Hockey players begin travels to Romania on Easter Sunday, to compete in World Cup
4/8/2023 11:20:28 PM | Men's D1 Hockey
Six members of Liberty University’s ACHA Division I men’s hockey team will leave on Sunday on the first leg of their trip to the 2023 World Cup of University Hockey set for April 14-19 at the Felcsíki Ice Skating Rink in Câr?a, Romania.
“It’s been something we’ve been looking forward to since the team was named in the middle of the year, but now that it’s the last couple days before we leave, it’s more real now, like, ‘Wow, we’re actually going to Romania,’” said Flames senior forward Matt Bartel, who was named Liberty’s head captain for the 2023-24 season earlier this week. “It’s pretty exciting. We’ve had a couple of zoom calls with the team that’s going over to build team culture and it’s made us really excited to get over there.”
Bartel along with junior forwards Jacob Kalandyk and Jason Foltz, graduate defenseman Colin Baird, and freshman defenseman Laz Kaebel will make up the largest contingent from one school representing Team USA. They will have time to get to know their teammates during a practice session in Albany, N.Y., before flying out of JFK International in New York City on to Romania.
“We want to be showing those guys some love and showing them how we are different, just being a kind of light to them in a dark world,” Bartel said.
In February, Liberty sent an LU Serve Now team to Bucharest, Romania, to serve refugees from Ukraine who fled there during last year’s Russian invasion.
Senior goalie Hunter Virostek, meanwhile, will travel separately and join the Team Canada squad as the lone Liberty representative. Senior forward Brett Gammer was selected to play for that team but will miss the trip after a lower-body injury sustained while blocking a shot during the March 20 ACHA Division I semifinal loss to Minot State.
Team USA will be in the same pool as Hungary, Slovakia, and Sweden, while Canada will play against Romania, Czech Republic, and Poland. All games from the tournament will be streamed live.
“I’m praying specifically for these guys that they would use the opportunity and the platform that God’s given them to go out and make a difference for Him,” Flames Head Coach Kirk Handy said. “I know it’s going to be hard, harder for Hunter because he’ll be on his own, but those guys are all going to be there together and so I’m excited to see what God’s going to do.”
Liberty's players will return to Lynchburg on April 20 after playing at least three games with their respective teams, with potential for more in the championship playoffs.
By Ted Allen/Staff Writer
