KENT, Ohio – After opening the second semester with a sweep against Calvin, the D1 Hockey Team went back on the road for a pair of matchups against the Golden Flash from Kent State. DU has handled the Flash in the past couple of seasons, and looked to ride their momentum, despite playing in one of the tougher rinks in the region.
 
Friday, January 26
Final Score: Davenport 4 – Kent State 3
Records: #8 DU (21-4-1), KSU (17-9)
Location: Kent State Ice Arena (Kent, Ohio)
 
FULL ATTACK
Davenport came out flying in the first period, and wanted to set the tone on the road. They peppered Kent State netminder Tyler Geloneck for 17 shots in the first 20 minutes. Despite Geloneck's exceptional play, DU was able to break through, as Sam Basich scored his second goal in as many games to give the Panthers the 1-0 lead.
 
Davenport's pressure continued into the second period, as leading scorer Alex Huflord continued his incredible season. He was set up by Ian and Austin Thompson for his 24^th goal of the season, and DU was up by a pair just two minutes into the middle frame.
 
SOME PUSH BACK
Following the goal, the Golden Flash began to pick up their game. They started to earn scoring chances and would be rewarded as Joseph Sullivan scored his fourth goal of the season to cut the Davenport lead in half.
 
The game would not stay close for long, as just a few minutes later, Tyler Layle fired home his fifth of the season to DU a two-goal lead once again. Layle would score again later in the period to put DU up 4-1 with just over three minutes to play in the second period.
 
Kent State would shrink the gap, as the Golden Flash's leading scorer, Jonathan Buttitta put home his 24^th of the season to make it a two-goal game heading into the third period.
 
Despite playing with the lead, and Kent State trying to come back, DU earned the majority of the chances in the third period. Davenport would outshoot the Flash by a 13-11 margin in the final 20 minutes. Kent State pulled their goalie, and Chance Taylor would score with four seconds left. However, it was too little too late as the Panthers would win game one of the back-to-back by a final score of 4-3.
 
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
Along with Layle's two goals, Austin Thompson and Adam Goudelock each had two points in the game, with each contributing with a pair of assists. With another win in net, Swift is now 8-0 on the season.
 
Saturday, January 26
Final Score: Davenport 6– Kent State 0
Records: #8 DU (22-4-1). KSU (17-10)
Location: Kent State Ice Arena (Kent, Ohio)
 
EXPLODING OUT OF THE GATE
Davenport knew they could have played better on Friday night, and came out looking to make that known on Saturday. Ian Thompson kicked off the scoring for DU with his 10^th of the season to put the Panthers out in front early. Around the halfway mark of the period, Alyx Fonseca and Wade Weisgerber set up Sam Basich for his fourth on the year, and DU was up 2-0.
 
NOT SO SHORT(HANDED)
The Panthers took a penalty late in the first period, and despite being down a man, DU has been able to produce offense of their own. They were able to break through as Hulford set up Goudelock to put Davenport up by three. Basich would tally one more with only one minute to play in the first, and Davenport would take a 4-0 lead into the break.
 
The Panthers would not allow the Golden Flash an opportunity to get back into the game, as Marc Anderson scored his third goal of this season, just past the six-minute mark of the second period. Just a few minutes later, Luke Cowan would bury a shot for the eighth time this season, and Davenport led by six before the halfway point of the game.
 
Neither team could muster any more goals for the remainder of the game, and Davenport would complete a weekend sweep for the eighth time this year by a 6-0 final.
 
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
Jason Rhynold picked up his 14^th win of the season with his fourth shutout. Five different players had two points for DU. With Basich's two goals, Ian Thompson and Cowan had a goal and an assist. While Fonseca, Weisgerber, and Nathaniel Nickelson each had two assists.
 
WHO'S NEXT?
The Panthers will play in another extended home-and-home against Western Michigan. The Panthers defeated the Stallions in two games in mid-October by a combined score of 15-3. Western Michigan will be coming into the weekend 15-9-1, currently ranked #25 in the nation, and are coming off a sweep of Illinois State. The first game will be Thursday down in Kalamazoo at Wings West at 9:45 p.m., and the second matchup will return to Patterson on Saturday with a 3:35 p.m. puck drop.
 
Story by: Tyler Kuehl
 
Picture credit: Alexis Hoffman