Panthers can’t keep up with high-scoring Ferris State in weekend series
BIG RAPIDS, Mich. – The D3 hockey team had almost a month between being swept by Northwood University back before Thanksgiving and the two-game set against the Clubdawgs from Ferris State. While the Panthers were being led by offensive threats
Charlie Bonser and
Hunter Tolsdorf, Ferris State had some impressive weapons in Matthew Medonis and Nathan Rieman, who are averaging just about two points per game.
Friday, December 14
Final Score: Davenport 0 – Ferris State 6
Records: #20 DU (2-6-1), #6 FSU (15-9-1)
Location: Patterson Ice Center (Grand Rapids, Mich.)
A TOUGH START
The Panthers looked to come out strong against the Clubdawgs. However, it was Ferris who would strike just minutes into the contest. Medonis held the puck in after a failed clearing attempt by the Panthers, then Rieman took the puck off the side boards, walked to the middle, and fired a shot that beat DU netminder
Jacob Mofield blocker side. Rieman's 27
th goal of the season gave Ferris the early lead. The remainder of the period saw each team trade chances, and Bryson Stutesman of the Clubdawgs and Mofield made a couple of big stops for their respective clubs. In the dying seconds of the period, Rieman held the puck at the face-off circle in the DU zone, fired a shot towards the net, and Zach Swanson drove by the front of the net, tipping the shot through the five-hole of Mofield with 2.7 seconds left in the period. Ferris would take the two-goal lead into the first intermission.
A TOUGH MIDDLE
Right off the hop in period number two saw the Clubdawgs come right at Davenport. Nick Paarlberg brought the puck down the right wing, moved it over to Rieman, who quickly passed it over to Medonis who was left wide-open in the slot, and tucked the puck just inside the post and into the back of the net to extend the Clubdawgs' lead to three. Later on in the second, Ferris would strike again. After Medonis gave Rieman a breakout pass, Rieman saw Paarlberg streaking down the middle of the ice, and fed him with a beautiful saucer pass. Paarlberg made no mistake on the breakaway, and Ferris State would lead the Panthers by four heading into the final 20 minutes.
A TOUGH END
Things did not get much better in the third period, as Ferris' offense continued to press on. Swanson would score his second of the game on a weird rebound that bounced off Mofield, off the cross bar, off Mofield before falling to the stick of Swanson who tapped it into the cage to further extend the Clubdawg lead. That would be the end of the night for Mofield as
Jordan Tafel came in relief. Tafel was not treated much better, as Paarlberg cashed in his second of the game on a tip-in, and that would wrap the scoring, and Ferris would take the victory by a final score of 6-0.
Head Coach
Eric Sikkenga was unimpressed with his team's performance after the loss. "We lost 2-0 all three periods. We had too many defensive breakdowns in our own zone, we need to be better."
Saturday, December 15
Final Score: Davenport 5 – Ferris State 7
Records: #20 DU (2-6-1), #9 FSU (16-9-1)
Location: Ewigleben Ice Arena (Big Rapids, Mich.)
SLIPPING EARLY
Ferris picked up right where they left off Friday on home ice. Spencer Wamsley put the Clubdawgs out in front just 89 seconds into the contest with his first of the season. Just a couple minutes later it would be Rieman picking up his second of the weekend to extend the Ferris lead to 2-0.
Davenport would find a way to cut the lead before the end of the first, as
Brendan Schievink scored his second goal of the season, on the power play, from
Hunter Tolsdorf and Bonser with just under a minute to play in the period, and Davenport would only trail the Clubdawgs by a goal heading into period number two.
A LONG PERIOD
The second period can always be an interesting period, with the long change, and other factors leading to more chances in the game. However, for the Panthers, this second period was as interesting as it gets. Just over two minutes into the period, Medonis continued his hot streak with his second goal of the weekend to put the Clubdawgs back up by two. A few minutes later, it was Medonis setting up line-mate Paarlberg for his 14
th of the season. Davenport would answer back just 37 seconds later, as Bonser would fire home his eighth of the season, on the power play to cut the deficit to two. Later on in the period, Daniel Davis was able to score a power play marker to extend the Ferris lead.
Just over two minutes later,
Elijah Klco would set up by Chris Heath and Bonser, and once again, the Panthers were back within two. Davenport was hoping to head into the third period only down by a pair. However, Medonis had other ideas, as he scored his second of the game to give the Clubdawgs a three-goal lead heading into the third period.
TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE
The Clubdawgs made it difficult for Davenport to find any offense in the first half of the third, but the Panthers would be able to score a couple more before the final buzzer, as Klco and
Tyler Heyboer would score in the dying minutes, but it would not be enough as Ferris would complete the sweep by a 7-5 final score.
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
Along with Klco's two-goal outing, Bonser added a goal and three assists to help the offensive effort.
WHO'S NEXT?
The Panthers have three weeks off for the holidays. When they return, they will take on longtime rival, Hope College. The Panthers are 9-15-1 all-time versus the Sailors. DU has not been victorious over Hope since February 28, 2014. The Sailors are 14-2-1 this year and have not lost since October 13. The first game of the weekend will be on January 11 at Griff's Icehouse West at 7:30 p.m. The Saturday matchup will be at Patterson Ice Center, with a 10:30 p.m. puck drop.
Story by:
Tyler Kuehl
Picture credit: Alexis Hoffman
