USF Defeats Tennessee to Advance in the CHS Playoffs, Face #1 UTampa
Image Credit: College Hockey South.
Huntsville, AL- The Bulls traveled to Alabama for the start of playoffs for their first game against seed #7 University of Tennessee on Thursday, February 23rd. USF played the Ice Vols at the start of their season splitting the weekend and they were looking to clinch the win to play seed #1 University of Tampa.
Right off the bat, the Ice Vols scored and set the pace for the game. With turnover after turnover from the Bulls, they were struggling to get in the right mindset. Just under four minutes in, #3 Logan Breen shot the puck into the crease with #23 Charles Rongo hitting it off the goalie for #20 Andrew Miranda to send it back in, tying the game. Going back and forth, #7 Zack Slezak handed off to #12 Trevor Woodall who sent the puck up to #16 Colby Mang for a breakaway and snapped it to the back of the net taking the lead 2-1.
The first half of the second period was just as intense and physical as the first period with both teams getting shots on net and flying up and down the ice. About midway through the game, #8 Adam Kupferman was called for hooking and Tennessee scored within ten seconds. Another two minutes went by, and the Ice Vols walked another one in making the score 2-3. Looking to even out the score, #6 Cameron King passed the puck up to #8 Adam Kupferman in front of the crease redirecting it off Tennessee’s goalie’s pads straight to #13 Kelly Barlett for a shot and tying the score again.
Starting off the third period strong, the Bulls stole the puck from Tennessee, #6 Cameron King chased it up the ice, passed it to #18 Alden Spratt and dropped it back for #20 Andrew Miranda to tuck it away bringing the score up to 4-3. An easy shot beating #33 Sean Jenal from the top of their zone, the Ice Vols tied the game again at four a piece. With both teams rushing each other and setting up their offense, USF was able to circle back out into neutral ice with #7 Zack Slezak sending the puck up to #6 Cameron King into their offensive zone, and over to #16 Colby Mang to snipe it to the back of the net making it 5-4 and taking their first game for playoffs. USF’s #33 Sean Jenal stopped 33 of 37 shots to secure the Bulls’ win.
The USF Bulls will be taking on the University of Tampa Spartans for their second game of the College Hockey South Championship Playoffs on Friday, February 24th at 7:30p.m. EST.
