GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The women's hockey team wrapped up their season against one of the top teams in the country in Lindenwood-Belleville. The Lynx had won seven straight games coming into Friday afternoon's matchup, and won all five previous meetings against the Panthers. Davenport knew they were going against one of the top offenses in the country, meaning Julia Gaynor was going to have to be huge in net.
 
Friday, February 8
Final Score: Davenport 4– Lindenwood-Belleville 11
Records: #15 DU (6-19), #3 LB (14-3-1)
Location: Patterson Ice Center (Grand Rapids, Mich.)
 
GETTING OUT IN FRONT
The Lynx came out flying in the opening minutes of the contest. Gaynor had to stand tall to hold off the initial onslaught, including a huge breakaway save. The Panthers would go on the attack themselves, as Zoie Amatore caused a turnover in the Lynx zone, and Courtney Mulligan picked up the loose puck and sniped home her 15^th of the season to put DU out in front.
 
CAN'T STOP WHAT YOU CAN'T SEE
The Lynx would not be deterred despite trailing by one. They were able to find the equalizer after Lindsay Gillis put a wrist shot through traffic to tie the game at one. Just a few minutes later, from the opposite side of the ice, it was Gillis again with a shot, and once again the Panther netminder could not see a thing, and the Lynx would take the lead just passed the halfway mark of the period. Fast forward to just under four minutes in the period, and it was Katie Stelling firing a shot through a screen, and just passed the blocking glove of Gaynor, and the Lynx would take a 3-1 lead into the break, despite DU being outshot 36-6 in the first 20 minutes.
 
LYNX ON THE PROWL
The second period started with a lot more action, including some chippy play. DU's Hailey Williams was sent off for a five-minute boarding penalty, and Lindenwood-Belleville's talented power play went to work. Just 20 seconds into the power play, Gillis completed the hat-trick to give the Lynx a 4-1 lead. With the major power play, DU would have to stay on the penalty kill. 24 seconds later, Michaela Read potted her seventh goal of the season to extend the lead to four. Davenport would be able to kill off the rest of the penalty with a couple of nice saves by Gaynor. However, just a couple minutes after the penalty expired, Megan Lugar would score her first of the season to put the Lynx up by six.
 
A little over a minute later, after winning a faceoff in the offensive zone, Mulligan fired a shot that took a weird bounce and sailed over the head of Lynx goaltender Hannah Stone and into the net for her second of the game to put DU back within five.
 
The Lynx would answer right back when Hallie Fisher would score with just under five minutes to play in the second. Goals from Brookelyn Bell and Rayel Strayer in the waning minutes of the period gave Lindenwood-Belleville a 9-2 lead heading into the final 20 minutes.
 
The third period saw the Lynx continue to swarm in the Panther's zone, as only 41 seconds into the period, Tessa O'Connor tallied her fourth of the season. Just nine seconds later, Mulligan would answer back for the Panthers, completing her hat trick, with her 17^th goal of the season. Davenport would earn another goal, as Adriannah Letts followed up a Mulligan shot, and tapped her third goal of the season into the back of the net. The Lynx would wrap up the scoring with a marker from Katie Tihema, and Lindenwood-Belleville would go on to win by a final score of 11-4.
 
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
Gaynor once again encountered a plethora of shots, making 68 saves in the contest. This was the 12^th time the Panther netminder encountered over 50 shots, and the 11^th time she had a 40+ save performance. She ends the season with 961 saves, by far the most in the entire ACHA.
 
A FAREWELL
Friday marked the final games for graduate students Tori Dubuc, and captain Laken Kunz.
 
Dubuc ends her career with the Panthers mustering 18 points in 48 games.
 
Kunz finishes her five-year career with DU second in games played with 124. She is also tied for second in points with Chantal Caraher with 74. Her 35 goals place her third on the all-time list right behind Jaiden Forrest, and her 39 assists are second in program history.
 
Story by: Tyler Kuehl
 
Picture credit: Alexis Hoffman