Illinois (18-11-3, 39 pts.) learned much about its playoff chances in a whirlwind series against Illinois State (15-16-3, 34 pts.) on Friday and Saturday.
If the team were to play like it did Friday, it could pull off a shocking upset. However, anything less than that will likely not be enough to slay the giant that is the No. 5 Jamestown Jimmies (21-11-1, 43 pts.).
“I think, honestly, this entire year, 2025, we’ve been playing pretty good defense,” said freshman forward Carson Mitchell. “I think our offensive zone plays are really starting to come together. So, I think if we replicate the game that we had on Friday from start to finish, I think we got a pretty good chance to come out on top in this one.”
Nobody’s perfect
Not everyone saw a path as clear as Mitchell’s. Senior goaltender Nolan Woodring was much more succinct in his plan.
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“I’m just going to bring more intensity to practice this week,” Woodring said. “Just push guys to be a little bit better, expect perfection from everyone because that’s what we’re going to need to beat them.”
Jamestown’s 10-2 victory over Illinois in October seems to suggest just that: Perfection is necessary for an Illinois victory. A closer look at the two teams’ stats indicates they match up well.
The most pertinent issue when the teams last met was the Jimmies’ goaltender, Brandon Weare. At the time, Weare was among the league leaders in GAA and SV%. While Weare turned in a great season overall, his numbers were not quite what they were during his first two dominant seasons. In fact, the final numbers he posted this year were very similar to Woodring’s.
The divisional foes each rocked a .921 SV% and notched three shutouts. Wooding played 10 more minutes than Weare, while each individual played over 200 minutes more than anyone else in the division. The similarities between the teams go beyond the net.
Illinois’ top four goal scorers — Mitchell, freshman forward David Ras, senior center Alexander Matveev and sophomore forward Anthony Varrassi — combined for 59 goals. Jamestown’s top four combined for a nearly identical 58.
Illusions, delusions
These similarities, as compelling as they may be, paint an incomplete picture of the two teams. Jamestown is ranked No. 5 after all, while Illinois registers at No. 35. The Illini were simply more top-heavy in their goal-scoring this season, as evidenced by the fact that the Jimmies lit the lamp nearly 40 more times.
There is one more factor in this weekend’s contest, and it’s not anywhere on the leaderboards.
The Illini had to endure a 16-hour slog of a bus trip to Jamestown, North Dakota, back in October. Now, with the game in Bloomington, that trip is reduced to 45 minutes. Contrastingly, the Jimmies face the dreaded 16-hour trip this go-around.
Even with time on their side, head coach John Opilka acknowledged the challenges of this game. He emphasized that a quick start would be key for the Illini.
“Obviously, they’re a very, very good team; lot of skill, lot of speed, high-powered offense,” Opilka said. “It’s important that we do our best to take away their time and space and try and prevent giving their guys a lot of space out there to make plays and feel comfortable.
Game time is at 10 a.m. Friday morning at the Bloomington Ice Center.
@BrendanGallian
