Flames carry momentum from OT win at Adrian into home series with Saints

After bouncing back from being shut out for the first time in 50 games in the opener to split its fifth consecutive series against reigning national champion Adrian College, 4-3 in overtime on its Fall Break trip to Michigan, Liberty University's ACHA Division I men's hockey team returns home to face another team it has split recent series with: Maryville University.

Last season, in the opener of their top-10 showdown at the LIC, graduate forward Jackson Vercellono netted the equalizer and assisted Truett Olson's go-ahead goal before fellow senior forward and alternate captain Jacob Kalandyk converted the game winner in a 3-2 shootout win. Junior goalie Nicholas Bernstein shut out the Saints in the five-minute overtime and shootout.

However, after battling back from 1-0 and 2-1 deficits in the rematch, the Flames lost on a point shot through traffic with six seconds remaining in regulation for a 3-2 setback.

"Maryville's going to be a good team," said freshman forward Kal Essenmacher, who was nicknamed Caliente (which means hot in Spanish) by Flames Central co-anchor Rett McGibbon on his weekly segment, "Warm, Hot, En Fuego" after he netted a hat trick in his second game in a Flames jersey at Pittsburgh. "We need to start with intensity and stay strong … to keep that positive energy and winning mentality the whole game. We can't play just one or two periods. It needs to be a full 60 minutes of Liberty Hockey against them."

Vercellono delivered the game winner for the Flames in this past Friday night's rematch with the top-ranked Bulldogs.

Jackson-Vercellono-Liberty-cele — Jackson Vercellono helped force OT against Maryville last year and beat Adrian in OT.

"Jackson Vercellono played unreal," Essenmacher said. "He was so energetic on the bench, just ready to get another one. We really need that from the whole team, and we had it that second game."

He said the battle against the Bulldogs, who won their third Murdoch Cup in six national championships last March near St. Louis after eliminating Liberty in the quarterfinals, 4-2, prepared the Flames well for this weekend's series against the Saints, who are again ranked in the top 10 in the nation.

"They were definitely a good team," Essenmacher said of Adrian. "It was a really good test for us. The first game was just two heavy teams clashing in a (1-0 defensive duel). They're hard and heavy and they play the right way. That second game we really showed how we can play and what we can do as Liberty Hockey."

In order for the Flames to sweep this weekend's series against Maryville, they will need to stay disciplined and utilize their depth on attack.

"Just play the same game we played that second game at Adrian, just use our speed and all of our strengths, keep that same mentality and just bring a full 60 minutes," Essenmacher said. "We are a momentum team, so if we start out with good momentum, we'll keep it the whole game. If we can compete the full time, it will give us some good outcomes."

Scouting Preview for Games 9-10: No. 9 Maryville (5-2-1) at No. 6 Liberty (6-2), Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. at the LaHaye Ice Center. Both games will be streamed live on ESPN+. Saturday's opener will be Country Night before Saturday's rematch, sponsored by Impact First Responders, will honor Hometown Heroes.

All-time series: Liberty leads 3-2, splitting home series last October and in December 2022 after dominating their national championships opener in 2021, 9-0.

Liberty Scouting Report: While the Flames have experienced their share of injuries this season, returning junior defensemen Laz Kaebel, Kevin Bite, and Grant Morton in recent weeks before losing sophomore forward Ryan Finch in the series at Adrian, their 10-man recruiting class has provided the depth they've needed on attack.

"We're strong everywhere — offense, defense, goaltending," Essenmacher said. "I feel like if we play our full game, everything is on fire and everything is 100 percent."

Offensively, Liberty has outscored opponents 42-14 this season led by freshman forward Michael DeBrito (6 goals, including 3 on the power play, 4 assists) as well as junior forward and head captain Sam Feamster (5G, 4A) and junior defenseman Nick Pomerleau (9A). They are followed closely by freshman forward Mac Ratzlaff (4G, 4A), Vercellono (4G, 3A), and freshman forwards Liam Cox-Smith (3G, 4A) and Essenmacher (4G, 2A).

In goal, sophomore Konrad Kausch (3-1, 1.25 goals-against average, 95.7 save percentage, 1 shutout) has platooned with junior fellow NCAA DIII transfer Bernstein (2-1, 2.21 GAA, 93.6 SP, 1 SO).

Liberty goalie Nicholas Bernstein vs. Maryville — Junior goalie Nicholas Bernstein shut Maryville out in a shootout for a 3-2 victory in the first game of last season's series in October.

Maryville Scouting Report: The Saints, who are coming off their first two setbacks of the season at home against No. 4 Ohio by 4-0 and 4-2 scores, are paced on attack by Maxwell Wagener (5G, 8A) with Hunter Floris leading the team with two game-winning goals.

Between the pipes, Maryville has rotated three goalies, with Lucas Bain (2-2, 3.25 GAA, 87.9 SP, 1 SO) logging the most minutes. He is backed up by Kyle McNair (2-0, 1.00 GAA, 90.5 SP, 1 SO) and Parker Sawka (1-0-1, 2.97 GAA, 88.9 SP).

Coaches: Kirk Handy is in his 25th season as head coach for the Flames and has a career record of 546-223-33 behind the bench. John Hogan is the founding head coach for the Saints after starting the program at the DII level in 2018-19 and moving up to DI for the past four seasons, for a combined 109-76-10 mark. He also serves as Director of Hockey, overseeing the day-to-day operations for Maryville's five programs (DI, DII, DII men; DI, DII women) as Handy does for Liberty as Club Sports Athletic Director.

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

Flames carry momentum from OT win at Adrian into home series with Saints

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Nicholas Bernstein

Kevin Bite

Liam Cox-Smith

Kal Essenmacher

Ryan Finch

Jacob Kalandyk

Konrad Kausch

Grant Morton

Truett Olson

Mac Ratzlaff

Jackson Vercellono

Flames carry momentum from OT win at Adrian into home series with Saints

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Nicholas Bernstein

Kevin Bite

Liam Cox-Smith

Kal Essenmacher

Ryan Finch

Jacob Kalandyk

Konrad Kausch

Grant Morton

Truett Olson

Mac Ratzlaff

Jackson Vercellono

Related Videos