For the first time in over 20 years, the No. 1 Illinois hockey club will face in-state foe Illinois State this weekend. With 15 wins and an empty loss column, the Illini will look to maintain the nation’s only undefeated record with a sweep of the semester’s final two games.

How significant is perfection for the Illini?

“It’s really important to us,” freshman winger Daniel Cohen said. “It will definitely give us some momentum going into second semester.”

The Illini will take on the Redbirds for the first time since 1985, when the Illini won two games by scores of 11-1 and 22-4. Despite being in the second division of the ACHA, Illinois State holds a 12-4-1 record and is ranked 10th in its region.

The Illini last faced a Division II opponent in September, sweeping defending national champion Michigan State.

“We just have to keep it going,” Cohen said. “We need to have a good week of practice and come out hard on Friday.”

In the first half of the season, the top-ranked Illini have been unstoppable, sweeping seven consecutive series, including games against the No. 2 and No. 3 ranked teams in the nation. If the Illini can improve to 17-0-0, they will have an unblemished record at semester break for the second time in three years.

“This team has a lot of heart,” head coach Chad Cassel said. “Hopefully that will carry us a ways.”

With 16 games remaining in the regular season until the ACHA national tournament, though, the Illini are far from accomplishing their ultimate goal.

“It’s obviously nice to be winning, but we want to be ranked No. 1 in the country in the middle of March,” Cassel said. “So far, we’ve had a good semester, but we have a long ways to go and a lot of improving to do.”