The University of Georgia Ice Dawgs competed in the annual Savannah Hockey Classic at the Enmarket Arena on January 17th and 18th.
For their first game of the tournament, as well as their first game in 2025, Georgia played against long-time rival, Georgia Tech.
The last time these two teams faced off against each other, the Ice Dawgs beat them 10-3. Over 60 minutes of penalties were awarded between the two teams and each team had three players thrown out for fighting.
Fans had very much anticipated this rematch.
Going into this game, captain Robby Witwer (14) said, “Our biggest focus heading into Friday night was playing the right way and building good habits for Saturday. We also emphasized staying disciplined. The after-the-whistle stuff is just playing into their hands, so I was happy we stuck to just playing hockey.”
To open the first period, senior Jack Gannon (4) scored Georgia’s first goal, taking the lead early in the game 1-0.
His goal was assisted by assistant captain Josh Mesaros (26) and Witwer.
With under five minutes remaining in the first, Witwer scored his first goal of the season, putting the Ice Dawgs up 2-0.
The second period was relatively quiet compared to the first, but Georgia found its rhythm late in the frame.
Sophomore James Hedquist (22) pushed the lead to 3-0 before senior David Eberly (2) and junior Declan Conway (29) each found the back of the net, extending the Ice Dawgs’ advantage to 5-0.
The period was marred by a major penalty and game misconduct for Georgia’s Alex Laracy (38), who was ejected for cross-checking, leaving his team to finish the period a man down.
As the third period unfolded, Georgia’s offense erupted, scoring four more goals against the Jackets.
Eberly scored his second goal of the game to make it 6-0, followed by Mesaros adding another to make the score 7-0.
Hedquist joined in on the scoring frenzy, increasing the lead to 8-0 before sophomore Jake Green (91) capped off the night with the team’s ninth and final goal of the game.
On scoring his two goals, Eberly said, “It was awesome. The Georgia Tech rivalry has always meant a lot, so contributing in any way feels great.”
The Ice Dawgs had nine goals on 69 shots and gave junior goalie, Isaac Haugen (41), his first shutout of the season.
On the shutout, Haugen said, “It was a really great moment. This time last year I was still working through a leg injury, so to be back at full health, and to get a shutout in Savannah is definitely something I’ll remember for a long time. Looking forward to getting hot as a team as we work towards nationals.”
In this game alone, 13 different players were able to collect points on this big win, showcasing the team’s impressive depth.