Box Score | Lowden Audio Interview

WENTZVILLE, Mo. - Two late goals from Jonathon Juliano sent the game into overtime, but it was the host Lions who prevailed in the shootout to down Davenport 3-2 on Friday night.  The loss is the first of the year for the Panthers as they will take on LU again at 5:30 PM on Saturday.

In a matchup that featured last season's ACHA D-1 and D-2 national champions, the game definitely lived up to the hype.  Lindenwood however had the final answer with a 2-1 win in the shootout to claim a victory on the same night they raised the 2009-10 championship banner.

The game started out with each team feeling the other out but it was Davenport who took control of the shots as they finished the first period with a 12-9 edge.  Unfortunately, none of those shots found the back of the net as the score remained deadlocked at 0-0 headed to the first intermission.

Playing in front of a nice crowd on their home ice lifted the Lions early in the second period as they put up back to back goals in the first five minutes with the latter coming on one their seven power play opportunities of the night.

After falling behind, Davenport did not back down entering the third period as the offense really started to click.  Then with 6:19 remaining in regulation, transfer Jonathon Juliano (Clinton Twp, Mich.) scored his first goal in a DU uniform to pull the Panthers within one.  Matt Morang (Dearborn, Mich.)and Brit Ouellette (Windsor, Ontario) were credited with the assists.

As time ticked away, DU was fortunate enough to get on the power play and they made the most of what could be their final chance as Juliano scored his second of the night with just under a minute to play in the 3rd period.  Morang again assisted on the play to notch his second point of the game as the teams would head to overtime.

After a scoreless five minutes of free hockey, the two teams went to a shootout.  Falling behind again, DU was down to their last shooter in the best of three scenario and Jeff Slusser (Kentwood, Mich.) tied the score at 1-1 and the next shooter for LU was stoned by DU netminder Joe D'Elia (Toronto, Ontario) to send it to sudden-death.

After a DU miss, the Lions wrapped up the victory with the final shootout goal to win the game 3-2. 

D'Elia finished the night with 22 saves as the Panthers outshot the Lions 31-24.  The two teams will play again on Saturday with a 5:30 PM EST faceoff.  Live scoring will be available on www.dupanthers.com.