If anyone needed convincing that the matchup between Illinois and Ohio was one of the most exciting rivalries in club hockey, this weekend’s series did the trick.

With huge crowds packing the modest confines of the Ice Arena, the Illini swept the arch-rival Bobcats in dramatic fashion, earning a physical 5-0 victory Friday before grinding out an exhausting 2-1 win Saturday in an epic 11-round sudden death shootout.

Goaltender Mike Burda made 42 saves on 43 shots starting both games, while Joey Resch sent the Bobcats packing with a game-winning goal in the shootout.

“It was unbelievable,” center Drew Heredia said. “We’ve never beaten Ohio twice as long as I’ve been here; it’s always tough to get wins against them.”

The Illini shut out the Bobcats on Friday with four third-period goals in a gritty contest littered with penalties. Three fights broke out, and two players, including defenseman Pat Mannina, received game disqualifications.

“All four lines were just rolling, playing really well (on Friday),” head coach Chad Cassel said.

Early in Saturday’s game a sweep appeared certain as the Illini scored just more than two minutes into the first period. But after Ohio’s Jeff Jepson tied the game at 1-1 with a shorthanded goal in the second period, neither team would find the net again in regulation. A five-minute overtime also went scoreless.

In the best-of-five shootout, the Illini fell behind 2-0 after three rounds, putting their backs against the wall. With one more goal or one more save, Ohio would win the game.

Incredibly, however, the Illini found a way to keep their perfect season alive.

Daniel Cohen and Nick Fabbrini both scored on their penalty shots, while Burda made two crucial stops to force sudden death.

“I just couldn’t let the crowd down; I couldn’t let my team down,” Burda said. “I knew the boys were going to come through, and they did.”

Sudden death was another rollercoaster, with the Illini scoring three times to avoid a loss and missing two opportunities to win it themselves after the Bobcats failed to score.

Finally, in the sixth round of sudden death and the 11th round of the shootout, Resch, after missing his first two attempts, put the game away.

“I got deked on the first two and kind of lost the puck – the ice was pretty bad,” Resch said. “I came down and just tried to get the goalie moving a little bit, and he left the left side open for me, so it was actually a pretty easy goal.”

When Resch found the back of the net, the crowd exploded into celebration, as did the Illinois bench, which mobbed both Resch and Burda on the ice.

“I couldn’t be more tired, but that was the most fun game I have ever played in,” Burda said.

The Big Pond truly lived up to its name during the series. Despite having solid crowds throughout the season, the weekend brought unprecedented attendance to the Ice Arena, as fans packed the bleachers and the area surrounding the boards during the game.

“That was definitely the biggest crowd I’ve ever played in front of or against,” said Heredia, a four-year veteran of the club.

The fans weren’t bashful either, with the crowd noise escalating steadily throughout sudden death.

“It was so fun,” Burda said. “I couldn’t even hear myself think. Maybe that’s why I made the saves.”

Illinois, now with an incredible 25-0-0 record in tow, begins a four-game road trip next weekend against conference foes Iowa State and Robert Morris (Ill.). The Illini are rapidly closing in on their first regular-season Central States Collegiate Hockey league title since 2003.

“It’s going to be another test for us,” Heredia said.