Every Liberty Flames home game this season has been like a party: big crowds, big hits, and big goals—Liberty victory every time out. The Sooners crashed that party in more ways than one Saturday.

Freshman forward Ryan Lee had charged the net with the puck earlier but was cross-checked from behind, ruining the scoring chance. Revenge would be served cold on Lee’s next shift. He made a lasting impression; hitting a Liberty player through the glass and into the stands.

Freshman defensemen Troy Puente and Augie Hoffman, along with Lee’s hit, kick-started the Sooner comeback. Hoffmann made his impact felt outside of the box score. Early in the game, he exchanged a few words with spectators and Hoffmann became the crowd’s focus.

“I've got to play my game, which is a rag-tag,” Hoffmann said. “I like to hit, be physical, always in people’s faces [and] always chirping.”

Late in the third period, Puente scored his first goal of the year to make it 3-2. Another freshman, defenseman Craig Martin, scored the tying goal with under three minutes to play, and the Sooners saw overtime for the fifth time in six games.

A tripping penalty sent Liberty senior defenseman Mike Lane to the penalty box and ultimately sent the crowd home frustrated. Martin sealed the game with his second goal in less than six minutes of game time. He has scored six goals in OU’s last five games.

“I've always considered myself an offensive defenseman,” Martin said. “It was just a matter of getting used to the style of the college game.”

Liberty won Saturday night’s game 6-3, with some help. Oklahoma players logged a total of 48 penalty minutes, compared to 20 penalty minutes for Liberty.

“The refs were out to get us that night,” Lee said. “We outplayed them, I thought. They were pretty much gunning for everybody the whole weekend; a pretty dirty team, I must say.”

As a result, the Flames had six power plays (often with a two-man advantage) to only two for OU. The Sooners managed to allow only one power play goal, but had little energy left to expend in the offensive zone. Junior defenseman Shawn Hayden scored early in the third period to tie the score, 3-3, but OU couldn’t keep up the rest of the night.

Home games ahead to close out season

OU finishes their season with five out of six games at home in the Blazers Ice Centre. They host Indiana Friday and Saturday, the second semester home-and-home with Central Oklahoma is Feb. 19 and 20 (with the second game at home) and Liberty comes to town to finish the year Feb. 26 and 27.

The Sooners swept at Indiana earlier this year 7-2, 7-3, the only previous meetings between the teams. Junior forward Chris Benz leads the Hoosiers in goals with 17, followed by senior forward Mike Vaughan with 13. Junior goaltender Daniel Abramson is the primary netminder for Indiana. He has posted 4.10 goals against average and 89% save percentage this season.

Sophomore goaltender Matt Pombo made 22 saves Friday and 35 saves Saturday. He now has 2.71 goals against average and a 90% save percentage. Junior forward Jesse Bryant stayed hot (11 points in 8 games) with two assists. Sophomore forward Brad McCabe had three assists and two goals on the weekend. McCabe leads OU in goals (19) and assists (29), giving him 48 points.

Sophomore forward Dan Rombach is still recovering from a concussion. Senior defenseman Austin Miller, the team captain, is still recovering from a foot injury but travels with them for support. Pombo has called Miller the “rock of the team.”