With one final puck pelted into the back of the opposing team’s net by sophomore forward Liam Lecauchois, the Florida Ice Hockey Club saw its 2025-26 season come to an end.
Before heading to nationals and losing 5-4 to the Ohio State University Hockey Club, the Gators had built some late momentum, holding onto a five-game winning streak. But the stretch seemed to be short-lived, as UF fell fast in the playoffs.
Florida’s Division Two team played in the College Hockey South playoffs on Feb. 26 and 27. On the first night, it faced Florida Atlantic University, coming up short in a 7-4 loss.
The following night, the Gators took on the Spartans to fight for a comeback. A win did not seem implausible, as UF had already conquered the Tampa Spartans Hockey Team twice this season and tied them once. However, triumph slipped through their fingers yet again.
The Gators’ season was plagued by inconsistencies, but the campaign was not without strong runs.
Florida came out of the gates hot, opening the season with a commanding 7-1 win against Embry-Riddle. However, as the season progressed, UF struggled to hold onto the momentum it started with.
In November alone, Florida lost four of seven games. Three of those losses were against the Owls, who now hold the 2026 CHS championship title.
Despite the losses, the offense continuously worked hard to make some waves.
Fueling the team’s push this season was freshman forward Brian Pine with 28 points. Junior winger Michael Katz (25), junior defenseman Noah Horwitz (24) and sophomore forward Lecauchois (24) followed.
In net, UF rotated between senior goaltender Connor Lee and freshman goaltender Zachary Shield.
Lee finished his senior year playing eight games and a total of 443 minutes. He concluded with a goals against average of 4.47 and an average save percentage of 0.839%.
Shield played 13 games and 766 minutes. The freshman totaled a goals against average of 3.68 and an average save percentage of 0.893%.
Meanwhile, the Division Three team competed in the American Collegiate Hockey Association playoffs. The tournament was played at the Florida Panthers IceDen in Coral Springs, the same weekend as the College Hockey South playoffs.
The Gators entered the tournament as the No. 1 seed, allowing them to bypass the quarterfinals and go straight to the semifinals. Florida first faced Florida State University and fell short 4-1, ending its hopes for a championship win.
For the third-place title, UF played the Florida Institute of Technology (Florida Tech) and ran away with the game, winning 10-3.
This year may not have concluded the way the Gators had hoped. However, the regular season was marked by remarkable comebacks and lessons Florida can carry with it into the next season.
Moving forward, improving consistency and tightening defensive play will be key for the Gators.
Defensive lapses have only made it harder for the Gators to win. Loose coverage gives opponents opportunities to score and get ahead of the game. To protect its net, UF needs to strengthen defense, which could lead to better results and more consistent wins.
Contact Nicole Scura at nscura@alligator.org. Follow her on X @NicoleScuraa.
Nicole is a sophomore journalism student in her first semester with the Alligator and she is the beat reporter for the University of Florida Ice Hockey Club. In her free time, Nicole enjoys figure skating, watching football (Go Bucs!), traveling and linedancing.
