On the road for the first time all year, the Illinois club hockey team was two seconds away from losing the game and its perfect record. But as they have done all year, the No. 1 Illini found a way to win – this time, in a shootout.

Jason Nemeth scored a game-tying goal just before time expired and goaltender D.J. Kohler made four clutch shootout saves as the Illini squeaked past No. 6 Lindenwood 4-3 in St. Charles, Mo., on Saturday.

The Lions started strong on their home ice, scoring first in a bid to take down the top-ranked Illini. The visitors started “a little flat” in their first road trip of the season, team captain Drew Heredia said. Later, two third-period goals allowed the Lions to take a 3-2 lead on their home ice as they attempted to defeat the Illini.

With time running out, a pair of Lindenwood penalties gave the Illini a huge powerplay opportunity. With Kohler pulled from the crease, Illinois had a 6-on-3 advantage in the final 39 seconds of the game. After an Alex Park shot was blocked, the Illini used their numbers to extend the game.

“I saw Nemeth coming down back door, so I slid it over to him, and he banged it in,” Heredia said of the goal, which sent the game to overtime.

While the Illini have come back to tie the game three times this year in the third period, Saturday’s performance was the closest yet.

“It was just crazy,” Heredia said. “I don’t think I’ve ever played in a 6-on-3 like that.”

Neither team found the net in the extra period, forcing a five-player shootout to decide the game. Nemeth – who scored twice in regulation – shot fourth for the Illini and netted what proved to be the game winner. Kohler iced the game when he turned away a shot by the Lions’ Carson Hamill.

The Illini won the shootout by a score of 2-1 and improved their record to 7-0-0.

The one-game road trip opened Central States Collegiate Hockey League conference play for the Illini, who had to cope with a much smaller rink for the first time this season. While Champaign’s aptly-named “Big Pond” is 125 feet in width, Lindenwood’s is approximately 85 feet, the average rink size.

“Everything was a lot closer together, so it took a little time to adjust,” Heredia said. “You’ve got to think a lot quicker on the smaller ice.”

Illinois will turn the tables on the Lions as Lindenwood comes to Champaign this weekend for a two-game series at the roomier Ice Arena. The Illini will look to stay perfect on the year as conference play continues.