Box Score Site: Rochester, Mich. (Onyx Ice Arena)
Score: No. 12 Davenport 5, Kent State 2
Records: DU (24-10-0-3), KSU (7-27-0-1)
Next DU event: Saturday, Feb. 22 – vs. TBA – GLCHL Tournament Semifinals – 8:30 p.m.
 
ROCHESTER, Mich. – The Davenport D1 hockey team started their postseason on Friday evening in the GLCHL Conference Tournament with a win over Kent State. Leading the way for the Panthers was Mason Bohlinger with two goals in the game. DU is now 24-10-0-3 on the season with the 5-2 win over the Golden Flashes in the conference tournament quarterfinals. Davenport will now face the winner of the Western Michigan vs. Oakland the tournament semifinals at 8:30 p.m.
 
The Panthers fell behind early as Kent State struck first to score the first goal of the game and took an early 1-0 lead. DU then came back as Mason Bohlinger was able to pick up a rebound in front of the net to tie the game a one. The Panthers continued to hold the pressure in the Golden Flashes end, but could not score as the score was tied at one goal a piece after the first period.
 
In the second period DU tried to pull away, as Bohlinger tipped in a s shot from Bo Jacobs scored an early goal in the period to give DU a one goal lead. However, the Golden Flashes came storming back to tie up the game part way through the second period. The Panthers took a 3-2 lead into the locker room for the second intermission as Kody Polin put the Panthers on top after a nice give and go play from the corner.
 
 
At the start of the third period, Davenport had to kill of a penalty to preserve the one goal lead, and the penalty kill unit came up big to keep the DU up by one. Right after the penalty kill the Panthers took a two-goal lead after Robert Kleiman buried the goal midway through the third period.
 
In the second half of the period the Panthers had to kill of five minute major penalty, and DU was able to keep the Golden Flashes at ease with another strong penalty kill. In the final two minutes of the game, Davenport found themselves down a man once again, but Chris Eckler was able cap of the game with an empty net goal and gave DU the 5-2 win to advance to the conference semifinals.
 
The Panthers will face the winner of the Western Michigan vs. Oakland game tomorrow at 8:30 p.m. in Rochester, Mich., in the GLCHL Conference Semifinals.
 
Post-Game Notes
 
Mason Bohlinger, Bo Jacobs, Kody Polin and Robert Kleiman all had multiple points in the game as DU out shot the Golden Flashes 42-22. The Panthers are now 4-1 All-Time in the GLCHL Conference Tournament with there only loss coming against Adrian in 2012 in the semifinals.
 
DI Ice Hockey Contact: David Gerhart | 616-554-5045 | dgerhart@davenport.edu
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