It has been a long time coming. There was excitement and tremendous energy in the air at rinks throughout the CHF.  Skaters returned to the ice over the weekend for inter-collegiate competition for the first time in almost a year and a half.  Non-varsity competition has a pulse in the CHF and the SCHC.  And that pulse is strong. 

Central Florida and Tampa opened their seasons with a home and home series at the Clearwater Ice Arena and the RDV Iceplex in Maitland.  Fans were on hand to enjoy the action and cheer on the home team.  In the first game, UT held on to a lead and the game ended with a final score on 7 - 4.  Before the puck dropped for the second game, UCF held a solemn remembrance of those who gave their lives on the 20th anniversary of the attacks on our great nation on 9/11.  A high paced and intense game ensued with UT’s Spartans coming out of the game with a second win against UCF’s Knights.

Embry Riddle D2 and D3 hockey took to the ice against the University of Florida on Friday night in Daytona.  The night began with a pregame ceremony in remembrance of September 11th.  The boisterous sellout crowd of 700+ fans joined in following along and singing our national anthem with all their hearts.  When the anthem concluded, the crowd erupted spontaneously into chants of  “U.S.A., U.S.A.”  The energy in the stands was vibrant as the puck dropped to start each game.   Both teams fought hard, but at the sound of the buzzer in both games, UF’s teams came out on top.  Game results were 7 - 2 in the D2 game and 5 - 1 in the D3 game.

The pace of non-varsity hockey ramps up this coming weekend as more teams hit the ice.  In SCHC action, Central Florida will have a home and home series with Embry Riddle, while South Florida and Tampa both hit the road and head to Georgia to take on the UG Ice Dawgs and Georgia Tech.