Grand Rapids, Mich. — The only American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) Division I men's hockey game played on Wednesday (Oct. 4) feature the Aquinas Saints at Davenport. The Panthers (2-1) found a way to protect home ice with two late goals to secure a 4-3 victory inside the Patterson Ice Center.

The Saints dropped their third consecutive game and moved to 2-4 overall as a result.

Aquinas held the lead twice at 2-1 and 3-2 before Davenport rallied late. The Panthers got a power play goal from Kristers Klavins with 4:47 remaining to tie the game and then 58 seconds later Heath Drye popped up with the game-winner.

Drye also scored the first goal of the game just 2:10 into the contest. His power play strike was assisted by Taber Gutschick and Peter Stojcevski.

Six minutes later, AQ defenseman Christian Look buried the equalizer for his first goal of the season. Nicola Vogel provided the assist.

At the halfway mark of the second period, an unassisted goal by Ryan Kleber put the Saints in the lead, 2-1. It didn't last long. Davenport's Trent Benedict answered less than four minutes later to put the score level at 2-2 going into the third period.

A power play goal by captain Brandon Rozema had the Saints buzzing up 3-2 with just over 13 minute to play in regulation. Brendan McCatty and Alex Johnson were creditted with the assists. It was Rozema's third goal of the season and AQ's fourth power play goal converted.

On the verge of getting back to the .500 mark, Aquinas surrendered two goals in the final five minutes to lose a heartbreaker.

The Panthers swarmed the AQ net in the final 20 minutes, outshooting the Saints 13-5 in the third period. Davenport finished with a 34-23 edge in shots on goal.

Goaltender Sean Andrus picked up the win for Davenport, while AQ netminder Randon Striplin made 30 saves but fell in his season debut.

Aquinas opens conference play this weekend with a home-and-away series against Rochester (0-2). The Saints host the Warriors first at 7:40 p.m. Friday night (Oct. 6) at the Southside Ice Arena before traveling to Fraser, Mich., on Saturday (Oct. 7) for an 8 p.m. puck drop at the Big Boy Arena.

AQ has never lost, racking up 16 straight wins, against Rochester since the two teams have started playing each other in 2017.