Box Score LYNCHBURG, Va. – The Davenport DI hockey team traveled out east this weekend to face bitter rival Liberty to open up the Blue-Gray Cup. After Liberty battled back to send the game into a shootout, Cody Walsh was the only person to score from either team to seal the win for Davenport. The Panthers will close out the road trip on Saturday night at 7 p.m. at the LaHaye Ice Center looking to win back the Blue-Gray Cup. The game will be broadcast on ESPN3.
 
Davenport started the game on a roll as they were able to put pressure on the Liberty net minder. Matt Ogden got the scoring started in the first period just 3:10 into the period on a feed from Cody Mathieu. Just 40 second later, Kevin Noble put another goal on the board for the Panthers to give DU and early two-goal lead.
 
Davenport continued to put pressure on Liberty throughout the first period as they put 18 shots on net in the first period. Everett Thompson capped off the scoring in the first period to give the Panthers a 3-0 lead after the first period.
 
In the second period, Liberty started to turn the tables as they switched goaltenders to start the period. The Flames scored their first goal of the game with just over 11 minutes remaining in the second period. After the goal, Liberty continued to put pressure on Davenport goalie Matt Kaludis. Kaludis came up with some big saves to keep the Flames at ease and to give DU a 3-1 lead heading into the third period.
 
Liberty carried the momentum they gained from the goal in the second period into the third period as they cut the DU lead to one goal just 1:33 into the third period. Just over three minutes later, the Flames tied the game at three, and neither team could break the tie in the remaining minutes to send the game into overtime.
 
In overtime, both teams battled hard looking for the game winning goal, but after five minutes of play neither team could find the back of the net and the game went into a shootout. Cody Walsh was the first shooter for Davenport and he faked a shot from the hash marks and dragged the puck out wide on his forehand and beat the Liberty goalie to give DU a 1-0 lead in the shootout. Kaludis came up with three saves in the shootout to clinch the shootout victory for the Panthers.
 
After the game head coach Phil Sweeney talked about game one of the Blue-Gray Cup, "I am happy we won, but we have to be better structurally. We were a little wild in the defensive and neutral zones. We need to cut down on our turnovers and play to our strengths. We looked awesome in the first period. When we attack this team can be really good, and we need to attack fro 60 minutes and leave here with the Blue-Gray Cup."
 
The Panthers will be back in action on Saturday at 7 p.m. when they conclude their weekend series at Liberty, with the game being broadcast on ESPN3.
 
DI Ice Hockey Contact: David Gerhart | 616-554-5045 | dgerhart@davenport.edu
DU Athletics: Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram
DI Ice Hockey: Twitter | Facebook