On Feb. 2, The Florida Atlantic University Owls Division II (18-4-1) hockey team played the University of Mississippi (10-8-0) in their first playoff game of the postseason. The Owls entered the playoffs ranked second in the division, while Ole Miss was ranked sixth. 

Following the loss, head coach Christian Long declined an interview with the University Press. 

Starting the game off on a high, FAU forward Keith Goldberg scored 1:09 into the game. Following the goal there was a lot of back and forth down the ice with both teams playing defensively. 

Although both teams had an immense amount of shots on goal the rest of the period went scoreless, ending the first with a score of 1-0. 

Ole Miss got a penalty shot three minutes into the second period due to an impeding call on FAU, and ultimately missed. They followed up their missed opportunity two minutes later with a goal by right winger Quinn Moses. 

The game was ramping up physicality wise, resulting in a two minute roughing penalty for FAU Forward Jason Seefeldt. Even with the power play advantage Ole Miss was unable to score. 

Ole Miss took the lead for the first time in the night with another goal by Moses with 8:17 left in the second period. 

FAU’s leading scorer Brady Baehser responded three minutes later with another Owls’ goal, making that goal number 21 of the season for him. 

Less than a minute later FAU was on the power play after Ole Miss’ right winger Bobby Trites got a two minute penalty for hooking. 

The second period ended with the game tied 2-2. 

The third period started off strong with FAU taking the lead back with a goal by defenseman Nick Oliverio. 

A minute and a half later Oliverio got a 2 minute penalty for roughing resulting in a power play for Ole Miss. He ended up in the box once again, five minutes later, with another two minutes for roughing.

At the 9:02 mark FAU went on the power play after Ole Miss center Luke Maher got two minutes for indirect contact to the head. Forward Justin Harshaw scored on the power play bringing the score up to 4-2. However, his score celebration resulted in him receiving a two minute penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct. 

Ole Miss got the score up to 4-3 after center Jackson Heim scored with two and a half minutes left in the game. 30 seconds later, Ole Miss pulled their goalie making it 6-on-5.

The game tied with another Ole Miss goal by Trite with only 55 seconds left in regulation time. 

The third period ended with a score of 4-4, sending the game into overtime. 

Ole Miss won the game in overtime with a breakaway by right winger Doyle Coughlin, ending the FAU Division II teams playoff run. 

 FAU’s next game will be on March 18 in Jacksonville, Florida against Boca Raton rivals Lynn University as they head into AAU Nationals. 

Rayne Welser is a Staff Writer for the University Press. For more information regarding this or other stories, email her at rwelser2024@fau.edu or DM her on Instagram @_morgan.ray.