Written by Tyler Kuehl
 
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The D3 hockey team was back at it on Friday, looking to avenge a pair of losses at the hands of Hope College. They took on another Michigan Collegiate Hockey Conference (MCHC) opponent in the Lakers from Grand Valley State. The Lakers had won the last nine meetings between the two clubs.
 
It was a tight game from start to finish, on the scoreboard. Grand Valley dominated the shots and scoring chances in the game, but Jordan Tafel put in an outstanding effort to keep the game close, making 48 saves in the game. Even though their goaltender was playing well, the Panthers could not muster up a whole lot of offense, and the Lakers were able to squeak out the win.
 
QUICK STATS
 
Final Score: Davenport 1 – Grand Valley State 3
Shots: DU 17 | GVSU 51
Power Play: DU (0/5) | GVSU (1/4)
Records: DU (7-12, 5-10) | #5 GVSU (18-4, 12-2)
 
TERRIFIC TAFEL
 
The Lakers came out buzzing in the first period, maintaining possession inside the Davenport zone for the majority of the opening 20 minutes. However, Jordan Tafel was there to shut the door, forcing to make some big saves on the Lakers' first three power plays. The DU netminder had made 18 saves by period's end.
 
That carried into the second period as the Lakers were firing everything at the DU net. Even when the Panthers had a power play, the Lakers still obtained scoring chances, as Cole Parkhurst and Mitchell Lawton each had shorthanded breakaways, but Tafel turned them both away, keeping the game scoreless.
 
MAGNIFICENT MYERS
 
On the other end of the rink, Jared Myers was doing his part for the Lakers. Davenport had five power plays in the middle stanza, and Myers was relied on to hold the Panthers' offense at bay, making eight saves in the second period. Most notably, Myers stopped two separate breakaways from Alexander Brown, as DU's leading goal scorer could not beat Myers on Tuesday night.
 
FINALLY BREAKING THROUGH
 
Late in the second period, the Lakers had hemmed the Panthers in their own zone. Parker Schmitt looked to clear the puck, but GVSU's Tim Baldwin knocked the puck free. Tafel tried to come out of his net to knock the puck away, but Baldwin was able to drag the puck around the Davenport goaltender and put the puck into the empty cage to give the Lakers the lead.
 
Grand Valley would get a power play late in the second period that carried over into the third. Just 29 seconds into the period, Daniel Deblouw would find Nick Beers open in front, and Beers one-timed the pass by Tafel to put the Lakers up by two.
 
KEEPING IT CLOSE
 
Despite trailing by two, the Panthers were able to cut the GVSU lead in half just before the five-minute mark of the period. Charlie Bonser gave a pass towards Tyler Heyboer, who then collected the pass with his skate, and fired a shot underneath the crossbar and in for his 16^th goal of the season.
 
Even though Davenport was only one shot away from tying the game, the Lakers would not allow Davenport many more shots on goal, and an insurance marker from Nick Salisbury with just over five minutes left in regulation would be the dagger, sending the Lakers on their way to the 3-1 victory.
 
WHO'S NEXT?
 
The Panthers will wrap up their weekend set with the Lakers on Saturday night over in Hudsonville. Puck drop at Griff's Georgetown is set for 8:30 p.m.