Team News

Liberty University’s ACHA Division II men’s hockey team netted five goals in the first 10 minutes of the third period of Saturday afternoon’s rematch with Penn State University to complete a sweep of the Nittany Lions with a 7-2 victory at the LaHaye Ice Center.

The Flames (18-3) built a 4-0 lead early on Penn State (9-5) early in the third period of Friday night’s opener before holding on for a 4-2 triumph.

Senior forward Tim Doe started the scoring in Game 1 with a power-play goal off assists from sophomore forward Trevor Granzow and freshman forward Joshua Harrell with 4:32 left in the first period.

Sophomore forward Roman Lamoureux capitalized on a second power-play goal — his team-high 13th of the season (one more than Doe) — to double Liberty’s lead to 2-0 with 11:30 remaining in the second period. Lamoureux finished feeds from Granzow and senior forward Peyton Nash.

Less than two and a half minutes later, freshman forward Luke Tucker put away passes from freshman forward David Hauke and senior defenseman Charlie Wilkie to extend the advantage to 3-0 before freshman defenseman Jared Matley scored off an assist from graduate forward Josh Malin with 18:52 remaining in regulation to cap the Flames’ scoring.

Liberty outshot the Nittany Lions, 34-31, and senior goalie Dakota Cyhaniuk made 29 saves in the victory.

In Saturday’s rematch, the Flames held a 31-24 shot advantage and converted two of their four power-play chances while their penalty kill unit held PSU’s power-play scoreless on four opportunities for the second game in a row.

With 6:54 left in the first period, the Nittany Lions scored first on junior goalie Stephen Sanders, who improved to 4-0 after making 22 saves. But Liberty tied the contest at 1-1 just over two and a half minutes later when freshman forward Joshua Sherwood recorded his first goal as a Flame off assists from Tucker and freshman forward Cooper Neal.

Neal netted the game-winning goal on a power play midway through the second period, finishing feeds from Matley and Malin, before Hauke scored his first goal at Liberty just 14 seconds into the third, assisted by Granzow.

Harrell converted assists from Doe and Lamoureux on a power play at the 17:07 mark before freshman defenseman Rece Poulin, who joined the Flames this semester, scored off assists from Granzow (his team-high 30th assist of the season) and Nash. Senior defenseman Maxx Mitchell padded the lead to 7-1 by putting away passes from Nash and Harrell less than a minute later.

The Flames will travel to Miami (Ohio) University for a three-game showcase this weekend with games against Cincinnati on Friday at 2:55 p.m., Davenport on Saturday at 12:30 p.m., and Sault (Ontario) College on Sunday at 11:30 a.m.

Videos by Patrick Strawn/Club Sports Director of Video & Media