Championship Highlight Video
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Bobby Collar inched closer to second place on the all-time points list and Phil Graveline was solid in net as the two lifted Davenport to a 7-4 win over UM-Dearborn on homecoming night.
On the same night in which Davenport honored the 2009-10 ACHA D2 National Champions, the #2 ranked Panthers made quick work in their first ever game in the newly formed Great Lakes Collegiate Hockey League (GLCHL).
After a banner raising ceremony got things started on the night, DU jumped out front in the opening period with goals from Tyler Forbes (Toronto, Ontario) and Bobby Collar (Brighton, Mich.). The first goal came just less than halfway through the period on assists from Collar and Jonathon Juliano (Clinton Twp, Mich.). Bobby's goal was scored with just under a minute to play as it would be the first of two on the night for the senior.
Already posting two points in the first, Collar came out and posted a third just 6:07 to give DU a 3-0 lead. The three points lifted him to 15 on the year which places him just three points behind former DU captain Marc Lira for second all-time in DU history.
The lead continued to grow for the host Panthers when Justin Smith (Sarnia, Ontario) and Adam Kuhn (Southgate, Mich.)scored in the middle of the second to push the margin to five goals. The Wolves did get on the board with 3:36 remaining in the second, but DU notched their third power play goal of the game as Adam Kuhn scored his second of the night with 1:56 to play.
Leading 6-1 entering the final twenty minutes, Davenport came out very sluggish in front of new net-minder Cam Thomas (Kentwood, Mich.) and the Wolves jumped back into the game with three straight goals to bring the score of 6-4 in favor of DU. Phil Graveline (Marshall, Mich.) re-entered the game for DU and finished what he started by shutting UMD out for the remainder of the game as the rookie picked up his sixth win of the year in net.
Davenport has now won its last three homecoming games as they have celebrated three straight National Championships. The Panthers (9-2) will host the Wolves again on Saturday night at 7:30pm at Patterson Ice Center.
