The Liberty University Men’s Division I Hockey team returned to the LaHaye Ice Center to face off against Ohio University for their last regular season home games Feb. 21-22. The Flames split the series with the Bobcats in two hard fought games that both required extra time.
After a loss in overtime on Friday, the Flames sought to find a win for senior night. Six graduating seniors — defenseman Kevin Bite, forward Aleksandr Charin, defenseman Nate Cox, forward Jacob Kalandyk, forward Truett Olson and graduate student forward Jackson Vercellono — were honored Saturday night before the game.
“The legacy that (the seniors) have left us with here is amazing, … on and off the ice,” Head Coach Kirk Handy said. “They embody what it is to be a champion for Christ.”
Following the senior ceremony, Liberty came out with a similar intensity and fire as the night before in front of the sold-out stands.
Vercellono opened up scoring for the Flames in the first period as he deflected a shot past Ohio goalie Garrett Alderman with seconds left on the power play.
The Flames kept the Bobcats under pressure for most of the first period, but with 2:32 left the Bobcats tied the game on a goal by forward Noah Holt. Ohio struck again as forward Luc Reeve snuck one over the shoulder of sophomore goalie Konrad Kausch, giving the Bobcats a 2-1 lead to end the first.
Liberty’s offense resurged in the second period as freshman forward Hayden DeMars found the back of the net and tied the score less than two minutes in with assists from junior defenseman Nick Pomerleau and freshman left-winger Liam Cox-Smith.
Tensions were high on the ice as the physical play picked up throughout the second period. The Flames were awarded a five-minute power play, generating some offensive opportunities, but none found the back of the net.
Each team battled back and forth, but the final minutes of the second period remained scoreless as the teams headed off the ice tied 2-2.
Midway through the third period, the crowd erupted as the Flames took a 3-2 lead when Cox-Smith found freshman center Tucker Shields in front of the net with 11:26 left. However, Ohio tied the score once again, capitalizing on a Flames defensive miscue as Ohio’s forward Noah Abraham found himself in a one-on-one battle with Kausch, beating him on his glove side.
Both teams had opportunities to secure the victory, but the third period ended in a tie, leading to the same overtime fate of the previous night.
The 3-on-3 overtime was filled with chances on each side, but Kausch and Alderman showed up for their respective teams, preventing any goals in the five-minute period.
Kalandyk was denied by a glove save for Liberty’s first shootout attempt, which was followed by Kausch making a glove save of his own to prevent Ohio’s shot.
On the second shootout round, Vercellono missed with a backhand wide of the net. Kaush stopped Ohio forward Barron Stibbe, ending the second round scoreless.
In the third attempt, DeMars beat Alderman with a shot inside the left post, igniting the crowd as they anxiously awaited Ohio’s attempt. Kausch stepped up to challenge Abraham, blocking his shot and securing the victory for the Flames.
“It was fun. I mean all our boys had fun last night, so today we banded together a little bit more. I could sense that the younger guys, the underclassmen, are playing for the seniors tonight, so it was pretty cool,” Cox said, reflecting on his last home game for the Flames.
Though the regular season is over, the Flames now look toward the American Collegiate Hockey Association Division I Nationals March 13-18. Handy looks toward the postseason with high hopes for the team.
“We have four lines that can play, and we got a solid D, and goaltending has been excellent all year,” Handy said. “I really think it’s just going to be the same recipe that we’ve had, and that’s competing and having the focus we need for 60 minutes.”
Pais is a sports reporter for the Liberty Champion.