Following the 200th win for Keller Sims, the Arkansas Razorback Hockey Club was set to compete for the SEC Frozen Showcase title. As we previewed, standing in the way was the red-hot Texas A&M Aggies, who were fresh off a monumental defeat of the Georgia Bulldogs Hockey Club. In the end, the Razorbacks came away with a 5-3 regulation win over the Aggies to bring the inaugural guitar trophy home to Fayetteville.
In the opening stanza, Arkansas struck swiftly as Adam Markovich and Ayden Frolik lit the lamp early. Then, the Razorbacks added to their goal total as Brendan Coon added a third goal in the second period. Arkansas saw Frolik score again in the third period and sealed on Ethan Rogers’ empty net goal in the final moments of the game.
Arkansas Bryson Andregg stated in post-game that, “It’s a great feeling to see all the hard work we’ve put in this season pay off on such a big stage,” which was quite the run of successful hockey in a competitive tournament. Andregg went further to say, “This was a true team effort from the first puck drop on Friday. Being named MVP is an honor, but seeing us lift that trophy as a team is what matters most.”
We also heard from the team captain, David Markovich, in the postgame. In this conversation, Markovich stated, “Winning the first-ever Frozen Showcase is an incredible honor for our team and the university. We knew every team here would bring their best, especially with the rivalry atmosphere at the Ford Ice Center. This championship shows exactly what Razorback hockey is capable of when we play our game.“
In what was a successful weekend for the Club, Sims stated, “This weekend was a testament to the growth of this program and the grit of these players,” when reflecting. Going deeper, the D2 head coach and director of operations discussed the talent within the tournament. The seventh-year coach praised his club, “To come into Bellevue and compete at such a high level in the heart of SEC country was a challenge we were ready for. I couldn’t be prouder of the way this group stayed focused through three tough games to finish the job on Sunday.”
To close, the season continues to skate on. Up next for Arkansas is a weekend series against Lindenwood on Friday and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, also known as SIUE. Lindenwood enters the weekend ranked #2 in D2 hockey, boasting a 21-0 record. SIUE enters the weekend with a 3-14 record and sits at the bottom of its D2 MACHA Division. For reference, Arkansas sits atop the division and ranks 8th overall in the rankings. We at 4 Star Sports will have more information on these matchups this week.
