Savannah Tire Hockey Classic Preview

By: Tyler Farmer

With the spring semester now underway, the Ice Dawgs will resume play this weekend at the Savannah Tire Hockey Classic. The tournament field also includes Georgia Tech, Florida, and Florida State, and all games will be played at the Savannah Civic Center. The Ice Dawgs play Florida on Friday and Georgia Tech on Saturday, and both games are scheduled for an 8:30 P.M. puck drop. Georgia will not play Florida State during the regular season.

The Ice Dawgs enter the tournament red-hot, as they closed the fall semester on a 12-game winning streak. Three victories during the winning streak were at the expense of their tournament opponents. The first win against Florida was a 6-5 overtime thriller, while the Ice Dawgs cruised to a 9-4 win in the second contest. Georgia defeated Georgia Tech 10-4 in the last game before winter break. The teams also tied 6-6 in the first game of the season. Coming into the weekend, the Ice Dawgs are poised to defend their 2017 Thrasher Cup title. The experience and offensive firepower of Alex Carey, Carter Penzien, and David Spielberger, among others, combined with the previously mentioned prior success against these opponents, bodes well for trophy aspirations.

The Savannah Tire Hockey Classic is a unique opportunity. Many family and staff members will be traveling with the team. On Friday morning, the team and our jersey sponsor, BELFOR Property Restoration, will be visiting with the children and families at Dwaine & Cynthia Willett Children’s Hospital of Savannah. The Ice Dawgs will also debut an alternate jersey, made by Black Biscuit Hockey, that will pay tribute to Savannah. The names of the historic Savannah squares are watermarked on the front and back of the jersey.  After the conclusion of the Saturday’s game, these jerseys will be auctioned off to support the club.