Ohio defenders gang up on the Illini

  In Friday nights game, the Bobcats started out slow having only five shots on goal but scoring first with a chip shot past Tim Danlow. The Illini doubled the number of Ohio shots and one of those shots, coming off the stick of Brett Duncan on the power play, found the mark and allowed the Illini to even the score at one for the first period. The assists on the goal came from Todd Chrustowski, who is creeping up on his 100th career point, and Pat Olson. In the second period the Illini took the lead quickly and never looked back. The second goal was scored by a fleet footed Brian Tilden with a little help from Pat Olson. Brett Duncan again guided the puck into the back of the Bobcat net with a blast from the right circle as the Illini power play again paid off. Pat Olson again on the assist teamed up with Tom Ennessy this time. Halfway through the period and the Illini with a man in the box, the Bobcats Joe Branco narrowed the Illini lead to one as he put the power play goal into the Illini net. As is three assists weren't enough, Pat Olson sent the puck over to a anxious Todd Chrustowski who let one rip on another Illini power play and buried the puck in the Ohio goal making the score 4-2 Illini. In the third period the Bobcats came to life, out shooting the Illini 13 to 7, but were unable to even take advantage of power play opportunities and both teams ended up scoreless for the period.

  Saturday nights game took place in front of a packed house and with Alumni greats present and watching the current team looking to close out the CSCHL season with another win under their belt before the playoffs. The Illini found themselves short handed quickly after the start of the game, but the penalty killers did their job well and kept the Bobcats from capitalizing three separate times in the first and even scored short handed. The first goal in the game came when Kyle Zabrin tipped the puck in from Luke Carlson and Joel Superfine. Brian Tilden put in the short handed goal with the assists coming from Brett Duncan and Matt Breit which ended the period with the Illini up 2-0. The second period is when Ohio changed its net minder and slipped back into the game with their captain Ryan Walicki lighting the lamp behind the Illini net. In the third, Walicki again teamed up with Frank Kubas, tied the game up at 2, but the Illini's captains teamed up and our very own Dan Lynch quickly struck back putting the Illini back into the lead, the assist going to Brian Tilden. The Illini found themselves down a man once again, but fast moving Kyle Zabrin grabbed the puck away from the Bobcats and put what would be the game winning goal into the net. With the Ohio team coming on hard, they found a way to bring themselves back within one as Matt Schenk scored the Bobcat goal. With the period winding down, the Bobcats goalie skated to the bench and brought on the extra attacker. Brian Coleman snatched the puck away from the Bobcats and slid it over to Matt Breit who flicked it down the ice, the Ohio team skated quickly after it but could not reach it before it entered the empty net and ended the game with a score of Illini 5 and the Bobcats 3.

  Congratulations to Pat Olson for his 4 point game, Brian Tilden and Brett Duncan for their 3 point weekend, and to Kyle Zabrin for his two goal game and another game winning goal.