Liberty University Club Sports Athletics
Friday, October 30
7:00 PM
Liberty University Club Sports
vs
Virginia Tech
10/28/2026 4:35:00 PM | Men's D1 Hockey
Liberty looks to snap its three-game losing streak and improve to 5-0 all-time against Virginia Tech, Friday night at the LaHaye Ice Center.
For its Homecoming Weekend showdown with Virginia Tech on Friday night in the LaHaye Ice Center, Liberty University's ACHA Division I men's hockey team will sport retro jerseys featuring logos from the 1970s, when both the university and its men's hockey program were founded.
The Flames slipped one spot to No. 6 in this week's national rankings after being swept on their home ice in last weekend's first-ever matchups with Drury (Mo.) University, which moved up two places to No. 5. The Panthers and Flames are two of four independent programs in the top six along with No. 1 Ohio, the reigning five-time national champion, and No. 4 Minot State, which won titles in 2013, 2019, and 2023.
In practices this week, Liberty has worked on fine-tuning its systems and streamlining its transition game, which struggled at times against the Panthers.
"The effort was there (but) the turnovers we had were ending up in the back of our net, and those are correctable," Flames Head Coach Kirk Handy said. "We just need to simplify (our breakouts) and be better on them. Going through the neutral zone, we would like to see that be a whole lot smoother. We were trying to overhandle the puck and to make some moves and plays in the middle of the ice that weren't there instead of just chipping it off the boards, getting it out of the neutral zone, and going to get it. That is a better option."
Liberty should have plenty of opportunities to execute its fast-break attack, capitalize on its scoring chances, and snap its three-game skid in Friday's showdown with Virginia Tech. The Hokies are the second ACHA Division II opponent on Liberty's schedule following its 6-4 home triumph over reigning national champion Florida Gulf Coast University on Sept. 18.
Scouting Preview, Game 12: Virginia Tech (7-6) at No. 6 Liberty (8-3), Friday at 7 p.m. in the LaHaye Ice Center. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+. Limited supplies of general admission and reserved tickets are available online.
All-time Series: The Flames lead 4-0, after hosting Virginia Tech in successive mid-season early-December or mid-January matchups from 2013-16. This fall, Liberty's DII team swept the Hokies in a home-and-home series on Sept. 28-29 and will face them in another at the LIC on Nov. 13 and at the Lancerlot Sports Complex in Vinton, Va. — where the Flames played their home games before building the LIC in 2006 — on Nov. 14.
Liberty Scouting Report: Two defensemen — graduate alternate captain Nick Pomerleau (3 goals, 12 assists) and senior Mason Smith (4G, 8A) are still among Liberty's scoring leaders, with junior Zach Nicolas (5G, 7A), a transfer from NCAA Division I Stonehill (Mass.) College, moving into a tie for second with Smith, followed closely by senior center Kal Essenmacher (7G, 4A) and graduate right wing Ryan Finch (5G, 6A). Senior center and alternate captain Luke Munroe (3G, 6A) ranks sixth in scoring and is tied with Smith for the team lead with two game winners.
Between the pipes, freshman goalie Austin Caley (5-3, 1 shutout) saw his goals-against average nearly double from 1.17 to 2.13 and his save percentage dip from 94.7 to 91.0 after suffering back-to-back defeats against Drury. Jozef "Joe" Kuchaslo (3-0, 3.67 GAA, 85.9 SP) could start against Virginia Tech for the first time in seven games.
Virginia Tech Scouting Report: The Hokies have three double-digit scorers through their first nine games — forwards Michael McCabe (5G, 6A), Ethan Garlock (5G, 5A), and Kam Khazai (4G, 6A).
In net, Virginia Tech has platooned Wyatt Cleveland (2-2, 4.50 GAA, 85.5 SP) and Tucker Forrest (1-4, 4.35 GAA, 90.8 SP).
Coaches: Handy, in his 27th season as head coach, has a career record of 588-243-39 since taking the helm of the Flames in 2000, with the first six seasons at the ACHA Division II level. He has led Liberty to 10 consecutive ACHA DI National Championship appearances and four Final Four appearances in the 20 seasons since the program was elevated to the ACHA Division I level in 2006-07. Handy is three wins away from tying 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. Joey Mullen is in his 16th season at the helm for Virginia Tech, guiding it to the ACCHL Tournament Championship in 2023. He is the all-time winningest coach in ACCHL history, eclipsing the 200-win mark in December 2024 and reaching 230 with this past weekend's 4-1 and 8-4 sweep at High Point (N.C.) University.
