Kristen Siermachesky wishes she was on the other side of the glass. As Syracuse makes a playoff push, the sophomore has been sidelined for the past seven games due to a Penn State player’s body check that sent her head-first into the boards.

Siermachesky (head and shoulder) has joined a long list of Syracuse players — Dakota Derrer (lower body), Savannah Rennie (concussion), Lindsay Eastwood (illness) and Mary Corby (upper body) — who have been ruled out for stretches this season. Many of the injuries, like Siermachesky’s, have come along the boards — the most dangerous part of a hockey rink, SU head coach Paul Flanagan said.

“It’s the scariest thing in our sport,” Flanagan said about a rink’s boards. “Every other sport, you can run out of bounds.”

In women’s ice hockey, players are prohibited from body checking, according to NCAA rules. But collisions are inevitable. The illegality of hitting presents challenges for preventing injuries, Mercyhurst assistant coach Kelley Steadman said. There’s no way to completely eliminate game injuries, but players and coaches often stress teaching young players more efficient habits to prevent dangerous hits.

Women’s ice hockey has the third-highest injury rate out of any women sport — behind soccer and gymnastics — according to an American College of Sports Medicine study. That study also found that incidental or intentional contact accounts for 40 to 58 percent of injuries, most commonly concussions, which members of SU are prone to on the boards.

In search of a possible solution, some have advocated for a “Look-Up Line” — a 40-inch wide painted orange strip along the circumference of the rink to remind players to skate with their heads up. SU players like Jessica DiGirolamo would favor a warning track, but no one has approached the College Hockey America’s office about it, Robert M. DeGregorio Jr, the league commissioner, said. The Look-Up Line Safety Program could not be reached for comment.

Flanagan puts the responsibility on coaches to teach young skaters awareness. Avoiding vulnerable positions can help reduce the impact of a hit, and avoid an injury entirely. Also, skating with bent knees and a balanced core helps brace for impact.

“I think as hockey players, part of your growth and development is knowing where you are on the ice,” Steadman said. “Making sure you’re not putting yourself in a situation where you can either injure somebody or be injured yourself.”

Racing for pucks along the boards is among the most dangerous situations in the sport, DiGirolamo said. While fighting for position, players can lose their footing two to three feet away from the glass, which RIT head coach Chad Davis calls the “danger zone.” Last weekend, a Lindenwood forward held DiGirolamo from behind in pursuit of a loose puck, which led to a skirmish.

DeGregorio Jr. said the league sends out points of emphasis to coaches before every season. This year, his and the league’s emphasis were on hits to the head and from behind.

“(It’s) trying to get the players to understand nobody wants a concussion,” DeGregorio Jr. said. “So you’ve got to stop delivering concussions.”

But even with the extra precaution of a warning track, SU captain Brooke Avery said the “Look-Up Line” might not work because once skaters see it, “it’s too late.” Meanwhile, Davis and DiGirolamo still favor the reformed rink, even though it may be an adjustment for players.

“Even if it could help eliminate one serious situation,” Davis said. “It would be worth it.”

Published on February 27, 2019 at 10:34 pm

Contact Danny: dremerma@syr.edu | @DannyEmerman