Box Score | Assistant Coach Messina Interview | Wendecker Interview
TUCSON, Ariz. – Davenport improved to 2-0 this season in overtime games with their 2-1 overtime win at Arizona. Jeff Slusser put Davenport on the board in the second period with a power play goal. Arizona got the equalizer in the third period before Phil Wendecker scored with 23 seconds remaining in overtime to win it for the Panthers.
After a scoreless first period, it didn't take long in the second for Davenport to get on the board. Jeff Slusser knocked in a goal 50 seconds into the second period. Mason Bohlinger and Ben Dykstra were given assists on the play.
Arizona and the crowd, of a few thousand, got back into the game when the Wildcats tied the game up at 1-1 just over 8 minutes into the third period.
After neither team was able to notch the winning goal by the end of regulation, the game went into overtime were Phil Wendecker, off passes from Mason Bohlinger and Philip Tesoriero, was able to score the winning goal. Wendecker also scored the game winning goal in Friday night's 2-1 win over Arizona.
Phil Graveline picked up the win in net for the Panthers. Graveline stopped 21 of the 22 shots he faced. After a rough outing in the trip opener against Arizona State, Graveline has rebounded by giving up only one goal in each of his last three games helping the Panthers to a 2-1 record in those games.
Davenport will return to conference play on next Friday and Saturday when they travel to UM-Dearborn for a pair of games. The Panthers will wrap up the weekend with a non-conference tilt at rival Grand Valley State on Sunday.
Post-Game Quotes – Assistant Coach Joe Messina and Sophomore Phil Wendecker
Messina's Thoughts on Game – “Four games in five nights, that's just the bottom line. The boys came tonight just trying to get through sixty minutes and trying to get on the win column, which we did at the end. Playing ASU strong for two games and then coming over here to Arizona in a tough place to play, in front of a few thousand people. Obviously everyone's rooting against you, so it's good to fight through the odds and come out with a win tonight.”
Wendecker on Having Game Winner in Consecutive Games – “It was kind of an adjustment for me, they moved me from defense to forward. So it's trying to get used to a new position and still trying to help the team. I had good help from my line mates and the guys I was playing with, we work well together. I just got a couple open looks and things worked out.”
Post-Game Notes
Davenports other overtime win this season came on October 21 at Liberty in a 4-3 win… All four of Davenport's non-conference wins have come in two-game sweeps (at Liberty and at Arizona)…Davenport improves to 8-3 on the road this season.
