Rock The Rink
Rock The Rink
Episode #137 - 2026 Nattys Recap
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On this edition of Rock the Rink, we take a look back and recap our teams at their respective national tournaments.
Welcome back to the Rocky Reading podcast presented on the campus of Liberty University. It's not easy recap time. The 2026 national tournament is all wrapped up. We have some high moments to talk about. Our first men's uh program earning a national title in Liberty history. We have some low moments to talk about, and we'll get to all of it. And you know what? We're gonna start off with some of those low moments. We're gonna think with our men's division one team. Uh, you know, they headed to the national tournament, took on Utah to enter their tournament run. They end up winning that game a 3-2. Then came that duel with UNLV, one that we have seen in national tournament history for them a few times in years past. In this one, UNLV gets them 7-3 in quarters, which, guys, it's funny because like Liberty was that close to taking on Grand Canyon instead of UNLV. That GCU UNLV game went to OT. Um, so you're kind of I was personally hoping for that GCU matchup, but it ends up being UNLV. Couldn't get it done. I guess let's just go around our takeaways from that game that we saw.
SPEAKER_04I mean, I to be honest, I felt like UNLV wanted it more. Like just from watching it, and like it wasn't like Liberty didn't have chances. They had some great chances, and like I felt like the pace was good in the first five minutes. I felt like really good about that game, and like uh even the guys were pretty motivated prior to the start of the game and the like you know, doing all their pre-game warm-ups and everything like that. And then uh one nice shot happens for U and L V and then the floodgates open for them, and like they it kind of really spurred them on to get going. And like I I just felt like they consist were a bit more disciplined than Liberty to start the game, and then like also too, once like I said, once they got that first one, it's like the legs got going for them and they were rolling.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, games like that are tricky because like Liberty comes in expected to win this game. Yes. Right? So if they match up against Grand Canyon or the Utes, like Liberty should win this game. And so, like, when the game's happening, you give up that that other goal, and then like like the Utes are all over you at the end, and it's kind of like we just barely hung on to this game. So like Liberty leaves that game not feeling like they're playing their best hockey. So maybe mentally it's like, okay, and now we have UNLV who is historically always dialed at the national tournament. Yeah. So that's a tricky one to then like go from one game to the next. Um but on obviously, unfortunately, they weren't able to get it done. Um but yeah, they like they fought hard, but it's it's just like a really tricky mental battle, I feel like, going from one game to that next one.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. Just to kind of touch on the tournament itself, it was a wild national tournament at the men's one level, just of like those one through four playing lower seed games, they were crazy. Yeah, they all were tight. Wild. Yeah. Yeah. Just a lot of uh really close contested games that maybe you wouldn't have expected. Uh so if I take off my coaching hat, obviously I'm a part of this team and I'm an outsider looking in, being honest. We need to become a third period team. However that is, whatever that means. Right? Uh it it kind of just seems like we're we're in the mix and then something goes wrong in those third periods of big games, and it's just over for us. So I don't know if that means more pressure tank situations and practices throughout the year. I don't know if that means playing third period nationals type huff hockey throughout the whole year where like you cannot take penalties, uh, you cannot make mental errors, uh, you have to play as hard as you can, right? Like whatever that means, I don't know if we need to step it up in practices. I don't know if we need to have more intensity and discipline throughout the years so that we're ready for those third periods in our final games of nationals. But yeah, it's just one of those like, man, year after year, it kind of just seems like the wheels are falling off. And so the players need to look at themselves and figure that out. The coaches, myself included, we need to come together and figure that out and like what do we need? So from a weight room perspective, I'm asking myself, what else do I need to do? How do I need to modify things? Because we've been a a top 10, top five team for years now. So what is it gonna take to consistently continue to punch our ticket to the quarters and the semis and then get beyond there? And it always just seems like we're losing our steam, we're losing our momentum, we're losing our cool, whatever it is in those third periods, right? Uh we come out, Luca Monroe scores right away. It's like this is it, like we could do it, and then a wheel falls off and then it becomes impossible. Yeah. Um, so that's really kind of my takeaway. Also, too, right, from a a hockey and outsiders perspective, hey, another great year we made the quarterfinals, right? And yeah, it's it's a privilege to be able to have these conversations where uh oh man, woe was us. We only made it there, and then you know, we we lost and didn't get to go to the semis. Like there's a lot of teams that that would be their dream, that was our dream, you know, leading into 2019. We punched our tickets finally into like 2021 and beyond. But yeah, I the next step is like we just have to become the hardest team to play in the third period consistently throughout the year. I don't have all the answers there, but to me, as a you know, a member of this team, that's what I want to look our players and our coaches in the eye and say.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, you brought up a good point, and like it's funny you said like quarterfinals, but like it almost I think you hit the nail on the head when I know we're jumping ahead a little bit about like where does Liberty Hockey go from here? Because that's what we were gonna talk about later. But like, yeah, you have to evaluate now. Hey, is that good enough? Just be into the quarters. And to me, uh not on the coaching staff, but obviously, you know, me and Annie do the broadcast, you two are part of the coaching staff. But like, yeah, I feel like it's not good enough anymore, right? Like the the goal I think was to win your first game, did that. But now Liberty's been a top 10 team almost a decade. It's about time like now you've gotta you've talked about it. You gotta change something. You gotta have that re-evaluation, not just from players, captains, leadership, coaches, everybody has to have that re-evaluation about like, hey, like that was a weaker team, and like we arguably talent-wise, we're a stronger team this year. Like we should have been able to figure something out, or at least to have it a little closer, right? And we couldn't do that. So there should be an evaluation now. I think you've got to figure out what's the personnel change we gotta do, all right, what's the system change we gotta do, what are the tactics we gotta you know what I mean? There's something that's gotta be the change because we talked about it last year during this time. This was a championship window year. And you almost feel like, ah, kind of squandered one. Yeah. So like next year is definitely a championship win w window year, right? Like because basically you return almost the entire team.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_04So like it's about I think you kind of said, like, yeah, you've got to re-evaluate now and figure out like, hey, what is it that we need to do to get us to that next level and like put us in that conversation with UNLV because they were in that stage of what we're doing now, and now they figured it out.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_04How do we get in the stage of Adrian where like they've been to four consecutive national championships, right? Like in Gary Astallis' tenure over ten years, he's won three. So like it's gotta figure out like something. Something's gotta change.
SPEAKER_03And in our uh you know pre-tournament predictions, Pat, you know, you had your horses in the race, and I won't mention this team by name, but there's a particular team that I would say like they don't play a playoff style of hockey during the regular season. Come the big game, they're gonna get checked. And that team did, right? Again, I we won't mention names. So uh maybe that's kind of our issue too. Throughout the entire year, are we not playing a playoff style of hockey? Whatever that is, whatever that means. Uh yeah, uh again, I I don't know the systems and the X's and the O's and the small details incredibly well. I'm more of a you know 50,000 foot view guy, but do we need to shift how we're practicing and playing so that we're ready for these tournaments or these styles, right? So it just is what it is. We take really stupid penalties, I'll say it, right? Throughout the year, hey, why'd you do that? And then it happened again at nationals. And so like for me, it's just so frustrating of like it's a pretty simple thing. If it's happening throughout the year, you address it, and then it shouldn't fester and come out in nationals. And it will every now and then, it does every now and then, but like nip that as hard as you can. All right. Maybe the players have to take that into their own hands. Maybe again, our our practices, our games need to be a different style. Um, but yeah, I just want to see like what are those small tweaks that we're going to make. Because if you want something to change, you have to change something.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. And it's it's I mean, there should be a huge list. Yeah. Right? Like international as coaching staff should be sitting down thinking, like, all right, everybody needs to have at least five to ten things that like we need to talk about. Like, did we like this? Great. I think this is helpful for our success. But this, this sucks. You know what I mean? And maybe even into something as um like looking at the schedule, right? Like we talked about through the pod, like, they have a really tough schedule in the second semester. And how is that for their confidence? Right? If if they're going in every weekend, getting beat down, losing games, it's like it's tough to go from like that to like hopefully we win a couple. Yeah. So I don't know, maybe mix in a few um confidence building weekends. Yeah. Whatever the heck that means, maybe that should be on the list too. Um, but yeah, I totally agree with what you guys are talking about. And yeah, I think some changes, and like you said, Pat, it's not good enough at this point. Like it's great that like Liberty University is a top five program continuously throughout the regular season. But as a Toronto Maple Leaf fan, that's not that's not why people follow this team, right? So I I think they want to get over that hump um semifinals and make it to a championship game and and come away with that Murdoch Cup in the next few years. Yeah.
