SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — A three-goal outburst late in the second period broke open a tight game and propelled the Drury Panthers men's hockey club to a 9-4 home win over the University of Missouri on Saturday night in Springfield.
Leading 4-3 midway through the second, the Panthers seized control with sustained pressure in the offensive zone. Drury converted on back-to-back shifts to stretch the margin to 6-3, then added a third goal before the intermission to take a commanding three-goal lead into the third period. The surge proved to be the decisive stretch as the Panthers closed out the Tigers with disciplined play in the final 20 minutes and one more insurance tally.
Drury's attack was balanced throughout the lineup, with multiple forwards contributing to the nine-goal effort. The Panthers generated chances off the rush and from extended cycles in the Missouri zone, turning controlled entries into high-percentage looks in front of the net. Defensemen such as Neil Cerrato, Antonio Cordova and Kaleb Curnutt helped drive the offense from the blue line, jumping into plays and keeping pucks alive at the points to sustain pressure.
On the back end, the Panthers' defensive corps limited second-chance opportunities and cleared traffic in front of the crease as the game wore on. After Missouri capitalized on a few early chances to stay within a goal, Drury tightened its structure in the defensive zone, forcing the Tigers to the perimeter and cutting down clean looks from the slot. The Panthers' goaltender turned aside a series of Missouri chances during a key penalty kill in the second period, preserving the lead just before the decisive offensive run.
Drury continued to control play in the third period, managing the puck through the neutral zone and avoiding extended time in its own end. The Panthers added a pair of goals in the final frame to cap the scoring, while Missouri managed only a single tally in the closing 20 minutes. Strong shifts from the forward group, including continued forechecking pressure and responsible backchecking, helped Drury close out the contest without allowing Missouri back into the game.
The win adds another high-scoring result to a challenging schedule that has already featured matchups with Alabama, Central Oklahoma and Midland earlier in the season. With the 9-4 victory over Missouri, the Panthers men's hockey club continues to build momentum at home and gain experience across a roster that leans on both its defensive depth and its ability to generate offense in waves.
GAME TWO
Panthers Men's Hockey closed out a milestone Senior Night with a 5–3 victory over the University of Missouri on Saturday at Brightspeed Ice Park, riding a decisive third-period push to finish off the program's founding class with a home win.
In a game honoring 13 graduating seniors who helped launch the Drury University club program, the Panthers turned a tight matchup into a two-goal decision down the stretch. After Missouri pulled within one midway through the third period, the Panthers answered with the night's decisive goal, restoring a multi-goal cushion and controlling play in the final minutes to seal the 5–3 result.
The Panthers' offense established itself early, generating sustained pressure and traffic in front of the Missouri net. Forwards worked the cycle and defensemen jumped into the rush to create shooting lanes from the points. That approach produced a multi-goal advantage heading into the final 20 minutes, giving Panthers Men's Hockey enough of a margin to withstand Missouri's push and still close out the contest in regulation.
Drury's blue line played a central role in the win, with defensemen such as Neil Cerrato of Fenton, Missouri, helping limit second-chance opportunities in front. The Panthers' defensive corps blocked shots, cleared rebounds and moved the puck cleanly out of the zone to spring counterattacks that led directly to scoring chances in transition.
The goaltending effort matched the moment, as the Panthers turned aside key looks from Missouri in the slot and on odd-man rushes to maintain the lead. Several crucial saves late in the second period and early in the third kept the visitors from pulling even, setting the stage for the eventual game-winning tally that pushed the scoreline to 5–3.
On a night built around recognition, the 13 seniors who helped start Panthers Men's Hockey were honored pregame and responded with an organized, disciplined performance. The group's experience showed in special-teams situations, clock management and late-game composure as Drury protected its advantage against a Missouri side pressing to extend the contest.
The 5–3 decision provided a fitting cap to Senior Night at Brightspeed Ice Park.
