complete game notes in .pdf format

Storyline
The Lindenwood women's ice hockey team is introduced to another future conference opponent this weekend when it travels to Syracuse.

The Lady Lions are 0-6-0 this year against members of College Hockey America, the conference they will join next season. The team has four more chances to test itself against conference members with two games this weekend against Syracuse and two the following weekend at Mercyhurst.

Syracuse is 6-10-0 on the season, including a 3-5-0 mark at home. The Orange have lost three out of their last four contests.

Last Time Out
Lindenwood has been off since Nov. 12-13 when it hosted Robert Morris (Pa.). The Lady Lions lost two games by scores of 6-2 and 6-0. Despite the losses, the team showed improvement over the first series between the two.

The biggest improvement came in even-strength play. Lindenwood allowed 11 even-strength goals in the first series against Robert Morris, but just four in the last series.

Lindenwood struggled on the penalty kill though in the series. In game one, the Lady Lions allowed four power-play goals, including two in the second period when the Colonials broke a 2-2 tie with three goals. In the final game, Robert Morris had four more power-play tallies. For the series, Robert Morris was eight-of-16 on the power play, compared to 1-of-16 for Lindenwood.

Point a Game
Alison Wickenheiser is averaging over a point a game this season, with 16 points in 15 contests. She leads the team with six goals, 10 assists, and 16 points.

Wickenheiser has scored a point in nine of 15 games. In the six games in which she has not scored a point, Lindenwood has been shutout.

Over the last five games, Wickenheiser has nine points, including seven assists. She is also +5 in that span.

Top-Line Points
Alison Wickenheiser has been on the team's first line for the majority of the season along with Alyssa West and Allysson Arcibal. West and Arcibal are tied for second on the team with three goals. West is second on the squad with seven points, and Arcibal is third with six points.

That trio has combined for 44.4 percent of the team's goals, including 63.6 percent of the squad's power-play goals.

First-Line Defense
Brett Lobreau, the team's captain, and Megan Cox have made up the team's top defensive line for the last 10 games. In that time, the Lady Lions are allowing 1.8 less goals a game than before Lobreau moved from offense to defense.

Over the last five games, the two players are a combined -1. Lobreau has also contributed offensively in that span with three assists.

Bache Makes First Start
Briar Bache made her first collegiate start in goal last game against Robert Morris. She played the entire contest and made 41 saves. Four of the six goals she allowed were power-play goals.

Power-Play Goals
Lindenwood has 11 power-play goals this season. The Lady Lions are led by Alison Wickenheiser with three goals. Alyssa West, Allysson Arcibal, and Kelsey Talbot each have two. Wickenheiser has seven power-play points, West has four, and Arcibal and Brett Lobreau have three.

Power Plays
Both Lindenwood and Syracuse have struggled on power plays and penalty kills this season. Lindenwood has scored 14.5 percent of the time on power plays, compared to 11.3 percent for Syracuse. The Orange are 80.8 percent on the penalty kill, while Lindenwood is 58.5 percent.

Road Warriors
Starting with this weekend's series, Lindenwood is on the road for its final 14 games of the season.

The Lady Lions do have five exhibition games at the Lindenwood Ice Arena in January and February against American Collegiate Hockey Association teams.

Conference Breakdown
Lindenwood is 0-6-0 this season against CHA members, 0-5-0 versus WCHA teams, 0-2 against ECAC squads, and 1-1 versus NCAA Division III programs.

Vs. Ranked Teams
Lindenwood has played five top-10 teams this season and is 0-5-0. Syracuse has played two nationally-ranked teams and is 0-2-0.

About the Orange
Syracuse is 6-10-0 on the season. Last weekend, it split a series against Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. The Orange won game one by a 4-3 score, but lost the second game 2-1.

Syracuse has played a lot of close games this season, with 12 contests being decided by two goals or less. The team is 6-6 in those contests, and 0-4 in other games.

Holly Carrie-Mattimoe leads the team with seven goals and 10 points. Margot Scharfe and Allie LaCombe each have five goals, and Caitlin Roach leads the squad with seven assists.

In goal, Jenesica Drinkwater and Kallie Billadeau have each played in eight games. Drinkwater has saved over 90 percent of shots faced and has a 2.87 GAA.

Head coach of the Orange is Paul Flanagan. Flanagan started the school's program in 2008-09 and has a 47-59-10 record. He was the head coach at St. Lawrence for nine years and led that school to five NCAA Frozen Four Championships.

Up Next
Lindenwood ends play in 2011 with a two-game series at Mercyhurst. Mercyhurst swept the Lady Lions earlier in the year in Wentzville by scores of 7-0 and 14-1.