LYNCHBURG, VA – An explosive four-goal second period carried visiting University of Mary past the Liberty Flames 6-1 in the third and final weekend meeting between two of the nation's top American Collegiate Hockey Association programs. Six different Marauders scored in the game as UMary salvaged a victory in the last game after dropping the first two contests to the Flames.
The Marauders improve to 6-2 with the win. The loss is the first of the season for the Flames in five games.
Following a scoreless first period,
Riley Scanlon scored the game's opening goal 3:26 into the second session. Taking a pass from
Tanner Eskro, Scanlon blew past the Flames defenders and wristed a shot into the net from just inside the bottom of the left circle.
Less than three minutes later a pair of perfect passes from
Johnny Witzke and
Alex Flicek set up Conner Hanson at the top of the slot for UMary's second goal.
Soon it was Flicek's turn to score. The Marauders all-time goal-scoring leader used passes from
Zach Garrett and
Kyler Moore to free himself from the Flames defenders. Blazing unfettered down the slot, Flicek lasered a shot into the right side of net from the inside edge of the left circle.
Not yet finished,
Derek Dropik tacked on a 4
th goal for UMary when he batted a fluttering puck out of the air just below the crossbar into the net, sending the Marauders into the second intermission leading 4-0. An initial shot on Dropik's goal by Eskro was deflected by Flames All-American goalkeeper Dakota Cyhaniuk over his shoulder to the right side of the crease.
Seth Cushing tallied the Marauders fifth straight goal when he beat Cyhaniuk 2:23 into the third on the Marauders lone power play goal of the game. The Flames finally snuck a shot past UMary's All-American goaltender
Kyle Hayden for their own power play goal at 6:59.
Teddy Lillico closed out the scoring with 3:08 left in the game when he used helpers from Cushing and
Braeden Zaste.
Hayden finished the night with 25 saves while facing 26 shots. Cyhaniuk stopped 29 of 35 shots.
UMary ended the game with a 35-26 edge in shots. It was the second straight game the Marauders held the advantage in shots. The Marauders scored on one of six power play opportunities while the Flames were 1-of-4.
The Marauders now return to North Dakota for a pair of games against the University of Jamestown. The Jimmies host the Marauders in Jamestown, ND, on Wednesday, Oct. 20, before the two instate rivals square off in Mandan, ND, on Saturday, Oct. 23.
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