Lauren Bellefontaine couldn’t stop shaking when she skated onto the ice for her first Syracuse game. It was during pregame warmups on Sept. 29, 2018, and the freshman “almost passed out a few times.”

There was no way she could’ve expected to win the College Hockey America Rookie of the Year. She couldn’t have expected to become the Orange’s first line center, a penalty killer, a power play specialist and one of the stars of SU’s first ever conference title.

Bellefontaine was entrusted with significant ice time at five-on-five and on special teams — responsibilities that gave Bellefontaine confidence in herself and her ability to play at the collegiate level.

“It made me say: ‘Okay I can do this,’” Bellefontaine said. “If the coaches trust in me I can trust myself.”

That trust resulted in Bellefontaine flourishing in her first season in Syracuse, registering seven goals and 20 points while simultaneously being one of the Orange’s most defensively reliable forwards. But that was then. A season removed from her rookie success, Bellefontaine said she understands she is expected to take a step forward. She isn’t concerned with a sophomore slump but understands there are “sophomore expectations.”

For a freshman who came into Syracuse and experienced immediate success, Bellefontaine’s beginnings with the Nepean Jr. Wildcats, a hockey academy in Canada, was not as smooth.

Wildcats coach Bruce MacDonald said he always knew Bellefontaine would be an elite player, but she initially struggled to translate her talent into production. She’s experienced success at every level, both in hockey and soccer, but her early stumbles frustrated her, MacDonald said.

“I personally wasn’t having the best years of my life,” Bellefontaine said. “So it was really difficult for me to be the best that I could be.”

After “cutting the negative things out of her life,” Bellefontaine said, and focusing on the goal of playing ice hockey collegiately, her play on the ice improved. Overcoming early struggles made Bellefontaine a better player and person, MacDonald said.

Bellefontaine’s progression has given her the opportunity to lead as a sophomore. With the absence of Allie Munroe and Brooke Avery, Bellefontaine will be expected to improve on her rookie season to fill the void.

“She is basically the starting center most nights,” Flanagan said. “She plays a ton, plays half the game.”

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Bellefontaine feared her strength and size could limit her success in 2018. After a summer of harder workouts and heavier weights, she feels stronger and faster than she ever has.

Bellefontaine only became a full-time center a few years before coming to Syracuse. She grew up as a defender and winger but is now starting to perfect her craft at the faceoff circle. Bellefontaine has won 50 percent of her draws on the year, four percent above the team’s average. She said her strategy is to wait for the opponent to put her stick down first in order to position herself for the draw, allowing Bellefontaine to knock her opponents stick before sweeping the puck back to a defender or winger.

“I put all my weight into those faceoffs,” Bellefontaine said. “Because winning a faceoff starts off the whole shift.”

Bellefontaine regularly blocks shots, as she led all Syracuse forwards in that category last season. Stepping in front of shots earned her reputation as one of the best defensive forwards on the team and a role on the Orange penalty kill unit.

Immediately after her rookie season ended, Bellefontaine met with the coaching staff to see where she could improve. Despite expanding her game and filling nearly every role she was asked as a freshman; the coaches were still looking for more.

“There’s definitely a lot more pressure on you compared to being a new freshman,” Bellefontaine said. “You have to be that leader for those freshmen coming in.”

Published on October 16, 2019 at 10:48 pm

Contact Mitchell: mbannon@syr.edu