Illini face off against Michigan

September 28, 2003 - The Illini Hockey club started their season of on the right foot as they hand two losses to the University of Michigan Wolverine hockey club, 11-1 and 7-2. An enthusiastic crowd welcomed the Illini back onto the ice for the start of the 2003-2004 season on Friday night and they were not disappointed. The Illini, wearing their home whites, struck first and struck often in the first period rocking the Michigan skaters. The Illini's Brett Duncan registered the first goal of the season as he took a feed from newcomer Mike Kincaid in front of the net and put the puck past Michigan's Spurlock, Pat Olson also assisting on the goal. Junior Brian Coleman found himself taking advantage of not one, but two Michigan penalties. Twenty seconds into each penalty Brian found the back of the net with two power play goals, each being assisted by team Captain Jim Rogers and the second giving Pat O. another assist. With both teams back at even strength, the Illini take the face off and thirty seconds after the puck hit the ice, Junior Tom Fullerton recorded his first goal with the Illini as veterans Brett's ( Pachol and Duncan ) assisted. Michigan was down, but not dead, and they showed that as forward Adam Root took advantage of a power play opportunity and scored quickly finally putting the Wolverines on the board. The Illini were far from being done, and showed that as they welcomed Michigan's second goaltender, Hodgins, to the ice. Within a two minute minute period of time, the Illini cranked in three more goals, making it a 7-1 Illini dominated first period. The three goal set was put into place by Mike Roesch, Steve Krates, and Freshman Marshall Chubirka, assists going to Zabrin, Eaton & Aberman, and Rogers & Stock. The second period started out with Michigan's third goalie in net, but looking much like the first as Jim Rogers waited a whole minute and forty-five seconds before streaking down the ice and scoring an unassisted goal. With a Michigan player in the box for unsportsmanlike conduct, Justin Stock and Scott Kohler teamed up on the power play and scored yet another Illini goal bringing the totals to 9-1 for the period. Fifty-one seconds into the third, Brett Duncan, assisted by Scott Kohler and Jim Rogers, put his second puck into the Wolverine netting putting the Illini up by nine. Jim Rogers added a goal to his four assists on the evening by teaming up with Marshall Chubirka and Brian Coleman half way through the period and putting a cap on the Illini scoring with the 11-1 victory.

The Saturday day game was a real change of pace with the 1:45pm start time and the meager crowd thanks to the Illini football game that was later that afternoon. Unlike the football team, the hockey club had a much better day, even though it proved to be a long game. It wasn't until over half way into the first period before the first goal was scored by Michigan's Ryan Anderson as he took advantage of one of the many power play opportunities and put the puck past Illini net minder Mike DeGeorge. The Illini got on the board shortly after as Brian Coleman raced down the center of the ice and beat Michigan's Spurlock with a shorthanded goal, Alex Tauchen and Jim Rogers getting assists. Jim Rogers then wrapped up the end of the first with two goals 26 seconds apart, both goals with Coleman and Stock assisting. Illini forward Mike Roesch took over the second period as he scored an unassisted goal quickly and then scored again on the power play just three minutes later with Kyle Zabrin and Scott Kohler helping out. Brian Coleman, with Stock assisting, added another tally to the Illini scoring drive as he put in his second goal of the game, fourth of the weekend, making it a five goal lead at the end of the second. In the third the Wolverines took advantage of the Illini penalty woes and put in their second score during the 5 on 3 advantage. Illini Scott Kohler wrapped up the scoring as he knocked in an unassisted shorthanded goal and giving the Illini a 7-2 victory over the University of Michigan club.