SPEAKER_05Yeah. It's fascinating to look at what Adrian did. I mean, they came into the tournament ranked number nine, correct? Which is the lowest they've been in years. They don't even get that first round bye, and then they make it all the way to the championship game, and it just looked like a completely different Adrian than we had seen in the regular season. So I feel like that's an interesting deep dive to look into and be like, man, how does this happen for this group? Like, how do they find that switch and just turn it on and it propels them through the whole tournament? Yeah, on the other side though, if we're honest, Adrian shouldn't even have been in that. No, they shouldn't have.
SPEAKER_04Like UNLV got Yeah, they did. And like, it's funny, I was talking to one of the guys from Hockey House Pods, uh, Devin, right? He was there providing coverage for the ACHA, and he like asked me about it, and I was like, I'm not gonna lie, as a Liberty fan, I'm glad UNLV didn't make it, but at the same time, they got hosed. Yeah, and like that's part of the which I know you can harp on, but like inconsistent refing throughout the whole tournament, especially I felt like at men's D1 and women's D1 happened at the tourney, uh, because those were the two we followed the most closely. And like uh I just felt like that goalie interference call, like UNLV should have been punching their ticket back to the championship game and had a chance to develop that's right, and like look at it on video review and still not overturn it.
SPEAKER_03Describe what you guys are talking about, just for anyone who's listening.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, so like uh Adrian was up to nothing. And like I remember we were watching in the room thinking, like, oh, they're gonna do it. And for some in the last, I think, five minutes, uh UNLV finds a way to tie the game. And then with 30 seconds left, they get the game winner off a deflection, right? Like in front, they wave it off because they say it's goalie interference. So like there's two things I think they could have looked at. Like, one, like, because his stick is near his skate, so I'm like, oh, maybe they're saying it's off the skate, but it's not. Or like even if it was, it's not a kicking motion. Yeah. Two, trying to he's saying, well, the goalie couldn't have seen the pocket gig interfere. I was like, the guy's being pushed into the goalie. Like, he's not doing the skating motion to take the goalie out. And also, two, there's plenty of room for Traska to react.
SPEAKER_01Well, and there was like zero contact from UNLV player to the goaltender. Yeah. Any contact, it was the Adrian player.
SPEAKER_05Because the Adrian player pushed the UNLV player, and that pushed his momentum backwards into the goalie. Yeah. And that's the only contact that happened.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it was such a weird thing of like, did you forget that we're allowed to screen in hockey? Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. He can't be there. Like, what do you mean? That's like that's what coaches are.
SPEAKER_03What a great strategy if you lose position, just knock him into your goalie.
SPEAKER_01That's it, that's a tough one. And those are the ones that kind of maybe fester and sting a little bit, right? Especially since these guys work so hard and all season and you build a comeback, and then that's that's the way that that it happens. Like, that's unfortunate. You hate to have that kind of thing like end your season. Yeah. Yeah. So exactly.
SPEAKER_05Especially because UNLV, another team that coming into the tournament, we didn't have a ton of faith in them, just considering the changes that they've had this season, and the regular season wasn't as pristine as it was last year. Uh so yeah.
SPEAKER_01Well, and that's and that's kind of like we just talked about like let on paper, like Maryville's schedule, great schedule, Jamestown, arguably, Liberty, like those are tough schedules. But like in the end, like you need to build some fluff. Yeah right? Like because of the championship culture that Adrian has built over the years, the confidence from the coaching staff down, and same with UNLV. Like, these programs understand at the beginning of the year, no matter what happens throughout the regular season, they're gonna be competing and they're gonna be dangerous at the national tournament. So it's like the regular season doesn't matter. Obviously, you have to get there, but then you have to flip that switch and then have confidence and just know that we can make a difference here.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, it's an interesting balance because you look at Adrian's second half of the semester, they played Hope, Calvin, Liberty, then Toledo, Grand Valley State, and then went to the GL6 playoffs where they played Purdue Northwest, Calvin, and Northwood. So like you have some tough games in there, but you also don't have an overwhelming like week after week, we are getting absolutely battle tested. Um so it's just an interesting thing to look at. You know, I feel like every year we've kind of come into it with the perspective of this is great. Like they are getting completely fine-tuned before nationals. But then I guess there is a point which I hadn't thought about before until you guys brought it up today, like there's a point where probably enough is enough, and you want to at least have some form of confidence going into the tournament.
SPEAKER_04And like that, so going into it, like you kind of talk because we I remember when we did the broadcasts for Adrian, they split the first three weekends of the new year. Yeah. Then you play Toledo. No offense to Toledo, they're not there yet, right? Like, so that's the confidence game. And then they go play another conference rival in Grand Valley State, like another Michigan team. But you get that one weekend, like, hey, we're gonna get these guys like at least a little bit of an ego boost, which they got. Yeah. So like, and that could probably that propelled them, you could say, to start rolling again and get like confidence up, which it looks like it did, because then they don't want they win uh how many games do they rattle off there?
SPEAKER_05It looks like they rattle off a one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, seven-game win streak going in the tournament.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, so you get a seven-game win streak going in a tournament and then helps you get to championship too. So yeah.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, I know it's interesting to look at. But also at the same time, like Liberty had a very inconsistent regular season. Yeah. There was some poor hockey that was played to a point. Um, so yeah, and in that UNLV game, there were some errors, there were some bad decisions that were made that kind of put Liberty in that position where they couldn't get back into that one. Um and then we also got to talk about our national champion, Ohio, you know, getting the job done, finishing it off. A talented team. They have been for multiple years now. Um it was good to finally see them get their moment because I mean Liberty, we've seen Ohio a lot. It's a team that we're very familiar with and we know the kind of tools that they have. Uh it was it was fun to see. Obviously, you want Liberty to come home with that title, but if there was another team that I was glad to see take it, it was Ohio.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, and did you make the call? Did we talk about it? Is that your pick? That was my pick.
SPEAKER_04That was my pick, too.
SPEAKER_01That was y'all's pick. Yeah, yeah. Come on, man.
