The first action of 2018 for the Division III hockey team was a nearby weekend series against Hope College. The first contest was Friday at Griff's Ice House in Holland with the Flying Dutchmen winning 8-2. The game on Saturday at Patterson Ice Center in Grand Rapids was a closer affair but Hope finished the sweep with a 5-3 win over the Panthers.
 
Game 1 (Friday, January 12)
Final Score: Davenport 2, Hope 8
Location: Holland, Mich. (Griff's Icehouse)
Records: Davenport 2-13, Hope 12-5-2

GOALS PER PERIOD
1^st Period: DU-0 | Hope-6
2^nd Period: DU-2 | Hope-1
3^rd Period: DU-0 | Hope-1
Final: DU-2 | Hope-8

HOW IT HAPPENED
-The Panthers were ambushed in the first period as the Flying Dutchmen scored six times. Garrett Gormley got it going 32 seconds into the game from Austen Peterson and Riley Draper. Peterson scored the second goal at 11:28 which ignited a span of five goals in eight minutes for Hope. Draper, Austin Huffer, Elliott Digison and Joseph Brown also scored in the first period for Hope.
-Richard Zanavich got his first goal with the team for Davenport at 9:02 of the second period from fellow newcomer Ryan Morse. Peterson scored his second of the game at 11:34 with helpers from Digison and Draper. DU notched their second goal at 18:23 as Charlie Bonser lit the lamp from Morse and Chris Heath.
-The only goal of the third period came at 9:14 as Hope's Peter Stewart ended the scoring from Allan Hirsch and Noah Arent.
-The Panthers committed six minor penalties in the game. Dillon Bond was disqualified in the second period which put the team down their top scorer.
-Jordan Tafel made 42 saves for the Panthers and played 40 minutes. Austen Strauss got his first game action since joining the team at semester and made 13 saves in the final 20 minutes.

Game 2 (Saturday, January 13)
Final Score: Davenport 3, Hope 5
Location: Grand Rapids, Mich. (Patterson Ice Center)
Records: Davenport 2-14, Hope 13-5-2

GOALS PER PERIOD
1^st Period: DU-1 | Hope-2
2^nd Period: DU-1 | Hope-2
3^rd Period: DU-1 | Hope-1
Final: DU-3 | Hope-5

HOW IT HAPPENED
-The second game of the series saw the Panthers battle throughout but fall by a pair of goals. Gormley once again opened the scoring for Hope at 1:08. Bonser tied the game at 8:43 from Zanavich and Tyler Heyboer on the power play. Gormley broke the tie at 15:24 with assists from Draper and Caleb Wortz.
-Hope edged DU 2-1 in the second period as well. Brandon Bihn tied the contest at 2 at the 1:29 mark of the second period from Morse and Bonser. Huffer gave Hope a 3-2 lead at the 11:52 mark from Wortz and Justin Pinto. Stewart gave Hope a 4-2 lead just 50 seconds later from Max Mones.
-Down by two entering the third period, Travis Bouwkamp cut the deficit to 4-3 at 14:24 from Shawn Marschall. DU could not get the equalizer and Hope put the game away at 17:50 as Peterson scored the final goal for Hope.
-DU was without Bond who had to sit out the game after Friday's DQ. The final shots were Hope 39 and Davenport 19.
 
UP NEXT
Davenport has a weekend series against Ferris State. The Panthers will travel to Big Rapids on Friday and the Bulldogs will return the favor on Saturday in Grand Rapids.