The weekend before Thanksgiving, the #5 ranked Division III Ice Hogs traveled to Missouri to play in the Route 66 Classic. The Hogs played three games in three days to finish up their fall semester. On Friday the 16th, the Hogs faced off with the #2 ranked Jayhawks from the University of Kansas. Kansas controlled the first period, scoring four goals. Kansas added four more goals in the second period, taking a 8-0 lead into the third period. Kansas scored the lone goal in the third en route to a 9-0 win.
On Saturday, the Ice Hogs faced the #6 ranked Cornhuskers from the University of Nebraska. The Huskers owned the first period as they scored two goals. Under a minute into the second period, Grant Deacon got the Hogs on the board. Then, with under six minutes left in the second frame, the Hogs tied things up thanks to a goal by Corey Rees. The third period was relatively quiet as no goals were scored and there was only one penalty. Under a minute and a half into the 4v4 overtime, the Huskers scored to win the game 3-2.
The Hogs closed out the showcase early on Sunday morning when Arkansas tangled with #10 ranked University of Wisconsin-Platteville. Platteville got on the board a little over seven minutes into the game. But less than a minute later, Griffin Sugasawara tied the game up for the Hogs. After a quiet second period that saw no scoring, newcomer Nick Valentini scored to give the Hogs a 2-1 lead about six minutes into the third period. Four minutes later Platteville tied things back up at 2. Then, just two minutes later, Valentini score again to put the Hogs up 3-2. With under four minutes to play in the game Griffin Sugasawara gave the Hogs a little insurance as they went up 4-2. Platteville scored with two minutes left in the game, but would come no closer and Arkansas secured a 4-3 win.
The Division III Ice Hogs are now on break until the spring semester. They will be back in action the weekend of January 18 at the Jones Center when they square off against SECHC rival Ole Miss.
The University of Arkansas fields two hockey teams. The Division I team’s 2018-19 schedule is here). It has, since 2015, competed in the Western Collegiate Hockey Conference (learn more here). The Division III team in 2018-19 began its twelfth season competing in the Southeastern Collegiate Hockey Conference (learn more here). All home games are played at The Jones Center for Families in Springdale.
