Back-to-back three goal performances by No. 17 Davenport results in upset against No. 3 Ohio
In the first and final periods of the weekend, Ohio had no problem lighting up its host, Davenport, around the net.
It was the four periods in the middle that gave the Bobcats problems.
No. 3 Ohio came out firing with a three-goal first period in Friday night’s game en route to a 5-3 win. It then saw a late-third period comeback come up just short in a 3-2 loss Saturday.
The first period attack in Friday’s action may have been a pleasant surprise to those who were questioning how the Bobcats would come out of the gate in their first road game in six weeks, after four consecutive home series. It turned out, however, that No. 17 Davenport was the team to come out flat in the weekend’s first period.
Joe Breslin began the scoring with a power play goal, before Michael Harris followed with a pair of scores with a man advantage. The Bobcats were 3-for-3 in converting power play opportunities in the first period.
“We had a lot of speed in the first, and they had a hard time keeping up with us, so we drew a lot of penalties,” coach Sean Hogan said.
Davenport was able to score its first goal before the end of the first period, then used the second period to turn the game into a fist fight. A Matt Wipper goal was bookended by a pair of Panther goals that turned the game into a 4-3 struggle entering period three. It remained stagnant at that spot until Harris sealed a hat trick with an empty net goal with a minute left in the contest.
“As the game progressed, we thought we were going to blow them out,” Hogan said. “And Davenport’s a good team. They caught us out of position defensively, and capitalized on some opportunities to make the game closer than it probably should have been.”
Unfortunately for Ohio, the beginning of Saturday’s game saw more carry-over from Friday’s second and third periods rather than its first. Davenport was able to take advantage of Ohio’s defense early in a way few teams have this season, scoring two quick goals in the first period.
While its offense ran roughshod, its defense was able to hold the Bobcats in check throughout much of the game’s action. Despite another significant collection of penalties on the Panthers, Ohio saw power play after power play pass by without capitalizing.
The Bobcats (19-3-2) did put some offense together late, with Tom Whetsel and Patrick Spellacy scoring goals after Davenport had already gone ahead 3-0. A third goal was never achieved, however, and Ohio saw its ten game winning streak come to an end.
“(Davenport’s) very much a run-and-gun team,” Hogan said. “They’re very quick in transition, so they just kind of throw the puck up ice and chase it down. I think Davenport is a bit of an under-ranked team, and I think they’re going to have some big wins in the second half and show up in the national tournament.”
The Panthers (12-7-4) scored three goals in back-to-back nights against an Ohio defense that had not allowed more than two goals in a game in any of the 22 contests it had played leading up to the series. It wasn’t all bad for the defense, however: It’s infamous power play defense held Davenport to an 0-for-9 clip over the weekend.
Ohio now turns to four weeks off for the holiday break, before returning for a weekend series at Central States Collegiate Hockey League rival Lindenwood.
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