Flames torch Tar Heels in action-packed, fan-friendly season opener

Friday, September 11

7:00 PM

Liberty University Club Sports

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Sophomore defenseman Shane Burns works the puck thrugh the neutral zone against UNC at Chapel Hill. (Photos by Ethan Smith)

Flames torch Tar Heels in action-packed, fan-friendly season opener

9/11/2026 11:24:00 PM | Men's D1 Hockey

Photo Gallery Photo Gallery 2

Liberty honored America and its first responders on 9/11 before sticking it to UNC, 9-0.

Gallery: (9-11-2026) DI men's hockey vs. UNC Chapel Hill

A lively, sell-out crowd at the LaHaye Ice Center that stayed for three periods of fury helped Liberty University's ACHA Division I men's hockey team ring in the 2026-27 season with a resounding 9-0 victory over the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on Friday's American Heroes Night.

"It was so much fun tonight, that crowd," Flames graduate forward and head captain Sam Feamster said. "They were getting LU chants going all night, they were singing to the songs, and they were loud for every goal. That's what we love about playing here."

Following a moment of silence to honor victims on the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Tim Fus delivered a rousing rendition of the national anthem and fans started a spirited "U-S-A" chant before the opening puck drop.

"We have a lot of guys on our team who have a deep respect for America and to be able to honor 9/11 and play on this night was really special," Feamster said. "Liberty is a great representation of the United States and the freedom we have here."

The Flames fired up their offense quickly, getting goals from all four offensive lines and two defensemen. They erupted for four goals in the first period before putting the Tar Heels away with five more scores in the third.

"I really liked our start," Liberty Head Coach Kirk Handy said. "Our guys played really well in the first and the third, and I thought the environment was fantastic."

"We have a very veteran group this year and it showed out there tonight," Feamster added. "I liked what I saw from every line tonight. We stayed consistent throughout the entire game and, outside of our offense being so productive, I love that we didn't give any goals up."

"There's a lot of guys who understand what it's going to take and we've seen that in practices leading up to tonight," Handy added. "I like the depth on our team and it will be exciting as we move forward here."

Liberty (1-0) outshot the Tar Heels (2-1) by a 59-11 margin and freshman goalie Austin Caley made 11 saves to record the shutout in his collegiate debut.

"He's been working so hard in practice," Feamster said. "You can tell by the way he plays that's his mentality, so it was awesome to see him get that first shutout under his belt. He plays very aggressive, plays confident, and he's got a great glove. He wasn't challenged too much, but he had a huge save on a breakaway and two or three Grade A chances that he stood tall against and made a great save and stayed composed."

"Austin played really well, and we took care of our own end and were able to put some in the back of the net," Handy added. "We got the power play working and our PK was excellent, too."

After near misses by junior forward and alternate captain Luke Munroe and graduate forward Ryan Finch off beautiful cross-crease feeds from freshman forward David Utkin, Munroe started the scoring with a shot through the slot at the 16:02 mark off assists from junior defenseman Joe Feamster and Utkin.

Sophomore defenseman Michael Fischer doubled the advantage with a one-timed shot from near the top of the left circle off rebounds of shots by Utkin and Finch with 7:30 to play in the period.

"It was a good first game," Fischer said. "There's improvements we can make moving into the next game, but we're kind of finding our groove already offensively."

Less than three minutes later, Finch stretched the edge to 3-0 after received an outlet from graduate defenseman Nick Pomerleau. He accelerated through the left circle before cutting into the crease and drawing contact with the UNC defenseman before powering his shot inside the right post with 4:47 to go.

Junior forward Liam Cox-Smith capped the first-period scoring at the 2:03 mark by cleaning up shots by Fischer and senior forward Kal Essenmacher in traffic from deep in the right crease.

Fischer had a second goal called back by an interference penalty that took Tar Heels goalie Ander Andreev out of the play before Fischer launched his shot into an open net.

Feamster snapped a 28-minute scoring drought with 16:20 to play lead to in the third period by finishing one of the easiest goals in his career. He chased down outlet passes from senior forwards and alternate captains Tucker Shields and Mac Ratzlaff, picking up the puck off the right boards before cutting back across the crease and wrapping the puck around Andreev into an open net.

Junior defenseman Luke Anderson slammed home an equally easy finish as he trailed down the slot, stretching the advantage to 6-0 off assists from Finch and Munroe at the 15:17 mark.

Finch extended the lead to 7-0 by receiving assists from Utkin and Pomerleau and rifling a top-shelf wrist shot from the top of the right circle past Andreev.

Essenmacher took a saucer pass from sophomore forward Tanner Hunt, off a secondary assist from junior defenseman Michael Adamek, as he skated through the slot before he bared down and lifted a perfectly placed wrist shot under the crossbar for a commanding 8-0 advantage with 7:33 to go.

Senior forward Michael DeBrito capped the scoring by receiving feeds from Adamek and senior defenseman Mason Smith and firing a low laser of a shot through traffic and into the back of the net as he skated into the top of the right circle.

Liberty will welcome reigning ACHA Division II national champion Florida Gulf Coast University to the LIC next Friday at 7 p.m. before the Flames' DII squad opens its regular season with back-to-back games against the Eagles next Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 12:30 p.m.

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