The Illini face off against Milwaukee

January 31, 2004 - The Illini weren't sure what to expect when the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee players came to town, but they figured it out quickly after both teams took to the ice. Within seconds after the puck was dropped on Friday night, 22 seconds to be exact, Illini newcomer Jordan Friedman put the puck in the net putting the Illini up early and quickly. Six minutes later Illini Junior Scott Kohler, assisted by Mike Roesch and the returning Kyle Zabrin, put the Illini ahead 2-0 as he took the pass from Roesh in front of the net and put it behind the UWM netminder. With another six minutes off the clock, again it was Scott Kohler lighting the lamp behind the Panther net, this time with Brett Duncan assisting. As if three goals weren't enough for one period, as the last seconds were ticking off the clock, Brett Duncan put in the fourth goal of the period, assists going to Pat Olson and Jordan Friedman. Freshman Alex Tauchen kept the Illini scoring going to open the second period and he scored his first goal of the season and as an Illini skater as he buried the puck off a pass from the returning Jim Rogers, Brian Coleman also assisting. Panther Sophomore Steve Sarauer was finally able to put the UWM skaters on the board when he the pass from Jon Little past the Illini defenders and past Freshman Illini goaltender Howie Brin who made his first starting appearance of the season. As the game went on, things became a little chippier as some frustration showed, and on one of the power play opportunities, another pair of Illini first year players teamed up as Mike Kincaid took the pass from Tom Fullerton and put the puck past the Panther goalie. In what appeared almost as a game of keep away sometimes, the Illini allowed the Panthers only five shots on goal in the third period. Junior Brian Coleman topped off the Illini scoring on the night adding another power play goal, with assists going to Duncan and Olson, and ending the game with a score of 7-1.
On Saturday many of the Illini starters had the night off, and with all of the captains out of the lineup, Senior Pat Olson was called on to stand in as acting captain. The Illini again came out quickly as Steve Krates put the Illini on the board first with a goal at the two minute mark, the assist going to Mike Roesch. Just over the half way point in the period the Illini threaded the puck around the UWM zone until Brett Pachol wound up from just inside the blue line and launced a rocket past the Panther goaltender. Assisting on the goal was newcomer Phil Gerber and Senior Brad Eaton. The second period turned into a defensive period until on the power play Mike Roesch, with a Coleman assist, made it a 3-0 game. A UWM power play also got the Panthers on the board as Adam Beyer broke away and put the puck past the Illini's Howie Brin. In the start of the third period the Panthers Beyer again singlehandedly took the puck away and put it in the Illini net turning it into a one goal game. The Illini would again make it a two goal game with another power play conversion as Kyle Zabrin, teamed up with Nelson Forsberg and Steve Krates, scored at the eight and a half minute mark. The Panthers still had life in them though and a minute and a half later Ted Miller and Adam Beyer skated into the zone, and with a pass from Miller to Beyer at the top of the crease, Beyer put in the third Panther goal and with it the natural hattrick. With the period winding down, and the Panthers only down by one, as the UWM skaters finally got into the Illini zone, their goalie skated to the bench, but the Illini defense was too much for them and Brian Coleman was able to come up with the puck. Just over the center line Coleman let the puck fly and it sailed right into the gaping net giving the Illini the two goal lead and the 5-3 win.