Box Score Site: Lynchburg, Va. (LaHaye Ice Center)
Score: No. 12 Davenport 2, No. 9 Liberty 3
Records: DU (4-2-0-1), LU (10-1-0-0)
Next DU event: Friday, Oct. 25 – vs. No. 4 Adrian College – 5:30 p.m.
 
LYNCHBURG, Va. – The Davenport D1 hockey team would be doomed by yet another start. The Panthers would come out of the gates slow and would fall behind 3-0 early in the game. But, head coach Phil Sweeney's squad would battle back once again. Their comeback would fall short again as the Panthers would lose in game two of the Blue-Gray Cup by the final score of 3-2. Robert Kleiman and Luke McCarthy were the goal scorers for the Panthers. Davenport will be back in action to face No. 4 Adrian College next Friday at 5:30 p.m. at Patterson Ice Center.
 
The Liberty Flames came out quick in the game as they were looking to lock up the Blue-Gray Cup. The Flames would put a goal on the board less than five minutes into the game. Bram Erickson would break the ice quickly to give Liberty the early. Erickson would come back less than ten minutes later to extend the Liberty lead to 2-0.
 
The Panthers would have four-on-three advantage for two minutes, but the Flames would be the ones to cash in as they added a shorthanded goal to go up 3-0 in the first period. Bad blood boiled over, as the teams would get into a big skirmish. The first period would end with Flames up 3-0.
 
In the second period, Phil Graveline came in off the bench for the Panthers. Graveline would stand on his head while he was in net making a handful of highlight reel saves. He would keep the Panthers in the game, as Liberty was able to keep pressure in the Davenport end in the early part of the second period.
 
DU would finally put a goal on the board, as Luke McCarthy would cut the Flame lead to two goals. After the goal the Panthers would flip the ice and start to hold the puck in the Liberty end. However, Blair Bennett, who also came in off the bench, would keep the Panthers at just one goal through two periods.
 
With the Flames holding a 3-1 lead going in to the third period, DU would look to complete a comeback. DU used the momentum from McCarthy's goal to dictate play in the third. They were able to Bennett work by throwing just about every puck on net. But the Flame net minder would keep the score 3-1.
 
With just under ten minutes remaining Robert Kleiman would find the back of the net, as he would score to bring the Panthers within one. DU would pull out all stops to try and tie the game at three, but they were unable to. Liberty was able to win the Blue-Gray Cup for the first time in its short two year history, as they would sweep Davenport by winning game two 3-2.
 
After game coach Sweeney had thoughts on the game and weekend in Lynchburg, "As a coach you can never be happy about getting swept. I am disappointed we lost the Blue-Gray Cup. Both nights we started slow and finished strong, but it was too late. We lost both games to a top ten team on the road by one goal. The guys battled, but we came up short."
 
Sweeney would continue to say, "This team can be good, but we have to play 60 minutes and make teams beat us instead of beating ourselves. Liberty played very well this weekend and deserves the credit for sweeping us at their rink."
 
The Panthers will be back at home, after being on the road for the last five games, Friday, October 25th, as they jump back in conference play to faceoff against No. 4 Adrian College. The puck drops at the 5:30 p.m. at the Patterson Ice Center.
 
Post-Game Notes
 
Davenport drops 4-2-0-1 on the season as they head back into conference play. Luke McCarthy continues to score for Panthers as he has scored in all but one game thus far. Robert Kleiman now has four goals and seven points on the season. Both Kleiman and McCarthy are tied for team lead in points and goals.
 
DI Ice Hockey Contact: David Gerhart | 616-554-5045 | dgerhart@davenport.edu
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