The Florida Gulf Coast University D2 hockey team will play Weber State University at 8:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31 and Saturday, Nov. 1 at Germain Arena. Tickets are $5 at the door, but are free with your Eagle ID.
The Wildcats bring a 3-7-1 record to Germain Arena to compete in a back-to-back matchup against the Eagles. Jesse Collins and Lakoda Coleman, WSU’s leading points-getters, look to capitalize on a solid FGCU defense and goaltending.
FGCU took on the Liberty University Flames, over the weekend. Defeating the Flames both Friday and Saturday evenings by scores of 8-5 and 6-3, respectively.
Igniting a packed arena, scoring commenced in the 11th minute of play, when Dan Echeverri received a pass from Mike Chemello and buried the puck behind Liberty goaltender Connor Carew. Moments later, Liberty defender Jackson Kuhn put the Flames on the board and sent both teams to the first intermission tied.
Liberty’s Devon Docksteader put two past FGCU goaltender Mike Reed, bringing the Flames up halfway through the second period. Echeverri retaliated by burying his second past Flames’ Carew. During the 13th minute of the second period, Eagles’ Jordan Klotz got his first of the night tying the Flames, before the second intermission.
The third period was packed with scoring from either team. FGCU’s Chemello got his second of the night. Shortly after, the speedy Dillon Duprey shoveled one past a struggling Carew. Liberty’s Ben Freymond bounced back with a goal in the 11th minute of the third. Assisted by Mike Chemello, Anthony Yezek scored his first of the night followed by two more FGCU goals, a second from Klotz and a third from Echeverri. Liberty was able to put one more past Reed, but ultimately FGCU maintained its lead, sealing the Friday night victory.
Duprey, Chemello and Echeverri all posted an impressive four-point game Friday night. Echeverri earned the hat trick.
Saturday night, the hard-fought first period was capped off with a late goal from Dan Echeverri. Eagles’ goaltender, Tyler Tracy, posted a solid first period by stopping all ten shots faced.
“We could have been behind very easily, in the first period,” Brinkworth said. “Our goaltender saved us.”
Duprey started the third period with an impressive penalty-shot goal, putting the puck past a bewildered Carew. Duprey followed up with another goal, putting the Eagles up by three in the sixth minute of the second. Liberty countered with a power play goal from Paul Ingles. Forward Nick Houser, assisted by Logan Garst, buried a fourth FGCU goal past a shaken Carew. Flames’ Jackson Kuhn closed out second-period scoring by putting his first past Tracy.
Rob Marlinski dished the puck to an open Chemello, who buried one behind the Flames’ goaltender in the fourth minute of the third period. Liberty’s Ingles later retaliated with his second of the night. An empty-net goal from Colton Bailey extinguished the Flames’ hopes of leaving Florida with a victory.
FGCU goaltender Tracy stopped 39 of 42 shots on goal, giving him an impressive .928 save percentage.
“They have one good line, which we focused on and kept under control.” Brinkworth said, “The kids played an excellent game, and every game we are learning about guys who play well in the tougher games. We’ve had a good start to our season.”