Panthers’ Season Ends in Shootout Heartbreaker Against Arkansas

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Drury’s season came to an agonizing close Saturday night at Brightspeed Ice Park, as the Panthers Men’s Hockey team fell 5-4 in a shootout to the University of Arkansas after a tense, back-and-forth contest that stretched through three periods and a five-minute overtime.

The Panthers battled from behind to force extra hockey, with Louis Fournier delivering a crucial game-tying goal in regulation that kept the season alive. Drury generated enough offense to match Arkansas over 65 minutes, but the Razorbacks converted in the shootout while the Panthers came up just short, ending the makeup game from Jan. 25 in razor-thin fashion.

Forward Gannon Steggall anchored the Drury attack with two goals, providing consistent scoring pressure that helped the Panthers stay within striking distance throughout the night. His pair of tallies highlighted an offense that found key responses when needed, setting the stage for Fournier’s equalizer that sent the game beyond regulation.

In net, Drury’s goaltender, wearing No. 30, turned in one of the standout performances of the season. He finished with 44 saves, including 18 in a busy third period as Arkansas pressed for a winner. His composure under heavy traffic kept the game tied late and gave the Panthers a chance to extend their season in overtime and ultimately to the shootout.

The five-minute overtime featured chances for both sides, but Drury’s defensive group, led by blueliners such as Neil Cerrato, Caleb Schmitz and Tyler Sillanpaa, helped the Panthers weather Arkansas rushes while the offense searched for a decisive break. Neither team could find the back of the net in the extra frame, sending the contest to a skills competition with the season on the line.

In the shootout, Arkansas converted enough attempts to edge past Drury, ending a hard-fought effort that showcased the Panthers’ resilience and goaltending strength. Despite the result, the matchup underscored the competitiveness of Drury’s club program and the impact of key performers like Steggall, Fournier and the Panthers’ No. 30 netminder Garrett Limpert.

With the 5-4 shootout loss, the Panthers’ campaign concluded at home, but the performance against Arkansas provided a strong benchmark heading into the offseason as Drury looks to build on its late-season fight and the foundation laid under head coach Brett Loethen.