Get those first-game jitters out! Sixteen College Hockey South teams hit the ice this past weekend to kick off their 2024-2025 season. Week 1 was full of solid starts, first impressions, and plenty of offensive firepower.
Game of the Week: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (D2) vs. University of Florida (D1)
The Gators started this season looking like the reigning national champions they are, sweeping their opening series against the Ice Eagles. Florida took game 1 in a commanding 7-3 victory. Game 2 followed the same story, with the Gators winning 6-3.
Game 1 started with a goal by both teams before the Gators’ offense became dominant.
With under three minutes left in the first period, the Gators scored three unanswered goals and headed into the locker room with complete control of the game. Nicholas Ho (12) scored twice during this stretch.
This momentum for Florida continued in the second period as Michael Katz (2) scored two power-play goals in 18 seconds. Martin Raynov (6) rounded up the Gators’ scoring with another power-play goal.
The Ice Eagles, plagued with penalties throughout the game, scored twice in the third but could not cut into the Gators’ lead.
In game 2, the Ice Eagles got on the board early with a goal from Kai Ackerman (46). However, Katz struck back for the Gators minutes later with a shorthanded goal.
The Gators outshot the Ice Eagles 53-24 and held the lead until the end of the game.
University of South Carolina (D1) vs. University of North Carolina (ACHA)
The Gamecocks hit the road and swept their non-divisional weekend series against the Tar Heels. Game 1 resulted in a 4-2 victory, while game 2 ended 5-4.
After UNC led by one after the first period, the Gamecocks came out of the locker room with a vengeance. Carson Skove (12) got the Gamecocks back in it, scoring a shorthanded goal on the Tar Heels 5 on 3 powerplay.
From there, Marco Pineda (9) and John Riggins (25) added to the scoreboard before Skove wrapped up the scoring with an empty net goal.
The Gamecocks came into game 2 with confidence, scoring the opening three goals.
The Tar Heels battled back early in the third period, cutting the Gamecock lead to one goal. However, Pineda scored his second goal of the weekend to ensure the victory.
University of Alabama (D1) vs University of Alabama-Huntsville (D2)
The Frozen Tide were dominant in their series sweep of the Chargers, piling up 14 goals in two games. Max Savaloja (10) had five points, and Luke Ellis had four on the weekend.
Alabama had 124 shots on goal throughout the two games.
Dominic O’Neill (93) and Ellis had two goals in the Frozen Tide’s 7-1 victory in game 1.
Matthew Davis (15) scored the Chargers' lone goal in the first period.
In game 2, goaltender Aaron Weiler (31) highlighted play, as he was credited with a 7-0 shutout. Seven different players scored for Alabama over the sixty minutes.
Georgia Tech (D2) vs Florida State University (D3)
An evenly matched series between the Yellow Jackets and Seminoles resulted in an FSU victory in game 1 and a 3-3 deadlock in game 2.
Game 1 started slowly, with the only goal scored in the opening frame coming from Seminoles’ forward Daniil Bogdanov (29). Bogdanov picked up two assists for three points in game 1.
Despite Cullen Dorcas (7) scoring twice for the Yellow Jackets in the third, Game 1 ended with a score of 5-3 in favor of the Seminoles.
Edison Zucker (71) also had two goals for the Seminoles to help secure the win.
Game 2 was much tighter between the two teams. Both teams held a lead throughout the matchup.
The Yellow Jackets opened the scoring early in the first, but two Florida State goals had Georgia Tech trailing after one period of action.
Two goals within a minute of each other by Jake Kotzian (20) and Ethan Molnar (22) gave the Yellow Jackets the 3-2 lead midway through the second.
Declan Stitt (16) scored with five minutes remaining in the second to tie the game at 3.
Even though both teams wanted the win, neither was able to score in the final twenty minutes of the game.
Auburn University (W) vs Georgia Southern University (W)
In a high-scoring matchup between the Tigers and Ice Eagles, Auburn won 7-5.
In their inaugural game, Georgia Southern broke open the scoring with their program’s first-ever goal, scored by Hailey Hultberg (24). However, Auburn’s Rachel Guarino (11) highlighted the frame, completing a hat trick within the opening twenty.
Guarino’s hat trick was not the only one in the game; Gabriella Donato (3) completed another for the Tigers, while Paige Oukes (18) had one for the Ice Eagles.
Georgia Southern’s goaltender Ana Baurle (1) made 53 saves on a staggering 59 shots faced.
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.
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