Sophomore defenseman Michael Adamek controls the puck in front of Stony Brook's Hudson Dinapoli in a game last October at the LaHaye Ice Center. (Photos by Emily Cuthrell)
Flames deep-six Seawolves with three-goal third period
10/24/2025 11:23:00 PM | Men's D1 Hockey
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No. 5 Liberty executed offensively to gain separation from its former ESCHL rival, improving to 10-1.
Liberty University's No. 5-ranked ACHA Division I men's hockey team returned from its Fall Break refreshed, showing a resurgence of energy down the stretch in Friday night's 6-1 triumph over Stony Brook University at the LaHaye Ice Center.
The Flames (10-1) outshot the Seawolves (3-2-1) by a 46-23 margin and got a goal and three assists from Brad Barker and two goals and an assist from fellow sophomore linemate Kal Essenmacher, who netted the first and last goals of the final stanza.
"It was a good third period," Essenmacher said. "We'd kind of let up a little bit in the second, and our message was to get pucks on net and just finish the game strong and show them what we want to set the tone for (Saturday night's rematch). They're a good team, and they gave us a good battle tonight, but we just kind of bought in and were able to overpower them there in the third."
Sophomore forward Kal Essenmacher enjoyed a breakout game against the Seawolves.
Liberty capitalized quickly on its first power-play opportunity when senior forward Michael DeBrito received a pass from junior Luke Munroe in the right circle and skated in with laser focus before lifting a wrist shot into the top netting for a 1-0 advantage at the 17:50 mark. He moved into the Flames' scoring lead outright with his sixth goal of the season to go with seven assists.
"Michael's been unreal this year," Essenmacher said. "I've been really happy to see his production. His mindset has been just 'work, work.' He had a really awesome summer, so it's really good to see those results pay off for him."
Sophomore forward Hayden DeMars had a couple quality scoring chances midway through the period, and senior forward Ryan Finch, the Flames' second-leading scorer, had a golden opportunity on a breakaway down the slot blocked by Stony Brook goalie Steven Reganato.
Graduate defenseman Nate Cox, called up from the Division II squad due to injuries, assisted Liberty's second goal with a shot from the point that was deflected by Essenmacher through traffic before Barker pocketed the putback into the top-right corner of the net for a 2-0 lead with 7:16 left in the period.
"Cox is unbelievable, and it was such a blessing to have him come and play with us," Essenmacher said of the four-year DI veteran. Sophomore defenseman Nick Pomerleau set up a shorthanded breakout goal by Mac Ratzlaff.
The Flames killed off a roughing penalty against sophomore defenseman Michael Adamek midway through the second period — but not before adding to their lead with a shorthanded goal. Junior defenseman Nick Pomerleau sent an amazing outlet pass from along the left boards deep in his own zone up to sophomore forward Mac Ratzlaff, who skated onto the puck and swooped through the left circle before sneaking a shot past Reganato through the five-hole, extending Liberty's lead to 3-0 with 12:45 to play in the period.
After senior goalie Nick Bernstein (22 saves) made a series of stellar stops in the second period, the Seawolves ended his shutout bid when Peter Labos ripped a driving shot from the left circle into the top-left corner off an assist from Jackson Haskins at the 9:09 mark, trimming the deficit to 3-1.
"We kind of knew if we were going to finish the game strong, we needed to go out there and have a good first shift," Essenmacher said. "Our line out there at the start of the third period gave us good momentum, and we kind of carried that the whole rest of the period."
Essenmacher stretched the edge to 4-1 on the first of his two fast-break finishes in the third period, receiving assists from Barker and DeBrito and skating across the slot before unleashing a slingshot into the top-left corner of the cage with 15:54 to go.
Sophomore defenseman Michael Adamek padded the advantage to 5-1 with a rocket of a slapshot from outside the right circle off assists from senior defenseman Connor Diem and DeBrito with 12:38 remaining in regulation.
Graduate defenseman Nate Cox, a four-year DI veteran, was called up from the DII squad.
Then at the 10:56 mark, Essenmacher took feeds from Barker and Cox and turned on the jets, accelerating up the left wing before cutting across the crease and wrapping his second goal around Reganato into an open net.
"Brad (Barker) and (junior forward) Mason Smith had unreal games," Essenmacher said. "I really enjoy being linemates with them. They're very consistent, just very honest players. I wouldn't have scored without them, and I'm just so glad to be with them."
In the final minutes of regulation, Finch narrowly missed converting a wraparound before Diem had his point-blank shot in the left crease blocked by Reganato, and senior forward and head captain Sam Feamster's one-timed shot from the left circle was ruled to have ripped into the back of the net a split second after the final buzzer sounded.
Friday was "Champion Night" at the LIC and Club Sports recognized some of the program's reigning national champions in their respective sports with red-carpet treatment on the ice during the first intermission. Those honored were Lady Flames U.S. Figure Skating Collegiate national champion Ava Basler; the CCS men's swimming 800-yard freestyle relay team of Trent Kolter, Thomas Hill, Xander Williams, and Whittman Brown; the ACRA rowing Novice 4 team of Annalise Benjamin, Mary Bailey, Liza Perdew, Rebecca Couric, and Grace Cornell; Collegiate Disc Golf women's Division I tandem of Cami Burdick and Grace Wilson; NCWA men's wrestling 133-pound national champion Matox Allen; and NCTA taekwondo national champions Ricardo Huezo (men's yellow belt) and Julie Eesley (women's red belt).
Saturday's rematch will be the program's first "NASCAR Night." It will serve the dual purpose of promoting the Flames on the ice and Sunday's final Round of Eight playoff race at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, where Liberty-sponsored driver William Byron will try to advance to his third consecutive Championship Four in Phoenix with a Top-10 finish.
"I'm excited for tomorrow night," said Essenmacher, who met Byron at a NASCAR race at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway last year. "I hope we can fire him up tomorrow and get him ready for (Sunday's) race. Tonight was a fast-paced game, and we need to come out fast again (on Saturday). We know (the Seawolves are) going to come into it as a completely different team, so we need to recognize that and … have that good start again because they're going to come in hungry. It's going to be pretty heavy energy, so we need to use that energy for good."
By Ted Allen/Staff Writer; Video edited by Patrick Strawn/Club Sports Director of Video & Media
