Billikens tough at home

February 8, 2004 - The Illini were hoping to come away with more than just the four CSCHL points they could acquire playing against St. Louis, but thanks to some good goaltending by the Billikens on Saturday night, they didn't even get that. On Friday night things heated up quickly, but not necessarily the way either team wanted them to when at the five minute mark in the first period thirty penalty minutes were handed out between the to teams. The scoring didn't start until the second period, and then it was the Jim Rogers show as he was credited for three Illini goals giving him a natural hat trick. The lone assist on the first goal was given to Junior defenseman Brett Pachol. St. Louis managed to tie things up after the first Rogers goal, as Matt McComy was able to get the one and only SLU puck past Freshman goaltender Mike DeGeorge. As the second period would down Rogers got his second goal with Brian Coleman assisting. But if that wasn't enough, with twenty seconds left in the period and the Illini on a power play, Rogers and Coleman teamed up again, this time with Pat Olson also assisting to make it a 3-1 Illini lead. In the third period as time was running down, frustration showed as a slight altercations resulted in 62 more penalty minutes and two game disqualifications. After the ice was cleared, Illini Senior Pat Olson topped off the Illini scoring, with a Brett Duncan assist, and with that goal scored his 167th career point tying him with Illini Emmett McCarthy in 9th spot for Illini all time scoring leaders.
On Saturday the Illini found themselves down quickly as one of St. Louis' top scorers, Tim Niedbalski, put the puck in the Illini net just two minutes into the game. The Illini were able to come back as Scott Kohler made good use of a backup stick, after snapping his in half during warm ups, and found a way to get the puck past Billiken goalie Geoff Schuessler, with Kyle Zabrin and Mike Roesch assisting. St. Louis wasn't done though as they took advantage of Tim Danlow's shaky start and put in a second goal in just six shots, giving the Billikens a 2-1 lead at the end of the first. Within the first few minutes of the second period, St. Louis was on the power play and put in their third goal, which would just happen to be their last goal of the evening and turn out to be the game winner. The Illini kept the pressure on the Billikens for the rest of the game but Schuessler turned away shot after shot. Mike Roesch and Scott Kohler were able to team up once again to bring the Illini to within one at the end of the second. In the third period the goaltenders on each end of the ice were able to keep the puck out of the net, the SLU goalie turning away forty-eight shots on the night. The Illini went home looking at another road loss and wondering how to turn things around. The Illini will face Indiana University this coming weekend before heading to the CSCHL playoffs later this month.