The Illini (10-9-3, 23 pts.) wrapped up 2024 by splitting their series against the Illinois State Redbirds (8-12-2, 19 pts.). Illinois now finds itself No. 5 in the Midwest College Hockey Division as the team begins a five-week break.
Shooting stars
Illinois saw Friday’s game go into a shootout — the team’s second of the season. Much like the first one against Toledo in October, it was a long battle that Illinois eventually won.
Sophomore forward Anthony Varrassi scored on the first Illinois attempt. Illinois State’s sophomore forward Joey Zullo bested senior goaltender Nolan Woodring in the next round to even the score. The teams traded misses for the next four rounds before freshman forward Louis Iandoli, who only has one goal this season, finally broke the drought.
Woodring stopped the final Redbird shot to deliver a 4-3 Illini victory. Friday was Illinois’ first win against its in-state rival since Feb. 25, 2023, a game that also ended 4-3.
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Different games, same names in box score
Illinois dropped Saturday’s contest 3-2 despite another tremendous performance from senior goaltender Joseph Schmid, who stopped 39 of the 42 shots he faced. The goaltender change was one major difference within a pair of box scores that featured a few common names.
Freshman forward Carson Mitchell scored both nights, as did freshman forward Roman Chaian, who entered the weekend with just one goal this season. With the pair of goals, Mitchell regained his spot alongside Varrassi as team leader in the category with 10 each this season.
The only other Illini to light the lamp this weekend was freshman forward David Ras, who moved into sole possession of the No. 3 spot on the team with seven total. Chaian’s three goals this season rank No. 7.
Working overtime
The Illini have become much more familiar with overtime hockey as of late. After opening the season with 12 straight regulation games, five of the team’s last 10 games required extra time. Illinois has already equaled its overtime games total from last season. With 10 chances remaining, the team has a good shot to break this record in the new year.
The team’s overtime record (2-3) is nothing to write home about, but the five extra points it has earned simply by pushing the game past regulation have proved a huge factor in a tightly packed division.
Illinois, with 23 points, currently occupies the No. 5 spot. The team is tied with Midland in points but is ahead in the standings by virtue of a better points percentage.
Midland, unlike Illinois, plays over the next five weeks, meaning that Illinois is likely to fall to No. 6 during their respite. The Illini will not get the opportunity to climb back up the standings until Jan. 17 when they hit the ice next.
