No. 5-ranked DIII Flames start spring semester on roll, stretch winning streak to six games

Friday, January 19

Lynchburg, VA

10:15 PM

Liberty University Club Sports

Christopher Newport University

Junior forward Luke Bessire leads a goal celebration line during the Jan. 20 game against Christopher Newport University at the LaHaye Ice Center. (Photos by Jacob Summersgill)

No. 5-ranked DIII Flames start spring semester on roll, stretch winning streak to six games

1/30/2024 4:52:00 PM | Men's D3 Hockey

Liberty, which competes in Division II of the AAU, outscored ACCHL rivals Christopher Newport University and College of Charleston by a 43-1 margin over four games

Michael-Kornek-Liberty-DIII-hockey — Flames sophomore forward Michael Kornek battles in a sea of Captains on Jan. 20 at the LaHaye Ice Center. (Photos by Jacob Summersgill)

Liberty University's AAU Division II men's hockey team has come out of the gates quickly to start the spring semester, staging dominant series sweeps of ACCHL rivals Christopher Newport University and the College of Charleston over the past two weekends at the LaHaye Ice Center.

The Flames (9-4, ranked fifth in the AAU and in third place in the ACCHL) defeated CNU (0-11) by scores of 13-0 and 11-0 on Jan. 20-21 before routing the Cougars 7-0 on Saturday and 12-1 on Sunday.

"It was a good weekend for sure," Liberty first-year Head Coach Josh Wagner said. "We play gritty hockey and get after it. We're starting to execute our systems and we're all bought into how we play and want to run our team. This past weekend, everybody played their role, played hard, and came out with a great result."

Wagner said the Flames have received excellent leadership from their captains — sophomore defenseman Connor Diem, senior wing Trevor Granzow, and freshman center AJ Beugen — who are making a monumental impact on and off the ice. In goal, Wagner has platooned freshman Hunter Chubb and senior Kyle Wesbury with similar results.

Liberty scored twice in the first period Saturday before adding four in the second and one in the third.

Senior defenseman Graham Wood scored first before sophomore forward Caleb Kovac, sophomore forward Michael Kornek, and senior forward Michael Williams each added single scores and Diem netted the last two. Chubb earned the shutout win in goal, making 24 saves (eight in each period).

On Sunday, the Flames netted four goals each in each period while holding the Cougars scoreless until midway through the third period when Charles Desmarais ended Wesbury's shutout bid.
Beugen and junior forward Luke Bessire both scored hat tricks in the second game and also got two goals from junior forward Kelly Stroik and Wood and single scores from senior forward Carson Desmarais and Williams.

The back-to-back sweeps to start off the new year sets Liberty up well for this weekend's showdown with High Point, the No. 1 team in the ACCHL and No. 3 team in the AAU, on Saturday at 9:45 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. at the LIC. The Flames will then travel to Coastal Carolina, which is currently in fifth place in the ACCHL, next weekend.

"High Point is the main one we're going against in our division, but Coastal is also a big-time competitor, right below us," Wagner said. "We need to keep playing our game, hard and gritty hockey. That is how we run our team, with a hard forecheck, and keep moving our feet."

The Flames will then return to the LIC for a regular-season-ending series against Appalachian State on Feb. 17-18 before traveling to the ACCHL Championships in Winston-Salem, N.C., from March 1-3 and the AAU National Championships in West Chester, Pa., from March 8-12.

"We're ready to go," Wagner said. "All cylinders are firing. We've got a great team and we will definitely compete with anybody."

By Ted Allen/Staff Writer; Video by Patrick Strawn/Club Sport Director of Video & Media