Liberty men’s hockey team loses due to inability to answer Syracuse University’s five goals

• Flames hockey team loses twice to Syracuse University on Friday and Saturday, losing 5-3 on Friday and 4-2 on Saturday.
• Extensive penalties and poor defense contributed to loses on Homecoming weekend.

After being down 3-0, Syracuse University scored five unanswered goals to shock the Liberty University men’s division hockey team 5-3 Friday, Oct. 13.

The Flames struck early and often for the first half of the game, and the defense was playing tough, blocking many shots and not allowing too much time in the zone. Then, the penalties came, and Syracuse started cashing in on the opportunities.

“We took too many penalties … they got on the power play and just killed us,” head coach Kirk Handy said.

Syracuse cashed in on three of seven power plays, including scoring on a five-on-three opportunity late in the second period to give them their first goal. Syracuse came right back and scored a goal 15 seconds into the third period, making it a one-goal game.

“We didn’t play our best tonight,” Handy said. “I liked our game in the first and second (periods). I didn’t like it in the third.”

The Flames outshot Syracuse 19-8 and 22-11 in the first two periods, but were only able to register two shots in the third while allowing 12. Liberty was also unable to cash in on any of their four power play opportunities.

With less than five minutes left in the second period, Center Quinn Ryan took a five-minute major for cross-checking, which took away some momentum. The defense spent much more time in its zone from that point forward, and the offense could not really get anything going again.

“We just had to be, as a team, more disciplined,” Handy said.

Handy said the team cannot be taking penalties in the amount that they did, and that the defense needs to play better, especially in the third period.

As for goalie play, Handy did not think Cole Burack had his best game. Burack stopped 26 of 30 shots, but three of those goals came in the third period.

“I know there’s a lot of guys in there who care,” Handy said. “I know there’s a lot of guys in there who’ve got the opportunity to come tomorrow with a better response.”

This was just the second time all season the Flames allowed more than two goals to be scored. The Flames had scored 6 or more goals in five straight games until their loss to Syracuse.

“We’ll be better tomorrow,” Handy said. “We’ll be ready to go.”

Despite the Flames tough loss, Liberty was able to get pay dirt on Homecoming night as they defeated Syracuse University 4-2 in their rematch Saturday, Oct. 14.

The Flames got out to a 4-0 start through the first period, but learned from Friday’s mistakes as they only allowed Syracuse to score once in the first period and once in the second. The Flames defense demonstrated their discipline by only conceding one power play goal to Syracuse, despite the Orange’s nine penalty opportunities.

“I think we learned our lesson from [Friday] night,” Handy said in an article for Liberty Club Sports. “Our penalty kill was the difference. They played well today.”

Liberty will travel to the University of Rhode Island Oct 20. for their next matchup.