Written by Tyler Kuehl
 
ADRIAN, Mich. – After an unscheduled week off, the D2 hockey was on the road to begin another three-game weekend. Their opponents were the Adrian Bulldogs, a team that had only played 12 games all season, and have only played once since Thanksgiving heading into Thursday. It was also the first games of the season for Marc Rotondo and Justin Vantine as they returned to the Davenport lineup Thursday night.
 
It was an entertaining game at Arrington Ice Arena, as the game was fast and physical. The Panthers jumped ahead with a goal in the opening minutes, but the Bulldogs quickly answered. DU would recapture the lead, and held it through the rest of the game. The Bulldogs kept it close in the third, but DU was able to keep their distance, and despite a couple of scuffles, were able to complete the season sweep over Adrian.
 
QUICK STATS
 
Final Score: Davenport 6 – Adrian 3
Shots: DU 40 | AC 30
Power Play: DU (1/4) | AC (2/3)
Records: #9 DU (12-9-3-1) | #15 AC (2-10-0-1)
 
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
 
Rotondo made quite the impact in his return, picking up a goal and two assists for the Panthers, as did Connor Seymour. Ty Jaenicke, Jeff Rahilly and Tyler Majewski each had a goal and an assist, with Drake Deering stopping 27 of 30 shots earning his sixth win of the season.
 
SHAKING OFF THE RUST
 
Davenport came out banging with a couple of big hits right off the opening puck drop, setting the tone for the game. Just before the two-minute mark of the period, Trevor Murray poked the puck towards the side of the Adrian goal, and Rotondo knocked it by Adrian's Cedric Joubert for his first of the season, giving DU the 1-0 lead.
 
THE DEERING WALL
 
The Bulldogs would get a power play a few minutes later, and Phil Pugliese would sneak a backhand shot by the glove of Deering to tie the game at one.
 
Deering would have to bail his team out a couple of times to keep the game tied, as he made a big breakaway save against the Bulldogs' leading-scorer, Ondrej Tomek. Deering also made a highlight-reel save on Robert Bathory, and made a nine saves in the first period.
 
The Panthers would take the lead back before the end of the period, as Jaenicke scored his first of the season with less than five minutes remaining in the frame.
 
RETURNING THE FAVOR
 
Into period two, both teams created great scoring chances, but both Joubert and Deering had to be sharp for their respective clubs.
 
Seymour started the play that led to the first goal of the game, and just passed the halfway mark of the period, Rotondo would find Seymour coming into the Adrian zone, fed him a pass, and Seymour fired a shot over the glove of Joubert for his 13^th goal of the season to make it a 3-1 game.
 
WILD FINISH
 
Just before the halfway mark of the third period, Rahilly was knocked down behind the play by Adrian's Kyle Boerner. Rahilly responded with a hit to Devin Whitaker, which spilled into a scuffle between Rahilly and Adam Ryffel. What came out of it was a 4-on-4 for two minutes, with an extra three minutes of power play awarded to the Bulldogs with Rahilly receiving a major penalty.
 
While the teams were four-aside, Pugliese would score his second of the game to bring Adrian back within one. Just over a minute later, Brody White threw a wrister on from the point that bounced off of the Bulldogs' Stefan Boskovic and into the net for his fourth of the season to put DU back up by two.
 
After Ryffel's penalty expired, Adrian's power play would cash in after Tomek took a shot that bounced off the shoulder of Deering and in make it a 4-3 game. After, Rahilly exited the box, he one-timed a Majewski pass to score his 16^th goal of the season to give DU their third two-goal lead of the night.
 
Following the goal, a melee ensued, and as a result, the Panthers were given a 5-on-3 to end the game. Majewski would score with the man advantage, and Davenport would skate away with the 6-3 win.

Coach Green was glad to see how his team played, and kept their composure in the win.
   
 
WHO'S NEXT?
 
The Panthers continue their weekend with a two-game set against Trine University. The Thunder head into the weekend ranked no. 6 in the Central Region, with a 11-9-1-1 record. The Thunder have won five of the seven meetings all-time against the Panthers, but DU picked up a win back in October.
 
Game one will be down in Angola, Indiana on Friday afternoon. Puck drop is scheduled for 3 p.m.