Sept. 21, 2008

Grand Rapids, Mich. - The Davenport hockey team has picked up where they left off last season by completing the two game sweep Saturday night against Eastern Michigan University. DU posted a 5-1 victory in their home opener to start the season 2-0.

DU got out to a slow start in the first, but progressed as the game went on. The first goal didn't come until the 4:51 mark of the second period when assistant captain Bob Collar found the back of the net with two great passes from Eric Troup and Chad Rutzel. Just over six minutes later, Collar struck again with an amazing individual effort on the penalty kill. This put the Panthers up two goals with a little over half of the game expired. EMU showed some life coming up with the next goal and cutting the deficit to one, but the rest of the game belonged to Davenport. Jeremy Barber scored his first goal as a Panther with passes coming from Ben Dykstra and Collar. Then, as Freshman Tom Dowell won a defensive zone faceoff, Eric Troup passed the puck up to sophmore transfer Kevin Brojek where he proceeded to find twine and score his first collegiate goal. The scoring attack by the Panthers concluded as Freshman sensation Ben Dykstra scored on a beautiful one-timer from Jeff Kraemer and Jonah Rogowski.

DU stayed strong defensively throughout the entire game buying in to keeping it simple and blocking shots which was done effectively by defenseman Kenny Jacobs. Chris Joswiak was stellar in net turning away 24 of 25 shots as the Panthers skated away with the 5-1 victory. DU's next home game is October 3 where DU will host GMHL and cross town rival Grand Valley State University in a night that will celebrate last season's success with the raising of the National Championship banner and the handing out of the National Championship rings. Game time is schedules for 8:00 PM with the pre-game festivities begining around 7:25 PM.