Orange Return Home for Another AHA Matchup

Friday, October 9

Syracuse, N.Y.

6 p.m.

Syracuse University

Penn State

10/8/2026 9:13:00 AM | Ice Hockey

Game Notes FloHockey Stream Live Stats

Syracuse to Face Penn State at Home

Syracuse vs. Penn State: Oct. 9 (6 p.m.) | Oct. 10 (3 p.m.)

Puck Drop
- Syracuse will return home for another AHA matchup against #4 Penn State on Friday, Oct. 9. Puck drop for game one is set for 6 p.m. Game two will be Oct. 10 at 3 p.m. on Saturday. Both games will be streamed live on FloHockey with live stats available on Cuse.com.
- Brian Idalski begins his first season as head coach, alongside Brendon Knight as associate head coach as he heads into his eleventh season with the Orange. New assistant coach Patricia Elsmore will also join Syracuse for her first season.
- Both games will be played at Tennity Ice Pavilion.

Fast Start
Syracuse enters the Penn State series at 3-1-0, one win better than last season's 2-2-0 through four games. The Orange are averaging 3.00 goals per game, up from 1.86 a year ago, and allowing 1.75 goals, down from 2.86. They are outshooting opponents 42.5-25.0 per game after being outshot 29.8-31.1 last season, and the power play is converting at .158 (3-for-19), up from .124. Syracuse is also winning 53.8 percent of its faceoffs (135-116) compared with 47.8 percent in 2025-26, while Ava Drabyk is 3-1-0 with a 1.51 goals-against average and a .939 save percentage.

Whats better than one player of the week? Two.
- Ava Drabyk was named AHA Goaltender of the Week for week 1 after stopping 36 of 37 shots (.973) in Syracuse's season-opening sweep of Stonehill, including a 17 save shutout in Friday's win. It's her fourth career AHA Goaltender of the Week award and sixth weekly honor overall, after she earned five as a freshman (three Goaltender, two Rookie).
- Jessica Cheung was named AHA Defenseman of the Week for week 1 after scoring twice and blocking four shots against Stonehill, with a goal in each game. Her second period power-play goal Friday doubled the Orange's lead. It's the first weekly award of her career, and she was an AHA All-Rookie Team selection in 2024-25.

O' Captain My Captain
- Ahead of the 2026-27 season opener, head coach Brian Idalski announced the team's captains and alternate captains for the upcoming season.
- Junior Celia Wiegand and senior Nea Tervonen will serve as team captains. This marks Tervonen's second season earning the level, while Wiegand will serve as captain for the first time.
- Rylee McLeod and Jackson Kinsler will serve as alternate captains. This is Kinsler's second year with the honor while it is McLeod's first letter of her career.

New Players on the Block
- The five members of the class of 2030 begin their careers with the Orange. Two come from the United States while three are from Canada, boosting the Orange's brand internationally.
- Syracuse welcomes forwards Nina Geric and Kendra Raypholtz. Joining our defense is Alara Murphy and Maryn Broderick. And rounding out the class is goaltender Cicely Harnum.
- The Orange also welcomed two transfer students both from Merrimack University. Graduate student, Sophia Hausberger and sophomore Kerttu Lehmus.

Welcome Back
- The Orange welcome back 17 returners from the 2025-26 team.
- Syracuse retains six sophomores, seven juniors, and four seniors for this season.
- Syracuse added two players from the transfer portal, graduate student, Sophia Hausberger and sophomore Kerttu Lehmus.