The Ice Dogs started off the 2012 Savannah Tire Hockey Classic with a big conference win over the University of Florida in an overtime thriller.

Georgia’s Peter Kacer scored four times, including the winning goal, and assisted on another in the Ice Dogs’ 5-4 upset in overtime of the ACHA DIII South Region’s No. 7-ranked team, in the 14th Annual Savannah Tire Hockey Classic.

Florida had erased a 4-1 deficit in the last four minutes of the third period, notching the equalizer with just 20 seconds left, to force the overtime period.

Kacer, the Ice Dogs’ leading scorer, nailed the game winner with two minutes remaining in the extra session. The win sets up Saturday night’s Georgia-Georgia Tech meeting as the tournament’s championship game.

The victory moved Georgia to within a game of .500 for the season, at 7-8-1 and two points of Florida in the SEC East standings.

A sellout crowd of 5,600-plus watched Friday night’s two games.

On Saturday night, in what turned out to be the defacto championship game of the classic after Georgia Tech beat Florida State in the other match Friday night, the Ice Dogs came up short, falling to the rival Yellow Jackets 9-5.

The 2012 championship is Georgia Tech’s seventh. Georgia has won five titles.

Peter Kacer scored three goals for Georgia in a scoring contest for the record crowd of approximately 5,600 in the Savannah Civic Center arena.

For more stories, click the links below of media releases from the event

5-4 OT Win Over Florida Recap – SavannahNow

9-5 Loss To Georgia Tech Recap – SavannahNow