Illini take it to the Eagles in game one.

October 26, 2003 - The Illini knew that they were going to be up against a desperate and determined team when the Eagles came to town this weekend, and that proved to be true as Eastern Michigan played a strong game on Saturday night.
On Friday night the Illini started the game out like they had wanted to with Junior Brett Duncan scoring quickly, just a minute and fifty seconds into the game, assists going to Ari Aberman and Pat Olson. And that is when the defensive game started. Eastern's size and strength showed as they limited the number of quality shots for the Illini and EMU goaltender Gresham stopped the ones that did get through. It wasn't until the Illini were on the power play in the third period that they would score again and give the team a little more breathing room. With an Eagle in the box for elbowing, the Illini power play line rushed in and team captain Jim Rogers, with Duncan and Olson assisting, scored his ninth goal of the season and made it a 2-0 game. Just two minutes later the Illini found themselves on the power play again, but the tables were turned as the shorthanded Eagles broke away and again made it a one goal game. Halfway through the third Illini Senior Pat Olson once again gave the Illini a two goal lead with the help of Duncan and Freshman Mike Kincaid. Forward Scott Kohler put the game out of reach as he put in the fourth Illini goal of the night with only two and a half minutes to go in the game, Assists to Rogers and Brian Coleman. The Eastern team was able to take advantage of a Illini penalty in that time though as their power play unit scored twelve seconds into it, and made it the 4-2 game.

On Saturday night the Illini once again struck quickly as Brian Coleman lit the lamp just a minute and fifteen seconds into the game with the lone assist going to Jim Rogers. But Eastern Michigan came out playing a physical game and again short circuited an Illini power play situation with a short handed goal at 13:42 into the first period. However, twenty seconds later, Senior Kyle Zabrin was able to take advantage of the power play and to score his second goal of the season, assists going to Andy Lubesnick and Scott Kohler. Eastern was able to knot things up again at 2-2 as Carl Voelker got away and scored an unassisted goal. In the second period the Illini were able to again strike first as Brett Duncan scored his seventh goal of the season with Justin Stock helping. Halfway through the period Scott Kohler put the Illini up by two as he put the puck past the Eagle net minder, assists going to Duncan and Olson. As the period wound down, the Eagles slipped into the Illini zone and made it a one goal game. As the third period started the Illini found themselves down a man for a hooking call and the Eagles Kelly Koester took advantage of that with the game tying goal. With niether team able to get another goal, the game went into the five minute overtime period. Hald way into the extended play, Eastern's Koester was once again able to find the back of the Illini net and split the series with the Illini with the 5-4 Eagle win.