By Nathan Dominitz savannahnow.com
http://spotted.savannahnow.com/photos/index.php?id=5100388
The University of Florida club hockey team found itself in the odd
position of rooting for rival Georgia on Saturday night.
The Gators went undefeated in the Savannah Tire Hockey Classic, edging
customary rival Florida State 5-4 after blowing a 4-1 first-period
lead. Coupled with a 9-7 win over Georgia on opening night Friday, the
Gators had done their part to win their first Thrasher Cup in the 12-
year history of the four-team tournament.
But they needed Georgia to beat Georgia Tech later Saturday.
"It's the first time I can say in the history of Florida that we voted
for Georgia," Gators coach Joel Pagett said.
Georgia trailed since the first period but scored four goals in the
third for a 5-3 victory over Tech, which fell to 1-1 in the
tournament.
"It was unbelievable," Pagett said, the Cup in his hands. "I was
definitely negative. All our guys were hanging our heads. (Georgia)
played a heck of a third period."
Florida got the winning edge against FSU when sophomore left wing
Chris Pavlinec put a shot off the post which teammate Kevin Olsen
knocked in with 4 minutes, 56 seconds left in the game.
Florida (8-4), which has won eight straight games, could have added to
that margin when FSU (10-6) pulled goaltender Blake Wladyka in the
final minute, but was unable to take advantage while protecting one-
goal lead.
In 1999, the first year of the tournament, Florida also went 2-0 by
beating Georgia and Tennessee (in its only appearance) by a total of
five goals. However, Tech claimed the first of five Cups by beating
Tennessee 7-6 and Georgia 8-1.
On Saturday, the Seminoles registered their third consecutive goal on
Justin Casserly's score on a two-man rush to tie the game at 4 with
13:04 left in regulation.
Like they had on opening night against Georgia Tech, the Seminoles
scored the first goal, then fell behind 4-1. Except they did this all
in the first period Saturday.
Jake Dauerman saw a rebound left on the doorstep and knocked the puck
past Florida senior goaltender Casey Ferris with 3:42 gone in the
contest.
The rest of the period belonged to the Gators, who had been getting
shots on goal early, but with unimpeded looks for both the shooter and
FSU goalie Wladyka, and he made every save.
A power play changed that dynamic, as Florida got more traffic in
front of Wladyka. Michael Dutka was credited with an unassisted goal
for Florida, but he actually bounced his shot off defenseman Austin
Chinick's chest as the Seminole tried to protect the crease.
Florida went up 2-1 on a much prettier effort on another power play
with 4:11 remaining. Three crisp passes led to sniper Jonathan
Pavlinec's open look at the goal, and that's a recipe for FSU
disaster.
Florida State 1 2 1-4
Florida 4 0 1-5
First period
Goals - 1, FSU, Jake Dauerman (Jared Bishop, Brandon Joyce), 3:42; 2,
UF, Michael Dutka (unassisted), 10:00 (ppg); 3, UF, Jonathan Pavlinec
(Scott Schwartz, Scott Schilson), 15:49 (ppg); 3, UF, Christopher
Pavlinec (Paul Kaplan), 17:11; 5, UF, J. Pavlinec (Schilson), 17:35.
Penalties - FSU bench minor (too many men on the ice), 9:10; 2, FSU,
Kevin Rice (holding), 15:01; Patrick Nolan, FSU (elbowing), 18:12.
Second period
Goals - 6, FSU, Darren Grassey (Dauerman, Nolan), 6:37; 7, FSU, Nolan
(Grassey), 12:04 (ppg).
Penalties - Shane Fitzpatrick, UF (head contact), 4:05; Justin
Casserly, FSU (unsportsmanlike conduct), 8:14; Ryan McIlmurry, UF
(unsportsmanlike conduct), 8:14; Mateo Velasquez, UF (unsportsmanlike
conduct), 8:14; Nick Mari, UF (unsportsmanlike conduct), 10:18; Austin
Chinick, FSU (unsportsmanlike conduct), 10:18; Kaplan, UF (hooking),
11:59; Kudler, FSU (head contact), 14:04; Casserly, FSU (roughing).
Third period
Goals - 8, FSU, Casserly (Matt Dickinson), 6:56; 9, UF, Kevin Olsen
(C. Pavlinec), 15:04.
Penalties - Matt Stankowicz, UF (tripping), 2:08; Rice, FSU
(interference), 8:22; Andrew Everly, FSU (high sticking), 15:17.
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