Written by Tyler Kuehl
 
BYRON CENTER, Mich. – After slugging out a win against Western Michigan on Tuesday night, the D1 hockey team was on the road a little closer to home. They traveled a little south to meet with the Aquinas Saints. The two teams met earlier this season, with both Aquinas and Davenport earning wins back in October.
 
The game was wild from the get-go. Davenport and Aquinas both got plenty of chances early and often. Aquinas was able have two separate two-goal leads in the game, both with Davenport coming back to tie the game. Davenport would take the lead late in the second period, and, despite a late surge from the Saints, would go on to win their eighth game in a row.
 
QUICK STATS
 
Final Score: Davenport 7 – Aquinas 5
Shots: DU 36 | AQ 34
Power Play: DU (1/1) | AQ (0/1)
Records: #9 DU (12-5) | #21 AQ (12-8-1-1)
 
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
 
Luke Cowan led the Panthers with a goal and two assists in the game, with Chris Corgan scoring a pair himself. Adam Goudelock, Brad Reitter, Ian Thompson and Cory Bussing each had two assists for the Panthers., and Devin Burchett tallied a goal and an assist. Alexander Rogers picked up the win in net after coming in relief for Zach Janis.
 
THE SAINTS COME MARCHING IN
 
The home team wasted little time getting out in front. Kyle Truax opened up the scoring with his 10^th goal of the season just over five minutes into the game. That was followed up by a goal from Alex Klekotka 35 seconds later, and Aquinas was quickly up by two.
 
PANTHERS ROARING BACK
 
DU would answer back with a goal of their own less than four minutes later, as Burchett scored only his second of the season to put the Panthers on the board. In the dying minutes of the period, Cowan scored his third goal since returning to the lineup to tie the game at two.
 
QUICK SCORING AGAIN
 
The Saints quickly got the lead back in the second period, as a little over a minute into the frame, Russell Shengulette scored to give Aquinas their second lead of the game. Only 15 seconds later, Truax found the back of the net to the Saints a two-goal lead once again.
 
TAKING OVER
 
Davenport would start to play their game following the Saints two quick goals. Just passed the six-minute mark of the period, Corgan scored his fifth of the season to make it a 4-3 game. The Panthers would find the equalizer once again, as Austin Thompson scored his fifth of the season before the halfway mark of the period. Davenport would find themselves in the lead after Corgan scored his second of the period, and the Panthers would carry a 5-4 lead heading into the final stanza.
 
HOLDING ON
 
Neither team was able to create many scoring chances, but both found the back of the net in third. Pat Modaff scored in the latter half of the third to put DU up by two. The Saint would make things interesting after Mason Stewart scored with just over five minutes to play in regulation. Joey Ogden would erase any chance of a comeback after he scored an empty-netter, and the Panthers would take home the win by a final score of 7-5.
 
WHO'S NEXT?
 
Davenport and Aquinas will finish off their weekend set on Saturday night at Patterson, 8:35 p.m. the scheduled puck drop.