UTampa loses 7–6 to the Florida Gators on “Pink the Rink” night, raising awareness and funds for breast cancer support.
By Terry Hunsicker
TAMPA, Fla. — The University of Tampa men’s hockey team lost 7–6 to the University of Florida Gators on Friday night, Oct. 24, 2025. Zeta Tau Alpha hosted their “Pink the Rink” event, fundraising and spreading awareness for breast cancer support at the game.
The Spartans lost after a breakaway goal with 48 seconds left in the third period by Florida forward Brian Pine, who stole an errant pass intended for Spartan defenseman Danny Griffin.
“Brian Pine has so much speed, and he’s a great finisher,” said Florida head coach Frank Pasquale. “He came in, he buried it, it lifted up the whole team, it was a great play.”
The Gators and Spartans combined for 13 goals. The Spartans took an early 2–0 lead, but Florida tied the game before the end of the first period. The remainder of the scoring was back and forth, with Florida never holding the lead until the final 48 seconds of the game.
As the Spartans entered the locker room following the end of the game, one player yelled, “That’s a new one for you.”
UTampa head coach Nick Kuszylk said during the second intermission that the team just needed to play its game.
“Can’t play to the other team’s level. We have to stay, stay at our level, stay at the top tier that we are and just keep going hard at every single puck,” said Kuszylk.
The sorority Zeta Tau Alpha tabled and fundraised at the game as part of the “Pink the Rink” event, with a member singing the national anthem.
Jennifer McGarrah, whose niece is in the sorority, performed the honorary puck drop before the game. McGarrah said she was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma in February 2022. After six months of chemotherapy, she was deemed cancer-free that November.
McGarrah said that the event helps her by letting her know that other people are spreading awareness about breast cancer and early detection.
“It’s so important, especially for the girls, to have that early detection and awareness so that they are protected,” said McGarrah. “I was diagnosed right after I turned 40 years old. It was my very first mammogram.”
As part of the event, members of the sorority wore pink to the game and set up a decorative arch made of balloons along the ice center’s walls for photo opportunities. Adriana Stanovich and Xena Holtom said that coming into the game, the sorority had already raised $24,000 during the semester. Their table was covered in pink ribbons and name tags honoring those affected by breast cancer.
Tampa hockey also hosted a fundraising event at the game through its “Chuck-A-Puck” promotion. Participants could purchase tennis balls that they would then have to throw onto the ice during the second intermission with the goal of having the closest tennis ball to the center of the ice. According to their flyer, the winner would walk away with half of what was spent on the tennis balls, while the remaining half would be donated to the American Cancer Society. The promotion was won by a young fan in a Florida Gators jersey.
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Thumbnail Photo Caption: The University of Florida celebrates a goal. Photo courtesy of Terry Hunsicker.