Written by Tyler Kuehl
 
KALAMAZOO, Mich. – After a week off, the D3 hockey team returned to MCHC action on Friday night, taking on the Western Michigan Stallions on the road. The Panthers' only victories last season came against Western Michigan, and they looked to make it three in-a-row down in southwest Michigan.
 
It was a back-and-forth affair. Both teams scored a pair of goals in the first 20 minutes, and the teams would trade goals in the second, before DU was able to earn a big goal in the third to take home their first conference win since Oct. 11.
 
QUICK STATS
 
Final Score: Davenport 5 – Western Michigan 3
Power Play: DU (1/3) | WMU (1/4)
Records: DU (6-7) | WMU (2-7-1)
 
NOTABLE PERFORAMANCES
 
Alexander Brown scored a pair of goals and an assist for DU, while Charlie Bonser picked up a goal and two assists. Parker Schmitt and Tyler Heyboer each had a goal and an assist for the Panthers, and Jordan Tafel picked up his third win of the season.
 
TRADING PLACES
 
The first period was fast and furious, with both teams finding the back of the net. Brown broke the ice early in the contest with his 17^th goal of the season. Jacob Dudash found the net twice for the Stallions in the opening frame, giving him five goals on the season. Bonser also scored for the Panthers, with assists coming from Brown and Chance Bradley, and the two teams would remain deadlocked after 20 minutes.
 
STARTING TO MOVE AHEAD
 
DU would get a goal early in the second period as Heyboer found the back of the net for the 14^th time this season, with the help of Bonser and Cole Ott to give the Panthers the lead. Later on in the period, Parker Schmitt would score his first goal of the season, on the power play to make it a 4-2 game.
 
The Stallions' Garrett Lesser scored his first of the season late in the middle stanza, but the Panthers would still carry a one-goal lead heading into the third period.
 
FINISHING TOUCHES
 
After Brown scored his second of the game just over five minutes into the final frame, the DU defense took over. Tafel and his teammates held the Stallions at bay, and DU would earn their second three-game win streak of the season after picking up the 5-3 victory.
 
WHO'S NEXT?
 
DU wraps up the home-and-home against Western Michigan at Patterson on Saturday night. Puck drop is set for 9:30 p.m.