SPEAKER_04But um, yeah, I mean, like, from a talent perspective, said it during the Ohio weekend. Like, I felt like Liberty is right up there. So, like, I feel like we've gotten on the flames a lot this spot so far, but like the good thing you can talk about now. You saw Ohio last year, very short of expectations. This year they find a way to get it going because they return a very seasoned team. So you're hoping Liberty now, returning basically, like even though seven seniors, five of them have talked about coming back, like and have expressed interest. Obviously, you gotta figure out the ways to do that. But like, let's just say you lose only two guys, like that's huge. Now, I still am a believer of like, which I know we're getting to recruiting soon, but like uh bring in more guys, like out-recruit your current team, but like still I think that's still a positive for Liberty to emulate what Ohio did, right? Like, you have a lot of guys, seasoned team, yeah, a lot of chips should be on everyone's shoulder in that locker room, similar to how the Bobcats had it a year ago. And then now you're hoping to be able to do something special, like take time in the offseason, rest up, heal, but also get ready, right? Get ready to go to war next year. And so, like, that's hopefully becomes the mentality and should be starting pretty soon, or if not, hasn't already started for these guys to get ready.
SPEAKER_03Wednesday. That's right. There you go.
SPEAKER_05And you know, I like the early announcements of these new recruits at Liberty has signed. Two of them have already been announced forwards, Alex Hall and Stone Rolston. That's a good hockey name. Yeah. Got Hall. Okay, okay, yeah. Um, so we talk about Hall. He's a six-foot forward from Eden Prairie, Minnesota, played for the Fairbanks Ice Dogs in the Knall. Um, 17 games, four goals, two assists this year. Um, so what's our thoughts on Alex Hall coming in here?
SPEAKER_04Uh I mean, I like the first signy, right? Like, obviously, played some good hockey, um, played also local kid too, played a lot of high school hockey too, and did very well, had 86 points in 79 games for his team's high school, uh, and he was able to um uh be the captain for that team as well. So, like he's got a leadership mentality too, so that's huge too. I like that he's got some size on him coming in too, and he is very eager to be here as a flame. I think for Kirk to take a chance on Kirk's a big guy that wants them to have a little more experience. So he's basically taking a chance on a kid that's young. Like, so this kid must have some good talent and also a good character for him to want to bring him into the fold this early. So like uh Kirk must see something special on this kid. So like I'm pretty excited about Hall.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, even just looking at his numbers, right? In high school, he was over a point per game. Yep. Like 86 points in 79 games. Like, we talked about confidence, right? This guy he knows how to play with Puck. He's offensive. Whether obviously the league tightens up as you move up, but like this guy's done it before, and so he's used to and familiar with um playing a fast type of game and obviously being able to execute at a high level. I'm excited about him.
SPEAKER_03Two guys like we'll won't talk hockey for a second of just like really awesome stories of how, why, uh liberty for them. So to bring those two guys in as the years go on, I think they're gonna be solid cultural pieces in addition to what they're gonna be able to do on the ice, which is just like that's a huge part of what we do at Liberty as we talk more teams here and uh all that, and you know, future signees and whatever. Uh having two guys that want to be at liberty for the good reasons, for the right reasons, uh in addition to being good hockey players is always great for our program and culture. Uh had a team meeting yesterday, and uh there was a presence from uh these gentlemen. So that just kind of shows you of who we are as a team, as a program, and they're on board and and ready to rock and roll, which I love. Yeah.
SPEAKER_05Yeah. And we turn it over to our other new recruit that's been signed, Stone Ralston, a six foot four forward from Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. Played in the knoll, played in the BC as well. Um he also played with Seth Wall. So always fun to have those connections when you're coming in. But a big bodied forward, which Liberty has seemed to be trending towards in the past couple of years.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, and I mean as long as he can uh skate well, and then Kerr will put a little speed on him, right? Like eventually as the time goes. So, like, I mean, I love the size though, and like I love that he's played in s played some good hockey, right? Like over the last uh three seasons. So like I think that's huge too for him. And uh yeah, coming in right away, hopefully to make an impact. And this is hopefully the start of, in my opinion, Liberty should bring in seven to nine guys, right? Like, cause obviously we just talked about hey, you're returning a big class, but like uh one trying to create a good level of compete in that room, right? Like and bringing an influx of guys that are hungry, but then also. Two, you're also preparing for the next year's group of guys that could potentially be leaving. Right? Like you're gonna have a lot of multiple fifth years and then also multiple seniors. Don't know what's gonna happen with those seniors. So like you're prep you got to try to prepare now as well to be in a good spot for when those guys leave too. And like bringing a bunch of guys in uh I think would be huge for them. And I like the start. And it sounds like there's a lot of interest too, right? There's a couple guys even around the league that have expressed that are young, have expressed interest in liberty, want to transfer. So if you can bring those two guys in, especially some uh won't say the teams or names, but like if those guys do come in, they make you better. Like they would instantly be able to fit into your top nine uh four and top four decor instantly. So like uh they're guys that I think you should consider as well, and like along with plethora of other recruits. So I'm pretty excited for the first bit of recruits to God.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I agree. Then just something that I I kind of had a note here. Uh hopefully we get some defensive depth. Yeah. I love everybody we have right now, but there were times throughout the year where it was like hurting for D. Yeah, so being able to have uh a couple guys there would be uh helpful. Coach were it that way.
SPEAKER_01Coach Career, I gotta maybe ask you a question. Feel free to not answer, you can play the fifth. Who's the best deed that we have?
SPEAKER_03So overall, I'm gonna go with uh Nick Palmerlow. And why? So I just think that for our systems, for our style, he plays the smoothest. And you don't notice him in the D zone, but you notice him in the neutral zone and the offensive zone.
SPEAKER_01And so what is he what does he do well in the sense of like how he moves? Like he's is he a big body by any means?
SPEAKER_03In no way.
SPEAKER_01At all. Right? Yeah, so I love him, but no. Yeah, so I think I totally agree with you, right? I think the way he plays, I think he's fast, he's smooth. I think that's the way defense is played now. Yeah, right. If you look at the highest levels in the NHL, Kale McCarr, Quinn Hughes. 5'11, 185. Kale McCar is not big. I missed I missed the window. That was me and my prime, right? Oh, come you still got it. I mean, you still got the 5'11. Uh 185, maybe not. Yeah. But um, but I I think even if the coaching staff can look at like forward transplants, like that's where I like to be honest, Mason Smith to me, uh, he should be a defenseman all day long. Right? He's fast, he can move well, he can hit, he can hit, like and it but that's the thing is like I've never even seen Cam McCarr hit it, but hit someone. Yeah. Like Nick Parmolo, if he has zero hits all season, that's fine. Yeah. He's gonna still log 27 to 32 minutes a game. Right. Right.
SPEAKER_04Also some Nick does well, first pass. Yeah. Right. He's great at the first pass, exactly.
SPEAKER_03Get the puck off your stick. Look up ice, get the puck off your stick.
SPEAKER_01First touch, move the puck. Uh, and then like half the game should be played skating forward. Yep. Long gone are the big lumbering defensemen that are just backing up bad gap and then lunging in the neutral zone, giving away two on ones, three on twos, right? Like, like this league is now way too fast for that style of so I totally agree with you. The back end needs to change, but I think maybe just the style in which it is played.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. So very good input there.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, that's a good point. And before we move on from these new recruits, one more uh point from Stone Ralston, his brother, or his brother, his father, Brian, was a star forward for the New Jersey Devils, played in the NHL, won a Stanley Cup in 1995. Come on now, 1995, and he also played with Keith Carney for the Wild. So that's kind of funny.
SPEAKER_04Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_05He played with Aidan Carney's dad, and then Stone Ralston's dad, Brian, was also a coach for both him and Seth Wall after he moved on from his NHL playing game. Oh, that's cool. Love it. Yeah, lots that they learned.
SPEAKER_01The women's program has a recruit, Ava Clark, she'll be coming hopefully this fall for one of the teams, and her father also played the NHL.
