and then at the last second it hits a stick and you know unfortunate,” Cohen said. 

DiGirolamo notched her 51st career point on an assist to Anna Leschyshyn with six minutes left in the first period, the goal that opened the scoring for the Orange. She took the puck coast-to-coast from her own zone to behind the RPI cage, eventually throwing the puck toward the slot where Leschyshyn one-timed it past the goalie. 

“She’s just in a different dimension maybe than most of the players on the ice when she wants to go,” Syracuse head coach Paul Flanagan said. 

Only a junior, DiGirolamo is now fourth on the all-time point scoring list, passing Kaillie Goodnough. Already at 18 points this season, DiGirolamo has matched her previous point total from last season. And with eight games remaining, she has the chance to set a new career-high.

The Orange’s third milestone of the night came when Rowswell scored her 50th point on the assist to Polaski. She then tacked on a 51st with a late third-period goal. It was reminiscent of many of the goals she has scored in her career for the Orange. Lindsay Eastwood launched a stretch pass towards center ice, but the puck deflected off an RPI defender and into the path of Rowswell. She picked up the loose puck and lasered a shot high blocker side, giving the RPI goalie no chance to make the save.

“She scored a classic Kelli goal today,” Flanagan said. “She’s done a good job for us, it’s good to see those kids come through today.”

It was a routine win over a winless RPI, but the Orange could celebrate the individual achievements of three players. And with at least nine games remaining, these players have the chance to add on even more.

Published on February 1, 2020 at 7:43 pm

Contact Gaurav: gshetty@syr.edu