No. 4-ranked DI Flames to entertain No. 10 Utes in first-ever series showdown

Preparing to play a program for the first time — as Liberty University's No. 4-ranked ACHA Division I men's hockey team will do this weekend when it welcomes the No. 10 University of Utah to the LaHaye Ice Center on Friday and Saturday nights — is not much different for the Flames than when they strategize for a longtime rival, as they did before last week's sweep of Delaware.

"Liberty Hockey is a phenomenal program, and we demand excellence from ourselves," said Liberty sophomore center Tucker Shields, who is expected to return from an upper-body injury that kept him out of last weekend's series against the Blue Hens. "We have very good systems, and we have all bought into our systems and really trust in them and what we can do as a team, our team identity. We just lean on that. We don't lean on individual skill or talent — we rely on each other, and 20 guys get the job done."

He realizes the Utes will provide the best test yet for the Flames, whose first four wins came against West Chester (Pa.), an NCDC program, and two teams transitioning from the ACHA DII ranks this season — North Carolina State and the University of North Carolina.

"Utah has a very good team," Shields said. "We can't take them lightly as I know they're going to be very excited to come into our barn and play us hard. We know they're rolling pretty good, they have a very good roster, so we're looking forward to the challenge. Playing top teams is what we want to do as a program — not only play top teams but beat top teams."

He said Liberty Head Coach Kirk Handy and his staff designed the early-season schedule to give the Flames a chance to heat up and hit their stride on the ice before challenging opponents such as Utah.

"It kind of eased us into the season and now, we're really into the thick of it playing teams that are in the top 10 all the way through really until the end of our season," Shields said. "I think we have a great hockey team, very deep, a lot of talent. We can roll four lines, we can roll three D pairs. This group is really resilient. It's going to be nice to see how we conduct ourselves going into this stretch here."

He is especially eager to get back into the mix after sitting out the first Midnight Mayhem matchup of the semester and Saturday night's rematch against the Blue Hens.

"I'm good to go, fully recovered, 100 percent," Shields said, noting he is as psychologically and spiritually ready as he is physically. "That's one of the silver linings about an injury is you get to mentally reset in the game, get your hunger, get your fire back. Honestly, my fire never left, but it's intensified even more from sitting out a couple games and now I'm back, and I'm really hungry."

He may not have the opportunity to play with his usual line of junior right wing Hayden DeMars and sophomore left wing Liam Cox-Smith, the only line that returned intact from last season. DeMars is still recovering from a lower-body injury that kept him out of last weekend's action as well.

"Liam's playing very well and obviously, he's going to be rolling for us," Shields said. "He's had a very hot start to the season. He's so smart, he makes so many great plays, he works hard, and sees the ice really well.

"No matter what, we've got four phenomenal lines who can all put the puck in the back of the net and who can all defend very, very well," Shields said. "I'm confident with whatever we're going to do with the lines in terms of injuries keeping guys out. We're a phenomenal hockey team no matter who's where."

Scouting Preview, Games 7-8: No. 10 Utah University (2-0) at No. 4 Liberty (6-0), Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. in the LaHaye Ice Center in Lynchburg, Va. Both games will be streamed live on ESPN+. Saturday's game will feature a new theme in Rodeo Night, similar to past seasons' Country Nights but with more of a Western flavor including a video filmed at the Liberty Mountain Equestrian Center.

All-time series: First meeting.

Liberty Scouting Report: The Flames turned in their two most impressive wins to date back-to-back with their 7-1, 5-3 sweep of Delaware at the LIC, even with a quick turnaround following the series-opening Midnight Mayhem.

Senior forward Ryan Finch (4 goals, 3 assists) — who netted the insurance goal on a blocked shot and breakaway finish down the center of the ice with 2:39 remaining in a 5-3 Game 2 win over the Blue Hens — moved into the team scoring lead with his two goals over the weekend. He is followed closely by junior defenseman Nick Pomerleau (1G, 5A), senior forward Michael DeBrito (4G, 1A), and junior forward Luke Munroe (3G, 2A), with all four top scorers netting one game-winning goal.

Discipline may have been lacking on both sides in a chippy Midnight Mayhem series opener against Delaware, but both teams demonstrated more self-control in Saturday night's rematch. Liberty's top six scorers, including Cox-Smith (1G, 3A) and junior defenseman Luke Anderson (1G, 2A), have now combined for just six penalty minutes in the past five games.

Between the pipes, the Flames have successfully platooned junior Konrad Kausch (2-0, 0.48 goals-against average, 97.1 save percentage, 1 shutout) and senior Nick Bernstein (3-0, 2.00 GAA, 90.8 SP).

Utah Scouting Report: The Utes are coming off a 7-1, 1-0 season-opening sweep of Missouri State at the Salt Lake City Sports Complex. Utah spread out its scoring with three players totaling three points in the series — forwards Trevor Kruczek (2G, 1A) and Paul Waldhauser (1G, 2A) and defenseman Matthew Delaney (1G, 2A) — and nine others recording points.

In net, the Utes also platooned two goalies, with Joseph Greilich (1-0, 0.00 GAA, 1.000 SP, 1 SO) making 45 saves in the second-game shutout of the Bears after Garrett Fuller (1-0, 1.00 GAA, 96.7 SP) stopped 29 of 30 shots in the opener.

Coaches: Handy is in his 26th season as head coach of the Flames, sporting a career record of 567-228-38 and leading Liberty to three ACHA DI Final Four appearances in the past five seasons. Morgan Feenie, the WCHL Coach of the Year in 2023-24 now in his fifth season at the helm, has led Utah to back-to-back appearances in the ACHA DI National Championships and has posted a 67-34-11 record.

By Ted Allen/Staff Writer

No. 4-ranked DI Flames to entertain No. 10 Utes in first-ever series showdown

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Luke Anderson

Liam Cox-Smith

Hayden DeMars

Ryan Finch

Konrad Kausch

Luke Munroe

Tucker Shields