SHREVEPORT, La. – It came down to the final period in the season opening game as the East Texas Baptist University hockey team dropped a heartbreaker, 6-4, to the University of Mississippi. ETBU pulled within 5-4 with under 40 seconds to go but an open goal in the final seconds gave Ole Miss the two-goal victory.

Riley Knott recorded two of ETBU's four goals in his debut for the Tigers. Skyler Spiller then put in two goals to finish out ETBU's scoring.

It was a tight first period as Ole Miss scored within the first two minutes of the game. ETBU answered at the 17:04 mark on a goal by Knott. ETBU took the lead, 2-1, just five minutes into the second period on Knott's second goal of the night at the 14:40 mark. Ole Miss tied it up at two but ETBU made it 3-2 with under a minute to play in the period by Spiller. ETBU left the second period with the one-goal lead, 3-2.

The third period turned in favor of Ole Miss as they scored four goals. They tied the game at three at the 17:40 mark and then the lead for good, 4-3, at the 15:25 mark. Ole Miss made it 5-3 with 13:50 remaining only to see Spiller pull ETBU within one with 53 seconds left in the game. Ole Miss then flew the puck down the ice for an open goal to end the game.
The two teams return to action on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. at George's Pond in Shreveport, La.