By Ted Allen/Staff Writer
The Flames slipped one spot to No. 6 in this week's national rankings after being swept on their home ice in last weekend's first-ever matchups with Drury (Mo.) University, which moved up two places to No. 5. The Panthers and Flames are two of four independent programs in the top six along with No. 1 Ohio, the reigning five-time national champion, and No. 4 Minot State, which won titles in 2013, 2019, and 2023.
In practices this week, Liberty has worked on fine-tuning its systems and streamlining its transition game, which struggled at times against the Panthers.
"The effort was there (but) the turnovers we had were ending up in the back of our net, and those are correctable," Flames Head Coach Kirk Handy said. "We just need to simplify (our breakouts) and be better on them. Going through the neutral zone, we would like to see that be a whole lot smoother. We were trying to overhandle the puck and to make some moves and plays in the middle of the ice that weren't there instead of just chipping it off the boards, getting it out of the neutral zone, and going to get it. That is a better option."
Liberty should have plenty of opportunities to execute its fast-break attack, capitalize on its scoring chances, and snap its three-game skid in Friday's showdown with Virginia Tech. The Hokies are the second ACHA Division II opponent on Liberty's schedule following its 6-4 home triumph over reigning national champion Florida Gulf Coast University on Sept. 18.
Scouting Preview, Game 12: Virginia Tech (7-6) at No. 6 Liberty (8-3), Friday at 7 p.m. in the LaHaye Ice Center. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+. Limited supplies of general admission and reserved tickets are available online.
All-time Series: The Flames lead 4-0, after hosting Virginia Tech in successive mid-season early-December or mid-January matchups from 2013-16. This fall, Liberty's DII team swept the Hokies in a home-and-home series on Sept. 28-29 and will face them in another at the LIC on Nov. 13 and at the Lancerlot Sports Complex in Vinton, Va. — where the Flames played their home games before building the LIC in 2006 — on Nov. 14.
Liberty Scouting Report: Two defensemen — graduate alternate captain Nick Pomerleau (3 goals, 12 assists) and senior Mason Smith (4G, 8A) are still among Liberty's scoring leaders, with junior Zach Nicolas (5G, 7A), a transfer from NCAA Division I Stonehill (Mass.) College, moving into a tie for second with Smith, followed closely by senior center Kal Essenmacher (7G, 4A) and graduate right wing Ryan Finch (5G, 6A). Senior center and alternate captain Luke Munroe (3G, 6A) ranks sixth in scoring and is tied with Smith for the team lead with two game winners.
Between the pipes, freshman goalie Austin Caley (5-3, 1 shutout) saw his goals-against average nearly double from 1.17 to 2.13 and his save percentage dip from 94.7 to 91.0 after suffering back-to-back defeats against Drury. Jozef "Joe" Kuchaslo (3-0, 3.67 GAA, 85.9 SP) could start against Virginia Tech for the first time in seven games.
Virginia Tech Scouting Report: The Hokies have three double-digit scorers through their first nine games — forwards Michael McCabe (5G, 6A), Ethan Garlock (5G, 5A), and Kam Khazai (4G, 6A).
In net, Virginia Tech has platooned Wyatt Cleveland (2-2, 4.50 GAA, 85.5 SP) and Tucker Forrest (1-4, 4.35 GAA, 90.8 SP).
Coaches: Handy, in his 27th season as head coach, has a career record of 588-243-39 since taking the helm of the Flames in 2000, with the first six seasons at the ACHA Division II level. He has led Liberty to 10 consecutive ACHA DI National Championship appearances and four Final Four appearances in the 20 seasons since the program was elevated to the ACHA Division I level in 2006-07. Handy is three wins away from tying 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. Joey Mullen is in his 16th season at the helm for Virginia Tech, guiding it to the ACCHL Tournament Championship in 2023. He is the all-time winningest coach in ACCHL history, eclipsing the 200-win mark in December 2024 and reaching 230 with this past weekend's 4-1 and 8-4 sweep at High Point (N.C.) University.
By Ted Allen/Staff Writer
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