Following a tough loss to South Carolina, the Clemson ice hockey team was looking for a rebound win against the Georgia Bulldogs on Nov. 18 but could not find it, as the Bulldogs defeated the Tigers 5-4.
The Bulldogs opened the scoring halfway through the first period with a shot from defenseman Lleyton Poole. Two minutes later, Clemson right-winger Herbert Kopf took a major penalty for cross-checking, handing Georgia a five-minute power play. On the man advantage, the Bulldogs took a 2-0 lead.
“We probably played one full period,” said centerman Mike McKeon. “We have to play a full 60 minutes if we’re going to beat teams like Georgia.”
The second period was more energetic than the first, though some of the energy was negative, with each team taking four penalties. 
After Georgia defenseman Truman Haugen took a two-minute penalty for tripping halfway through the period, Clemson left-winger Cade Heinold scored on a rebound from a shot by centerman Nicholas Chesare to put the Tigers on the board.
Seventeen seconds later, Clemson defenseman Charles DuBose scored his first goal of the season on a shot from the blue line, also assisted by Chesare, to tie the score at 2-2.
Chesare collected a point on every Clemson goal during the game. He now leads the team with 18 points on the season.
“We had a very bad first period,” said McKeon. “But we came back in the second period with some good energy and got ourselves back into the game.”
Quickly losing their lead clearly upset the Bulldogs and resulted in a scuffle between Georgia defenseman Alexander Strauss and Kopf. They both earned two-minute fighting penalties. 
During the 4-on-4, Clemson defenseman Christian Romeo took a two-minute penalty for hooking, giving the Bulldogs a 4-on-3 man advantage. The Tigers’ penalty-kill unit excelled, finishing the period strong. 
Entering the final period with an even score, Clemson was determined to take the lead.
With just under 11 minutes remaining in the period, Georgia defenseman William Martin received a penalty for tripping. However, it was not the Tigers who scored on their man advantage.
Georgia scored two shorthanded goals during Clemson’s power play, reclaiming the lead by a score of 4-2.
“We just have to remind ourselves to never get too high and never get too low,” Clemson coach Isaiah Jackson said. “In a game, no matter if you’re winning or losing, you just have to keep the same mindset, and that’s to play a full 60. That’s how you win.”
With four minutes remaining in the game, Chesare scored for the Tigers, assisted by defenseman Benjamin Brucker, bringing the score to 4-3.
Twenty seconds after Chesare’s goal, Georgia reclaimed a two-goal lead. 
Battling to the end, McKeon netted the Tigers’ final goal with less than three seconds on the clock, assisted by Chesare and left-winger Jack Owen-Turner. 
“Everyone’s a little frustrated at the moment,” Jackson said. “There were some good things that we can work on, and we can build on going into the spring… We have a positive outlook on the spring and just have to keep that positive attitude going forward.”
Clemson will face Georgia again on Dec. 2 in Athens, Georgia.