Here in the south, the only ice you might see is in sweet tea, which is why you might not have heard of the UGA Club Hockey Team.

But the truth is that they do exist, and they’re pretty good to boot.

The Ice Dogs dominated Emory University in an 8-1 victory Friday night in its season opener at the Duluth IceForum. The team was lead by defenseman Connor Kelly and forward Michael Gabelman, who both netted hat tricks and five points on the night.

The Ice Dogs’ regular season runs from September to March, with September and January being the main practice months for training camps.

“During the practice months, we are typically on the ice four to five times a week. Once the season starts, we may only practice a couple times a week because we are likely to have one or two games a weekend,” says Gabelman, a senior from Alpharetta and president of the Ice Dogs.

Playing as a member of the Southeastern Collegiate Hockey Conference, the team travels to compete against other schools throughout the season. Among some of the Ice Dogs longest trips include away games in Little Rock against Arkansas and in Knoxville against Tennessee.

“We play all the SEC schools each year with the exception of Auburn, who does not have a team. We share the same traditional UGA rivalries, too, which is really cool,” said Gabelman.

Every year the team plays Florida in Jacksonville the Friday night before the annual Georgia-Florida football game. In years past the Ice Dogs have matched up against Georgia Tech for a fundraiser following a Thrasher’s game at Philips Arena. Gabelman hopes to organize another game against the Yellow Jackets this season during the spring semester.

Another big road trip for the team this season is the Savannah Hockey Classic during the Martin Luther King weekend. During the showcase tournament, which has been sold out for several years past, the Ice Dogs play against the Gators and Yellow Jackets.

However, traveling around the country can become expensive. The dues pay for some of the expenses, but the Ice Dogs host fundraising events throughout the year to help raise money for the team. One event on their calendar now is the UGA Hockey Alumni Golf Tournament on Oct. 25. The event is open to anyone and the proceeds benefit the team’s upcoming season.

Though tough, Gabelman says he plays hockey because of his passion for the game.

“I’ve been playing hockey my whole life. I looked into playing for a junior team out of high school, but I chose to come to Georgia instead. I wanted to get a good education and, of course, experience UGA football.”

The Ice Dogs’ next game will be at this Friday at the IceForum against Tulane at 7 p.m.