January 20, 2007

The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (12 – 5) responded to a disappointing 1-0 loss to Georgia a week prior with a 7-4 victory on 20 January.

The win also gave the Jackets a 2-1 edge on the season series. The game was played before a packed house at the Duluth Ice Forum.

In a classes act, University of Georgia team officials denied the Georgia Tech pep band access to the arena. Georgia coaches justified their tasteless move citing their interest to maintain competitive advantage on their home ice. Is this what college hockey is about? Denying spirited students access to games.

Moments later, Georgia conducted a pre-game ceremony honoring their 20th anniversary. They honored members of the Georgia hockey tradition who have helped the sport of hockey grow in the state. These were the same leaders who felt it in the best interest of hockey to deny 25+ rowdy college students from participating in the game.

On the ice, Tech scored seven goals on 35 shots and worked hard the whole game to keep the pressure on the Bulldogs. Georgia did score 3 of its four goals on power plays and their only even strength goal came with just 23 seconds left in the game.

Tech opened the scoring 5 minutes into the game on a shot by Freshman Nick Amore with assist to Pat Kelly and Brian O’Connor.

O’Connor got the second goal of the period13 minutes into the period. Assists went to Brendan O’Leary and John Krisinger.

That finished the first period scoring with Tech leading 2-0.

Period two opened quickly for the Jackets, just a minute in on Nick Amore’s second goal of the game with O’Connor getting the assist.

It took Georgia over half the game to finally get on the board with a power play goal13 minutes in to the second period.

Tech answered within a minute with their own power play goal by Arne Krogh on a shot from the point with assist to Tom Porter. That score maintained the three goal lead for Tech after two periods.

Period three started a bit slow, but the Jackets started the scoring on a strong shot from the point by Austin Kaase with assist to Porter and Mike Zaucha at the 8 minute mark.

Georgia came back to cut the lead to three again on a power play goal just one minute later.

Tech scored at the 12 minute mark on a goal in close by Christian Gattung (third assist to Porter) to stretch the margin to four.

Just two minutes later Kaase got his second goal from the outside with assist to O’Connor.

This gave the Jackets a 7-2 lead with just 5 minutes left in the contest.

Georgia had two more goals late in the game but they were of little consequence as Tech dominated the entire game and came away with a hard fought 7-4 victory.

The Yellow Jackets out shot the Bulldogs 35-20. Craig Tabita made 16 saves and gave up just one even strength goal.