Written by Tyler Kuehl
 
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – After a loss where the Panthers could not find the back of the net, the D1 hockey team looked to bounce back and earn a weekend split with the Illinois Fighting Illini on Saturday afternoon.
 
Goals were scored early and often in the opening period, and it looked like the game was going to be a high-scoring affair. However, the Illini defense shut the Panther offense down, not allowing them a whole lot of chances in the final 40 minutes. Illinois would take advantage of a great chance in the second period, and battened down the hatches in the third period to complete the sweep.
 
QUICK STATS
 
Final Score: Davenport 2 – Illinois 4
Shots: DU 20 | UI 34
Power Play: DU (0/0) | UI (0/0)
Record: #10 (16-11) | #17 UI (18-10-3-1)
 
HELTER SKELTER
 
There was no scoring for the first 55 minutes in the game on Friday night. On Saturday, it took only three minutes and change for the first goal to be scored. Joey Ogden would score his seventh of the season to give Davenport the lead.
 
The lead would carry until the latter half of the period, where Jonahtan Moskaluk got a couple of whacks at the puck in front of the DU goal, and put in his 17^th of the season to tie the game at one.
 
The momentum would swing back in the Panthers' favor following the goal, leading to Jason Cohan's 12^th of the season to give Davenport their second lead of the game.
 
Just 38 seconds later, the Illini were swarming in the DU zone. Alexander Rogers stopped a shot from the point, but the rebound went to an open wing, and Bobby Ernsting found the back of the net for the ninth time this season to tie the game at two.
 
ON LOCKDOWN
 
Despite all the signs of an exciting barn-burner, the Fighting Illini put a wall in their defensive end, only allowing four shots in the second period.
 
The Illini would get a break late in the frame. Rogers first made a big save on the breakaway, but Tyler Opilka grabbed the loose puck. He fed a pass to Mark Candotti who one-timed his third of the season to give the Illini their second lead of the game.
 
The Panthers tried to muster up offense in the third period, but came up empty-handed. Moskaluk scored his second of the game with an empty-net goal, and Illinois completed the weekend sweep with the 4-2 win.
 
WHO'S NEXT?
The Panthers have one more weekend left in the regular season, and it will be against GLCHL-rival Calvin University. The Knights are currently ranked no. 14 in the season, and are 15-6-2 this season. The Panthers have won all right meetings dating back to the 2017-18 season.
 
Game one will be on Friday the 28^th at the Eagles Ice Center, puck drop scheduled for just a little after 8 p.m.