Written by Tyler Kuehl
 
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The D1 hockey team won a high-scoring affair against Aquinas on Friday night, and looked to complete the weekend sweep, and take the season series from the Saints. It was going to be tough, though, as Aquinas had not lost back-to-back games since the first weekend of November.

It was a very odd game on all fronts. The nets at both ends of the rink could not stay on their pegs, goals were disallowed, and neither coach seemed to be happy with anything the officials were doing. The play itself was exciting as the Panthers went ahead by a pair of goals twice, but a charge in the third period by the Saints helped them to victory.
 
QUICK STATS
 
Final Score: Davenport 4 – Aquinas 5
Shots: DU 29 | AQ 34
Power Play: DU (1/5) | AQ (1/6)
Records: #9 DU (13-6) | #21 AQ (13-9-1-1)
 
BACK AND FORTH
 
The game had a little bit of a choppy start, but was ignited just past the seven-minute mark when Nathan Nickelson ripped a shot over the shoulder of Aquinas' Roman Malkov, knocking the water bottle off the net in the process, giving DU a 1-0 lead.
 
The game started to get physical following the goal, and the Saints would take advantage of Davenport's defense getting caught in the offensive zone, as Nick Stockert scored in transition to tie the game at one a little after the halfway mark of the period.
 
COWA(GAI)N
 
The Saints would get into penalty trouble later in the period, giving the Panthers a 5-on-3. Just seconds into the two-man advantage, Luke Cowan floated a shot towards the goal. The puck somehow got around the traffic and by Malkov to give Cowan his fourth goal in as many games.
 
Into the second period, the Panthers had a good start as Austin Thompson ringed one of the post and in for his sixth of the season, giving the Panthers a two-goal lead.
 
TYING THINGS UP
 
Only minutes after Thompson's goal, the Saints' Alex Klekotka would find his own rebound to score his 12^th of the season to bring the Saints back within one.
 
Shortly before the halfway mark of the period, Cowan was able to spring Adam Goudelock on a breakaway, and he made no mistake scoring his 12^th goal of the season to give the Panthers their second two-goal lead of the night.
 
The Saints, though, would be able to rally. Just before the end of the period, Ryan Wolfe would score his sixth of the year to make it a 4-3 game heading into the third period.
 
The Saints were pressing early in the final 20 minutes. Trent Kulczyk found Kyle Truax open in the slot, fed him a pass, and Truax one-timed it by Alexander Rogers to tie the game at four.
 
SNATCHING THE WIN AWAY
 
A little over halfway gone in the period, Thompson took a penalty, and shortly after winning the ensuing faceoff, Kulczyk beat Rogers over the shoulder to give the Saints their first lead of the game.
 
Davenport would press late, looking to tie the game, but a mysterious major penalty to Cowan halted their momentum, and Aquinas would come away with the 5-4 win.
 
WHO'S NEXT?
 
The Panthers return to Great Lakes Collegiate Hockey League (GLCHL) action next weekend, as they prepare for a pair of home games against Kent State. The Golden Flash are currently 5-13-2-1 on the season, and are 1-9 in GLCHL play.
 
Davenport is 20-3 all-time against Kent State dating back to the 2012-13 season, and have swept the last two season series. Game one of the weekend set a Patterson is scheduled for the Friday the 24^th at 5:35 p.m.