GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – In the D1 Hockey Team's first set of games following the holiday break, they wanted to come back with momentum they carried at the end of the first semester. They went up against Calvin for the second weekend this season. DU had taken the first two meetings earlier this season by a combined score of 10-2, and looked to stay undefeated against the Knights dating back to last season.
 
Thursday, January 17
Final Score: Davenport 4 – Calvin 0
Records: #7 DU (19-4-1), CC (3-8-3)
Location: Eagles Ice Center (Grand Rapids, Mich.)
 
DEFENSIVE STRUGGLE
The first period saw the two teams try to find their footing in their first games back following the Holiday Break. Both Jason Rhynold and Calvin's Ryan Gross held their opponents at bay in the early going. The Panthers would find a way to break the ice just after the 10-minute mark of the period, as Luke Cowan would bury his sixth of the season, with the assists coming from Wade Weisgerber and Alyx Fonseca. Neither team could find the back of the net for the remainder of the first, and DU would take the 1-0 lead into the first intermission.
 
OPENING THE GAME UP
The dominant Panther offense that struggled in the first period came alive in the middle of period number two. Cowan would add his second of the game to give the Panthers a 2-0 just before the halfway mark. Davenport would ramp up the chances, and less than two minutes following Cowan's second goal, Austin Neirynck scored his first goal of the season to extend the Panther lead. It looked like Davenport was going to take a 3-0 lead into the third period, but Tyler Layle had other ideas. With one second left in the period, Layle found a way to score his fourth of the season, and DU would lead the Knights by four heading into the final 20 minutes.
 
Davenport would put on defensive clinic in the third period, led by goaltender Rhynold. The Senior netminder made a number of big stops for the Panthers on the way to his third shutout of the season, and the Panthers would come home after winning game one of the home-and-home by a score of 4-0. With the win, Rhynold earned his 14^th win of the season.
 
Saturday, January 19
Final Score: Davenport 5 – Calvin 1
Records: #7 DU (20-4-1), CC (3-9-3)
Location: Patterson Ice Center (Grand Rapids, Mich.)
 
LOWERING THE BOOM
The Panthers came out hungry to earn the weekend sweep, and made sure the Knights were aware of their intentions early in the first period. The forecheck for the Panthers was impeccable, and laid the body every chance they had, setting the tone for the game.
 
Just before the five-minute mark, Cowan picked the pocket of Calvin's Billy Oakes in the neutral zone, and brought it deep into Calvin territory. He eventually found Keegan Miller in front of the net, and Miller buried his team-leading 24^th goal of the season to put DU out in front. Davenport's offensive attack only increased as the period wore on. However, Gross stood tall to keep his team in the game. Davenport would be able to solve Gross, though, as Fonseca found Sam Basich driving the net. Fonseca fed a perfect pass in stride to the Minnesota-native, and Basich tipped the puck over the glove of the Calvin netminder to give DU a 2-0 lead.
 
ROBBED BLIND
Davenport came out flying once again in period number two, and continue to pepper the Knights' net. However, Gross was outstanding in the second period. Looking confident in between the pipes, the Texan made a plethora of saves, including a couple of big saves while Calvin was killing off two penalties. Thanks to the play of their goaltender, Calvin only trailed by two heading into the final 20 minutes.
 
TENSE MOMENTS
With the confidence in their goaltender well in place, Calvin looked to get themselves on the scoreboard. After an early save by Gross on a streaking Pat Modaff, the Knights went back the other way with an odd-man rush. Christian Gums dropped the puck back to Jared Virtanen, who then gave the puck back to Gums who was driving the net, and Gums tipped the shot passed Tanner Swift, and the Knights were within one just under a minute into the final period.
 
RESPONDING WITH FIRE
The Calvin goal did not scare the Panthers, nor stunned them. The goal really seemed to re-focus DU, as they took control of the game right back. Just a few minutes later, while on the power play, Tyler Layle found a shooting lane, and the puck was able to slip passed a screened Gross to give the Panthers a two-goal lead once again.
 
Just a couple of minutes later, Weisgerber was stopped on a rush into the Calvin zone, then Basich picked up the puck, then lost it. Neirynck found the loose puck, and from a bad angle fired home his second goal of the season to give DU a 4-1 lead. With close to five minutes to play, Mike Gessler found the puck on a pass from Miller, stepped in and ripped home a wrister, top-corner, to extend the Panthers' lead.
 
"I just saw an open lane," said Gessler following the contest. "I got to it, and just do what I do…and score I guess."
 
The time would tick down, and DU would go on to win their eighth straight game against Calvin by a final score of 5-1.
 
Coach Bill McSween was really impressed with his team's play defensively. "Territory-wise, we took care of business, only allowing 12 shots on goal. We did a much better job of getting the puck out of the zone today."
 
 
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
With the win, Swift is now 7-0 this season for the Panthers. Fonseca and Weisgerber were key playmakers this weekend for DU, as each had four assists in the two games. Cowan and Neirnyck each had two goals, including Cowan's assist in the Saturday game.
 
WHO'S NEXT?
The Panthers go on the road down to Ohio for a pair of contests against Kent State. The Golden Flash are 17-8 this season, and are coming off a tough loss against Canisius this past Friday. The Panthers are 18-3 all-time against Kent State, with their last defeat back in February of 2017.
 
Despite going up against an unranked opponent, McSween knows it will be a tough weekend for the Panthers. "Kent State is a tough place to play, we always have battles when we go down there, but if we do the little things right, we should be okay."
 
Both games will be at Kent State Ice Arena. Friday night's contest will be at 7:30 p.m., with the Saturday meeting scheduled for a 3:30 p.m. puck drop.
 
Story by: Tyler Kuehl
 
Picture credit: Alexis Hoffman