SPEAKER_04Which women's team? Women's one or two?
SPEAKER_01I'm not sure yet. Oh, okay. We're very excited. There you go. Yeah. Perfect.
SPEAKER_05That's awesome. Well, the offseason conversations are definitely going to continue as the weeks go on. We move on to our other heartbreaking nationals loss. This one, I mean, the most heartbreaking nationals loss. Women's division one falling in triple overtime. When you thought it couldn't get any worse than double, we head to triple. Hard to watch. They lose four to three to Midland in that triple OT. So again, Liberty, they had dominant going into that game, breezing through the national tournament. They win 4-0, 3-0, 5-0, and then it comes down to this championship game. What do you guys think was the difference maker in that third OT? I mean, it's hard to play three OTs, very difficult, but what was the difference maker in your eyes?
SPEAKER_03Let's let Coach Forth go first. Oh, because you you and I lived it here.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Yeah, obviously you guys had a little bit more experience and you were in the building and and feeling that more so than I was. I was at home watching it and it was it was one of those things, like it was chance after chance, obviously throughout the game, right? Like Liberty goes down three to one at one point, and I would like I thought like, oh no, like and then they came back, I was like, So do we that makes sense? Yeah, like of of course they come back, right? Like I think I thought Haley Battles played like she should, yeah. Uh all tournament. She had five goals on the tournament and just was the dog that she is.
SPEAKER_04Yep.
SPEAKER_01Um, but yeah, in that game, and then in overtime, it was like chance after chance for Liberty. Like it was chances three to one, right? Like a bouncing puck here, bouncing puck there. And I think I think in the end, it came down to a bouncing puck. Yeah. Right? Like just the breaks of of that. And like obviously Keith played great, and like again, like Midland did a good job of playing playoff style hockey. They won three overtime games in a row. First one to get out of pool play, second one to beat Maryville to make it to the championship game. And then they kind of thought, like, heck, if we're we've gone this far, we might as well make it a championship, right? So their story could have been very different. Right. They could have underperformed and been out and not gotten out of pool play, right? Yeah. That's a way big, way bigger difference compared to like national champion. And so I think that's also the beauty of hockey. And especially at this level, like Liberty is by far on paper was the best team, right? And like you looked at their path, like we're rolling, everybody seems pretty healthy and rested. Like I thought it was like they weren't gonna let a goal in international tournament. Yeah, yeah, right. And so then obviously you expect you're gonna be in a game, Midland gave them their best, and unfortunately, Midland came away with it. But um obviously the girls battled, and it's it sucks. Like, as a former coach of this program, right? Coaching with Coach Lowe's and and Morrison. Um, obviously you feel for those guys, right? Because you see the blood, sweat, and tears that they put in throughout the season, but also the seniors, right? Like these girls are coming back on their fourth and and some some of them fifth year. Um, but also like a transfer, like Shaw, she has uh a championship at Adrian, but obviously we would have liked to see her get one as a flame, and also Petem Shan comes over from Indiana Tech in hopes to get that championship, but unfortunately falls short. But again, like they had a heck of a season, 36 and 2, I think, on the year, and it's unfortunate that that's the way it ended.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, yeah, and I agree, and like uh definitely we've talked about it. Like it felt like Midland was destined when you win three games in overtime, it's tough. Also, too, you win all three games the same way, right? Like initial shot, rebound comes out. Somehow, girls there are able to put it back, right? Like the puck like finds its way. Like to me, I think like it sounds weird saying it, but puck luck, right? That's a real thing, right? Like in the in not only overtime, but double OT as well, Liberty hits multiple posts, right? So they have chances to end the game too, and then you just hear the ding ding and you're like, ah! So and then there was one play, Zasha walks the D and then she goes to shoot it. Oh yeah, puck gets stuck on the ice, right? And like that happened, I believe, in double, no, in the first OT. And you're cut towards us.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, and after the the fresh cut.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, shortly after. Yep. Wow. And you're just like, oh man, that's tough. Like, so like Sheeky does it, yeah. Uh so like there are things like that, like that puck luck thing that happens, and uh yeah, I mean it just again, it just is unfortunate. More so, like you said, for that senior group of ladies, right? Like those fifth years, like you have a heart for them, a lot of household names in that group, too, and like they played very well. Like, I mean, I think the girls, your big guns all did their job. Like Bao's with five, Zasha had five points, Fosse had a goal and two assists, Petem Shan three goals, right? Like she uh Petem Shan scored, I think, a goal second in every game outside of the first game, right? Like, so like they kind of were leading the way, and uh but like unfortunately just couldn't get one more. So it's tough. And like Alex Keith, yeah, she played phenomenal. Ten periods went by without letting in a goal, right? Like that's a lot of hockey for her to play at that elite level, and then uh Midland were just able to able to score on those bounces and like uh which you gotta give them credit for because they've been knocking out the door for a long time. So yeah, obviously I know Chris Lowe's has a good relationship with Coach White too, so I know he was if there was a team probably to give it to, I'm sure that's the team he's like fine with handing the torch over for at least a year.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I I I said it to you, Pat, after the game and said to Coach Lowe's yesterday not going home on the bus, right? You and I we we flew the next day, um, which was a good move for the family, so I could show up well rested after a long time there in St. Louis, but not getting that final closure was like rough. Yeah. You know, not being able to just sit next to the you know the the fifth years, the graduates, and just be like, hey, thank you. Thank you so much. Yeah, for sure. Everything you've given me, the program over these last four or five years is is really hard. And then just to kind of like you know, soak it all in together and grieve all together. Um, but as uh you know, Midland was loading their bus, whatever, got to speak very briefly to Coach White and just say, like, hey, congratulations, man. Like nobody knows how hard it is or how much work went into winning that championship, right? Every year's different, but the the years of recruiting, the years of ups and downs, the an undefeated season not getting it done, winning conference, and right, like just slowly year after year, or uh you're you're given these little just like nuggets of hope and like this is gonna be the one, and to finally like punch your ticket in triple overtime, like that had to be just such a incredible special feeling, a relieving feeling. Uh they they deserved it, they earned it, right? Like a number two team all year, great close games against us all year. Um, so I'm really happy for them, kind of like you said there too, Pat. Like, we have great relationships around the league, but you know, uh Coach White is awesome and really excited for him. And again, like no one will know or understand all the work that he, his staff as players put into winning. Uh, it's a lot. It takes uh takes a village, takes a great leader, takes great players. Um so congratulations to them. Uh but man, like as I've reflected over this last week and couple days here, you want to win, of course, right? For sure. Uh and the hardest thing for me is just like the people that for sure are done moving on, you're saying goodbye to, right? The the fifth year group there that we had of Hayley Brielle, Zasha Sammy, in addition to uh Allison Shaw and Izo Petem Shan, like just losing that group of girls for their firepower on the ice stinks. But Oaks. Just yeah, uh yeah, then your your seniors, Oak Oaks Keith, and Beauchamp and Koo, and like man, just it it's really tough. It really is. And to you know, highlight Alex Keith and Nett, like what an incredible year. Yeah, what an incredible four years. Record set uh yeah, to set the record on a historic type of team that we have, the most shutouts, like that's incredible. And to rattle off three in a row at a national tournament is incredible. Um and then just like some of the families that are leaving, uh having to say goodbye to the fussy family. Yeah. No, no, I'm hoping they adopt or something, but like what what a massive impact that they've had on this program on the ice, just absolute killers, always there for the big goal and the big assist or whatever it is, right? They