GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – After a good performance against Calvin the weekend before, the D3 Hockey team came out looking to get their first win of the season against Western Michigan. Western took a week off after splitting a pair of games against the same Calvin team DU played to open their season. It shaped up to be an all-around performance by the Panthers to help get the job done against the Stallions.
 
Friday, October 26
Final Score: Davenport 5 – Western Michigan 2
Records: DU (1-1-1), WMU (2-4-1)
Location: Wings West Arena (Kalamazoo, Mich.)
 
SLOW START, FAST SECOND
The two teams battled hard throughout the first period, but neither Davenport's Austen Strauss nor Western's Connor O'Reilly would allow a single mark on the scoreboard throughout the first period. However, the second period featured all sorts of action, particularly on one end of the rink. It all started just under five minutes into the period, as Hunter Tolsdorf tickled the twine for the first time in his Davenport career to break the ice. The Stallions would be able to battle back just over a minute later, while with the man advantage, Billy Lukwinski was able to slip one passed Strauss to tie the game at one. However, Davenport would strike back shortly thereafter. Charlie Bonser was able to setup Brandon Bihn for his first of the season to give the Panthers the lead once again. Davenport continued to press on, and, in reversed roles, Bonser would score his first of the season with the assist coming from Bihn exactly a minute after Bihn's goal. With only a couple of minutes left in the middle frame, Bihn and Tyler Heyboer were able to set up Tolsdorf for his second of the period, on the power play, and DU went into the second intermission with a 4-1 lead.
 
SO 'SPECIAL'
Two of the Panthers' four goals in the period came on the power play, and the DU special teams' success continued into the final period. While on another power play, Ethan Tellier found Bonser, who was able to beat O'Reilly for the second time in the game. Daniel Bourgeois would score a couple of minutes later for Western, but the Panthers would be able to hold onto the lead, and skate away with the 5-2 victory.
 
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
Strauss picked up his first win of the season, fourth of his career, in another solid performance in net for the Panthers. Bonser led the Panthers with two goals and two assists. Tolsdorf also had a two goal game, while Bihn had a three-point night of his own. "Finally [Bonser and Bihn] started scoring" Coach Eric Sikkenga said in post-game. "We put Tolsdorf with them and they clicked tonight, they all had a part in each of our goals."
 
Saturday, October 28
Final Score: Davenport 3 – Western Michigan 1
Records: DU (2-1-1), WMU (2-5-1)
Location: Patterson Ice Center (Grand Rapids, Mich.)
 
FIGHTING BACK
There was quite an up-tempo pace early in the contest. Davenport's Nick Fennessy took a penalty early in the contest, but the Panthers were able to kill it off. On the ensuing shift, however, Christian Surns took a shot that fluttered on goal, and beat a screened Jacob Mofield, and the Stallions took the lead just a few minutes into the contest. Just a couple of minutes later, with Davenport on the power play, Jake Morse got a breakaway for Western, but Mofield robbed him to keep his team within one. That save kick started the Panthers, and just moments later, Bihn led the rush down the left wing, and quick dropped a pass off to Bonser, who picked the smallest corner left by Stallions' netminder Jared Holsing, and put the puck right under the bar to tie the game with his third goal of the weekend, and the teams headed into the first intermission tied at one.
 
STRUGGLING TO GET AHEAD
The second period featured more back-and-forth action. Holsing made a couple of big stops when Davenport's power play looked to be firing on all cylinders, and Mofield made a couple of even bigger stops for DU, including another breakaway save. The Stallions outshot the Panthers in the second 10-7, but neither team could put the biscuit in the basket, and the game remained tied at one after 40 minutes of play.
 
WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH…
Heading into the final period of action. Davenport looked hungry to get the job and earn a weekend sweep, a feat they only accomplished once last season. They came out buzzing in the first few shifts in the third, but could not find a way to beat Holsing. DU's persistence was about to pay off, though. Tolsdorf threw the puck on net that Holsing knocked into the slot, and Bihn coming from the right wing pounced on the loose puck. In one smooth motion, spun around from his back to the forehand and fired a wrist rocket passed the glove of Holsing and into the back of the net to give Davenport their first lead of the night. Just over a minute later, Chance Bradley forced a turnover in the neutral zone, and the puck landed on the stick of Brendan Schievink. Schievink quickly moved into the Stallions' zone, made one defenseman miss, faked a shot to get around another defenseman, and fired a shot across his body, beating Holsing to the stick side for his first-ever goal as a Panther. Davenport led by two, and had to hold things down defensively if they wanted to come away with the two points. Mofield was able to shut the door on the Stallion attack, and the Panthers would be able to hold on for the 3-1 win.
 
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
Mofield made 27 saves in net, earning his first-ever victory in college hockey. Mofield, who played for the team as a freshman and sophomore from 2015-2017, never had a chance to taste victory. "It has been a long time coming," said Mofield after the win. "Going from facing 80+ shots a game to finally having a team that backs me up when the time comes, it feels great."
 
WHO'S NEXT?
The Panthers will have a week off before getting back into action with MCHC East opponent, the University of Michigan-Flint. The Victors have struggled out of the gate so far this season, starting 0-5-0-1 through Saturday. They will have a home-and-home against Lawrence Tech next weekend, before meeting with the Panthers the second weekend of November. The Panthers are 4-3-1 all-time against UM-Flint. The Friday matchup will be at Patterson on November 9 at 8:30 p.m., while the Saturday night clash is set in Flint for a 7:30 p.m. puck drop on the 10^th.


 
Story by: Tyler Kuehl
 
Picture credit: Alexis Hoffman