2025 Savannah Hockey Classic

The Savannah Ghost Pirates and College Hockey South are excited to announce that the 26th annual Savannah Hockey Classic will return on January 17-18 at the Enmarket Arena, located in the heart of downtown Savannah, Georgia. This prestigious collegiate hockey tournament, held over the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend, will showcase the South's top teams.

The Savannah Hockey Classic will kick off on Friday night with the University of Florida facing off against the University of Tennessee, followed by a matchup between the University of Georgia and Georgia Tech. Saturday's action will feature a third-place game, followed by the championship game to determine the tournament winner.

Friday, January 17, 2025

6:00 PM ET - Florida vs. Tennessee

8:30 PM ET - Georgia vs. Georgia Tech

Saturday, January 18, 2025

5:30 PM ET - 3rd Place Game (2 losers from Friday night)

8:30 PM ET - Championship Game (2 winners from Friday night)

The winner of the Savannah Hockey Classic will be awarded the coveted Ghost Pirates Cup. 

Tickets for this year’s event are on sale now! Fans can purchase them here.

Traveling in and need somewhere to stay? Book your stay in Savannah here.

Savannah Hockey Classic History

The Savannah Hockey Classic is a two-day tournament that debuted in 1999 at the Savannah Civic Center. Georgia Tech claimed the inaugural Thrasher Cup, which is now known as the Ghost Pirates Cup.

The original teams in the tournament were Florida, Georgia, Georgia Tech and Tennessee. In 2000, Florida State University joined the tournament, replacing Tennessee. However, in 2024, Tennessee returned to the tournament, taking the place of Florida State.

Previously, the tournament format and matchups on each day were pre-determined. This resulted in tiebreakers to determine who would be crowned champion. At times, this meant that a team could be awarded the trophy without even playing in the final game of the tournament, leading to confusion among fans and participants. Last year, the format was revamped to feature a rivalry game on Friday night, followed by a true championship game on Saturday, which added a new layer of excitement to the event.

Over the past 25 years, the University of Georgia Ice Dawgs have won the Savannah Hockey Classic 10 times, with their most recent victory coming last year over rival Florida. Georgia Tech has claimed the tournament title 8 times, while the University of Florida has won 5 times and Florida State University has taken the championship twice.

Savannah Civic Center History

The Savannah Civic Center opened its doors in 1972 on the site of the demolished Municipal Auditorium. The seven-acre center features the Martin Luther King Jr. Arena, Johnny Mercer Theatre, Civic Center Grand Ballroom, East and West Promenades, and multiple meeting rooms. This historical site has hosted acts like Elvis Presley and The Jackson Five.

The Savannah Hockey Classic was held at the Martin Luther King Jr. Arena until 2022 when the newly built Enmarket Arena opened.

Although the Martin Luther King Jr. Arena has a maximum capacity of 9,700 seats, while the Enmarket Arena’s total capacity is up to 9,500, the people of Savannah decided it was time for a newer and modern venue. 

The 215,000-square-foot Enmarket Arena is only one mile from the Martin Luther King Jr. Arena in historic downtown Savannah. It is home to the Savannah Ghost Pirates, a professional ice hockey team.

Savannah Ghost Pirates

The Savannah Ghost Pirates joined the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) in October 2022 after Andy Kaufmann, owner of the Jacksonville Icemen, partnered with the city to create an expansion team.

In 2001, the city of Savannah began to discuss the idea of a new civic center to establish a hockey league, given that the Savannah Civic Center was outdated and aged. In September 2019, after almost two decades of approvals and planning, the construction of the new arena began.

The Ghost Pirates announced their name and logo to the public in October 2021 after holding a contest and receiving over 3,000 fan submissions.

Since the opening of the Enmarket Arena in 2022, the Ghost Pirates' home attendance has continued to grow. The team’s first season had an average game attendance of 6,802; for their 2024-25 season, they currently have an average game attendance of 7,485.

Although the Ghost Pirates were established two years ago, the city’s attraction to ice hockey can be traced to the success of the Savannah Hockey Classic.

ABOUT College Hockey South: Founded in 2008, College Hockey South is a 30-school, 50-team intercollegiate hockey conference spanning eight southeastern U.S. states that competes in AAU College Hockey. College Hockey South is a 501(c)3 not for profit organization.