always seem to be in the mix, uh, and then just their impact off ice too, spiritually, just solid girls of faith. Um and you know, something I wasn't able to think through and highlight after the game in the locker room, but um post-game, middle against their trophies, uh, we all circle up to pray, and uh you know who leads the the post-game, the postseason prayer was Zasha Adamac. And when you think of you know, what we're trying to do here at Liberty is we're trying to be incredibly successful as a hockey program to draw in great hockey players like the Adamac family, uh, with Michael on the men's side, Zasha and Sophia on the women's side, and then get them saved, right? Introduce them to Jesus and a relationship with Jesus. And for Zasha to come here not in a relationship with Christ and to leave her final time on the ice, giving Jesus all the glory, giving God all the thanks for the game of hockey and what it has done for her and for this team and for this program. Uh, you know, there's a lot of wins and a lot of victories there for sure. And again, that's why saying goodbye to the fussy family so hard because you know Brielle and and and Britton and her time had massive impacts there and uh everything they're doing. So just yeah, for for all those grads, like just man, thank you. Thank you for everything and uh all the hard work, all the wins, and we'll get more, right? Like championships will come, but just really, really special people that we're gonna miss.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, you talk about the fussies in Atamax, like I just think about their visits, right? When they came here, it was like we're trying to recruit them, and like none of them seemed interested. Like, even the fussies, like as young Christian women, like they were kind of like, meh, like they just didn't seem excited. Yeah. I was like, okay, like it's kind of them uh and then it's like again the Adamax, like the most excited girl was Sophia because that's who she is. But like Zoster seemed miserable, yeah, like didn't want to come here. Yeah like I'm a like it's kind of a weird place. Yeah, but you know what I mean? But like you said, like just the impact that all they've all had on the program, Liberty Hockey, Liberty, and like throughout other teams in the league. Like it's amazing, like how you look back and you just say, like, hey, this has to be God working, yeah, right. And so obviously, Liberty, it's more important than championships. Obviously, we want to win. Yeah, right. Like, that's as coaches, and we're obviously all competitive. But yeah, like just for the kingdom in the end, it's like that's what's important. Um but again, you you take a guy like Chris Lois, right? And you have him unfortunately not win this championship, and you have a lot of turnover, you're gonna lose a handful of girls. No better guy than to take on this challenge. Yeah, yeah. Bring in, you know, five to eight to nine. I don't know how many recruits he's gonna bring in, and then he's gonna get ten. Yeah, bring him in, and obviously you're gonna have a new group of leadership next year, and and those girls are gonna have to answer the bell of taking that next step uh in their games and in the locker room, and and then mold, help mold these brand new girls into this championship culture, and then hopefully build and go for it again next year. So it's obviously unfortunate, but it's I think it's an opportunity for um this next group of girls and coaching staff to get the job next year.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. And I I want to touch on our seniors and then uh a funny story that I she's probably gonna not enjoy that I'm sharing this, but I'm sure uh crazy story from Victoria Coo. Uh seniors this year, um when you figure like, hey, you're gonna bring in a freshman class, uh, let's bring in a goalie a D and a forward, right? And just like the consistency, the competitiveness, uh, the leadership that you got out of that group. Again, like Alex and Nett, and then man, like uh if you would have told me Emerson Oaks would evolve into a a threat in the offensive zone, I'm like, there's no way.
SPEAKER_01How are play spectrum?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, it's just crazy how just nothing special other than just showing up, putting in all the work. And then I always felt so confident with her in the D zone, whether she's retrieving the puck, stopping behind the net to set things up, coming around the net and making that great first pass. It was just like so good at clearing it out. And then for Brooklyn, like centermen are such a center piece of Chris Lowe's systems. We really ask a lot of them whether it's you know, hey, we need to win this draw, or hey, if that D pinches down, you have to be the one to get back to prevent that odd man rush. And then just crazy competitiveness from Brooklyn that man, I'm gonna really miss off ice. Um, you know, we've already touched on the historic run that Alex Keith had in net. Victoria Coup though, comes up at Nationals. And sorry, Victoria, you probably don't want this story spread, but I'm gonna spread it anyway. She I I forget it may have, like honestly, it may have been like overtime against Maryville. I I forget the game now, and I'm gonna butcher the story. She goes, Yeah, I'm way better than uh this moment last year because I uh I came out from intermission and I grabbed Brielle fussy stick. She's a righty and I'm a lefty. So I played multiple shifts with her stick because I was too embarrassed to go back to the locker room and grab mine, and I was just like dumbfounded. I was like, there's no way you did that. She's like, yeah.
SPEAKER_01And I don't know what I was looking backhand every shift.
SPEAKER_03I don't know what was worse that uh I did that, or the coaches didn't notice when they were like going through film of like, how'd you lose this face off or like how'd you miss that pass? It was unbelievable. Yeah, I couldn't believe when she was telling me that. I was like, you grabbed the wrong stick and you didn't go back. She's like, yeah, nerves. So funny. Uh yeah, that's gonna go down. It's like an all-time story. I can't believe that one.
SPEAKER_02So good.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. Like I did some playing in the national championship game. I believe that was the game. Uh yeah, with the wrong, wrong-handed stick. It is unbelievable. That's how good she was. She wanted to handicap herself. That's the moral of the story.
SPEAKER_05Man, yeah, gosh, so many names that are gonna be missed for this team next year. And I think when you look at it, just for me watching, and I'm watching this national championship game, and it seems like the entire barn is pulling for the other team because of the fact that Liberty is so dominant. It's like we're bored of Liberty win. It just speaks to how uh just overpowering this Flames program and consistent they've been over the past few years.
SPEAKER_01You're right. The camera angle, every time it went this way, it was like just that group of uh the men's team, whoever it was, like just rooting.
SPEAKER_04Central Maine. I looked them up.
SPEAKER_01Central Maine. Yeah. I was all in this fight.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, I was like, because I yeah, they Kurd knows. I was like, who are these guys? Yeah, like hit rattle.
SPEAKER_01Like they're gonna be at home.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_05Yeah. Um, no, it just shows you how consistent they are. And then also I wanted to ask you fourth, because I mean it's gonna be a massive piece of work for Chris Slows to have to do this season. A lot of names you have to replace. And it seems like he's been so good, and this staff has been so good at just you know raising the bar every year and being consistent. Like, what makes him and this staff so good at doing that?
SPEAKER_01I think just um coaching the right habits and accountability. Yes, right. There's a standard, and I people are expected to meet it. And if you don't, there's consequences. Like, not to sound harsh, but like everybody knows, and if you don't know, you find out, right? And it and and it doesn't change, it's pretty con it's very consistent. Um and so yeah, and I think I think people see that like coach cares. He cares for them as a person, not only just as a hockey player, but he'll also push them hard, right? And I think and just communicating expectations early and often. Um yeah, and I think just setting that bar and like uh Coach Kerr talks about like this team works hard off ice, and that's the expectation. This team works hard in the classroom. Like everything is set up and there's a standard and you gotta meet it. So yeah, they do a great job.
SPEAKER_05They locate the right players and then are able to just bring it to the standard really fast.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, and girls want it, girls want it. Right? They want to be pushed, they want to be challenged. Every athlete who's competitive wants to push and try to find their best. And I think I think they've done a good job of pushing that one to two to four to five percent out of these these girls every year. So
SPEAKER_05Yeah. Yeah. It's gonna be a fun off season to watch as Flames team gets retooled.
SPEAKER_04But yeah, hopefully there's uh Chris Lowe's can do some work, find the six year rule. Right?
