DII men overwhelm Rowan in shots, but allow Profs to salvage series split

Friday, September 29

Lynchburg, VA

7:30 PM

Liberty University Club Sports

Rowan University

Flames junior center Roman Lamoureux controls the puck behind sophomore linemate Thomas Kayner in a Sept. 22 game against Delaware at the LaHaye Ice Center. (Photo by Chase Gyles)

DII men overwhelm Rowan in shots, but allow Profs to salvage series split

10/3/2023 2:15:00 PM | Men's D2 Hockey

Liberty outshot its former MACH rival by a 146-55 count on Friday and Saturday at the LaHaye Ice Center.

Despite outshooting former MACH rival Rowan University by a 75-27 margin in Saturday's rematch at the LaHaye Ice Center, Liberty University's ACHA Division II men's hockey team could not complete the series sweep, allowing the Profs (2-2) to salvage a split with a 4-3 upset in overtime.

The Flames (3-1), who outshot Rowan, 71-28, in an 8-1 opening rout on Friday night, rallied to tie Saturday's rematch at 3-3 with the only goal of the third period before allowing Profs forward Matthew Klinewski to sneak the game-winner past Liberty junior goalie Lane Skon midway through the sudden-death overtime period.

Freshman forward Aaron Higgins gave the Flames a 1-0 lead by capitalizing in the final four seconds of a power play with a shot from the right circle off a cross-ice assist from senior defenseman Rece Poulin with 6:34 remaining in the first period.

But the Profs struck back to tie the contest just 59 seconds later on Hunter White's wide-open shot in the right crease on a beautiful back-door pass out of the left corner from defenseman Mike Frattaroli. The Profs seized a 2-1 lead on Frattaroli's top-shelf wristshot from the left circle on a power play with 2:41 left in the period. Then in the second, they stretched it to 3-1 by putting away another score with three seconds remaining in the man advantage.

Liberty trimmed the deficit to 3-2 with 11:11 left in the second period when senior wing David Hauke received a pass from junior wing Eric Abbate and skated through the right circle before threading a sharp-angled shot into the top-right corner of the cage past Profs goalie Matt Lynch.

With 8:14 remaining in regulation, junior forward Roman Lamoureux finished the equalizer through the five hole after receiving a spectacular behind-the-back pass in the left circle from senior defenseman Daniel Hauke as he skated down the slot.

But with the teams skating 3-on-3 in the overtime period, Rowan capitalized on a 2-on-1 off a counterattack, with JT Zangara circling the cage before setting up Klinewski's open shot in the right crease.

In the opener, the Flames racked up four goals in the first period — the fourth scored shorthanded by Lamoureux — before adding one in the second and three more in the third, when Rowan scored its only goal to end Skon's shutout bid.

Sophomore forward Richard Indermill scored twice and senior forward Cooper Neal, sophomore defenseman Logan Johnson, Lamoureux, sophomore forward Antonio Vidal, junior center Joshua Sherwood, and junior forward Jared Matley each tallied one goal in the lopsided win.

Liberty is gearing up for a huge home-and-home showdown with Southeast Region rival North Carolina State this Thursday at 9 p.m. in Raleigh, N.C., and Friday at 10:15 p.m. at the LIC.

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