Written by Tyler Kuehl
 
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The D2 hockey team came home for game three of Hockey Day at Davenport. One day removed from a rather frustrating loss to Trine, the Panthers would get another shot at the Thunder in the rubber match on Saturday.
 
DU came out with a lot more jump in their third game of the weekend. The Panthers would take the early lead, and as a result scored two goals in the first period, and two in the second. The Thunder would make things interesting with two goals in the third period, but the Panthers would hold to win their second game of the weekend.
 
QUICK STATS
 
Final Score: Davenport 5 – Trine 3
Shots: DU 26 | TU 30
Power Play: DU (1/8) | TU (1/8)
Records: #9 DU (13-10-3-1) | TU (12-10-1-2)
 
QUICKLY TO THE LEAD
 
The Panthers did lot let Trine get the same jump on them as they were able to the day prior. DU would go to the lead a little over five minutes into the game as Jeff Rahilly would score his team-leading 16^th goal of the season.
 
A SHORT SCORE
 
After killing off a major penalty, the Panthers would go down a man again late in the period. However, it was the Panthers who were able to capitalize with their special teams. Clint Loney caused a turnover, went on a breakaway and scored his third shorthanded goal of the season to end the Panthers into the break with a 2-0 lead.
 
END-TO-END
 
Early in period two, Spencer Sandberg started from his own zone, and took the puck out himself. He broke in down the left-wing side into the Trine zone, went behind the net, and wrapped the puck around and into the back of the net for his 10^th of the season, putting DU up by three.
 
The Panthers would be rewarded a 5-on-3 minutes later, but were unable to capitalize on the first power play. However, on the second power play, Ty Jaenicke sent captain Trevor Murray in on a rush where he streaked passed the Trine defense, and deked out the Thunder's James Fry to score his 14^th of the season, and DU had a four-goal lead.
 
THUDNERING BACK IN THE GAME
 
Early in period three, Trine would find a way back into the game. First, Dillon Fox scored his eighth of the season to put the Thunder on the board. Minutes later, the Thunder would get a 5-on-3 of their own, and Tanner Bennet would score only his fourth of the season to bring the Thunder back within two.
 
ICING THE GAME
 
While still on the penalty kill, Davenport would score their second shorthanded goal of the game. After Fry misplayed the puck behind his own net, Marc Rotondo tried to stuff it into the empty net, by Fry dove back to make a miraculous save. Rotondo, while laying on his stomach, stuck with the play by sweeping the puck around the outstretched Fry and in for his third goal in as many game to restore the three-goal lead.
 
The Thunder would add a goal in the dying seconds, but the damage had been done, and Davenport would take home the 5-3 victory.
 
WHO'S NEXT?
 
The Panthers take on another ranked opponent next weekend, as they get set for a home-and-home against the Michigan State Spartans. MSU is currently 6-11 this season, and are just finishing up a weekend set with no. 8 Grand Valley State.
 
Davenport is 14-11-1-2 all-time against the Spartans with both teams picking up a win in last season's series. Game one will be at Munn Ice Arena in East Lansing on Friday the 31^st, with a 6:30 p.m. scheduled puck drop.