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For Immediate Release: December 6, 2013
Site: East Lansing, Mich.
Score: Davenport University 2, Michigan State University 3
Records: DU (15-3-0-1), MSU (9-7-0-0-1)
Next DU event: Saturday, December 7, V.S. Michigan State at Patterson starting at 8:20 p.m.
 
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Two key Panther defenders, Aaron Warsen and team captain Garret Garber, returned from injury absences tonight and served as big players for Davenport. Sund, Swink, and a few other offensive leaders kept puck control and kept the shots on goal throughout the game despite not reaching the back of the net in the first two periods. Damerow put the Panthers back in the game in period three with an early goal. Swink gave the Panthers the third period tie they needed with eight minutes to go but the Spartans responded with a slapshot that gave them the 3-2 lead they would win with.

Davenport began the first period of play with strong offensive attempts at scoring deep in the slot but MSU's goalie repelled repetitive goal attempts from Donald Sund and Bryon Guerin. Although the Panthers held the majority of puck possession in the first, Michigan State scored the only goal in the first period near the halfway mark. The score stayed at 1-0 throughout the remaining minutes of the period.

The first half of period two was just like period one; DU was on top of the offensive pressure aspect of the game but couldn't slip one past the Spartans goalie Andrew Freeman. Just over five minutes into the period, an MSU player rifled a shot from the back of the zone that John Cruse just barely missed with his glove. The Panthers kept the puck in Michigan States territory and had several good shots on goal and even a few open one-time opportunities but nothing was able to make it to the scoreboard. Gelow, Warsen, and Garber brought fierce defensive play that shut the remainder of MSU's chances down.

Davenport forward Blake Damerow generated a big play for the Panthers with shot in the slot that flew past Freeman and brought DU back in the game less than two minutes into period three. The Panthers continued their pattern of puck control and it proved to pay off big when Daniel Swink scored a huge goal in the third following a prime passing play from Guerin and Garber, leaving both teams with eight minutes to take control. MSU found that game control with just two minutes to play which ended the Panthers third period come back.

DU and MSU will follow up tonight's nail-biter tomorrow at Patterson Ice Center beginning at 8:30 p.m. After DU closes its series against the Michigan State Spartans
 
D3 Ice Hockey Contact: Ryan Clarkson | 616-745-9420 | rclarkson1@davenport.edu
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