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With a flare of Canadian positivity, Syracuse head coach Gary Gait lauded Jacksonville before the 2025 season opener. He called the Dolphins a highly-athletic offensive group, highlighting their history of upsetting power programs early in seasons and praising goaltender Ryan Della Rocco, 2024’s Atlantic Sun Conference Defensive Player of the Year.

“(Jacksonville’s) goalie is very good, but I think we’re pretty good, too,” Gait said Thursday. “We’re dialed in and I think we’re ready to execute and play our best come Saturday.”

They were certainly dialed in — just as one would expect the nation’s No. 2 team to be out of the gate. The Orange decimated the Dolphins 24-5 in the JMA Wireless Dome, defeating the program helmed by former SU goalie John Galloway. Syracuse unleashed 10 unanswered goals to begin the contest and never turned back. Michael Leo and Joey Spallina each tallied a game-high five points, spurring the Orange’s winning effort.

Here are some observations from No. 2 Syracuse’s (1-0, 0-0 Atlantic Coast) season-opening victory over Jacksonville (0-1, 0-0 Atlantic Sun), tied for the Orange’s second-largest blowout of the 21st century.

Gait murmured through questions about who his starting goaltender would be leading into the season opener. He expressed confidence in his guys — namely upperclassmen Jimmy McCool, Michael Ippoliti and Luke Rolley — though he wouldn’t name a starter. Was it secrecy? Was he truly unsure? It’s too early to tell. But on day one, Gait opted to start McCool.

His job couldn’t have been much easier. McCool barely faced any pressure as Syracuse’s long poles terrorized JU’s attack. The redshirt sophomore mostly just got to stand and watch a juggernaut SU offense repeatedly crush the Dolphins’ back end. Even when sparingly needed, McCool put together a solid........

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