Game of the Week: Vanderbilt @ Georgia Tech
Our Week 18 Game of the Week held three team’s postseason fates in the balance. Two spots in the Division 2 North Division were available for the taking, and the owner of one of the spots, Ole Miss, was inactive in Week 18. Ole Miss was the most secure of all three teams, though, as only one scenario would have eliminated the Rebels from the postseason (two Georgia Tech overtime wins).
For Georgia Tech to get in, they needed to win both games against Vanderbilt. Vanderbilt needed two points to punch their ticket.
The Commodores ripped all drama out of the weekend by taking care of business Friday night, dashing Georgia Tech’s playoff hopes.
After a wild first period where both teams traded leads, the game was knotted at two, heading into the final 20 minutes. Three and a half minutes into the third period, an unlikely hero stepped up for Vandy.
In defenseman Andrew Harder’s first 15 games this year, he registered a single assist. But the third-year man from Pottstown, PA, couldn’t have picked a better time to score his first goal of the season. Harder’s goal stood up as the game-winner, and Vanderbilt nailed down their place in the playoffs.
Due to Georgia Tech losing, Ole Miss also clinched a spot with the result on Friday. The Rebels finish in the fourth spot in the North Division, with Vandy settling into third.
Ole Miss will play Division 2’s number one team, Florida Atlantic, in the quarterfinals of the College Hockey South playoffs. Vanderbilt will play South Florida in the first round.
However, Georgia Tech will play in the postseason as the Yellow Jackets accepted a bid to the AAU Division 2 Nationals in Jacksonville, FL, in late March. Vanderbilt and Ole Miss turned down invitations to Nationals for undisclosed reasons.
Florida Atlantic (D2) @ Florida (D1)
It was guaranteed that one team would leave the Friday night fight between Florida and Florida Atlantic with redemption, and it turned out to be the Gators. Florida sought a positive result following a 0-2 weekend at the Division 1 College Hockey South playoffs, while FAU wanted revenge for the Division 2 National Championship game last season.
The 2025 edition of this rivalry game followed a much different script than their last meeting, as nearly half the game elapsed before the first goal was scored. Joshua Weinstein broke the ice for the Gators, and it wasn’t long before Florida chomped its way onto the scoreboard again.
Florida closed the period with two more goals to take a 3-0 lead into the final period. The Owls pushed for a tie, shoveling 23 shots on the Florida net in the third, but could only muster a single goal. Florida added an insurance marker in the dying minutes to finish off FAU.
Connor Lee made 50 saves in the 4-1 win for Florida, the first for the Gators since Jan. 18th against Georgia Tech in the Savannah Hockey Classic.
The Owls’ flight isn’t too steady heading into the Division 2 Playoffs, losing two straight in regulation, doubling their season total. Florida Atlantic has a date with Ole Miss in the quarterfinals next Friday night.
Alabama-Huntsville (D2) @ Alabama (D1)
Alabama routed their in-state rival twice by a combined score of 18-3. The Frozen Tide kicked off the weekend with an 11-2 win, scoring six goals in the first period alone. Finn Forster led the charge for Alabama, scoring a goal and collecting four assists.
The Frozen Tide followed up Friday’s dominance by filling the net four times in the first period. Finn Forster scored once again, and Alabama prevailed 7-1. Seb Henault also had an exceptional weekend, scoring four goals and adding two assists in the two games.
Saturday marked Alabama’s third straight win, two over UAH and the first against Florida in the fifth-place game of the Division 1 College Hockey South playoffs.
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.