Flames ride special teams, three-goal third period to sweep of Saints

Saturday, February 7

Lynchburg, VA

4:00 PM

Liberty University Club Sports

Maryville University

Sophomore forward Kal Essenmacher netted the equalizer with his 11th goal of the season at the 9:19 mark of the third period to spark the come-from-behind victory and series sweep of Maryville, Saturday at the LaHaye Ice Center. (Photos by Ted Allen)

Flames ride special teams, three-goal third period to sweep of Saints

2/8/2026 12:14:00 AM | Men's D1 Hockey

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Sophomore forward Luke Munroe pulled Liberty within 3-2 at the end of the second period before netting the game winner off Ryan Finch’s assist.

Gallery: (2-8-2026) DI men's hockey vs. Maryville Game 2

Liberty University's No. 8-ranked ACHA Division I men's hockey team overcame a 3-1 deficit by capitalizing on two of its five power-play opportunities in the third period for a dramatic 5-3 victory that completed a sweep of No. 7 Maryville (Mo.) University, Saturday afternoon at the LaHaye Ice Center.

"Special teams were a huge factor for us tonight," Flames Head Coach Kirk Handy said, noting sophomore forward Mac Ratzlaff tied the game at 1 with a shorthanded score late in the first period and Liberty held the Saints scoreless on their three power plays. "Our (penalty kill)was awesome, and we worked hard to draw the penalties and get the power plays, especially in the third period."

In a game that featured 16 penalties, plenty of punishing body checks, and a few fisticuffs, Liberty (18-8-1) emerged victorious for the third straight time after a five-game losing skid.

"It was a physical game, but we weathered it well and we gave it right back to them," Flames sophomore defenseman Michael Adamek said. "I don't think we broke down. We enjoyed the physicality, and we stepped up. That's what hockey is about. It's better to give than to receive, as my dad always says."

Maryville (12-13-2) struck first on a quick counterattack, finished by assistant captain Chad McIlwain with a bar-down wrist shot from deep in the left circle for a 1-0 advantage at the 12:37 mark of the first period.

With 1:20 remaining in the period, and the Saints back on the power play, Ratzlaff received an outlet pass from sophomore defenseman Joe Feamster to spring a two-on-one break with Luke Munroe. Rather than passing the puck, Ratzlaff unleashed a howitzer of a wrist shot from the top of the right circle over a Maryville defenseman and past Saints goalie Parker Sawka just under the crossbar.

When freshman defenseman Shane Burns broke a skate and blew a tire on transition, the Saints capitalized for a one-on-one breakaway finish by Jack Henderson, who skated through an open slot and tucked the puck inside the left post for a 2-1 lead at the 12:27 mark.

Less than a minute later, after a great save by Sawka of a shot by junior forward Luke Munroe, the Saints expanded their advantage to 3-1 on a shot from the top of the left circle by Felix Turcotte that deflected off the stick of McIlwain as he skated down the slot inside the right post at the 11:21 mark.

With Liberty on a 6-on-5 after a delayed penalty, Munroe received feeds from senior forwards Aidan Carney and Ryan Finch and pulled the Flames within 3-2 by sneaking a sharp-angled shot from the left circle past Sawka at the 4:18 mark.

"Munroe scored on a beautiful bad-angled shot right up high off the goalie's mask and in to make it 3-2," Handy said. "We played better every period. We've got to figure out a way to start games better."

Liberty capitalized on its first power-play goal when Kal Essenmacher gathered the rebound of initial shots by fellow sophomore forwards Liam Cox-Smith and Tucker Shields and sent a turnaround shot in the left circle through traffic that sneaked past Sawka for the equalizer with 9:19 remaining in regulation.

Then, seconds after the Flames' third power play of the period expired, Finch drove on net through the left circle and plowed into Sawka before Munroe followed up his own shot as he cut through the crease for the game winner at the 5:22 mark.

"This weekend, we were definitely better than in previous games in capitalizing on opportunities," Adamek said. "They did a great job compacting in their D zone, so the perimeter shots were not as frequent as we'd like, but we did a good job penetrating their D-zone coverage swarming the goalie and getting the puck in the net."

Flames junior goalie Konrad Kausch was called for a delay of game for accidentally knocking the cage over as he returned to the net from the back boards. But he withstood the pressure on the resulting power play.

After Pomerleau was ejected for fighting at center ice in defense of Essenmacher, who got hit against the boards, the Flames put the sweep on ice by capitalizing on their fifth power play of the period when Cox-Smith punched in a fast-break feed across the slot from DeBrito for the final score with 17 seconds to go.

"Pomerleau's our assistant captain, and I think the world of him," Feamster said. "He's a great guy. He was standing up for Essenmacher, and I support him. He's going to miss a game, and he's my D partner, but all of our guys are going to stand up for anyone on our team. All of our D can play at a high level, so nothing against Poms, but I don't think we're worried. I have all the confidence in the world that we're going to perform fine without him. We have great depth in our D end."

"Nick's a great player for us, and he played a great game tonight," Handy added. "Both Nick and Adamek played well last night, and today were our best two D on Friday and Saturday."

Liberty outshot Maryville 35-25, and Kausch made 22 saves to seal the come-from-behind triumph.

Handy said the physical test prepared the Flames well for its final four games of the regular season at Ohio next and at home against the Bobcats the following weekend, their last four tests before the March 12-17 National Championships near St. Louis.

"There's a lot of banged-up bodies in there," he said of Liberty's locker room. "That was a tough weekend, but that's the way it's going to be at nationals. We have a full team for a reason."

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