By Abby Doperak · KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Ice Vols return home to Knoxville to face Miami University (Ohio) in a weekend series celebrating the organization’s…
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Ice Vols return home to Knoxville to face Miami University (Ohio) in a weekend series celebrating the organization’s 60 th anniversary.
The Ice Vols return to Knoxville after sweeping South Carolina two weekends ago in Irmo, South Carolina. Tennessee earned a hard-fought 3-1 victory Friday night before securing a 5-1 win Sunday.
Miami travels to Knoxville after most recently sweeping Dayton nearly three weeks ago. The RedHawks earned a 4-3 shootout victory Wednesday before dominating Friday’s matchup with a 12-3 win.
Miami currently holds an undefeated record, something Tennessee is now familiar with and confident in facing.
“Sweeping South Carolina built a lot of momentum for us,” said captain and goalie Patrick Green. “We’ve got a lot of chemistry between all the guys, and our hard work has been paying off. We’re confident going into this week’s games.”
Both teams have had ample time to rest and recover, leaving the Ice Vols eager to return to competition and finish the semester strong.
“We did a lot of team building this week despite not playing games,” Green said. “We’ve done a lot to grow off the ice as we have on the ice. We have a really close group.”
This weekend’s series is especially significant for Tennessee as the organization celebrates its 60 th anniversary. The milestone will be recognized during Friday night’s game. In 1966, Tennessee Hockey played its first game, also against Miami University.
Former players will be welcomed back for the celebration, with alumni from the organization’s first decade participating in a ceremonial puck drop. As the Ice Vols enter a new era, the anniversary provides an opportunity to reflect on the people and hard work that helped build the program into what it is today.
“It’s pretty amazing to see how far we’ve come and the great game of hockey grow in the south,” Green said. “There are still people that don’t quite understand how big and successful a program we are, but to have alumni wanting to be a part of our future is pretty special.”
The Ice Vols will face Miami University in the Knoxville Coliseum on Thursday at 10:30 p.m. and Friday at 5 p.m. Tickets are available online or at the door.