From Davenport University Athletics
By Ryan Thompson
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Davenport men’s ACHA Division I team welcomed No. 21 Iowa State over the weekend at Patterson Ice Center for the first time. The teams were playing for the first time since the 2010-11 season when they met in Ames, Iowa. Much like the original matchup, the teams split a pair of games. The Cyclones won 7-2 on Friday and Davenport came back on Saturday for a 2-1 victory.
Iowa State controlled the game from the start on Friday and scored the first seven goals. They scored twice in the first period and four more times in the second period for a 6-0 lead. Everett Bestland finished his hat trick at the 27-second mark of the third period on the power play from Mitch Krebsbach and Ryan Nelson. Krebsbach scored two goals earlier in the game back-to-back at the 4:20 mark of the first period and 5:49 of the second period.
The Panthers would score the last two goals of the game and perhaps carry a little momentum into Saturday’s win. Justin Turner scored his eighth of the season at 11:52 from Austin Melone and Heath Drye. Branwen Pollett then scored on the power play at 13:54 from Taber Gutschick and Brendan Bauer. Nathan Gauthier got the start in net but was replaced by Kyler Lowden in the second period after giving up six goals. He did make 34 saves before Lowden concluded the game with 18 saves on 19 shots.
Davenport improved to 17-11 overall and got their 10th home win of the season on Saturday. The shots finished up 33-32 in favor of Davenport and they had 11 shots in each of the three periods. The penalty kill was especially strong as Iowa State went 1-for-10. Davenport was 1-for-7 on the power play themselves.
After a scoreless first period, Bauer scored his first goal of the game at 5:30 of the second period on the power play. Pollett and Gutschick each had an assist on Bauer’s 13th goal of the season. Nelson tied the game at the 7:14 mark of the second period on the power play for his first goal of the season.
Bauer scored the game-winning goal at 16:20 of the third period and Kristers Klavins had an assist. Harrison Moen got the start for ISU in net and made 31 saves. Lowden went the distance for DU and made 31 saves as well.
Next up for the Panthers will be a road game at Calvin on Friday, Feb. 2 from Eagles Ice Center beginning at 8:30 PM. The Panthers will be looking to end a four-game losing streak against the Knights who are currently No. 12 in ACHA Division I.
(Originally published at https://dupanthers.com/news/2024/1/27/mens-ice-hockey-di-cyclones-and-panthers-battle-to-weekend-split.aspx)
