Written by Tyler Kuehl

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The D3 hockey team returned home Friday night, trying to snap their three-game losing streak. Their opponents were the Chippewas from Central Michigan, a team the Panthers had not defeated since the 2013-14 season.
 
The Panthers started off strong with two early goals, however the Chippewas flipped the script and scored 10 unanswered goals en route to their second win of the season.
 
QUICK STATS
 
Final Score: Davenport 5 – Central Michigan 11
Shots: DU 30 | CMU 61
Power Play: DU (2/5) | CMU (3/8)
Records: DU (3-6, 3-4) | CMU (2-5, 2-4)
 
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
 
Charlie Bonser and Alexander Brown each scored two goals for the Panthers, with Brown picking up a pair of assists as well. Tyler Heyboer chimed in with the three assists as the top line for the Panthers combined for nine points.
 
A HELPING HAND
 
DU came out flying with a couple of good chances in the first shift of the game. Bonser made his way into the Central Michigan zone, and cut towards the slot. While in stride, CMU's Jacob Lancucki knocked the puck off Bonser's stick. Hoewever, he did so in a fashion that sent the puck floating towards the Chippewa goal, and it snuck passed Michael Schwanke, and just 56 seconds into the game, Davenport led 1-0.
 
A CRAWLING SNIPE
 
Just a few minutes later, DU would take advantage of another CMU mistake. Brendan Schievink chipped the puck out of the Panther zone, send John Lizyness and Crawley on a 2-on-1 after the Chippewas got caught in the DU end. Crawley received the pass from Lizyness, and took a shot that went bardown and in for his second of the season to put the Panthers up by two.
 
CHIPPING AWAY
 
The tide started to turn later on in the period in favor of the visitors. Just before the halfway mark of the period, Andrew Porzondek fired a shot through Tafel to cut the Panther lead in half.
 
With a little more than three minutes to play in the period, Tafel made a couple of magnificent saves. However, the Chippewas continued to press, and Philip Fazio found Justin McComas wide-open, back-door, and McComas buried his second goal of the season to tie the game at two heading into the break.
 
TAKING OVER
 
The Chippewas' momentum was carried into period number two. Right before the five-minute mark of the period, Jordan Wadge took a shot that snuck by Tafel, and Austin Whaley poked it across the line to put the Chippewas out in front. The goal was scored on a delayed penalty, which gave CMU a power play, which they converted on after an Alex Lasky one-timer.
 
Less than five minutes later, Jacob St. Andre scored to put the Chips up by three, before St. Andre set up Brennan Martin to make it a 6-2 game only 54 seconds later.
 
That was it for Tafel as Austen Strauss came in, and Dalton Sutherland was able to score on Strauss with a little three minutes left in the period, and Central Michigan had a built a five-goal lead heading into the intermission.
 
Joey Simoncelli kicked off the scoring in the third period just 30 seconds in, followed by two more goals from Porzondek and St. Andre.
 
NOT GIVING UP
 
Davenport showed, despite the score, they were not going to quit competing. Bonser and Brown each scored power play goals less than three minutes apart, with a Brendan Nelson shorthanded goal for the Chippewas wedged in between.
 
Brown scored one more goal before time expired, but the damage had been done, and Central Michigan would take home the 11-5 victory.
 
WHO'S NEXT?
 
DU travels up to Mt. Pleasant Saturday night to finish the home-and-home with the Chips at the Isabella County Events Arena. Puck drop is set for 8:30 p.m.