ATHENS, Ohio – The men's division one hockey team was back on the road against a ranked opponent for the second weekend in a row. After sweeping Robert Morris (Ill.) last weekend, they traveled just a couple states over to take on the Bobcats of Ohio University. Davenport's offense was going to be tested against a very stingy Ohio defense, as the Bobcats had only given up 14 goals in their first eight games of the season. The Panthers were looking to avenge last season, as the Bobcats swept the Panthers in a pair of games this time last year.
 
Friday, November 2
Final Score: Davenport 2 – Ohio 4
Records: #4 DU (10-1-1), #9 OU (8-1)
Location: Bird Arena (Athens, Ohio)
 
FALLING BEHIND
The first of two games started off well for the Bobcats, out chancing the Panthers in the first period. Jason Rhynold was up to the task, until late in the period where Zachary Frank would score only his second goal of the season to give the Bobcats the one goal lead.
 
The second period was not much more favorable for the Panthers, as the Bobcats were able to get an early goal from Gianni Evangelisti to give Ohio a 2-0 lead. The Panthers could not buy a goal in the second period, despite getting a good helping of chances against Bobcat netminder Jimmy Thomas. Davenport was hanging in tough after 40 minutes trailing Ohio by a pair heading into the third period.
 
JUST KEEP ON FIGHTING
Davenport knew they were in need of an outstanding period if they wanted any chance of coming back. After a couple of Panther chances were all for naught, Tyler Harkins put in his seventh goal of the season, on the power play, to put the Bobcats up by a trio of goals. However, Davenport refused to quit. Finally, with just a handful of minutes left to play, they were rewarded. After a nice setup from Austin Neirynck and Marc Anderson, Freshman Devin Burchett scored his first of the season to get the Panthers back in the game. Only a couple minutes later, Keegan Miller made a great play, and fired home his 17^th goal of the season to get the Panthers back within one. Despite DU's valiant effort, Evangelisti put the game on ice with his second of the game, and the Panthers fell for the first time in regulation by a final score of 4-2.
 
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
Rhynold once again put in a solid performance keeping his team in the game, stopping 32 Bobcat shots.
 
Saturday, November 3
Final Score: Davenport 3 – Ohio 2 (SO)
Records: #4 DU (11-1-1), #9 OU (8-1-1)
Location: Bird Arena (Athens, OH)
 
Game two started off with both teams earning scoring chances in the first period. Rhynold and Thomas went save-for-save once again, not allowing either team to bury the biscuit for almost the entire first half of the contest. Shots were 10-7 after the first period, with Ohio obtaining the majority of the chances, before Davenport came with a stronger second period, outshooting the Bobcats 16-11.
 
A QUICK RESPONSE
It would be the Bobcats who would score first for the second night in a row, after Scott Bagby slipped one passed Rhynold just before the halfway mark of the second. Davenport ramped up the chances following the goal, and it led to Pat Modaff scoring his second of the season, from Adam Goudelock and Neirynck, to tie the game at one. As the Panthers have showed all season, their goals come in bunches. A little over a minute after Modaff's goal, Nathan Nickelson scored his first as a Panther after a nice play from Chris Corgan to give the Panthers their first lead of the weekend. DU would take a 2-1 lead into the second intermission.
 
DOWN TO THE WIRE
Ohio was not about to allow the Panthers get a win in their own barn easily. The Bobcat defense shut down the Panthers in the third, and peppered the DU net, looking for the tying goal. They would find a way to break through, as Jacob Houston tied the game just over eight minutes into the third. The remaining minutes of the third were filled with close opportunities, and very tense moments for both clubs, but no one could find a way to break the tie, and the game went to overtime.
 
SHOOTOUT!
Despite the Panthers getting a couple of chances in overtime, they were not able to score, and for the second time this season, Davenport went to a shootout. Timmy Thurnau and Luke Cowan shot first for their respective teams, but Rhynold and Thomas each turned them away. Each team was successful in the second round of the shootout, as Houston and Austin Thompson put the puck in the back of the net. It came down to the third and final round. After Rhynold made a big stop on Harkins, the game rested on the stick of DU's leading scorer, Alex Hulford. Hulford made no mistake, as he buried his shot by Thomas, giving the Panthers the big shootout win. The win gives them three wins over ranked opponents this season.
 
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
Rhynold picked up win number seven with another 32 save performance. Neirynck looked impressive again, as he led all Panthers over the weekend with a goal and an assist.
 
Head Coach Phil Sweeney felt like his team really progressed throughout the weekend. "We played better every period of the weekend. We just kept getting stronger, and with a lot of key guys missing. [Rhynold] was awesome for us in net as well."
 
WHO'S NEXT?
The Good Luck Duck is on the line next weekend, as the Panthers play a home-and-home against longtime rival Oakland University. Davenport swept the Grizzlies last season, and have had a firm grip on the Duck for the past four seasons. Davenport is 23-12 all-time versus the Grizzlies. Including winning the last 12 meetings. Oakland is 6-5-1 and was swept by Eastern Michigan this weekend. Friday night's contest will take place at the ONYX Arena in Rochester at 9:15 p.m., before returning to Patterson on Saturday night for a 6:05 p.m. puck drop.
 
Story by: Tyler Kuehl
 
Picture credit: Alexis Hoffman