Friday Broadcast |
Saturday Broadcast |
Oakland Website
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - The annual "Good Luck Duck" Series will kick off this weekend as Davenport and Oakland's D1 Ice Hockey teams take to the ice for a home and home. Davenport has won the past three season series, including a dramatic shootout win in the deciding game in 2009-10 and has kept the Duck at Patterson since claiming it in 2007-08.
When it comes to rivalries this is one of the best. Both of the teams are very familiar with each other, as 44 players between the two teams are from the state of Michigan. (Oakland 26, Davenport 18) Last year's series definitely helped rejuvinate the rivalry as freshman
Marc Thompson (Traverse City, Mich.) scored in a shootout to win the "Good Luck Duck".
Scott Knight (Grand Rapids, Mich.) made all 3 saves in the shootout for the Panthers as they took the season series 3-2.
The Good Luck Duck has won 4 consecutive national championships (1 for Oakland - ACHA Division 1, and 3 for Davenport - ACHA Division 2), and the winner of the 5 game series between the two teams gets to keep the duck for the entire season. Bragging rights, conference points, national rankings and the "Good Luck Duck" are all on the line now in this series and these two upcoming games.
Leading the Grizzlies into this weekend is Kevin Kranker. Kranker is currently leading OU with 28 points on the season. He is a very skilled forward who must be accounted for while on the ice, especially on the power play. In his first 3 years, plus this season to date, Kranker has netted 24 power play goals, including the 4 he has already tallied this season. Leading the Golden Grizz in goals is junior forward Jordan McDonald who has 12 goals so far in their first 20 games. Oakland will have some of the more physical forwards that Davenport will face all season.
Leading the Grizzlies on defense is All American Jacob DeSano. DeSano has 22 points already this season including 5 goals. The junior defenseman is very solid at shutting down other teams top lines, and will be asked to shut down whatever explosive DU line Coach Jeremy Bachusz decides to match him up against. Also solid on the blue line for Oakland is Alexander Hoffman. The sophomore defenseman is second on the team in goals scored with 10. The Oakland defense also have a familiar face to Davenport, in junior transfer from Brett Hagen. Brett has one of the most impressive shots in the league and is a threat to score any time he has a chance to wind up and let the shot go.
In net for Oakland will be junior goaltender Alex Pikunas. Pikunas has played in 18 games so far this season, recording 10 wins. He has a 2.88 goals against average and an 89% save percentage. Pikunas will look to slow down the Panther offense that posted 26 goals last weekend in two games.
Friday, Davenport travels to the Onyx in Rochester for the first of two games. The game will be an 8 pm start. Saturday, DU hosts their rival with a 7:00 pm warm up and a 7:30 pm start time. These will be two hard fought, fast paced and very physical games between the two rivals. Come support your Panthers and get your first look at the "Good Luck Duck" on Saturday night.
