Written by Tyler Kuehl
 
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – After a tough loss the night prior, the D2 hockey team was back in action Saturday evening to take on the Lindenwood Lions for the second night in a row. DU was looking to split the weekend, and pick up their first win over a ranked opponent since Nov. 15.
 
The Lions jumped out to an early lead and looked to control the game like they did on Friday night. However, the final two periods saw Davenport play really exceptional hockey. Despite taking one-too-many penalties in the second period, the Panthers were able to come from behind to tie the game late and force overtime. However, the Lions would score in the extra frame to complete the weekend sweep.
 
QUICK STATS
 
Final Score: Davenport 3 – Lindenwood 4 (OT)
Shots: DU 28 | LU 25
Power Play: DU (0/3) | LU (1/10)
Records: #9 DU (8-8-2-1) | #3 LU (14-4-1)
 
LIONS ATTACK
 
The second game of the weekend started with the Lions picking up right where they left off the night before. They controlled the puck and were rewarded for the opportunities in the opening minutes. 100 seconds into the game, Hunter Schiffman took a shot from the point that was going wide, until Jack Radley deflected the shot passed Drake Deering to put the Lions out in front.
 
53 seconds later, Tyler Jaenicke had the puck knocked off his stick in the neutral zone, and Kyle Van Wyk picked up the loose puck, went in on a breakaway and scored his fifth of the season to make it a 2-0 game.
 
NOT-SO SHORTHANDED
 
Davenport found themselves in penalty trouble early in the second period, giving the Lions a 5-on-3 around the five-minute mark of the period. However, while on the 5-on-3, Kyle Mazur intercepted a pass and decided to rush the puck up the ice. He drove to the Lindenwood net, took a shot that was mishandled by Lions' netminder Trevor Osborne. Jeff Rahilly then went after the loose puck and tapped in his 11^th goal of the season to bring DU back within one.
 
WATER BOTTLE BREAKER
 
The Panthers killed off the rest of that set of penalties, but would go down two men just a couple of minutes later. This time, the Lions would not pass up the opportunity. Radley fed a pass down to Nick Elliot down near the goal line, and Elliot ripped a one-timer top-shelf, knocking the water bottle off Drake Deering's net, extending the Lions' lead to two for the second time.
 
BATTLING BACK
 
Even though they trailed, Davenport looked determined to get back into the game. Later in the second period, after a good shift by DU's top line, Cole Uzzell took a shot from the point that was deflected in by Evan Carroll to bring the Panthers back within one again.
 
Davenport looked to tie the game in the third period, and came close early in the frame, including a great chance by Carroll where he was robbed by Osborne. They would get a power play in the dying minutes, but were not able to convert. Then, with a minute left in regulation, Adam Hulsey took a shot from the point that found its way through the calamity in front of the Lindenwood net. Hulsey's second of the season tied the game, and the two teams went to overtime.
 
OT BUMMER
 
In the overtime, Davenport controlled the play, but the Lions took advantage of a lapse in defensive coverage by the Panthers, and at the 2:45 mark of the overtime period, Van Wyk buried a Michael Schrader pass to pick up the 4-3 overtime win.
 
WHO'S NEXT?
 
DU has one more weekend of action before the semester break, as they will take on Purdue-Northwest for the first time ever. The Pride are 1-16-1 in their first year as a program, and will be coming off a weekend set against Robert Morris.
 
The weekend will also feature DU's 8^th annual Angel Tree Toy Drive, where fans can gain free admission to both games by donating a new and unopened toy at Patterson Ice Center.
 
The first game of the weekend set is on the 13^th at 8:20 p.m.