Minot mystique continues as Flames endure lopsided series-ending loss on road

Saturday, September 30

Minot, ND

8:30 PM

Liberty University Club Sports

Minot State University

Minot State forward Reid Arnold controls the puck on a break as Flames forward Sam Feamster gives chase. (Photo by Sean Arbaut/Arbaut Photography)

Minot mystique continues as Flames endure lopsided series-ending loss on road

10/1/2023 12:05:00 AM | Men's D1 Hockey

Liberty allowed four power-play goals in eight chances and lost by an 8-1 final after taking the Beavers to a shootout on Friday night.

Liberty University's ACHA Division I men's hockey team took one step forward and two steps back on their weekend road trip to defending national champion Minot State (N.D.). A night after outshooting the top-ranked Beavers before losing in a shootout, the fourth-ranked Flames were overwhelmed by their hosts in Maysa Arena, falling 8-1 to finish the four-game home-and-home series against their independent rivals at 0-3-1. Liberty slips to 3-19-1 in its all-time series with Minot State.

"It humbles us and brings us back down to realize we still have a need for refinement, that's for sure," Liberty Head Coach Kirk Handy said. "I don't think anyone brought their A game tonight. We were in the (penalty) box too much and gave them too many opportunities. I truly believe that our guys competed (but) we didn't use our heads as much as we should have. The compete was there, we just took ourselves out of the game by penalties or mistakes on our end."

He said the loss stings but serves as a wake-up call for the Flames, who now realize they have their work cut out for them if they want to challenge the defending national champion Beavers— and a host of other ACHA opponents— for the crown in St. Louis from March 7-12, 2024.

"Inside that locker room are a lot of warriors, a lot of great guys who want to battle," Handy said. "We just didn't play well tonight. I am not concerned. When all of the guys on your team don't bring their A game, this is the result."

The Flames were outshot 38-24 and gave up four power-play goals in eight chances by Minot. They sink to 1-3-1 overall this season, with their only win coming in the season opener over ACHA Division II North Carolina State at the LaHaye Ice Center (LIC).

"It's easy to look and say you've only won one game," Handy said. "At the end of the day, we have a great schedule and we're going to be fine at the end of the year. We've got to work from where we are to where we want to be. The journey's going you be long, it's going to be hard. There are going to be twists and turns along the way. You just have to embrace it."

Minot (6-0) jumped on Liberty early in Saturday's rematch, with Trenton Curtis capitalizing on a 2-on-2 fast-break counterattack. Logan Cyca was taken down in the high slot after releasing his pass to Curtis, whose shot from the left circle beat Flames goalie Hunter Virostek into the top left corner of the cage.

Moments later, after a faceoff win in the Flames' defensive zone, the Beavers scored again for a 2-0 lead at the 12:59 mark when Christian Kadolph took a pass from Curtis and launched a shot from the high slot through traffic that beat Virostek glove-side.

Flames senior forward and head captain Matt Bartel had his point-blank shot in the left crease saved by Minot State goalie Jake Anthony before an inadvertent whistle by an official negated what could have been an easy score by senior forward Jason Foltz on a loose puck that slipped through the pads of Anthony. Senior forward Brett Gammer also nearly scored after stealing the puck beside the right post, but Anthony recovered in time to block his stab at a shot from the right crease.

The Beavers took advantage of their first power-play opportunity moments later when forward Reid Arnold took a pass out of the right corner and lifted a sharp-angled wrist shot from deep in the circle for a 3-0 lead with just over 2:00 left in the first period.

Back on the man advantage with just under 1:00 to go, Minot struck again when Jay Buchholz finished Brayden Pawluk's feed from the center of the left circle with a one-timed shot from the right side, giving Minot a commanding 4-0 lead going into the first intermission.

Liberty was awarded a power play early in the second period but allowed the Beavers to net a shorthanded goal when Reece Henry blocked a shot by Flames senior forward Jacob Kalandyk from the top of the right circle and capped a 2-on-1 break. Carter Barley put away a left-circle shot through the five-hole of Virostek and inside the right post, stretching Minot's lead to 5-0.

With the Beavers back on the power play, a putback by Arnold of a shot by Kadolph from the high slot that bounced off Virostek's pad extended Minot's lead to 6-0. Then, defenseman Payton Jerome received another assist from Curtis and fired a seeing-eye wrist shot through traffic from near the blue line that padded the Beavers' advantage to 7-0, ending Virostek's night.

The Flames finally got on the scoreboard, capitalizing on a power play with 7:23 left in the second period when Foltz jammed home a putback of junior defenseman Kevin Bite's shot from the right circle.

Barley beat sophomore backup goalie Nick Berstein with a power-play shot from the left circle that deflected off the leg of a Liberty defenseman and into the back of the net, stretching the Beavers' lead to 8-1, which stood as the final score.

"Nick Bernstein came in and played for half a game and did a great job for us," Handy said. "He came in a difficult situation, and he battled for us. Hat's off to him."

The Flames return to the LIC to face former ESCHL rival Delaware next Friday and Saturday, with the puck dropping at 7 p.m. both nights.

"We leave this group of four games we played against Minot a better team because we get an opportunity to see what needs to be improved early in the year," Handy said. "We love our team, we love our potential, and the future is bright. We've got to get back at it this week and be ready to go next weekend."

By Ted Allen/Staff Writer