Hot ice
Flames begin new season in the LIC
Flames fans and College for a Weekend students gathered in the LaHaye Ice Center to witness the Liberty men’s club hockey team (3-0) defeat West Chester University (0-2) 5-2 Friday, Sept. 23.
Led by freshman forward Garret Nelson, the Flames battled their way through each period.
Hope almost seemed lost for the Flames when the Golden Rams scored two unanswered goals in the second, but the Flames overcame the 2-1 deficit and scored four goals in the third to clench the victory.
ICY— Josh Bergen looked ahead for teammates. Photo credit: Michela Diddle
“We knew West Chester has had a reputation of keeping teams tight,” Head Coach Kirk Handy said. “They wanted to stay with us and clog up the ice.”
Fans roared with approval and beat their hands against the glass as freshman forward Quinn Ryan body-checked an opponent into the Golden Rams bench during the first period.
After knocking him off his skates, Ryan continued the aggression, resulting in a penalty.
“I thought we had some selfish penalties,” freshman defenseman Matt Cruikshank said. “During our opponents’ power plays, we had to bear down together as a team and block shots.”
Although there were moments when Liberty only had four players on the ice, the defensive precision helped solidify the victory.
“We focused a lot on our defensive zone,” Nelson said. “Defense wins championships, so that had to be a big priority in this game.”
During the second period, West Chester scored two goals, which gave them the lead going into the third.
“The fights will happen, and they’re fun, but honestly, they’re more for the fans,” Cruikshank said.
Late in the third period, Nelson scored his third goal, giving Liberty a 3-2 lead. Later, freshman forward Jamie Crane scored from the left face-off circle, giving Liberty an even larger lead.
“After our third goal, West Chester deflated,” Nelson said. “They lost steam, and we kept rolling.”
Nelson, who finished with a hat trick, gave Liberty the boost they needed to seal the victory.
He’s been a solid player so far in the two games we’ve had,” Handy said. “He’s growing into the role we want to see him in.”
With only a few minutes left in the match, junior forward Grant Garvin chipped the puck over an opposing defender, giving himself an opportunity to score.
Before he took his shot, a West Chester defenseman threw his stick in an attempt to deter the goal. The interference resulted in a Liberty point.
“A big part of our team’s successes is always the fans,” Handy said. “They gave us the push we needed. Tonight was a big building block for us.”
Friday night was Liberty’s second game of the season. According to Handy, the team has had a strong start. They play the University of Alabama Friday, Sept. 30 at the LaHaye Ice Center.
“At this point in the year, we just want to make sure we’re playing well,” Handy said. “I thought our team played well under the circumstances tonight.”
The Flames defeated West Chester in the second game of the series Saturday, Sept. 24 by a final score of 8-2. The next home game for the Flames will be Friday, Sept. 30 when they host Alabama at 11:59 p.m.
smith is a sports reporter.