Re: 2009-2010 Illinois Fighting Illini
Well, last weekend didn't go as planned. The defending champs took both games from the Illini.
FRIDAY
Lindenwood raced out to a 4-0 lead and cruised to a 6-2 victory. Kurt Astle scored at the 6:32 mark of the first, followed by a power play goal by Jake Ebner, a goal by Neeco Belanger, and a goal by Alex Roth in the second.
The Illini finally broke through on a power play goal by Matt Jennings with 10:59 to go. The puck bounced off the end wall to the stick of Jennings and he fired it past Lindenwood goaltender Robi Cavallari. Assists went to Brad Hoezler and Daniel Cohen. The Lions scored the next two goals, Kyle Bailey and Adam Krefski, before Tim Gilbert won a scramble in front of the net and chipped it past Cavallari with 2:21 left. Assists went to Tom Connell and Joe Sullivan.
Mike Burda made 20 saves on 26 shots.
SATURDAY
The Illini jumped out first in game two on a goal by Mike McBride from Mike Basili with 10:46 left in the first. Lindenwood tied the score with 5:07 left in the second on a short handed goal from Spradlin and took the lead 56 seconds later on a power play tally from Leone.
They extended their lead 3-1 with 7:35 left in the game on a power play goal from Long, but Illinois closed to within one with 18 seconds left on a goal from Jennings. Hoezler and McBride got the assists.
D.J. Kohler got the loss, stopping 31 of 34 shots in the 3-2 Lindenwood victory.
UP NEXT
The Illini play at Indiana Universtiy on Friday at 9:15pm, and then again on Saturday at 2:30pm.
