GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The D3 Hockey team looked to get back on the winning track this weekend as they took on the Timberwolves. Northwood has struggled at times early on this season, but have had a couple of real close games against some top teams in the region. Each team had plenty of offense in the arsenal, and it showed this past weekend.
 
Friday, November 16
Final Score: Davenport 5 – Northwood 6
Records: DU (2-4-1), NU (2-10)
Location: Patterson Ice Center (Grand Rapids, MI)
 
COMING OUT GUNS BLAZING
After a few slow minutes, the play really started to pick up halfway through the period. Charlie Bonser threw a breakout pass a head of Nick Fennessy, that ended skipping by the defenseman and out to the neutral zone. Fennessy hustled after the puck, chipped it by a pinching Nick Nawrocki, and took off on a breakaway. The sophomore made no mistake as he beat Northwood goaltender Brenden Campbell to the glove side, and the Panthers were up 1-0. Davenport took a penalty just over a minute later, but the Panthers were the ones who took advantage with the special teams. Chance Bradley forced a turnover at the blueline, and took off with Hunter Tolsdorf on a 2-on-1. Bradley floated a perfect saucer pass over to Tolsdorf who directed the puck into the back of the net for DU's first shorthanded goal of the season. While up 2-0, DU took another penalty, and Northwood was able to convert on the power play as Mitch Dundore buried a rebound, and the Timberwolves were back within one. Davenport would be able to bounce with a pair of goals 24 seconds apart. First, Brandon Bihn took a long shot from the blue line that fooled Campbell, giving DU their second two-goal lead of the game. Then, Tolsdorf fired a wrister off the glove of Campbell, and Bonser jumped on the loose puck and put home his fourth of the season, and Davenport was up 4-1 on Northwood. The Timberwolves would obtain another man advantage with just a couple minutes left in the period. Nawrocki put a shot on goal from the point that Mofield kicked away, but the rebound bounced of the leg of Aaron Owen and into the net. However, the Panthers took a two-goal lead into the break.
 
KEEPING THE PRESSURE
The Panthers received a power play early in the second period. The top unit went out and buzzed around the T-Wolves' end. Bihn put the puck in front, looking for Chris Heath, but a couple Northwood sticks were in there to deflect the pass away, but the puck bounced over to Tolsdorf, who was left all by himself back door, and he put it into the wide open net. Davenport was up by three for the second time in the game. Once again, the Timberwolves would close the gap. Dundore led a 3-on-1 rush into the DU zone, and fed Brendan McCarthy who took a shot while soaring through the air, and beat Mofield to the stick side, and the Timberwolves were back within two. The two teams started to trade chances throughout the rest of the second period. DU had three more power plays in the middle stanza, but Campbell stood tall with a number of huge saves. Mofield made a few stops, including a huge save on an Owen breakaway, and DU took a 5-3 lead into the third period.
 
FALLING APART
Still in the game with due to the play of their netminder, Northwood came out inspired into period number three. The T-Wolves went right into the Panther zone off the opening faceoff. Ethan Stutzman was left open in front, received a pass from McCarthy, and shot once, twice, and three times before finally getting the puck passed Mofield, and Northwood only trailed Davenport by one. Just before the five-minute mark, Dundore fired a pass in front to Owen whose one-timer went right through the pads of Mofield to tie the game at five. Just over a minute and a half later, Northwood would strike again. Nawrocki fired the puck off the boards, and out of the zone. Dundore was able to chase the puck down, went in on a breakaway, and beat Mofield blocker-high to give Northwood their first lead of the game. Davenport tried to find the tying goal, but Campbell stole the show, keeping DU's offense at bay the rest of the way, and the Panthers would fall by a final score of 6-5.
 
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
Tolsdorf led the Panthers with his second two-goal game of the season. Bonser also had two points, chipping in with a goal and an assist.
 
Saturday, November 17
Final Score: Davenport 5 – Northwood 7
Records: DU (2-5-1), NU (3-10)
Location: Midland Civic Arena (Midland, MI)
 
PLAYING CATCH-UP
The second game of the back-to-back saw the home team jump out in front, as Justin Carter scored less than five minutes into the contest to give the Timberwolves the early lead. Davenport would have a power play later on in the period, but were unable to capitalize. Yet, Northwood's Stutzman would have the best scoring chance during the two minutes, as he was able to beat goaltender Jordan Tafel for his fifth of the season. Davenport would not allow Northwood to get too comfortable, as Tolsdorf continued his hot streak, scoring his sixth of the season with just a couple minutes left in the period. Northwood would lead DU by a goal heading into the first intermission.
 
FURTHERING THE GAP
Davenport looked to ride their momentum into the second period, but Northwood put that to a screeching halt, as McCarthy scored just 44 seconds into the period. Then, Dundore scored a pair of goals just moments apart to put the Timberwolves up by four. The Panthers would answer right back with a pair of goals of their own. First, Marcus Chartrand and Bonser would find a way to set up Tolsdorf for his second of the game. Later on in the period, Nathan Hangas and Bihn helped Bonser score his fifth of the season. It looked like Davenport was going to be able to only trail Northwood by two heading into the third, but McCarthy would score his second of the period just over a minute left in the period. Davenport found themselves behind Northwood by a 6-3 score.
 
JUST NOT ENOUGH
If the Panthers wanted any chance of earning the weekend split, they would have to have their best period of the season. Things were looking good as Bonser found the back of the net once again to put DU within two. Northwood would find a way to answer back, as Dundore scored his third of the game just a couple minutes later. Davenport would press in the T-Wolves' zone just like they had all weekend, but just like he had done over the two games, Campbell stoned the Panthers when they needed a goal the most. Bonser would complete his hat-trick in the dying minutes, but it would not be enough, as Northwood swept the Panthers following the 7-5 win.
 
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
On top of Bonser getting the team's first hat trick of the season, Tolsdorf had another two-goal performance, with an assist to boot. Bihn was able to help to the offense with a pair of assists.
 
Story by: Tyler Kuehl
 
Picture credit: Alexis Hoffman