Box Score

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Ninth-ranked Davenport completed the home-and-home weekend sweep of Western Michigan Saturday night when the Panthers defeated the Stallions 5-3. Jeff Slusser scored once in each period to get the hat trick. Davenport will be in action again on Thursday, November 10^th when they host Arizona State.
 
Davenport got off to a good start controlling the puck for most of the opening period. Jeff Slusser found the back of the net off a Brock Carlston pass for the power play goal to give Davenport the lead 7:32 into the game.
 
Joe D'Elia kept Western Michigan scoreless for much of the first period until Western's Nick Elliott snuck the puck past D'Elia for the four-on-four goal.
 
The game remained 1-1 for the first 15 minutes of the second period before Jeff Slusser's second power play goal put the Panthers up 2-1. Just a couple minutes later Bo Jacobs netted a goal off passes from Kevin Noble and Brock Carlston to extend the Davenport lead to two.
 
With just over two minutes remaining in the second period Mark Kuptz for Western Michigan scored to close the gap to 3-2.
 
Mason Bohlinger knocked in Davenport's third power play goal of the game two minutes into the third to give the Panthers a 4-2 advantage. Four minutes later, Jeff Slusser scored to complete his hat trick.
 
Western Michigan's Jeff Wilkie scored a power play goal midway through the third period but Western wouldn't get any closer than that as the Panthers went on to win 5-3.

Joe D'Elia got the win for Davenport in net stopping 22 of the 25 shots he faced. D'Elia improves to 2-2 on the year.
 
Davenport will next be in action on Thursday, November 10^th when they host third-ranked Arizona State. On Friday and Saturday, Davenport will host second-ranked Lindenwood in a rematch of the 2011 National Championship. 

Post-Game Quotes - Head Coach Phil Sweeney

Thoughts on Game - "We needed two wins and we got them this weekend. Today wasn't pretty but we won ans we will get back to work on Monday. We are a blue collar, grind it out kind of team. Today we played soft and bad defensively. I am happy we had three power play goals tonight which is the reason we won."

Thoughts on the play of Jeff Slusser - "Sometimes when a young team is struggling seniors step up. Sluss had five goals this weekend and gave us momentum going into next week. He has been working hard so i am glad to see him scoring again."

Post-Game Notes

Davenport improves to 4-5 overall and 2-0 in conference play...Davenport outshot Western Michigan 45-25...Davenport scored on three of their six power play opportunities.