Freshman forward Abby Moloughney couldn’t stop smiling after Syracuse’s 1-1 draw against the Princeton Tigers (3-2-2, 3-0-1 Eastern College Athletic).

Despite not getting the win, Moloughney had a lot to be upbeat about. She led the Orange (4-6-1, 4-2 College Hockey America) in shots on goal and tied the game by slotting her second career goal in the first period.

“I am happy with the result,” Moloughney said. “I think that we played a good game.”

Moloughney’s goal tied it, but she could’ve put SU ahead with three minutes left in regulation. After the Orange killed two minutes of a 5-on-3 power-play, she hopped off the bench and found the puck at her stick in the neutral zone, with just the goalie to beat.

“In my mind,” SU head coach Paul Flanagan said, “When I saw her get it, I go, ‘After that kill, she’s got to score here.’”

The forward raced into the attacking zone. Once she approached the net, she glided from right to left and tried to sneak the puck through the Princeton’s goalies legs.

“What was going through my mind was to pull one of my old tricks: try to go five-hole,” Moloughney said with a grin. “Take it wide, try to get the goalie moving. I got a little too close, but there’s always next time.”

Her shot would’ve given SU the 2-1 lead late in the game, but instead it was denied.

“She’s a first semester freshman, just give her some time,” Flanagan said. “Hopefully in the future, she learns from those experiences. That’s just what the game is. It’s a series of experiences. Just keep learning from it.”

SU wouldn’t have been in a position to win the game without the offense Moloughney produced throughout the game. She led the Orange with nine shots, seven of which were on net.

To start the game, Syracuse struggled to generate scoring chances until Moloughney fired a wrist shot from the blue line, collected the rebound and snuck the puck inside the post to tie the game.

“We were pretty flat, right?” Flanagan said. “Gave us a little shot of adrenaline, gave us some momentum, I thought we actually seized it pretty well. We went with it, just couldn’t cash in.”

Moloughney decided to “throw the puck on the net” and “got a little lucky,” she said. SU’s game plan was to test Princeton’s goalie by flicking as many shots on net as possible, Moloughney said.

The strategy appeared to work. Jessica DiGirolamo’s shot late in the third period caught the top of the crossbar, Allie Munroe’s elevated wrist shot in the second period was barely blocked and Lindsay Eastwood launched several slap shots from the blue line which led to rebounds in front of the net.

SU recorded 31 shots on goal to Princeton’s 22. The Orange just couldn’t convert. The game remained tied for 53 minutes after Moloughney tied it.

The Orange had more power play minutes and shots on goal, but lost the face-off battle 46 to 16. Freshman Lauren Bellefontaine particularly struggled, losing 15 of her 19 face-offs.

“They killed us on face-offs,” Flanagan said. “We have to find a way to maybe just get sticks, get your skate in there and move it. I think we’re always trying to win it so clean, and it’s not happening.

Syracuse will need more of Moloughney’s offense tomorrow in the second game of the weekend series against Princeton, and it seems only a loss could possibly erase her smile.