Flames ousted in OT again as Knights strike back on Star Wars Night

Saturday, January 18

Lynchburg, VA

7:00 PM

Liberty University Club Sports

Calvin University

Flames sophomore defenseman Nick Pomerleau controls the puck between two Calvin players. (Photos by Ryan Anderson)

Flames ousted in OT again as Knights strike back on Star Wars Night

1/18/2025 11:35:00 PM | Men's D1 Hockey

After winning its first two games in overtime this season, Liberty has now lost its past four to go beyond regulation, including two shootout losses at Niagara, which will visit the LaHaye Ice Center next weekend.

Gallery: (1-18-2025) DI men's hockey vs. Calvin Game 2

For the second night in a row, in a battle between Top 10 teams, Liberty University's No. 3-ranked ACHA Division I men's hockey team was plagued by late penalties and surrendered a two-goal lead in a sudden-death overtime setback, falling to No. 10 Calvin University, 7-6, in front of a Star Wars Night crowd at the LaHaye Ice Center.

In a contest that was tied five times, the Flames (14-5-4) allowed four power-play goals and were outshot 43-28, losing for the fourth consecutive time in games decided after regulation.

"We need to find a way to win those games in overtime," said Liberty senior forward and alternate captain Truett Olson, who netted a hat trick to account for half of the Flames' scoring on the night. "For our first games back in a couple weeks, we're a little rusty, but it's hard to win a game when you're playing shorthanded almost half the game."

Besides being without five key players representing Team USA in the FISU Winter World University Games in Italy, the Flames, sporting R2-D2 jerseys, were playing for the second night without their leading scorer, senior forward and head captain Sam Feamster, who was sidelined by an injury that occurred in practice last week.

"We can't really make that excuse," Olson said. "Our team's good enough that we should have won that game, 100 percent, but the penalties were tough. I'm proud of our guys for staying positive on the bench and coming back there at the end, but it always hurts to not come out with a win."

Seconds after the start of the Flames' second power-play opportunity of the night, they capitalized on senior forward and alternate captain Truett Olson's redirection of freshman defenseman Luke Anderson's shot from the high slot for a 1-0 Liberty lead. That shot was also tipped by graduate forward Jackson Vercellono, who saved the puck for Anderson as it was his first assist in a Flames jersey since transferring from Bethel (Minn.) University at the start of the spring semester.

With 6:52 to play in the first period, the Knights (19-3-1) struck back as Hayden Zimmerman finished a fast break by lifting a left-handed wrist shot into the upper netting from deep in the left circle.

Flames freshman forward Kal Essenmacher started an action-packed second period with a go-ahead goal from a sharp angle in the right circle past Calvin keeper Adam Yost off assists from freshman defenseman Joe Feamster and senior defenseman Nate Cox at the 18:33 mark before Krzysztof Petryla's fast-break putback in the left crease on a Knights power play tied it at 2 just 3:01 later.

Freshman forward Liam Cox-Smith answered with 14:41 to play in the period on a backhanded putback in front after a fast-break shot by Hayden DeMars, lifting Liberty to a 3-2 lead.

Anderson added his first goal for the Flames moments later, doubling the Flames' advantage to 4-2 by finishing Cox's feed in front off a secondary assist from freshman forward Mac Ratzlaff.

However, Calvin's Tony Eaton trimmed the deficit to 4-3 with 8:43 left in the second, punching in a fast-break putback in the left crease after an initial shot by Joel Dieleman.

With the teams skating 4-on-4, Calvin had an apparent tying score off a restart denied with 3.9 seconds to go in the second period when it was ruled the Knights' player kicked the puck across the goal line after a quick odd-man rush.

After an original Star Wars video produced by Liberty's Marketing Department featuring cameos by Flames Head Coach Kirk Handy and Liberty President Dondi Costin, the Knights played the spoiler role for a second straight night, knotting the contest at 4 at the 18:51 mark when Joel Fonovic put away a pass from leading scorer Steven Ickes from point-blank range past Liberty junior goalie Nicholas Bernstein.

Then, with 14:51 remaining in regulation, Ickes' one-timer in the left circle off assists from Petryla and Nick Justice on another Calvin power play gave the Knights their first lead at 5-4.

Olson answered with a shorthanded goal — the Flames' third in two games — with 10:36 left after taking an outlet assist from freshman forward Tucker Shields, tying the game for the fourth time.

After surviving a 5-on-3 power play for nearly a minute, Liberty's penalty kill was victimized on a 5-on-4 for the third time on the night with 1:29 remaining in regulation when Eaton netted his second goal of the game, finishing assists from Ickes and Justice to lift Calvin to a 6-5 lead.

"Honestly, we had some tough calls there and we were kind of battling against the refs both games," Olson said. "But we've got to find a way to battle through that and not blame it on that and just bear down on our special teams."

Liberty pulled Bernstein for the final minute of regulation and Olson completed his hat trick 47.9 seconds left, jamming home a backhanded equalizer off fast-break assists from Anderson and Ratzlaff.

"Luke had a great pass to me," Olson said. "He had a great first weekend. Super proud of him. He played great. He's a good addition to the team."

Olson nearly netted his fourth score but had his last-second shot in the slot for a potential game winner blocked by Yost.

"I think it honestly hit the post, so that was pretty tough there, but bounces go your way and sometimes they don't," Olson said. "Obviously, we could have ended it there, but an inch off and you don't end it. It is what it is."

The Flames maintained pressure for much of the first two minutes of the 3-on-3 overtime period before Eaton completed his hat trick with a sudden-death backhand through the slot at the 2:53 mark, just as Ickes had done on Friday night.

In order for the Flames to exact a measure of revenge in next weekend's series against Niagara — which swept Liberty in back-to-back shootouts last semester in New York — they will have to stay out of the penalty box and execute offensively at even strength.

"We took steps forward," Olson said. "We just have to forget this weekend, learn from it moving forward, knowing we've got tough games this weekend. Niagara's a good team. We have a little bit of a chip on our shoulders and we want to take two from them. We've just got to have a great week of practice, stay positive, keep working hard, lifting each other up and just fine-tune some of the little things that we need to continue to work on."

Having their teammates back from Italy should give the Flames an added boost, if they are in any condition to play. Following their return flights, they must adjust to the six-hour time difference before Friday's third and final Midnight Mayhem matchup of the season.

"It's going to be great to have them back," Olson said. "We miss them a lot, but I'm glad that they got that opportunity to go over to Italy. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

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