The end of week 19 also brought the end of the slate of College Hockey South conference playoffs. Each division has its rightful champion, who owns the trophy, and bragging rights for at least the next year.

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Game of the Week: Division 3 Quarterfinal - (No. 2) Florida Southern College vs (No. 7) Florida State University

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Our week 19 game of the week almost doubled as the upset of the week with the underdog Florida State Seminoles giving Florida Southern all they could handle in their quarterfinal matchup.

 

The Mocs overwhelmed Florida State with shots through the first two periods, holding a 30-14 shot advantage. But Ryan Malvaso held the Seminoles in the game, stopping 28 of 30 shots to keep the score 2-1. In the third period, College Hockey South’s second-leading scorer in Division 3, Michael Woll, broke through for two insurance goals to extend the lead.

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Woll finished with two goals and an assist, and Florida Southern escaped with a 5-1 win.

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Division 3 Quarterfinal - (No. 4) University of Alabama vs (No. 5) University of Tennessee

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The 1 p.m. ET puck drop may have contributed to the sleepy start to this game, but the drama picked up in the final period.

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Tennessee extended their lead to 3-1 early in the period and held onto the two-goal edge past the nine-minute mark of the final frame. The Frozen Tide fought back to cut the lead in half with a goal from Rocco McCullen. Five minutes later, Alabama struck again to even the game with 3:48 to go in regulation.

 

The 3-3 score lasted all of 57 seconds before Tennessee took the lead back with the eventual game-winning goal by Duncan Pugh. The Volunteers added another goal in the final minute to win 5-3.

 

Division 3 Quarterfinal -  (No. 3) Kennesaw State University vs (No. 6) Florida Tech

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This quarterfinal matchup got out of hand quickly and became a stat stuffer for Kennesaw State. The Owls raced out to a 3-0 lead in the first period and stretched the score to 6-1 by the end of the second. The teams traded goals in the third, and Kennesaw State advanced to the semifinals with a 7-2 win.

 

Forward Jayden Price scored four goals for the Owls, and leading scorer Hudson Orgeron added a goal and three assists. Taveon Dees picked up the win for Kennesaw State, making 19 saves on 21 shots.

 

Division 3 Quarterfinal - (No. 1) University of Miami vs (No. 8) University of Florida

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Another quarterfinal game where the outcome was certain by the end of the first period. Miami blitzed Florida for five goals in six minutes in the first period and slugged their way to a 13-2 win over the Gators.

 

Five different Hurricanes had three-point games, including two skaters that had five-point games. Both Thomas Ferry II and William Cincotta had hat tricks for Miami.

 

Division 3 Semifinal - (No. 2) Florida Southern College vs (No. 3) Kennesaw State University

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The host team for the playoffs, Florida Southern, didn’t offer much hospitality to Kennesaw State early, building a 3-0 lead in the first period. The Owls answered back with a three-goal period of their own in the second, cutting the Florida Southern lead to 4-3.

 

Michael Woll’s short-handed goal early in the third period proved to be the game-winner, as Florida Southern moved on to the Championship with a 6-4 scoreline. Woll finished with two goals and two assists to follow up his multi-point performance in the quarterfinals.

 

In the dying minutes of the game, Division 3 Most Valuable Player Will Marshall was assessed a major penalty for charging. Marshall was ejected from the game, and suspended for the championship game.

 

Division 3 Semifinal - (No. 1) University of Miami vs (No. 5) University of Tennessee

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In the quarterfinal round, it was the offensive firepower of Miami that spurned them to the win. In the semifinals, it was smothering defense and timely goaltending.

 

Tennessee only recorded 14 shots on goal in the game, scoring on only 1 of them. The Hurricanes more than doubled Tennessee’s shot total and scored five times, winning 5-1. After a four-point game against Florida, Thomas Ferry II tallied a goal and an assist to continue his offensive roll.

 

Tennessee didn’t leave Lakeland empty-handed though, winning a scrappy third-place game over Kennesaw State, 3-1. Kennesaw State had won both previous games between the teams, so the Volunteers were able to enact some revenge.

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Division 3 Championship: (No. 1) University of Miami vs (No. 2) Florida Southern College

 

Without the league MVP, Will Marshall, Florida Southern’s offense couldn’t get on track against the mighty Miami defense. The Hurricanes held the offensively potent Mocs to only 23 shots on goal in the game. 

 

Miami scored twice in the first 5:10 of the game and then added two more goals in the third period for a 4-0 win. Thomas Ferry II capped off his incredible weekend with a goal and two assists.

 

Miami’s leading scorer, Mathieu Schneider, potted two goals and added an assist in the championship game. Harlan Jackson started the semifinal and championship games, stopping 36 of 37 shots. 

 

Congratulations to College Hockey South Division 3 Champions Miami Hurricanes!

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Palmetto Cup: University of South Carolina vs Clemson University

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The Palmetto Cup was up for grabs between South Carolina and Clemson from Bon Secours Arena in Greenville, South Carolina. The intensity of the rivalry was evident immediately as the two squads battled tooth and nail for every inch of ice.

 

The crowd ooh-ed and ahh-ed at every collision, each hit more punishing than the next. At times you’d forget there was a puck on the ice with all the body contact. 

 

South Carolina controlled play through the first half of the contest, but their undisciplined play allowed Clemson to stay in the game. The Gamecocks were guilty of six straight minor penalties, and four minors in the second period alone. A power-play goal from Clemson captain Thomas Samuelson at the end of the second period brought the score to 4-3.

 

After scoring an early insurance goal, the Gamecocks straightened out their play in the third period, completely shutting Clemson down. The Tigers only managed one shot on goal in the final period. South Carolina closed out a 5-3 win to capture their sixth straight Palmetto Cup.

Week 19 Player of the Week: Forward Mathieu Schneider, Miami

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Mathieu Schneider won the Championship Game Most Valuable Player with two goals and an assist in Miami’s 4-0 win over Florida Southern. Schneider scored three goals and four assists in the Hurricanes’ three playoff games.

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