SPEAKER_01A new COVID.
SPEAKER_04Exactly. Yeah. Try to get a couple girls to come back. But yeah, like uh what we were saying, hopefully you can bring get work that magic, get some of those four seniors that you just talked about want to come back for a fifth year.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_04Uh it definitely will help the case. And then yeah, just bring in a strong recruiting class to help carry the mantle, right? Like because obviously it starts from top down, like with that culture too, right? Like with uh bringing up the legacy. But yeah, he's got his work cut off for him this offseason more than he's had in a while.
SPEAKER_05Yeah. So that was guys, that was a pretty depressing first couple of segments that we went through there. We moved from that to the elation of the men's division three team making history. The first Liberty Men's program to win a national championship was our D3 Flames. And it was in dominant fashion. They rolled through this tournament. And gosh, like the scores, they go 3-0, 9-2, 5-1, 5-1, 10-0. And then it all culminates with that 3-0. Oh, sorry. I said that in the beginning, but the 3-0 was at the very end to beat St. John Fisher in the final. So only the second Liberty Hockey program to ever win a national championship. The first men's team, and like, man, it just everyone, it was an all-out team effort. Roman Lamaru has been such a difference maker this season. Five goals, five assists in that national tournament, and then Kelly Stroik, too. I mean, six goals and two apples. Big time. Um, yeah, he was big time. Big time. Yeah.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, that was huge, especially like you lose one of your star players in game one. Uh, Zach Lemons, unfortunately, who was on a tear at five points just in game one. So you're like, oh, he's feeling it. And then fortunately gets hurt, but then founds a way to you know put on the cape saying, I can do the championship. I can do what he's able to come back just to provide value minutes, I'm sure, uh, for the team. But then yeah, you had so many different guys contributing, and I think that's the biggest factor, right? Like uh Hannigan, he was able to get three goals, three assists, big second semester edition, and Mac Graham, right? Like, talk about easily becomes top two D for this team and gets a goal and five apples. So, like so many different guys. Uh uh Will Blair, right? Like comes out, nowhere gets two goals, six assists. So, like, so many guys contributing, and then obviously Trey Tompkins was basically perfect throughout the tournament, right? Like, only allowed two goals, had two shutouts in the semifinals and championship, championship game MVP. Like, yeah, he played put on a phenomenal show and from top to bottom. I think Wagner knew like last year he was like, Oh man, I'm graduating a lot of guys, I gotta figure something out. And then um gets a few D2 drop downs and then an influx of another talented recruiting class. He's probably like, Okay, I think we can do something here, and then I think what probably gives them the confidence, it's not just building throughout the rest of the year, but then Middle Tennessee, which he's built a good relationship with, they're at one point for most of the year number one team in ACHA men's D3. When they're able to win that game or that weekend series, nine-seven and then four three, I think propels them the rest of the way, right, to build that confidence, right? 9-7. I just yeah, like well, it's worse, they gave up a 6-3 lead going into the third. Yeah. So they had their work cut out for them.
SPEAKER_01So uh yeah, I like what you you talked about, Pat, and I think the thing that stands out for me is just understanding what they need to do, and obviously putting pucks in the back net, but it's only the four goals against five games that I like, right? Like we talked about that middle Tennessee, like 9-7. Hey guys, it's probably that you want to play, but obviously you come away with a win there, right? So you score more than the other team, it's pretty simple. But yeah, I like that they only allowed four goals. It was two in the first game, one-one, and then zero-zero, right? So they really shut the door, especially against a really good um John Fisher team, who then who they lost to last year. So redemption, understanding the mission, and getting the job done. I think on paper we all kind of expected them to win this year. Yeah. Just the way that it was going, and obviously the mentality, and you talked about it too, Coach Kerr, of this group just wanted it. Right. And so I think the mission is accomplished, and it's really nice to see them get the job done.
SPEAKER_03Uh there are just a million things that I could say about this team and this year and this run. And first, I'll lead it off with if the saying was ever true, defense wins championships, this is it. Yeah. To have shutouts in the semifinals and the finals on your way to a national championship. Like that is full team commitment. Watching the game too, some huge saves by Trey. Uh just what an outstanding year and outstanding run that he had. Um, when you just yeah, look at only four goals against in a national tournament when you're playing five games, is pretty unbelievable. And then you just gotta be so happy for Coach Wagner and Coach Williams there, right? The start of the year, our very first meeting, they both said, like, man, this team is really, really good. And it's not just that you have a talented team, but one of uh I want to say one of the best men's team culture I've come across in 12 years. And again, uh across those 12 years, there was times where I was coaching all five teams. So 12 years, I've coached over well over 30 seasons of hockey uh with all of our different teams here at Liberty. So if anyone knows winning and losing culture, like it just is what it is, it's me. And this team had the greatest, most competitive, hardest working, all the positive accolades you could say, culture. And to see them get the job done, it's like that's justice. That's what should happen when you have this good of a team. The few guys I've come across, um, whether it was uh Matt Graham or Aiden Hannigan in St. Louis, uh, they made the drive out uh to support some people, and then you know, a couple players here, some coaches. For the rest of their lives, these players, these coaches are gonna know, like, all right, this is it again, or this is not it, right? There's always team environments you're gonna be in, right? Like we're a team of four doing this podcast. Uh, so these players will know what good leadership, good culture, good habits are, and that's gonna sustain them for forever, right? When you're part of a church group or whatever it is. Um, so I'm so happy for them there. And yeah, they're just so awesome, right? That just to be the first kind of men's team to do it, to have the expectations, to pull it off and uh do it in the fashion that they did it, like so proud of them. And then yeah, and you kind of mentioned it, Kelly Stroik there, like big time player making big moves and big games. Like, Kelly, I'm pumped for you, buddy, because a couple uh days before they headed out for nationals, the skates broke. So it's just like, oh no, uh, how do I fix these rivets? Uh but yeah, he's Stroik won. Yeah, exactly. But uh he got the job done, and uh yeah, uh a bunch of big names that we can mention here. Obviously, uh we we won't have to go through all the guys, but like I am so proud of this team. And I I tried to tell them over and over of like what a special team it was, what a special year it was to stay focused, keep their foot on the gas pedal, and they did, and they pulled it off and uh in in very decisive fashion as well. There there was no mistaking it. So so proud of them, happy for the team, happy for the coaches, uh, and happy for myself that I got to get to witness it again. And I'm not gonna lie, there was a you know a drought from 2018 and beyond where I started to wonder like, man, do I not have it with men's teams? Right? Like, am I only really good at coaching women's teams that Chris Lowe's and Paul Bloomfield coach? Right? Like it was just going through my mind. And so uh for all the boys for the coaches, like thank you for uh restoring a little bit of confidence in myself. Yeah. Uh because there's there's some dark days where I was like, man, I just don't have it. It's must be me. But uh yeah, the this team really just restored so much for me and for this program. Unbelievable year.
SPEAKER_04And we also learned a valuable lesson too. Only one Liberty hockey team can win a year.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. Apparently, okay. That's right. Yeah, apparently. We used to have it where only the women would win if wrestling. Wrestling won. Wrestling won. That's all right.
SPEAKER_01Good to know that wrestling is non-factor with hockey. Yeah, officially. Yeah.
SPEAKER_04It was for a while. Yeah. Yeah. Four championships in a row. It was uh or the first four for both teams. You were like, oh, all right.
SPEAKER_03Here we go. How Castro went, the rest of us went. That's how I was in. Yeah, yeah, exactly.
