Box Score STRONGSVILLE, Ohio. – It was a thriller at the OBM Arena Friday afternoon as the No. 14 Davenport DI Hockey team let a 4-2 lead in the third period slip away to no. 3 Minot State, eventually losing in overtime by a final score of 5-4. Kody Polin knocked in two goals for the Panthers, as their 2014-2015 campaign comes to an end.
 
Minot State got on the board first in their first power play of the contest, beating Clayton Brown on a two on one to take the 1-0 lead. After a Beaver penalty minutes after, the Panthers created a pileup in the Minot State net, eventually leading to a Polin chip in to even the score at 1-1.
 
Both team defenses came out strong in the second period, exchanging power play kills for the first 15 minutes of the period. Davenport would then have a goal called off, which led to a Beaver goal to put Minot State up 2-1. Tempers flared as Cameron Dimmitt was knocked out of the game by a misconduct hit from Logan Herauf, which fueled the Panthers to a second Polin goal to knot the score at 2-2.
 
The intensity was as high as it gets to start the third period, where both teams saw several scoring opportunities early on but were unable to capitalize. Travis White's hot stick came through again for the Panthers midway through the third as he blasted one through a screen to put the Panthers up 3-2. Just seconds later, Chris Eckler would add insurance notching his first goal of the tournament, giving Davenport a 4-2 lead.
 
With 6:58 remaining in regulation, Minot State cut the deficit to 4-3 after Austin Yano beat Brown's left side, making it a one score game. The Beavers were not done there as they tied the score up at 4-4 with 3:29 remaining in the third, eventually sending the contest into overtime.
 
In the first sudden death action of the season, the Panthers and Beavers played back and forth hockey all the way until the halfway point when Minot State's Bryce Lipinski put the game away to give the Beavers a 5-4 overtime victory, putting an end to Davenport's season.
 
Clayton Brown got the start in the net for the panthers, recording 33 saves on 38 shots.
 
"The product we had on the ice today was a championship quality product. Head coach Phil Sweeney said of his team after the loss. "Everyone at Davenport current and alumni can be proud of this teams effort. They worked hard to be better then we were at the beginning of the season. This group of Seniors is special to me and I wish I could coach them another year. They've been fun to coach. Losses are always tough, especially the last one, but these guys have no reason to hang their heads. They played great!"

The Panthers finished the 2014-2015 season with an overall record of 25-12-1-4.
 
DI Ice Hockey Contact: David Gerhart | 616-554-5045 | dgerhart@davenport.edu
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