The Liberty University Men’s Division I Hockey team swept their two-game weekend series at the LaHaye Ice Center against Stony Brook University Oct. 24 6-1 and Oct. 25 8-3.
The puck dropped on familiar ice to begin the series for the Flames. As each team fought for control over the puck, a power play early into the first period allowed senior forward Michael DeBrito a chance to knock the puck in between the pipes thanks to an assist from junior forward Luke Munroe.
Later in the first period, graduate student defenseman Nate Cox, a member of the DII team who was called up to sub in for injured players, assisted sophomore forward Brad Barker as the two worked in tandem to up the score 2-0 before the period ended.
“He played fantastic,” Head Coach Kirk Handy said on Cox’s performance. “You know, I really thought he was excellent. He had three points in two games, and I thought he was a good, solid defenseman for us.”
The Flames kept the fire ablaze in the second period as junior defenseman Nick Pomerleau sent the biscuit directly into the path of junior forward Mac Ratzlaff who snuck a shot past the Seawolves’ goalie. Stony Brook notched a goal of its own before the period ended for a 3-1 score.
Liberty dominated the final period, scoring three goals and keeping the Seawolves out of the net. Sophomore forward Kal Essenmacher made up two of the three points gained. His first came on a breakaway with assists coming from Barker and junior defenseman Luke Anderson, adding another marker to the board 4-1.
Sophomore defenseman Michael Adamek obtained Liberty’s fifth goal as he scored off a slap shot from senior defenseman Connor Diem and senior forward Sam Feamster.
Essenmacher capped off the score for the Flames as he, Barker and Cox brought the puck down the ice to sneak one more shot into Stony Brook’s net, ending the game 6-1.
The second game was NASCAR night where the Flames wore sweaters donning the iconic red, blue and yellow stripes with a checkered finish as they geared up for the puck drop.
Stony Brook came into this competition with engines revved, but the Flames held their ground to stall out their momentum. Junior goalie Konrad Kausch deflected two shot attempts by the Seawolves offense where he sent the puck in the way of Pomerleau and senior forward Aidan Carney, giving quick passes to each other, ultimately ending up at the stick of senior forward Ryan Finch. Finch took the shot as the Flames offense crashed around the net — the chaos enough to distract Stony Brook’s goalie as the biscuit sailed past him.
With the score 1-0, Stony Brook returned the favor as the Seawolves hounded Liberty’s goal. During an onslaught of shots from the Seawolves, the Flames accrued two penalties — one from junior forward Mason Smith for boarding and another from Adamek for cross-checking.
The Flames, down two players, held their own in the first part of the power play but could not prevent the Seawolves from launching a slap shot into the net from deep in the ice, tying the score 1-1.
The physicality between both teams ramped up as the clock expired in the first period.
Both teams traded blows in the opening stages of the second period, leaving sophomore forward Tucker Shields in the penalty box for interference. After the Flames killed the penalty, junior forward Hayden DeMars took a turn in the sin bin due to the Flames having too many men over the wall.
Shortly after the Flames killed the second penalty, the Seawolves were handed one of their own, giving the Flames the power play. The Flames turned the heat up and kept the puck on the opposing territory where Shields, with assists from Pomerleau and Finch, was able to knock one into the net, bringing the score 2-1.
Their momentum was multiplied as the Flames scored three consecutive goals. The first came from Smith, assisted by Essenmacher, on an insurance goal. The second came from Shields on a slap shot deep in Seawolves territory, with assists from sophomore forward Liam Cox-Smith and Cox, and the third came from Diem with the help of Feamster and Ratzlaff.
The Seawolves picked up their second penalty of the game during the dying minutes of the period for tripping. The Flames capitalized yet again as DeBrito and Pomerleau gave the puck to Munroe who flicked the biscuit up and over the goalie into the net. The score was 6-1 going into the final period.
Both teams kept each other at stalemate for the opening stages of the period. Another Stony Brook penalty allowed Liberty the chance to score, which came from the hands of Adamek with assists from Feamster and Shields. The penalties continued and allowed for one more Liberty goal where DeBrito and Pomerleau were able to tag team and set up a shot so Munroe could notch the final point of the game.
The Seawolves earned two more markers before the clock expired, but their efforts were in vain as the game ended in Liberty’s favor 8-3.
“I thought our guys transitioned well. Our power play was excellent tonight again,” Handy said. “Excellent last night and excellent again tonight.”
Liberty hits the road to take on Niagara University next in a two-game series Oct. 30-31 with both games starting at 3 p.m.
Warden is the opinion editor.