On November 8, 2024, the University of Georgia Ice Dawgs crossed state lines to take on the University of Tampa Spartans in a much-anticipated series.
The last time these two teams met was during the 2023-2024 season at Nationals, where the Ice Dawgs narrowly fell 3-2, eliminating them from advancing to the semi-finals of the tournament.
Game 1:
In an exciting start to the first period, senior Josh Mesaros (26) made an early statement by scoring just 23 seconds into the game, putting the Ice Dawgs ahead 1-0. His goal was assisted by senior Ryan Bailey (13) and sophomore Evan Moore (18).
On his goal, Mesaros said, “I thought a fast start scoring against Tampa early was important. Bailey and Moore made a great play forechecking which made it easy for me to tap in. I was excited to get us on the board early and set the pace for the rest of the game.”
The first period remained scoreless for the remainder of the time, with the Ice Dawgs leading by one heading into the second.
In the second period, junior Evan Parente (3) extended Georgia’s lead to 2-0 with a shorthanded goal, assisted by junior Declan Conway (29).
Although scoring was minimal, the period was marked by high tension, with a total of 22 penalty minutes assessed between the two teams.
Entering the third period, the game was far from decided.
Tampa made a strong push early on, with a goal that cut Georgia’s lead to 2-1. However, with just six minutes remaining, junior Dylan Punzenberger (15) scored to put the Ice Dawgs up 3-1.
Tampa answered with a goal to narrow the margin to 3-2, but despite their final push, Georgia held on for the victory, securing their first win over Tampa in four years.
After the game, Mesaros said, “Playing with a lead, you have more confidence and momentum. This lead helped us throughout the game as we never trailed behind them. Starting off strong against Tampa was very important to us.”
Game 2:
The stakes were high for Georgia in the second game of the series, as they sought a historic sweep of the Spartans.
Right from the first puck drop, Tampa came out aggressively, looking to establish an early lead. However, the Ice Dawgs held firm and eventually took the lead with seven minutes remaining in the first period.
Senior Lleyton Poole (10) netted his second goal of the season, assisted by Parente, to give Georgia a 1-0 lead. This goal was the only one of the opening period.
The second period saw more action as Georgia extended their lead. Conway netted his first goal of the weekend, putting the Dawgs up 2-0. Conway’s goal was assisted by Parente and junior Truman Haugen (27).
Tampa responded with a goal of their own, cutting the lead to 2-1.
Despite the momentum shift, Georgia entered the third period determined to finish strong and complete the sweep.
Bailey said that the message in the locker room before the third was, “To keep playing our game and don’t let off the gas. We know we can play against any team in this league and when you see everyone playing their part, the momentum keeps rolling.”
The third period began with a setback for Georgia, as they took a major penalty early, putting them at a disadvantage with a five-minute power play for Tampa. However, the Ice Dawgs’ penalty kill was nothing short of stellar, as they managed to kill off the penalty without allowing a single shot to go in.
With the game still hanging in the balance, Georgia took control halfway through the period.
Moore scored to extend the Ice Dawgs’ lead to 3-1. Just 30 seconds later, Conway followed up with his second goal of the game, pushing the lead to 4-1.
Tampa responded by pulling their goalie to play with six skaters, but Bailey capitalized on the empty net, stealing the puck and sealing the victory with a 5-1 goal.
On being a more physical player, especially against tougher teams like Tampa, Bailey said, “In my eyes, if I or anyone on the team lays a huge hit, it really hypes us up and helps us switch gears to play harder. It really helps bring the energy during a game.”
The final score was 5-1, securing a historic sweep for Georgia over the Spartans.
Goaltender Ryan Testino (31) was outstanding throughout the weekend, finishing with a remarkable 0.974 save percentage in game 2.
Over the two-game series, Testino stopped 77 of 80 shots faced, allowing just three goals.
After the game, Testino said it “felt amazing to beat Tampa.”
He continued, “They have always put together a great team since my freshman year and we haven’t been able to beat them until this weekend. Winning both games is a huge statement for us as a team. Beating a team of that caliber gives us a lot of confidence moving forward, especially when thinking about our next game against Tennessee.”