Written by Tyler Kuehl
 
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – After not having played a game in 48 days, the D3 hockey team finally returned to action for the second semester. It was not going to be an easy welcome back as they were set to take on one of the best teams in the ACHA, the Hope Flying Dutchmen. It had been almost six years since Davenport had ever beaten Hope.
 
That did not change on Friday night, despite Davenport's best efforts early in the contest. It was a one-goal game well into the second period before Hope blew the game wide-open with four goals in less than a four-minute span. DU would never be able to recover as Hope would pick up their 12^th consecutive win over the Panthers.
 
QUICK STATS
 
Final Score: Davenport 1 – Hope 10
Shots: DU 16 | HC 49
Power Play: DU (0/7) | HC (3/6)
Records: #16 DU (7-10, 5-8) | #1 HC (15-2-1, 10-2-1)
 
 
TIGHT BATTLE
 
The first period saw the Dutchmen come out hungry and buzzing around the Davenport zone. Hope would be awarded an early power play, but would not be able to convert thanks to an excellent effort from the DU penalty kill and some good looking saves by Austen Strauss. Even though Hope would have more chances in the opening 20 minutes, the Panthers had a couple of good looks of their own, but were turned by the Dutchmen's Austin Kane.
 
ANCHORS AWAY
 
Early in the second period, Hope would finally break through as Jack Zwiers banged in his fourth of the season to put the Dutchmen out in front. The game would remain 1-0 until Niko Stamas found some room under the blocker of Austen Strauss to make it 2-0 shortly after the halfway mark of the period.
 
Davenport would take penalty moments later, but they would be able to pick up their first shorthanded goal of the season after Aiden Dion found a way to stuff the puck through the pads of Kane for his 17^th goal of the season, and DU was back within one.
 
However, Hope would quickly extend their lead, as just over a minute after Dion's marker, Brad Baysore was able to score a power play goal put Hope back up by two. 14 seconds later, Noah Weigle was able to extend the Dutchmen lead with his fifth of the season, followed by Baysore's second of the game, shorthand, 76 seconds later. Kevin Healey wrapped up the second period scoring with his first goal as Dutchmen, and Hope would lead 6-1 heading into the third period.
 
Hope did not let up in the final period, as Noah Arent put the Dutchmen up by six with his fifth of the season. Gabe Gunneson and Cole Stenstrom scored 18 seconds apart, before Gunneson tallied one more in the final minutes of the contest to send Hope home with the 10-1 victory.
 
WHO'S NEXT?
 
The Panthers and Dutchmen wrap up their weekend set at Griff's Icehouse West in Holland on Saturday night, puck drop set for 7:30 p.m.