Illini display the 3rd place trophy.

  On Wednesday the Illini skated against another CSCHL team, the Billikens of St. Louis University. This was the fifth meeting of these teams this year, and to this point the only team that had handed Illinois a loss. The Illini Came out scoring quickly and found themselves in charge of the game, but a late first period power play goal put St. Louis back in the game. The Illini answered back with two more goals in the second period but the Billikens would not go away. The teams both took turns scoring goals in the third period, but the Illini held off to win 6-4.

  After a day of rest the Illini took to the Ice on Friday against the Dragons of Drexel University. For the first period the teams acquainted themselves with each others play, but the Illini were able to strike first. In the second the teams came out shooting and the Illini buried four pucks in the Dragons net, doubling the scoring from Drexel. After one quick goal by the Dragons in the third, the Illini scoring machine took over scoring five more times, allowing Brian Coleman to earn a hat trick in the game, Illini win 10-3.

  With Drexel, Towson, Iowa State, and Michigan Dearborn already on the buses, and St. Louis, Eastern Michigan, Minot State, and Arizona fighting it out for 5th-8th place, the Illini were looking to move on, but first came Ohio University. The Illini had already played Ohio three times this season, the last meeting an overtime win at the CSCHL playoffs in Ames, IA. In the first period in front of a packed Ohio ice arena both teams kept each other at bay letting less than ten shots get to their respective net minders. In the Second period the Illini struck first and quickly with a shot from Brian Tilden, which would turn out to be the Illini's only goal of the game. The Bobcats Ryan Walicki turned things around quickly though, putting in two OU goals in the second, and assisting on another in the third. Ohio added two goals in the final period to dash the Illini's hopes for a chance to play for the first place trophy as they won 4-1 sending Illinois to the consolation game.

  On Sunday the Illini were teamed up against the Blue Hens of Delaware and and the end of the first found themselves where there don't like to be, behind. Delaware scored the only goal of the first period, and sent the Illini to the locker room with something to think about. The Illini came out ready to play and not giving up as they scored early to tie the game, and the Joel Superfine goal gave Todd Chrustowski his 100th career point as an Illini defenseman. The Blue Hens weren't going to give up easy either and turned around an Illini power play as they scored the go ahead goal. In the third the Illini kept Delaware away from the net and put on pressure enough to score two more goals, the game winner coming from Brian Coleman, and the Illini winning the 3rd place trophy with the 3-2 victory. 

  Congrats to Matt Breit and Pat Olson for being listed on the All-Tournament 2nd team and Brian Coleman, Kyle Mulvey, and Jim Rogers as Honorable Mentions.

  Congratulations to the whole team for a wonderful season of hockey play, too bad it has ended already. With a team like this we would like to see it go on for a lot longer.