DII Flames open season with lopsided sweep of Blue Hens on home ice

Thursday, September 12

Lynchburg, VA

9:30 PM

Liberty University Club Sports

University of Delaware

DII men's hockey freshman forward Anthony Emme controls the puck in front of two Delaware defensemen in Friday afternoon's rematch at the LaHaye Ice Center. (Photos by Ryan Anderson)

DII Flames open season with lopsided sweep of Blue Hens on home ice

9/16/2024 2:10:00 PM | Men's D2 Hockey

Liberty showcased its talent-loaded lineup by outdueling Delaware in a battle of former MACH foes, setting the stage for a showdown with independent rival FGCU this weekend at the LIC.

Gallery: (9-16-2024) DII men's hockey Delaware

In a decisive sweep of former MACH rival Delaware, Liberty University's ACHA Division II men's hockey team, now an independent program, set the tone for the season by outshooting the Blue Hens, 61-9, in an 8-1 opener on Thursday night at the LaHaye Ice Center.

The Flames completed the sweep of Delaware, which now competes in the ACCHL Premier division, by scoring four goals in the first period of a 5-0 shutout on Friday afternoon. Liberty outshot the Blue Hens, 60-24, with sophomore goalie Christian Sehlke recording his first career shutout.

Liberty was successful on three of its five power play opportunities in Thursday's opener, getting one goal with a man advantage in each period. Junior forward Mark Padgett started the scoring with 15:04 remaining in the first period, finishing a cross-crease assist from Thomas Kayner — who assisted all three goals in the stanza — from point-blank range near the right post.

Just over two minutes later, junior forward Antonio Vidal doubled the lead by netting the Flames' first power-play goal off a tic-tac-toe pass sequence from Kayner to graduate defenseman Dylan Kent to Vidal for a one-time shot in the left circle, beating Delaware goalie Joseph Hooper. Senior forward Jared Matley extended Liberty's lead to 3-0 at the 10:25 mark with a shot from the high slot deflected in by Kayner and Padgett in the crease.

Junior forward Josh Martin added a second power-play goal to start the second-period scoring, finishing feeds from junior defenseman Connor Diem and freshman forward Anthony Emme, before freshman forward Aiden Hannegan stretched the advantage to 5-0 with his first goal as a Flame, off assists from senior forwards Corey Owens and Luke Tucker.

Then in the third, Delaware freshman forward Owen McManus ended senior goalie Lane Skon's shutout bid with a point-blank finish off a loose puck with 15:22 remaining in regulation before Liberty added three insurance goals by Padgett, Matley on a power play, and Owens in a span of just over six minutes.

In Friday's rematch, the Flames put 20 shots on goal in each period, scoring on four of them in the first — by Martin, Kayner, head captain Josh Harrell assisted by fellow senior forward Roman Lamoureux, and Emme, set up by graduate forward Cooper Neal.

Kayner added his second score of the game, putting away passes from Matley and sophomore defenseman Cade Pawluk on a power play, with 20 seconds to play in the second period before the teams skated to a scoreless third as Hooper finished with 55 saves.

Liberty (2-0) will face a much more difficult test this weekend in Florida Gulf Coast University, Saturday at 1 p.m. and Sunday at 10:30 a.m. back at the LIC after the Eagles, an independent program and perennial DII national championship contender, challenge the Flames' DI squad on Friday at 7 p.m.

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