GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - The D1 hockey team will try to regain possession of the “Good Luck Duck” this weekend in the final game of the five game series with Oakland University. This is the third straight season that the series has come down to the fifth game. Friday night's game will be broadcasted online live from Patterson Ice Center on the Davenport Athletic Network at 8:30 pm.
The “Good Luck Duck” has led the holder of the trophy to the National championship game in each of the last six years and has brought home 5 National championship titles. The first year the two teams started playing for the Duck was the 07-08 season. DU went on to win four strait championships; three at the D2 level from 2008-10 and one at the D1 level in 2011. Last season, the Grizzlies made it to the National Championship game before falling to Delaware.
This season it looked like the Panthers were on track to have possession of the Duck before the end of the regular season after winning the first two games of the series. DU defeat Oakland 4-2 at home with a late empty net goal and then cruised by the Grizzlies 5-1 in Rochester.
The next day Oakland tied the game 3-3 with 2:20 left in the third and escaped with a 4-3 shootout win in the Panthers barn to hold on to the Duck. Just over two months later the Panther got a second chance to claim the Duck, but once again Oakland held on for a 4-2 win to force a fifth game.
The Grizzlies and Panthers met once again last week in the semi-final of the GLCHL Tournament in a game that didn't count to the series. DU cruised by Oakland 5-2 thanks to a five goal second period.
Davenport enters the final game with a lot of momentum after winning their first GLCHL Tournament title. The Panthers held on to defeat top ranked Adrian College 2-1 in the finals, winning their ninth straight game. DU will continue to rely on solid goaltending from
Phil Graveline who was named the tournament's MVP.
Follow Davenport Athletics on:
FACEBOOK |
TWITTER |
You Tube
Follow Davenport DI Ice Hockey on:
FACEBOOK
