The Liberty University Men’s Division I Hockey team swept their two-game series against the North Carolina State University Icepack Sept. 12-13 with a score of 4-2 in the first game, and 1-0 in the second.
The puck dropped on Icepack territory for game one with NC State coming out hot, to score the first goal on a power play midway through the first period.
The Flames responded with two goals of their own thanks to junior forward Mason Smith with assistance from senior defenseman Connor Diem. The one-two punch was completed when Smith netted another goal, this time with the help of sophomore defenseman Michael Adamek.
The Flames turned up the heat going into the second period, and junior forward Luke Munroe managed to land a shot in the bottom corner of the net with assistance from junior defenseman Nicholas Pomerleau, extending the Flames’ lead 3-1.
“It was nice to get Luke Munroe his first goal as a Liberty Flame,” Head Coach Kirk Handy told Liberty Club Sports. “He’s starting to come into his own.”
Each team held each other at stalemate until a power play for Liberty allowed the Flames to maneuver the puck in between Icepack traffic, ultimately allowing Pomerleau to send it to senior forward Michael DeBrito, giving him the final goal for Liberty and a 4-1 score for the Flames.
The Icepack notched one more goal in regulation but was unable to match the heat of the Flames, giving Liberty the first win in the series 4-2.
Game two took place on Liberty’s home ice: the LaHaye Ice Center.
Each team kept the biscuit rotating in the opening stages of the match. Junior goalie Konrad Kausch held the fort down when NC State swarmed Liberty’s net, allowing the Flames to stay alive.
Multiple scrums broke out in the opening period, leaving Smith in the penalty box, but the Flames’ defense managed to kill off the penalty. The score remained 0-0 going into the second period as the intensity ramped up. Both teams fought for control but could not convert their possessions into a goal. As the clock dwindled, the score remained the same.
The third period was no different as the battle to get a shot in progressed; however, the board was empty when the clock expired, leading to a 3-on-3 overtime finish.
Overtime proved to be the defining factor for the Flames as they attacked the Icepack goalkeeper relentlessly. It wasn’t until the dying minute when Pomerleau and sophomore left wing Liam Cox-Smith drove the puck to DeBrito as he notched the one and only goal of the night.
“Honestly, I think it was just those two guys,” DeBrito said. “I mean Pomerleau, he’s one of the best defensemen in this league, and Cox-Smith has got some of the best hands and vision I’ve ever seen. So, they made it pretty easy to just tap that one in.”
Handy spoke highly on his team’s performance following the series.
“I’m proud of the way our guys battled, and I’ll take that effort anytime from our guys,” Handy said. “I thought our guys played the best game that we’ve played in the three games we’ve played so far this season tonight.”
Liberty returns to the LaHaye Ice Center Sept. 19 to take on the University of North Carolina at 7 p.m. Stream on ESPN+.
Warden is the opinion editor for the Liberty Champion.