SPEAKER_05Yeah. And you know, so much we said for Josh Wagner as well, coming in just his third season with this program and being able to take him to a Natty. And it wasn't easy. You know, that first year he came in and he was like, I have to figure out how we get a schedule built. You know, this happened so late on in the season, and then building this team the past couple of years. And I mean, you know, I mean, truthfully, if you're a D3 program, you're getting guys picked up a lot, you're getting guys brought up and down, and it's hard to maintain that consistency. But um, they found that spark this year, and that coaching staff did an excellent job uh to take home the title. And an interesting question that Pat, you put on our rundown. Do they stay in the AAU now? You know, they've moved around the past few years, found some success now in AAU D3. Do we think this is their landing spot for the foreseeable future?
SPEAKER_04I I think they're moving up, right? Uh well, I know there's talk about them going to AAU D2. I don't know if that's in the next year or two, but like truthfully, in my opinion, I think eventually it shifts back to you move back to the ACHA. There was a mass influx last year, AAU teams going to D3 and D2, men's ACHA. Like, and he Coach Wagner has done a good job building relationships with a lot of those teams that came over, right? Like, so now um because he played them when they were AAU team, so now it's one of those things like, hey, do you really feel like it's worth you still staying in AAU, or should you just move back to the ACHA? In my opinion, I would see in the next five years they're gonna be an ACHA men's D3 team again.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I I agree, Pat. I think I think the ACHA is just such an established league. Yeah, yeah. An established program.
SPEAKER_04Hey, you had them on the ropes though a couple years ago.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, they did.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, seriously. Like it's that it's that hot and heavy thing, it's that live golf mentality, right? Yeah. We're gonna throw the money over here and do some flashy things and play music the whole time. Yeah. Right? Like, yeah, it's it's exactly it's good. It's it's a good product, but it's it I don't think it's the same. I don't think it has the same nostalgia to history, right? So you see programs that dominate throughout different leagues. So like Hope College at D3. Before they went, boom, that was the team, that's the standard. Women's D1 at Liberty. Like this team is dominating, they're gonna go down in history as one of the winningest, hopefully the winningest program in history. Right? There's years before, I think, like Oakland at men's one, as they like created that as the league's gotten better. Women's two, Sioux College before them, a little bit ACC, right? So like I think Coach Wagner, obviously, he's gonna do what he wants to do, and he's he's done a good job of developing relationships within the AAU. That's smart, yeah. Right, but I would like to see them go at ACHA men's three and see what kind of program and culture they can build there and see if they could go on a run there. Because obviously Middle Tennessee is a top team and they they did great against go there, compete, and so we have a clear men's one, two, and three at the ACHA level. Uh so there's no confusion. I don't like the idea of going to AAU D2. Like, oh, is this a D2 program? No, it's our D three, but they play AAU D2. Yeah, yeah. And I don't think ever getting all the way up to D one because we're not gonna mess with that.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, and not enough teams to be worth it.
SPEAKER_01I think you play a different schedule. Obviously, there's finances, travel, yeah, everything to consider.
SPEAKER_03Your geography kind of dictates it though. Like if everyone around you within a six-hour drive is AAU, you that's kind of the schedule you have to play.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Yeah. But I mean, like, you kind of got to suck it up. Look at Women's One. There's no one close.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, we go we're going all over the place.
SPEAKER_01St. Louis, but like you just basically have to go to Michigan three times if you're Coach Wagner.
SPEAKER_03I'm putting the bug in uh Chris Lowe's ear of like, why don't we go play a GCU ASU roadie for a little bit, right?
SPEAKER_01Girls bonding, guys golf trip, Arizona's great. Uh I'm I'm not a big golfer. But hey, you could be.
SPEAKER_03But yeah.
SPEAKER_01That's what's exciting about that opportunity. I'll vol I'll volunteer.
SPEAKER_03I'll I'll drive another mini bus with a trailer. Yeah, I was whipping that thing around.
SPEAKER_01So yeah, uh obviously kudos to men's D3. Where do they go from here? That's a really good question. Um obviously I think they're they're doing a great job where they are, and I think they need to continue to do that for a little while until that burns out. But congrats to that team. Huge congratulations. Yeah, it's awesome.
SPEAKER_03Coach Wagner's nickname was the man in the jacket. Or like the man in the coat or something. Yeah, dude. The announcers loved it. But the long swing. He was he was all business. He was like Bane on the bench there.
SPEAKER_01And he's got the best hair in the league. Like, I every time he doesn't wear a hat, the guy's hair's got so much volume. Like he needs to be his own hair commercial. And I'm like, I I just need I need to remind him every time I see him like, you're blessed, man. Like that head of hair, it doesn't happen often. Yeah. So like, yeah, what a blessing.
SPEAKER_03That's what people say about my beard. Yeah, exactly. Good point. Facts.
SPEAKER_01Everybody's got their thing, right? Exactly. Yeah.
SPEAKER_05So one more program to talk about before we close out this natty sweet cat pie.
SPEAKER_01We're not gonna do it. We're not gonna do it. We're just gonna move on.
SPEAKER_05Fourth. I'm coming right back to you. Okay, so get ready. Our our women's division two team, so close. They just miss out on the final four. They win their first pool play games. It came down to that last game against St. Thomas, and they lose that one 3-0. Again, like this team has been so consistent all season. Yeah. I know making it to pool play was a huge checkbox, or making it out of pool play was a huge checkbox. You guys were trying to check. Um, what did you see unfold there in that final game?
SPEAKER_03Before you go, best year ever though. Right. Winning two. That's tied two last year or the year before.
SPEAKER_01The year before they I think they overachieved and they won two in pool play and then lost that third one, and like they weren't expecting.
SPEAKER_04No, they uh lost the first one, then won the middle game in overtime, came back, and then won the last game. Yeah. And against St. Thomas, actually. Oh, okay. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01And so I think then last year obviously we went one and two in pool play. And then this year we would have liked to obviously get a pool play, get to a semifinal, like just those stepping stones for the program, and we would have matched up against Sue. And heck, we've seen it before, right? Miracle has to throw our best and hopefully get some puck luck, like or keep it respectable. But yeah, I I think it was for us as a coaching staff, obviously we've had we had a good season. I don't know what our record was, but maybe like 30 and 4? Yeah. Something like that. Great season. 30 and 3. Pads on it.
unknownOkay.
