The Gamecocks opened Friday’s game with a heavy check that sent UF freshman forward Ronny Kemly crashing to the ice, setting off a roar from the crowd at Flight Adventure Park in Irmo, South Carolina.
That would set the tone. From there, the game turned into a bruising, hard-hitting affair— one that ultimately slipped away from UF. Despite holding the lead heading into the final frame, the Gators (3-2) couldn’t hold off South Carolina (2-2), losing 4-2.
UF relied on its speed through the neutral zone to push play, but the Gamecocks countered by ratcheting up the physicality, throwing checks along the boards at every opportunity. The result was a game full of scrambles and near-misses but few clean looks on net.
After dictating play for most of the opening frame, the Gators struck first when junior defenseman Noah Horwitz’s point shot beat South Carolina senior goaltender Tyler Temoyan.
Freshman forward Brian Pine doubled the lead in the second, a reminder of UF’s strong rookie presence against the Gamecocks’ veteran-heavy team.
But instead of quieting South Carolina, his goal only seemed to fuel them, as the checks grew heavier and the pace more punishing.
Florida earned two power plays from the increased scrums but squandered both, which opened the door for the Gamecocks. Senior captain Jake Puskar found a seam and slipped a shot past rookie netminder Zach Shield’s pads, cutting the lead in half.
The goal fully swung the momentum South Carolina’s way, sparking life after a quiet first half.
They carried that surge into the third, striking twice in just 25 seconds with goals by junior defenseman Brendan Flaherty and freshman forward Nico Tashjian.
Florida pushed for the equalizer, but couldn’t capitalize on two more of its power-play chances. The unit has now gone 0-for-14 over the past three games, even as the Gators have produced five goals at even strength during that span.
The club’s last real chance came with an empty net less than two minutes to go in the game. As Shield scrambled to the bench, UF senior winger Nicholas Ho found himself wide open in front of the cage — only to see his shot clang off the top crossbar.
Temoyan weathered the rest, allowing USC to clear the puck and push down the ice. Junior forward Colin Reid then battled past a Gator defender and tucked the puck into the empty net, sealing a 4-2 victory for South Carolina and ending any hope of a Florida comeback.
Florida looks to bounce back Sunday, returning to Flight Adventure Park for a 10 a.m. matinee against South Carolina.
Contact Daniela Ortiz at dortiz@alligator.org. Follow her on X @danielaortizUF.
Daniela is a junior sports journalism student and the enterprise/hockey beat reporter for Fall 2025. When not writing an article, you can catch her drawing or playing with her roommates' cats.
