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Saturday, February 08, 2025

Florida hockey suffers back-to-back losses, finishes in last place in divisional playoffs

The Gators fell by multiple goals to both South Carolina and Alabama

Florida Ice Hockey Club celebrates its first National Championship win on Wednesday, March, 13, 2024.
Florida Ice Hockey Club celebrates its first National Championship win on Wednesday, March, 13, 2024.

If there's any consolation for the Gators this weekend, it’s that they got to participate in the playoffs.

The Florida Ice Hockey Club suffered consecutive losses to the South Carolina Gamecocks and Alabama Frozen Tide, ending with a disappointing last-place finish in the DI College Hockey South playoffs.

The Gators were defeated by South Carolina 4-2 and fell to Alabama 7-4.

Friday night's game against the Gamecocks (17-6-2) featured big momentum swings and not much defense, which was expected. The Gamecocks came into the evening scoring more than any team in the division. However, they also take the most penalties out of any squad as well, with a massive 531 PIM on the year — 220 more than the runner-up.

Though the Gators (9-12-1) had one of their best all-around efforts of the season, they couldn't get past South Carolina’s last line of defense— junior goaltender Zach Hayes. 

Both Hayes and Florida senior goaltender Tyler Uhr had solid performances in the crease, but it was the former who won the goalie battle and, ultimately, the game. The South Carolina junior had 32 saves on 34 shots.

Despite this, the Gators still managed to get on the board first. After the Gamecocks failed to clear the puck on two attempts, junior center Max Thellab tipped a slap shot from the point, sneaking it past Hayes.

The lead didn't last, though. South Carolina won a faceoff just outside the offensive zone and sophomore defenseman Aiden Dunphy skated in unchallenged, shooting one short-side to tie the game up. 

The Gators maintained pressure despite the goal and benefited from a late power play that carried into the second period. However, they were unable to convert, and the Gamecocks seized momentum, netting two goals two minutes apart to go up 3-1.

The latter goal appeared to light a fire under Florida, prompting a quick response from sophomore forward Keegan Lampinen, who capitalized on his own rebound to cut the lead back to one after a flurry of saves by Hayes.

This intense back-and-forth continued through the second period and into the final frame, spilling over into scrums and some careless penalties taken on both sides. The Gators had an opportunity with a late power play in the third period, but Hayes was solid in the crease, allowing South Carolina to easily clear the puck. 

Just moments after the unsuccessful power play attempt, an ill-advised penalty by junior winger Josh Weinstein sent the Gamecocks into another power play, which they exploited to take a 4-2 lead— effectively stifling any momentum Florida built.

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Although the Gators managed to generate some offensive pressure with the empty net, it proved meaningless as the game ended 4-2.

Florida had no time to dwell on the loss, as it was back on the ice just 12 hours later for the fifth-place game against the Alabama Frozen Tide (8-13-1). Despite coming into the matinee with energy, the Gators fell to Alabama in a crushing 7-4 loss. 

Florida consistently out-shot the Frozen Tide, nearly doubling Alabama’s shots on goal, yet the issue that haunted the team the previous night and  throughout the season resurfaced — poor finishing. The Gators’ inability to score goals, combined with Uhr’s exhaustion, allowed Alabama to secure the win despite Florida’s controlling play.

For the second game in a row, it was the Gators that got on the board first. After winning a scrum against the board, senior defenseman Matthew Brkljacic got a clean shot from the point and it fluttered past junior goaltender Luc Haggitt.

Just like the previous night’s game, though, the Gators couldn’t hang onto the lead — Alabama responded with a goal by sophomore winger Finn Forster less than a minute later.

Florida was never able to get back in the game after that. Alabama scored three goals in the second period to pull away, and though the Gators managed to get a couple back in the final frame, it wasn’t nearly enough. Alabama tacked on three more in the third period to cruise to a dominating 7-4 victory.

The Gators’ main weaknesses — defense and finishing — were glaring throughout the tournament. Majority of the goals conceded were due to defensive lapses and poor positioning, leaving Uhr, who faced a total of 70 shots across his two starts, completely exposed in the crease.

Florida is on a four-game losing streak, with each loss coming by multiple goals. 

The next time the Gators see the ice will be at home in Community First Igloo on Friday, lining up against DII Florida Atlantic University at 9:15 p.m.

Contact Daniela Ortiz at dortiz@alligator.org. Follow her on X @danielaortizUF.

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