DI Flames eager for rematch with DII FGCU in stiffer second-week home challenge Friday night

Friday, September 18

7:00 PM

Liberty University Club Sports

Florida Gulf Coast University

Senior forward Michael DeBrito skates the puck up ice against Florida Gulf Coast in Liberty's 4-3 setback to the Eagles on Sept. 20, 2024, at the LaHaye Ice Center. (Photos by KJ Jugart)

DI Flames eager for rematch with DII FGCU in stiffer second-week home challenge Friday night

9/17/2026 4:15:00 PM | Men's D1 Hockey

Liberty, which shined in a season-opening shutout of UNC, is hoping to avoid another upset against the Eagles at the LIC.

Two years ago, Liberty University's ACHA Division I men's hockey team experienced a less-than-auspicious first-ever meeting with Florida Gulf Coast University, falling to the ACHA Division II program, 4-3, in front of a sell-out crowd at the LaHaye Ice Center.

The Eagles are not the average DII team as they are coming off their fifth national championship last March. For the No. 7-ranked Flames to avoid another upset when they welcome FGCU back to the LIC on Friday night, they will have to be at the top of their game.

"They're obviously a great team, with great players," Liberty senior forward and alternate captain Mac Ratzlaff said. "If they were to join Division I, they'd be a top-10 or top-15 team, so I think they'll be a really good test. Carrying the momentum from (last Friday's season-opening 9-0 win over) UNC (Chapel Hill) is good, but to have an opponent that will test us more is very important, and I think we're ready for the challenge."
The Flames — who trounced UNC, 7-1, to open the 2024 season — are eager to build off last week's lopsided triumph over the second-year Division I Tar Heels.

"Now we have some video to work on, and we can be more targeted with our practices, targeting our special teams and our controlled breakout," Ratzlaff said. "Florida Gulf Coast is going to be a great game for us. We'll learn a ton, and it will be a good litmus test for us, to stay in the moment and see if we're going to stick to our systems. We've got to focus on our game and playing Flames Hockey, and we'll just adapt to what comes with the game."

The Flames hope to set the tone in their rematch with the Eagles, to come out of the gate flying and maintain pressure on FGCU's net throughout the contest.

"One of our core identity pieces this year is our speed," Ratzlaff said. "I assume they're going to be a very fast team, and they typically have some very skilled players as well. I think if we're able to get under their skin, if we're able to finish hits and control the blue lines and get pucks deep and play our game, and just be consistent and wear them down, we're going to have success."

He said playing disciplined hockey and staying out of the penalty box will also be keys.

"That's one thing we've really done a great job with this year is backchecking and getting to the right spot, having the urgency to get back, but also getting back in the right position," Ratzlaff said. "We have a very mature team this year and all of the recruits we've brought in are great on and off the ice, so we have a good unit this year, and a good locker room as well."

He believes Liberty's offensive lines are stronger and deeper than in 2024, when he was a freshman forward making his collegiate debut against the Eagles.

"Honestly, we've just got an incredibly deep forward unit this year," said Ratzlaff, who plays on the same line as graduate head captain Sam Feamster and alternate captain Tucker Shields. "On any given night, anyone can be in the lineup, and we have full confidence in them."

"Sam and Tucker and I are getting more comfortable after closing out last year playing together," he added. "We're more of an energy line, and we take pride in (maintaining) consistency with the puck from the blue lines. When we need a momentum change, I feel pretty confident putting our line out there and seeing if we can change the tide."

Liberty's top scoring line features graduate Ryan Finch, who contributed two goals and two assists against UNC, as well as senior alternate captain Luke Munroe, who opened the scoring, and freshman David Utkin, who distributed three assists.

"Finch, Monroe, and Utkin are obviously a high-skill, highly offensive line," Ratzlaff said. "If we need a goal, they're going to go out and get us one. They're all threats."

Senior forward Michael DeBrito, the Flames' third-leading scorer last season (9 goals, 20 assists) who turned 23 on Thursday, is joined by junior NCAA Division I transfer Zach Nicholas, and freshman recruit Stone Rolston. Senior forward Kal Essenmacher, Liberty's fifth-leading scorer in 2025-26 (12G — including a team-high 4 game-winning goals — 8A), is working on the same line as sophomores Tanner and Bronson Hunt, twin brothers who joined the team last spring.

"There's some tough decisions for our forward coach (Assistant Coach Jonathan Chung), but it's a good position to be in," Ratzlaff said. "It makes practices very competitive and intense, and we're all in a good mood."

He said the Flames are fired up for the rematch and plan to leave it all on the ice Friday night, wearing the Eagles down before they play Liberty's Division II team in its season-opening series on Saturday night and Sunday afternoon at the LIC.

"Having only one game on the weekend, we've got nothing to save it for," Ratzlaff said.

Scouting Preview, Game 2: Florida Gulf Coast University (30-4-1 in 2025-26) at No. 7 Liberty (1-0, 20-11-2 in 2025-26), Friday at 7 p.m. at the LaHaye Ice Center. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+.

All-time series: FGCU leads 1-0.

Liberty Scouting Report: The Flames got goals from eight different players in last Friday's rout of the Tar Heels, rocking the rink on American Heroes Night by erupting for four scores in the first period before icing the victory with five more in the third.
Graduate Nick Pomerleau captains a defensive corps that returns seniors Michael Adamek, Luke Anderson, and Mason Smith, a converted forward; junior Joe Feamster; and sophomores Shane Burns, Michael Fischer, and Jentzen Kaebel.
Freshman goalie Austin Caley posted a shutout in his collegiate debut and is the probable starter again against FGCU with junior Jozef "Joe" Kuchaslo, a transfer from ACHA DI No. 9 Drury (Mo.) University, waiting in the wings.

Florida Gulf Coast Scouting Report: The high-flying Eagles return their top three scorers from last season — forwards Chad Noetzel (19G, 23A), Jake Court (13G, 29A), and Shayne Tomlinson (13G, 27A). They also bring back Cole Bauman, who netted the game-winning goal — his second of the game and eighth of the tournament — 26 seconds into sudden-death overtime as FGCU overcame Oklahoma State 3-2 in the national championship final at the Centene Community Ice Center in Maryland Heights, Mo.
Between the pipes, the Eagles feature four goalies, two of which platooned in a three-man rotation last season — Kai Girard (9-0, 1.50 goals-against average, 94.9 save percentage, 2 shutouts) and Mason DeCaire (5-2, 2.26 GAA, 92.9 SP).

Coaches: Kirk Handy has a career record of 582-240-39 since taking the helm of the Flames in 2001. He has led Liberty to four Final Four appearances since the program was promoted to the ACHA Division I level in 2006-07 and is 10 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. Eric Mabie, who played on FGCU's third national championship team in 2018 before helping it defend its title as an assistant coach in 2019, led the Eagles to their fifth crown last season, his first as head coach.

By Ted Allen/Staff Writer

Gallery: (9-17-2026) Liberty DI men's hockey FGCU 2024