SPEAKER_01So it's super respectable. Right. And I I thought the girls did a great job. Um obviously the effort was there. And I think I think a lot of it comes down with to us as coaches, too. Like of just again, like as long as I've been doing it, it's like it's a different group, it's it's a different time. Like, okay, what do we what do we need to do? Like, maybe more plays, maybe more habits, right? And maybe instead of teaching this, we need to teach habits on this. So, like, as a coach, that's what what I like about coaching, is it's like n not often does it go perfectly. Yeah. Right. And it's like you can always look in the mirror and say, like, okay, what am I missing in my coaching game to help these girls, this group of girls, do something better and get the most out of them. So I think for us this year, it's maybe habits, because like we saw in the third game, like we didn't do little things that we needed to do to get over that line. Yeah. Right. Again, like the girls battled hard, right? Third game, three days. It's a it's a grind. Yeah. And obviously a lot of girls um did some good things, but we also went cold. I didn't think it's really bad. That like I didn't even really like realizing as it was happening. We did not score a goal in the last five periods. Right? So we obviously scored in every period versus Jamestown. We scored two goals in the first game against Northeastern, hung on, but the last two periods we didn't score, and then we scored zero against so sometimes you go cold. Uh unfortunately, it's a bad timing. Yeah. Um but yeah, huge thanks to like all the seniors and the girls that put in the work. And yeah, again, just to answer the next questions, like we're really excited for next year. We're bringing in a good group of girls, and and I think we're really excited to continue to build on what we did. We changed our system halfway through the year, and that was huge. I think just for the buy-in of the program, the girls and I thought we played faster. I thought we played better hockey and we were on the pa same page more often. And so that was only, you know, four weeks, six weeks into going into nationals that we changed it. Yeah. So I think like looking forward to next season, tweaking things like that and moving forward with that uh is gonna be huge for us next year.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, I would agree. I think uh it's also too about development, right? Like who takes a step forward, right? Like obviously she's the biggest name that you're gonna say, and we've said it, she should be the ACHA women's D2 player of the year, Cora Williams, right? She took massive leaps, right? Like scored more goals than her first two years combined, right? This past season, right? Like, so that's huge. Uh had more points this year than her first two years combined, too, if I'm not mistaken, as well. So like you're looking to see, hey, who's the next girl that can take a leap like that? And like you have plenty of girls to pick between, like uh that could easily do that. Um, your four depth, I think, is gonna be great. Like uh, there are some question marks coming into this year for you guys. Now, next year, I feel like that's gonna you're gonna have easily one of the stronger four groups across all of Liberty Hockey, like you could make a case for. So, like that's gonna be a huge weapon for you, and uh hopefully we'll propel you guys. And Rena Leon, like she does such a great job as a recruiter, uh building relationships. Like, I've said it before, and uh actually I'll just say it on the show. Like, I think she should have a key role in uh hockey development for all of Liberty Hockey, right? Like just in the recruiting aspect and the things that she does, like because she just knows not only knows the game well, but like she understands like being boots on the ground, like at all the places or having someone there. So like um But yeah, I I feel very optimistic about this team. And uh real quick, going back to your record, you were 23 and 3 this year. 23 and three, I'm 30 years. But I will say you were 9-0 at home first time ever. Yep. Right? Like, so like that's a huge benchmark, too, right? Like, obviously, it took a while to get some home games, but the fact that you defended the barn well, like I think is huge. So like I think there's still plenty of good things to come for this uh program, and it's gonna just keep getting better.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, and like you talked about Rena. I I love work there, and obviously Coach Carpenter, which is Holly, formerly Holler Holly Turner. There we go. Um but like yeah, I I I love it. Like it there's never a time for me where it's like, oh, I don't like this. Like we can talk about things and and like and obviously coach has the final say. It's for for example, like, you know, I'm working with PowerPlay and pull in some girls, and she like pulled me aside like a couple weeks before uh Nationals. She's like, hey, this girl's gotta be on PowerPlay. Yes, no problem. Right? So I think she does a good job of of managing that kind of stuff, and and like you said, like as a recruiter, it's crazy. Yeah, like hostles. Yeah, yeah. Okay, now we're having that big ACHA showcase. Yeah, and like our girls prospect weekend. And like I remember in December, it was like maybe December 6th weekend, like girls are literally just left that week, and like she texted me, like, hey, I'm at this showcase in maybe Pittsburgh. Yeah, like watching this girl, like, ah, she's a yes, or this girl's a maybe, and I just chatted with her. I was like, Oh yeah, you're on the road. Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, and yeah, and like she's good at it. She's like, she like knows she has a vacation coming up, so she'll go on wherever she plans, but then she like it's like she looks up, like, oh, let's see if there's a hockey thing where I'm going. Like during my downtime, I'm gonna go during one of these things. So, like, yeah, it's sure. She grinds.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, so huge shout out to them. Um, and like you talked about Williams, like I'd be remiss if I didn't bring her up. Yeah, like she's a stud, she is the best player in the league. I know there was conversation and some people give me a hard time. That's right, fired her up though. I literally watching, I didn't watch every game at nationals. Obviously, we're focused on our own team, but like I would trade her for no one ever.
SPEAKER_04And she's the name now, right? Like I told you guys this. Like uh we were watching uh a game, Sue College, they come in, right, with their swag and like yeah, and they uh it's still a northeastern game because they're the game after us, and they like saw her coming and they're like, Oh, there she is, 44! You gotta watch for her. And like Core was like almost on a semi-breakaway, and they're like, Oh, she didn't miss by much. I mean, she hit a couple posts, that was a crossbar. So, like, they like the best team in the league and four time consecutive national champion like was sort of giving you praises. Like, that says a lot about the what kind of year and the type or that you have brought together. yourself.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I mean 37 goals this season, right? I think just a handful of assists. I think some of those are missed. So 50 points on paper. And I think I think she could do more. Yeah. Again as a coach. Which sounds crazy. Yeah, yeah. Like and like I get excited to coach players like her. Because she's someone I can literally stand there, correct in practice in front of people. I could raise my voice. I don't want to use the word yell because that's a dramatic word. Yeah, yeah. You know, at her and she's someone like she's our best player. So like if I can correct her and her not take offense to that, like I I I I want other girls to see that and say like coaches are just coaching us. Yeah. Right. And and she's the type of player that just in and out every day is like one of the hardest workers and she's just she gets it. She's great with the girls and I I think I think we're going to go for 50 and 27. So Danny Heatley he's a NHL player. He scored 50 and 07. Oh right we're going to go Cora Williams 50 and 27. Come on. Oh maybe we'll have to play a few extra games so Rena if you're watching schedule five extra just to showcase it over here 40's tough to get it especially versus the uh ACCHL teams. Yeah. So yeah no it's a great season by everybody obviously some rookies there in the in the lineup that um produced like Honeycut I'm excited about her game. Yeah. So like even on paper she like she scored the most goals this tournament right and even in the like she was tied for third on the team with 23 to 25 points and it still wasn't a great season for her. Yeah like and she's like her having conversations with me before like she comes in wants to do video wants to get better has questions and she's like I feel like I'm doing right things but when I watch it I don't like how it looks right and so it's just somebody like that who's hungry to get better and who's already good. Right. And so just trying to get continue and like have these girls push themselves to that next level and then next year obviously get out of pool play make it to a semifinal Sue College is gone right and so historically we will match up with that same pool because it's the same pool every year and then try to get over hurdles together.
SPEAKER_03Is Sue going to women's one?
SPEAKER_01Women's one and so I mean they're they're a great program. Yeah they've done a good job and and there was a close one against um ACC which is a Cinnabon community college in Manitoba and it was a one nothing game and I thought ACC looked better throughout the tournament whether that was just because you know they rested their studs but they had a 10-2 win eight nothing win and so like they looked dangerous. Yeah and obviously couldn't unfortunately for them couldn't quite get it done. But um no overall great season. Thankful for the girls um and it's it's just a joy to coach them.
SPEAKER_05Yeah so wow and we're only a little over a week away from the prospect camp. That's crazy we don't have to wait too long to see who might be coming next for the Liberty Lady Flames and the men's prospect camp is just one week after that. So women's is April 9th to 11th and men's is April 22nd through 24th we can get a look at this next generation of hopeful Liberty talent. And I feel like when you have a men's team that won the championship it kind of like hey it nudges the other programs like all right like the standard has been raised you know Liberty men's programs win national championships. And so um yeah it's just fun to see and obviously the standard I feel like in the women's program as a whole is the bars continue being raised and it's pretty dangerous when the women's division one team loses a national championship you know they're gonna be hungry the next year. Right. On another level well guys that was a great Natty's debrief. Yeah and the offseason conversation will keep going so thanks for watching the Rock the Ring podcast and we'll see you next time.