Written by Tyler Kuehl
CANTON, Mich. – The women's hockey team was back in action this weekend as they went over to the other side of the mitten to meet with Michigan Wolverines. The game has increased meaning, as both teams, along with Aquinas, are battling for the sixth and final seed in the Central Collegiate Women's Hockey Association (CCWHA) playoffs.
The Wolverines jumped to a 2-0 lead early in the contest, before the Wolverines cut into their lead before the end of the opening period. The show was stolen from there by a pair of Panthers, as
Courtney Mulligan scored a hat trick, and
Julia Gaynor played her best game of the season, as the Panthers were able to earn their second win in CCWHA play.
QUICK STATS
Final Score: Davenport 4 – Michigan 2
Shots: DU 18 | UM 63
Power Play: DU (1/4) | UM (0/4)
Records: DU (5-11-1, 2-7) | UM (4-12, 1-7)
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
Along with Mulligan's hat trick,
Morgan Pippin helped the Panthers out with a goal and an assist win the win. Gaynor was sensational in picking up her third win of the season, as she stopped 61 of the 63 shots she faced.
PIPPIN TO THE LEAD
The game started with both teams getting their fair share of chances, but it was the Panthers who were able to cash in on an early power play.
Amanda Ballestero and
Caitlin Miscovich set up Pippin for her fifth goal of the season to give DU the lead just passed the five-minute mark of the period.
Just over two minutes later, Mulligan found the back of the net for the seventh time this season to give the Panthers a two-goal cushion.
With a little over six minutes remaining in the frame, the Wolverines would get on the board with Mariah Evans' seventh goal of the season, but the Panthers still had a 2-1 lead heading into the first intermission.
SAVE. REPEAT.
Davenport would get their two-goal lead back following Mulligan's second of the game a little over two minutes into the period. After that, the Wolverines started to pour on the chances in the DU end. MacKenzie Hewitt scored shortly after halfway mark of the period to bring the game back within one, but that was all Gaynor would give Michigan for the rest of the frame. The Goderich, Ont.-native would stop the rest of the 20 shots she faced in the middle stanza.
In the third period, Michigan kept up the pressure, but the Panthers would give themselves a little insurance thanks to Mulligans' hat trick goal right before the halfway mark of the period. After that, it was the
Julia Gaynor show. Davenport's netminder was phenomenal in the third period, turning away every chance the Wolverines had in the final 20 minutes, making 28 saves, and helping Davenport pick up an important two points with the 4-2 win.
WHO'S NEXT?
The two teams will finish up their weekend set with some twilight hockey Saturday night at Patterson. Puck drop is set for 10:30 p.m.
