2025-26 Season Week 7 Recap

With two Sunshine State matchups, a thrilling upset, and even the ejection of a key player, Week 7 of College Hockey South was one to remember.

If you couldn’t tune in, here’s what you missed.

Game of the Week: Tampa (M2) at Lindenwood (M2)

Our featured Game of the Week saw the reigning AAU Division 1 National Champion Tampa Spartans take on the reigning ACHA Division 2 National Champion Lindenwood Lions.

Although this non-conference series had no direct impact on CHS standings, Tampa fell short in its attempt to make a national statement against the undefeated Lions.

Game 1 started strong for the Spartans, who struck first before Lindenwood answered with four straight goals. Tampa added one more late but couldn’t close the gap, falling 5-2 after an empty net goal.

In Game 2, the Lions exploded offensively, scoring five early goals. Tampa fought back with three straight to stay alive, but discipline issues again proved costly. Tampa’s Will Fortescue recorded 16 penalty minutes in Saturday’s contest, bringing his season total to 64 minutes through just nine games — a trend that could spell trouble against elite competition later this month.

Florida Tech (ACDC) vs USF (ACDC)

An offensive showdown was expected from this series, and both Florida squads delivered.

Friday’s opener began with end-to-end scoring, as Florida Tech took an early lead before USF’s Spencer Bell tied things up 3-3 with 30 seconds left in the first. The Panthers then took control in the middle frame, netting three more goals to make it 6-4. A third-period hat trick from Brayden Curry sealed an 8-4 Florida Tech win.

Saturday’s rematch opened with two quick goals from Florida Tech’s George Boos, but USF stormed back with five goals in the second period — three in the final minute, led by Sebastian Middleton’s explosive shift. Despite USF’s rally, the Panthers responded with three more to tie it 5-5 entering the third. Ryan Aver’s late goal broke the tie, giving Florida Tech the sweep with a 6-5 victory.

The Panthers now ride a five-game win streak into their matchup against Florida Southern, while USF moves to 2-2-0-0 on the year.

Tennessee (W) at Auburn (W)

In the CHS Women’s Division, Auburn made a statement with an authoritative sweep over Tennessee, outscoring the Lady Vols 15-2 across the weekend.

Game 1 saw five different Tigers score in a balanced 6-1 victory. Gabby Donato struck twice, while Tennessee’s Emma Dempsey spoiled the shutout late in the third with a hard-fought goal.

Game 2 was even more dominant. Center Avery Zhong led the way with a five-goal, two-assist performance in a 9-1 win. Dempsey again provided the lone goal for Tennessee, this time in the final two minutes of play.

USF (M3) at Lynn (M3)

Lynn University came into the weekend searching for an upset, and while they didn’t find it, they made South Florida work for every inch.

Game 1 saw USF strike first with a power-play goal from Johnathan Hellen. Lynn responded with two goals in the second, but the Ice Bulls answered back to take a 4-2 lead entering the third. Two more goals, including a short-handed tally from star forward Grant Dietz, secured a 6-3 win for USF.

Saturday brought even more adversity for the Ice Bulls when Dietz was ejected in the first period. Instead of folding, USF rallied together — with Bryson Uhrig and Kevin Rosello each scoring twice to power the team to a 7-3 victory.

Miami (M3) at Tampa (M3)

Miami delivered one of the biggest surprises of the weekend, snapping Tampa’s undefeated start to the season with a thrilling win in Game 1.

The two teams traded goals throughout the night, with Tampa’s Kieran Thompson scoring first before Miami answered twice. The second period featured a wild seven combined goals — including three from Miami’s Evan Estulian, who completed his hat trick in just two periods. A third-period goal from Max Mencimer sealed Miami’s 7-4 victory and handed Tampa its first loss of the season.

In Sunday’s rematch, Tampa’s defense locked in and limited Miami to a single goal — again from Estulian on the power play. The Spartans earned a 4-1 win, though their aggressive play resulted in 42 team penalty minutes.

Tampa’s six-game win streak may be over, but the Spartans remain one of the top teams in the division heading into next weekend’s Battle at the Beach tournament. Miami, meanwhile, earned its second win of the season and will look to carry that momentum into a home series against Embry-Riddle on November 1.

Looking Ahead: Battle at the Beach

The excitement doesn’t stop there. College Hockey South heads to Coral Springs, Florida, next weekend for the 2025 Battle at the Beach — one of the premier tournaments of the season. The multi-division showcase will feature some of the region’s top programs competing for early-season bragging rights in a jam-packed weekend of hockey.

Fans can learn more about the event in the Battle at the Beach Tournament Preview and purchase tickets through the CHS Shop.

ABOUT College Hockey South: Founded in 2008, College Hockey South is a 29-school, 45 team intercollegiate hockey conference spanning eight southeastern U.S. states. College Hockey South is a 501(c)3 not for profit organization.