After defeating the host Flames Friday night, men's ACHA Division II ice hockey finished a weekend sweep at the Liberty Showcase with an 8-3 win over Davenport University Saturday afternoon and a 7-1 victory over Florida Gulf Coast Sunday morning at the LaHaye Ice Center in Lynchburg, Virginia.

Despite the ultimate outcome, the Lions actually trailed the Eagles early as they gave up a goal just 51-seconds into the game but responded with four unanswered to lead 4-1 by the end of the first. Gage Vierzba split the pipes first for Lindenwood on a play set up by Chase McClellan and Zac Maupin at 2:28. Nolan Kahl scored the first of two in the contest at 6:43 off a feed from Brett Robinson and then Anthony Tinsley hit the back of the net off a pass from McClellan at 15:20. Florida Gulf Coast switched goaltenders, but Maupin greeted him with a goal with three-minutes remaining in the period, assisted by Vierzba.

Things settled down from there with neither team scoring until midway through the third when Kahl netted his second of the day on a play set up by Sam Watson and Bryce Leger at 9:09. After an Eagles slashing penalty, Jacob Behnen sounded the horn with a power play goal with help from Vierzba and Mason Kruger at 12:55. The final goal for the Lions was the first of the season for Shane Ziegler at 17:36, assisted by Austin Meers and Behnen.

Lindenwood outshot Florida Gulf Coast 48 to 27 and Ethan Paulin-Hatch stopped 26 of the 27 shots he faced to earn the win in goal. The Lions went 1/4 on the power play while holding the Eagles scoreless on six man-advantage chances.

Lindenwood used a strong first period and opened up a 5-0 advantage before yielding a goal to the Panthers. Maupin put the first tally on the board at 11:58 on a play set up by Vierzba and Kruger. Sean McMahon made it 2-0 just over two-minutes later with help from Watson and Trent Sylvester. Kahl and Watson set up Michael Mullen at 17:51 and then Kahl found the back of the net just 44-second after, assisted by McClellan and Behnen.

Sylvester scored his first of the season off a feed from Vierzba at 3:13 of the second before Davenport answered with two straight midway through the period to make it 5-2, but McMahon responded 13-seconds later with help from Stanley Lucas and Steve Avalone, and then Vierzba lit the lamp at 13:32 on a play set up by Tinsley and Maupin and it was 7-2 Lions.

It looks like Lindenwood would add on after a Davenport holding penalty in the final seconds of the second, but the Panthers surprised the Lions with a short-handed effort at 1:35 of the third to make it 7-3. The two teams skated up and down the ice trading opportunities until Brett Robinson stole the puck and buried an unassisted shot with 6:53 remaining in regulation.

Lindenwood outshot Davenport 53-24 and Justin Grenon stopped 21 of the 24 shots he faced to earn the victory in goal for the Lions, who went scoreless on three power plays while holding the Panthers scoreless on four, man-advantage chances.

With the wins, Lindenwood improved to 7-1 overall on the season. After two weekends on the road, the Lions return to home ice to host the Lindenwood Showcase October 20-22. The Lions will face Weber State on Friday at 2:40 p.m., the University of Iowa at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, and Depaul University at 3:45 p.m. Sunday with all games taking place at the Centene Community Ice Center in Maryland Heights, Missouri.