Box Score
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Grand Valley State upset the Panthers 5-4 Friday night snapping Davenport's six game win streak. This was the first game for Davenport after the holiday break. Davenport jumped out to a 2-0 lead after one period but GVSU outscored the Panthers 4-1 in the second en route to the upset. Davenport will be in action again Saturday night at 7:30 pm when they host Adrian.
Davenport controlled the puck for start of the first period. Zack Blumke put Davenport on the board first when he deflected in a Bo Jacobs shot just over a minute into the game. Then with seven minutes left in the period, Norm Farr stole the puck from a Lakers defensemen and was able to finish to put the Panthers up 2-0.
The momentum shifted in the second period. GVSU came out firing and scored four minutes into the period. Then just 20 seconds later the Lakers tallied another goal to tie the game at 2-2. Four minutes later Davenport retook the lead when Phil Wendecker buried a one-timer from just inside the blue line.
The rest of the second period was dominated by penalties. Just ten seconds after a Davenport penalty, the Lakers capitalized to tie the game at 3-3. A minute later, after another Davenport penalty, GVSU scored again to take their first lead of the game, 4-3. In all there were 11 combined penalties in the second period.
Just over four minutes into the third period, GVSU scored to push their lead to two at 5-3. Less than a minutes later, Kevin Noble scored to pull the Panthers back within one but Davenport wasn't able to get any closer.
Phil Graveline was in net for Davenport allowing five goals on 21 GVSU shots in the loss. The GVSU netminder, Josh LaVigne, stopped 23 of Davenport's 27 shots to give GVSU the upset win.
The loss drops Davenport to 13-10 overall. The Panthers will resume conference play tomorrow night when they host #15 Adrian at 7:30 pm.
Post-Game Quotes – Head Coach Phil Sweeney
After controlling the first period, what changed in the second to all GVSU to come back and eventually take the lead – “In the first we played disciplined and smart. Then in the second the guys started to play selfish and stupid which is a dangerous combination.”
What needs to change before your game tomorrow – “We need to come ready to play a full game of hockey. We had chances tonight, we need to be opportunistic and take advantage of those chances. If the play is there, we need to make it and not wait for someone else make the play.”
Post-Game Notes
Davenport leads the all-time series with GVSU 19-5-2…This was the second consecutive and just the third time all-time that Davenport has lost to Grand Valley State at home…The loss also snaps a six game home win streak for the Panthers.
