By Abby Doperak · KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Ice Vols will host the Auburn Tigers at the Knoxville Coliseum on Saturday, Oct. 25, and Sunday, Oct. 26. Coming off a 6-4 los…
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Ice Vols will host the Auburn Tigers at the Knoxville Coliseum on Saturday, Oct. 25, and Sunday, Oct. 26.
Coming off a 6-4 loss against Middle Tennessee State University, the Ice Vols have worked tirelessly this week to produce the kind of results they can be proud of.
“We need to do a better job identifying our roles in the D-zone and organizing ourselves,” defenseman Finn DeStefano said. “But it all starts with a good backcheck, which we have been lacking.”
In their previous matchup against MTSU, Tennessee continued to struggle to maintain control of play. Once again, the Ice Vols waited until late in the game to mount a comeback. Despite scoring three goals in the third period, their efforts weren’t enough to secure a victory.
As the season progresses, the Ice Vols need to keep improving upon their ability to create and maintain a comfortable lead.
Auburn started the season strong with a seven-game winning streak, but has recently hit a slump after back-to-back losses to Georgia. On Oct. 10, the Tigers fell to Georgia 5-1, followed by a 5-4 overtime loss the next day.
Now sitting at 4-5, the Ice Vols are eager to get back on the ice and reclaim a winning record, hoping to capitalize on Auburn’s recent struggles.
“Keeping communication positive is a huge factor to our on-ice success,” DeStefano said. “We are going to take it one game at a time and focus on the little things to get this season back on track.”
Tennessee will face Auburn at 5:20 p.m. on Saturday and 1:15 p.m. on Sunday. Fans are encouraged to attend, with tickets available online or at the door. UT students can enter for free with a valid student ID.