Written by Tyler Kuehl

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The D3 hockey team returned home Saturday night, looking to avenge a 6-3 loss they suffered the night before. It was only the second time this season the Panthers had lost back-to-back games this season.
 
The game was tight in the first two periods, with the game tied heading into the final 20 minutes. However, the Knights blew the game wide-open with three unanswered in the third. DU tried to keep pace as the teams traded goals throughout the period, even scoring back-to-back goals to get within one. Yet, it would not be enough as an empty-netter erased any hopes for a miraculous comeback, as the Knights picked up the win to sweep the weekend.
 
QUICK STATS
 
Final Score: Davenport 6 – Calvin 8
Shots: DU 43 | CU 27
Power Play: DU (4/8) | CU (3/5)
Records: DU (3-5, 3-3) | CU (3-1, 2-1)
 
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
 
Aiden Dion picked up his first ever career hat trick, all of which were on the power play. Charlie Bonser and Christopher Heath each scored a goal and two assists for the Panthers.
 
SCORELESS BATTLE
 
The first period saw neither team find the back of the net. Shots were 7-6 in favor of the Knights, and both Liam Austin of Calvin and DU's Kyle Wagner made some big saves, including Wagner making a big save on the Knights' Hayden Heys on a breakaway.
 
KNIGHTING THE LAMP
 
After over 25 minutes of scoreless hockey, Calvin finally broke the ice, as Jake Oakes sniped Wagner, top-corner, for his first goal of the season to put the Knights out in front. Just a couple minutes later, a bad-angle shot by Jon Hull was kicked into the slot, and Brandon Turcotte banged home the rebound, and just like that the Knights had a 2-0 lead.
 
POWERFUL PLAY
 
A little over halfway gone in the second period, the Knights found themselves in penalty trouble. The Knights took three consecutive penalties, giving DU a lengthy 5-on-3 opportunity. Just a few seconds into the first power play, Heath found Dion open on the back door, and the freshman scored his fifth goal of the season put the Panthers on the board.
 
The goal was scored quickly enough that DU was able to stay on the 5-on-3. 58 seconds later, Charlie Bonser and George Hangas helped set up Dion, as Dion fired home his second goal of the period to tie the game at two.
 
RIGHT BACK IN THE LEAD
 
The third period was one of the craziest thus far. First, Andre Kilpela scored a breakaway goal just 24 seconds into the period. Then, Dillon Bond would get a five-minute major and a game-misconduct for checking from behind, and Calvin would get a glorious opportunity on the power play.
 
COUNT MUCH?
 
While on the power play, Oakes banged in his second goal of the game after Zach Malkowski was denied by the Panthers. The problem with the goal was that the Knights had six players on the ice, with their goaltender still in the net. Despite the obvious, the two referees and two linesmen chose not to negate the goal, and Calvin gladly accepted the 4-2 lead.
 
In the final minute of the major power play, Turcotte took a shot from the high slot that was tipped in by Luis Mendoza to put the Knights up by three.
 
BATTLE TIME
 
Even though were trailing by three, the Panthers would not give up. Bonser finally scored his first goal of the season to put DU back within two.
 
However, 42 seconds later, Malkowski scored on a bad angle shot that somehow snuck through Wagner, and Calvin was now up by a 6-3 margin. Minutes later, DU would go back on the power play. After a couple of good chances, Heath scored his first of the season to close the gap.
 
The Knights would answer back once again, this time 47 seconds later, as Kilpela scored his second of the game.
 
NEVER GIVING UP
 
With a little over five minutes to go, it looked like maybe DU was out of luck trailing by three. Yet, the Panthers refused to quit.
 
After a couple of saves by Austin, Dion tapped in a rebound, on the power play, for his third of the game to make it 7-5. A couple of minutes later, Parker Schmitt took a shot that was tipped in by Thomas Chaulk, and Davenport was within striking distance with a few minutes left.
 
They would get another power play with just over two minutes left in the game. Davenport had a couple of good chances, but could not convert. Heys ended up scoring an empty-net goal, shorthanded, to put the game away, and Davenport would fall for the third game in a row, 8-6 the final score.
 
WHO'S NEXT?
 
The Panthers will meet with an opponent from the MCHC's East Division, the Chippewas from Central Michigan University. The Chips are 1-5 this season, and were just swept by Oakland this past weekend. Central Michigan leads the all-time series 5-2, with Davenport having not won a game against CMU since September of 2013. The first game of the home-and-home will be at Patterson Ice Center on Friday the 25^th, with puck drop set for 8:30 p.m.