DI Flames prepare to battle Arizona in long-awaited home clash

Friday, October 2

7:00 PM

Liberty University Club Sports

University of Arizona

Kal Essenmacher contends with FGCU player

Senior forward Kal Essenmacher (right) battles a Florida Gulf Coast University player for puck possession with pressure from graduate defenseman Nick Pomerleau (left) and junior forward Liam Cox-Smith on Sept. 18 at the LaHaye Ice Center. (Photo by Dawn Baker)

DI Flames prepare to battle Arizona in long-awaited home clash

10/1/2026 1:23:00 PM | Men's D1 Hockey

No. 7 Liberty, which is 13-2-1 against the No. 15 Wildcats all-time, is off to a 4-0 start after sweeping last weekend’s home-and-home series against NC State.

It's been 12 years since Liberty University's ACHA Division I men's hockey team has hosted the University of Arizona in the LaHaye Ice Center, splitting the home series before sweeping the Wildcats three weeks later, Oct. 24-25, 2014, in Tucson, Ariz.

"We're just ready to go," said Assistant Coach Ben Hughes, who was a freshman defenseman for the Flames the last time the Wildcats visited the LIC. "They're a great team, a nationals contender team as we are. We had a great week of practice, and we're excited to play them here."
Arizona erased a 5-2 third-period deficit with four power-play goals before winning 7-6 in a shootout on Oct. 4, 2014, salvaging a series split before the Flames stunned the Wildcats by completing their first sweep that season at the Tucson Convention Center on Oct. 25, 2014, when then-freshman forward Luke Hannon won a faceoff in the defensive end and netted the game winner off a fast-break assist from then-senior forward and alternate captain Lindsay LeBlanc.

"We're pumped to play them again," Flames senior forward Kal Essenmacher said, noting the Wildcats feature a completely different lineup but are still a dangerous team this year. "They've got a bunch of really good skill players, and they're going to be a good test for Division I. If we don't play our game, they can for sure make us pay. We're going to need to stick to a full 60 minutes of playing a complete game."

Essenmacher scored critical goals in Liberty's last two home games. He pulled the Flames back within 4-3 with the first of four unanswered goals in the third period of a 6-4 win over Florida Gulf Coast University on Sept. 18 before netting the early equalizer in an 8-4 triumph that completed a home-and-home sweep of North Carolina State University last Saturday night.

"They're physical and they can shoot the puck well," Essenmacher said. "It's going to be fun to play them, for sure, and a fun game to watch."

Scouting Preview, Games 5-6: No. 15 Arizona at No. 7 Liberty (4-0), Friday at 7 p.m., Saturday at 7 p.m. at the LaHaye Ice Center. Both games will be streamed live on ESPN+. Saturday's contest will be a Pink the Rink Night in support of breast cancer awareness and prevention. That will also be the first night in the inaugural Hall Cup, with teams from various residence halls around campus competing head-to-head in fun games held on the ice during intermission with a prize pack awarded to the winning dorm teams at season's end.

All-time Series: Liberty leads 13-2-1, including a 7-2 triumph to start the 2019 ACHA DI National Championships in Texas and a 3-1 win in its third and final game of the Maryville (Mo.) University Showcase last November.

Liberty Scouting Report: Of the Flames top five scorers, two are defensemen — senior Mason Smith (3 goals, 2 game-winning goals, 3 assists), who shifted back from forward this season, and sophomore Shane Burns (5A). Sophomore forward Tanner Hunt (2G, 6A) tops Liberty's leaderboard followed by graduate forward Ryan Finch (4G, 2A), and senior forward and alternate captain Luke Munroe (1G, 4A). Five more Flames are tied with four points apiece — Essenmacher (3G, 1A), senior forward and alternate captain Mac Ratzlaff (3G, 1A), junior forward Liam Cox-Smith (2G, 2A), graduate forward and alternate captain Tucker Shields (1G, 3A), and graduate defenseman Nick Pomerleau (4A).
Senior forward Michael DeBrito, who finished in a three-way tie atop the Flames' points leaders last season with Finch and Munroe, is likely to be sidelined by injury for a third weekend in a row.

In goal, the Flames have platooned freshman Austin Caley (2-0, 0.50 goals-against average, 96.2 save percentage, 1 shutout) and junior Joe Kuchaslo (2-0, 4.00 GAA, 84.9 SP), a transfer from No. 9 Drury (Mo.) University.

Arizona Scouting Report: The Wildcats lost their season opener last Thursday, 4-3 in overtime at Grand Canyon University. They advanced to the ACHA National Championships last March near St. Louis, where they were seeded No. 15 and defeated Stony Brook, 4-0, before being eliminated by eventual national champion Ohio, 5-4. Arizona brought in eight recruits this season and defenseman Shea Berry netted one of its three goals in the loss to Grand Canyon, which overcame a 3-1 deficit after the second period by scoring two unanswered goals in the third before winning in a shootout.

In goal, Hayden Gould (0-1, 2.77 GAA, 88.0 SP) took the loss against the Antelopes despite making 22 saves and giving up only three goals in 65 minutes of play. He stopped the first four shots he faced in the shootout before giving up the game-winning goal to Jack Edwards.

Coaches: Kirk Handy has a career record of 585-240-39 since taking the helm of the Flames in 2000. He has led Liberty to four Final Four appearances since the program was elevated to the ACHA Division I level in 2006-07 and is seven wins away from surpassing former Lady Flames NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Head Coach Carey Green (591-240) as Liberty's all-time winningest coach at any level. Chad Berman, who was in his rookie year at the helm the last time the Wildcats visited Lynchburg, Va., is now in his 12th season as head coach at Arizona and has posted a 188-140-21 career mark.

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