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TechnographIllinois finding new ways to win
By Dan Berrigan
Posted: 11/8/04 Section: Sports
The Illini Hockey Club has won in every situation this season - blowout, come-from-behind and now a shootout as well. The two wins this weekend against Iowa State showed that no matter what gets thrown at it, the team somehow comes out on top.
If the defense plays badly, the offense steps up. If the offense is flat, goaltending bails them out.
This isn't the same team that lost to Div. II Michigan 4-3 Oct. 15.
"I think (how we win) speaks volumes for the character on this team," said Illinois head coach Chad Cassel. "We don't get rattled, whether we are behind going into the third, up by a couple goals or tied - we just keep battling."
Illinois defeated Iowa State decisively Saturday night 4-2 after winning the night before in a shootout. The two wins complete the season sweep of the Cyclones, and the Illini are now unbeaten in their last seven games.
Friday night, the Illini out-shot the Cyclones in the first, but couldn't light the lamp. The Cyclones took full advantage and struck suddenly in the first 27 seconds of the second period.
Illinois tied the game and later took the lead in the third, but it was short-lived. The Cyclones thundered back to send the game into overtime.
Cassel said the fact that the Illini gave up the lead and needed overtime was disappointing when they could have put the Cyclones away earlier.
"We had opportunities to pull away a little bit, and we didn't," he said. "You like to come out with wins in regulation."
After a scoreless overtime period, the Illini had out-shot the Cyclones 46-29, but the most important shot of the night went to junior forward Steve Krates.
"I just told myself I was going to do my move no matter what the goalie does and did it," Krates said. "I didn't pay attention to the goalie or anything - just went in and hoped I would score, and it went in."
On the flip side, sophomore goaltender Mike DeGeorge said he was confident heading into the shootout.
If the defense plays badly, the offense steps up. If the offense is flat, goaltending bails them out.
This isn't the same team that lost to Div. II Michigan 4-3 Oct. 15.
"I think (how we win) speaks volumes for the character on this team," said Illinois head coach Chad Cassel. "We don't get rattled, whether we are behind going into the third, up by a couple goals or tied - we just keep battling."
Illinois defeated Iowa State decisively Saturday night 4-2 after winning the night before in a shootout. The two wins complete the season sweep of the Cyclones, and the Illini are now unbeaten in their last seven games.
Friday night, the Illini out-shot the Cyclones in the first, but couldn't light the lamp. The Cyclones took full advantage and struck suddenly in the first 27 seconds of the second period.
Illinois tied the game and later took the lead in the third, but it was short-lived. The Cyclones thundered back to send the game into overtime.
Cassel said the fact that the Illini gave up the lead and needed overtime was disappointing when they could have put the Cyclones away earlier.
"We had opportunities to pull away a little bit, and we didn't," he said. "You like to come out with wins in regulation."
After a scoreless overtime period, the Illini had out-shot the Cyclones 46-29, but the most important shot of the night went to junior forward Steve Krates.
"I just told myself I was going to do my move no matter what the goalie does and did it," Krates said. "I didn't pay attention to the goalie or anything - just went in and hoped I would score, and it went in."
On the flip side, sophomore goaltender Mike DeGeorge said he was confident heading into the shootout.
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