Illini face off against the Hoosiers

February 15, 2004 - The Illini needed to put things together before heading to the tournaments, and while Fridays game wasn't really what they wanted, or needed, Saturdays game was. On Friday night the Illini started the game out right foot keeping the Hoosiers in check and putting the first points on the board. Junior Forward Scott Kohler, with assists from Kyle Zabrin and Steve Krates, slipped the puck under the Indiana goaltender just seconds before the thirteen minute mark in the first period to break the zero-zero tie and put the Illini on top. At just over the eighteen minute mark, the Illini's Brian Coleman blasted one into the net and put the team up by two, assists going to Jim Rogers and Alex Tauchen. In the second period Ari Aberman added to the Illini scoring drive with his first goal of the season firing a laser shot from the point into the IU net, Zabrin and Krates getting another assist. But that is where the Illini hit the wall. With the second period winding down and Indiana successfully killing off a penalty, the Hoosiers were able to put the puck past the Illini's Mike DeGeorge and finally get on the board. As the third period started the Illini let the Hoosiers build a little momentum giving them a 5 on 3 power play chance, but the Illini were able to only get one man out of the box before the Indiana skaters could take advantage of the situation. Indiana's C.J. Parilli was able to get the second goal and bring the Hoosiers to within one point. The Illini also had a 5 on 3 chance but just could not get the puck past Indiana goaltender Jimmy Hugill. As the last seconds ticked off the clock, Indiana pulled Hugill to get the extra skater on the ice, but the Illini were able to hold off the attack to take the game 3-2.
Saturday was a different night, and which seemed like a different team. The first period started out slow and the Illini weren't able to capitalize one the periods only power play chance, but Sophomore Mike Roesch, with a little help from the Hoosiers, finally put the first goal on the board, Brett Duncan awarded an assist. Three quarters of the way through the first period another Sophomore found a way to get the puck into the net as Steve Krates took advantage of a rebound and an out of position Indiana netminder, the assists to Scott Kohler and Kyle Zabrin. In the second period Junior Clay Estabrooke, teamed up with Marshall Chubirka, let one rip from the top of the circles to give the Illini a three goal lead. Another Illini young gun added another goal just forty-two seconds later as Alex Tauchen took the pass from Brian Coleman and poked it home. As the period came to a close the Illini had a power play chance as the Hoosier frustration began to show and Senior Pat Olson took advantage of it with a pass from Brett Duncan across the top of the crease, Coleman also assisting. Sixty-two seconds later, the Illini still on the power play, thanks to the Indiana double minor, Kyle Zabrin knocked in a rebounded puck from Mike Roesch and Ari Aberman and ended the period with the Illini up 6 to 0. In the third period the Illini showed off their speed as and welcomed the Hoosiers Josh Block as replacement goaltender. Brett Duncan joined the list of Illini goal scorers as he took a long pass from Pat Olson and raced in past the Hoosier D and put the Illini's 7th point on the board. Jim Rogers also got in on scoring frenzy as he added another power play goal to his total as Kyle Zabrin assisted. And in less than two minutes after the Rogers goal, the Illini added yet two more goals making it a ten to nothing game. Both goals were scored as the players rushed into the Hoosier zone alone and put it past netminder. The first of the last two goals came from Mike Roesch as he turned up the jets from a Tom Fullerton pass, and the second came as Brad Eaton flew in and put his first goal of the season into the net, Ari Aberman getting the lone assist. The Illini needed this type of game before heading off to the CSCHL playoffs this coming weekend, hopefully they can keep the momentum going down the stretch.