Flames defenseman Nick Pomerleau skates the puck up ice on transition against Maryville at the LaHaye Ice Center. (Photos by Jacob Summersgill)
DI Flames give up game-winning goal in final six seconds, let Saints salvage series split
10/21/2023 11:20:00 PM | Men's D1 Hockey
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Liberty battled back from 1-0 and 2-1 deficits and narrowly missed taking Maryville to overtime for the second night in a row.
Seconds from extending Saturday's rematch with No. 9 Maryville (Mo.) University to overtime for the second straight night, Liberty University's fourth-ranked ACHA Division I men's hockey team gave up the game winner on a point shot through traffic, allowing the Saints (6-4-1) to split the series by dealing the Flames a 3-2 setback at the LaHaye Ice Center.
"We went into the weekend knowing they would be good," Liberty Associate Head Coach Jeff Boettger said. "We didn't overlook them at all. It's always fun to play great teams because you get a good game. We were right there and that's what you want. You want that opportunity every night where you get one shot and you score and you win the game. Tonight was their night, not our night." Flames senior forward Brett Gammer contests a Maryville player for a puck on Friday.
The Flames (5-5-1) were playing without sophomore defenseman Laz Kaebel and lost senior forward Brett Gammer after he took a hard hit in the first period. They outshot Maryville by a 31-21 margin but for the second night in a row managed only two goals in regulation.
"The key for us was at points trying to get the puck to the net and having two guys there to get the rebounds," Boettger said. "(Freshman forward Ryan) Finch rang a shot off the post and (senior forward Jason) Foltz could have had a five-hole goal and hit the crossbar once tonight, so it could have gone either way."
Liberty couldn't capitalize on back-to-back power plays that spanned the end of the first period and start of the second, though it had its chances. Junior forward Jacob Kalandyk put a quality shot on net from the point that Maryville goalie Kyle McNair squeezed with his pads and Finch made a sensational skate through the slot before being tripped up and still managing to get a diving shot off that McNair saved near the left post, which he kicked off its moorings.
Seconds after killing the power play, the Saints capitalized on a counterattack when Campbell McLean skated through the slot and sent a pass across to Hunter Floris who threaded his short-side shot past Flames goalie Nicholas Bernstein's blocker inside the left post for a 1-0 advantage with 16:08 left in the second period.
Liberty retaliated on a quick fast break to tie the game with 7:15 left in the second period when sophomore forward Sam Feamster recovered sophomore defenseman Colten Kovich's pass banked off the back boards near the right end line and ricocheted a sharp-angled shot off McNair's skate into the back of the net.
The Saints had three chances to score the go-ahead goal moments later after Bernstein stretched but couldn't glove defenseman Colt Corpse's shot from the top of the left circle and the puck rolled loose in front. But Bernstein blocked the ensuing putbacks and successive point shots by Corpse in a wild sequence with pucks flying on net from all directions.
"Nicholas (Bernstein) really battles, and he's calm and he does the job," Boettger said.
Timon Prexler put Maryville back on top by converting off a turnover in the Flames' defensive end, rattling a wrist shot from inside the right circle over Bernstein's shoulder off the top right corner of the cage and into the back of the net.
"Hockey's a game of mistakes and (the Saints) capitalized on one to make it 2-1, and then we just kept going, we kept pushing back, and I love that about our guys," Boettger said. "They always compete and they always keep thinking they can score and they can win. There's no quit in our locker room and everybody kept going … so that's fun to be a part of."
Moments after its power play expired, Liberty struck back with the equalizer when freshman forward Mason Smith slammed home the first goal of his Flames career, tying it at 2 with 12:45 to play. Smith was assisted by senior forward Truett Olson's backhanded pass through the crease after Olson received a feed along the backboards from graduate forward Jackson Vercellono (his team-high eighth assist).
However, with the teams skating 4-on-4 for the final 1:35, Maryville defenseman Brett Ursulak received a pass back from McLean out of the left corner and unleashing a shot from the top of the left circle that skidded through traffic and between the pads of Bernstein for the game winner with 6.3 seconds remaining in regulation.
"Right at the end we had an opportunity to work the boards and be on the D side and we lost that battle and they got it back to the point and got a good shot off," Boettger said. "They're scrappy and hard to play against. They're very well positioned. They play their systems very, very well, so that meant we had to be wise and smart in our positioning. At any point, you have to be ready."
The Flames return to the road for a series at Delaware next Friday and Saturday nights on Rust Arena's Olympic-sized ice in Newark, Del.
"In this league, if you're a top-15 team and one team shows up and the other doesn't have as good a game … anything can happen," Boettger said. "You always want to just be learning to play the way you would play at (ACHA DI) nationals night in and night out."
By Ted Allen/Staff Writer/Video by Patrick Strawn/Club Sports Director of Video & Media
