Game of the Week #1: Saturday, Nov. 9 - University of Alabama vs. Auburn University
HUNTSVILLE, AL – The Auburn Tigers got revenge and secured their first D1 win of the season on Saturday in an Iron Cup rematch as last week’s first Game of the Week.
Despite falling short to the Frozen Tide in a weekend series last month, Auburn stunned the reigning Veterans Cup champions with a 5-2 win to advance to the tournament’s championship game the following day.
The Tigers struck first less than six minutes into the opening period, but Alabama quickly responded, and Auburn skated into the first intermission down 2-1. However, the Tigers collected four more goals within the next 40 minutes — three of which came on the power play — to secure their first win over Alabama in the 2024-25 season and advance to the championship game.
Auburn netminder Derek McMaster stopped an impressive 49/51 shots from Alabama’s potent offense, 39 of which came during the Frozen Tide’s scoreless second and third periods.
Game of the Week #2: Saturday, Nov. 9 - University of Alabama - Huntsville vs. University of South Carolina
HUNTSVILLE, AL – The South Carolina Gamecocks took home their first win of the weekend on Saturday night, dominating the Alabama-Huntsville Chargers, 10-0.
The Gamecocks didn’t collect their first goal until the tail end of the first period, but once they got rolling, they were nearly impossible to stop. Benjamin Riccitelli put South Carolina on the board with 4:37 left in the first, followed by goals from Connor Burman and Colin Reid.
Entering the middle frame leading 3-0 did little to deter the Gamecocks’ offensive urgency. Carson Skove, Brendan Flaherty, Ronan Mulkerrin, and Enzo Fanelli netted four more goals for South Carolina during the second period to establish an unrelenting 7-0 lead going into the third.
Fanelli collected two more goals in the third period for a hat trick. At the same time, Riccitelli punctuated the Gamecocks’ win with his second of the night, punching South Carolina’s ticket to the championship game.
South Carolina recorded 67 shots during the contest, a whopping 50 more than the Chargers’ 17.
University of Alabama vs. University of Alabama - Huntsville
The following day, Alabama and Alabama-Huntsville went head-to-head in the Veterans Cup third-place game. Like the Gamecocks the day prior, the Frozen Tide shut out the Chargers with a 4-0 win to claim third place.
Max Savaloja opened the scoring for Alabama, netting the game’s first goal four minutes into the first. Brendan Riley followed suit a few minutes later to establish an early 2-0 lead for the Frozen Tide.
Though the second period was scoreless, Nick Reiniger added to Alabama’s lead early in the third. With 1:38 left in the matchup, Jesse Dickinson polished off his team’s 4-0 win with a power-play goal.
With the win, Alabama moved to 5-7-1 ahead of its final series of the semester next weekend against the Ole Miss Rebels.
University of South Carolina vs. Auburn University
Following their wins the day prior, the South Carolina Gamecocks and the Auburn Tigers faced off in the Veterans Cup championship game on Sunday afternoon. Ultimately, the Gamecocks were victorious, defeating the Tigers 8-5 to take home the Cup.
Auburn’s Sam Catalano struck first less than two minutes into the first period, but South Carolina quickly recovered with back-to-back goals from Riccitelli and Jake Puskar. However, the Tigers refused to yield, collecting two more goals — from Callen Daily and Landon Patz — before the buzzer.
The 3-2 advantage was short-lived for the Tigers, as Kai Bonsukan evened the score 30 seconds into the period. However, Auburn’s response came another 30 seconds later, as Daily re-established his team’s one-goal lead.
Defenseman Aiden Dunphy tied the game again with a shorthanded goal halfway through the second, and the Gamecocks never looked back. They collected four additional goals within the first half of the final period to secure the trophy.
Dunphy — who collected one goal and two assists in the contest — received the Verbero Hockey MVP jersey from College Hockey South during the team’s trophy presentation immediately following the win.
Lynn University (D2) @ Middle Tennessee State University (D2)
The Lynn Fighting Knights fell short to the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders in a two-game series this weekend, 10-3 and 9-7.
On Friday, Middle Tennessee collected seven goals—four in the first period and three in the second—before Lynn got on the board. Despite their best efforts, including two goals from Quinn Judge, the Fighting Knights could not overcome the deficit and fell short to the Blue Raiders, 10-3.
Saturday’s game unfolded similarly to Friday’s: the Blue Raiders netted five goals — three in the first period and two in the second — before Lynn’s Jackson Doughty found the back of the net to get his team on the board. However, the Fighting Knights refused to go down without a fight. Both teams collected four goals in the middle frame, and Middle Tennessee entered the final period with a 7-4 lead.
Lynn’s Benjamin Merrill and Jarret Scoppettuolo recorded a goal apiece to spark life in their offense and bring their team within one to start the third. However, Middle Tennessee’s Ethan Demumbrum and Linden Palmer reinstated the Blue Raiders’ multi-goal lead and secured the team’s sweep.
Demumbrum collected eight points (4G, 4A) on the weekend to increase his season total thus far to 37 (15G, 22A) in just 13 games. Brendan Ogle collected nine points (4G, 5A) this weekend, while Linden Palmer notched seven (3G, 4A).
University of Georgia (D1) @ University of Tampa (D1)
The Georgia Ice Dawgs swept the Tampa Spartans in Florida this weekend, 3-2 and 5-1. The Ice Dawgs posted the only goals in the first and second periods during Friday’s contest: Josh Mesaros opened the scoring with just 23 seconds left in the first, and Evan Parente netted a shorthanded goal less than five minutes into the middle frame.
However, Tampa’s Justin Evans returned the favor, netting a shorthanded goal of his own less than two minutes into the third. Unfortunately for the Spartans, Georgia collected an insurance goal with just under seven minutes left in the game, courtesy of Dylan Punzenberger. Holden Havlovic found the back of the net on behalf of the Spartans with just under four minutes left in the contest, but his efforts proved to be in vain, and the Ice Dawgs took game one.
The following day, Georgia’s Lleyton Poole collected the first and only goal of the opening period while on the penalty kill. Tampa evened the score fifteen minutes into the second period, but the ICe Dawgs quickly responded with the game-winner from Declan Conway. Georgia’s Ryan Bailey, Evan Moore, and Conway added three more goals in the final period to ensure the team’s sweep.
With the wins, the Ice Dawgs move into first place in the CHS Division 1 standings.
University of Florida (D3) @ University of Alabama (D3)
In an interesting change of events, neither the Florida Gators nor the Alabama Frozen Tide won this weekend, as both contests ended in a tie, 3-3 and 2-2.
On Friday night, the Gators struck first on the power play, off the stick of Bodhi Duncan. Ten minutes later, Alabama evened the score with a goal from Rocco McCullen. The teams traded goals in this fashion throughout the following two periods, but neither capitalized during overtime.
Florida also found the back of the net first on Saturday, as Samuel Ross netted a goal halfway through the first period. Alabama’s Brendan Vatz and Joah Tratar netted goals two minutes apart to open the middle frame with a 2-1 lead. Still, Florida responded with six minutes left in the second, courtesy of Xavier Morris.
Neither team scored during the third period or in overtime, so neither team won this weekend.
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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