The wait is over.

Not the end of the NHL lockout — which was announced last Saturday — but rather the wait that Josh Baker and Matt Crook endured to join the Illinois hockey team.

With the graduation of Jonathon Sakellaropoulos and injuries along the lines, the Illini brought Crook up from the Division II hockey team, while Baker transferred from Parkland College.

The duo experienced their first taste of ACHA hockey this past weekend against No. 9 Lindenwood, although disaster struck in the beginning of the second period in Friday’s 7-4 loss. 

Baker was lining up a shot on the power play near the blue line when a Lindenwood player rocked him from the side. His left ankle, exposed and away from his body while in a shooting position, rolled under his leg the wrong way, giving a resounding “pop” noise. Baker said he immediately knew the prognosis would not be good.

“I heard it pop,” Baker said. “And I had (a Lindenwood player) tell me afterward they could hear it pop from their bench.”

The broken ankle will leave Baker out 4-6 weeks. He said he wants to return for either the CSCHL Tournament — on Feb. 15-17 — or for the home finale against Eastern Michigan on Feb. 22-23.

While Baker is on the mend, Crook is looking to fill a role on both ends of the ice from the forward position. A Fenwick High School native, Crook was coached by current Illinois head man Nick Fabbrini, who then pitched the idea of Crook coming to Champaign. Crook spent his freshman year and first semester this year on the Division II team and only had three days to practice with his new teammates before the weekend games against Lindenwood. 

“It was something I thought about more last year,” Crook said. “The first team is really something I wanted to do last year, but this year I kind of didn’t think I would make it. So I figured I would be on second team and be happy with that.”

While Crook was a reserve player in Friday’s loss to the Lions, he earned a spot on the line with Matt Welch and Austin Bostock in Saturday’s game. After his first dip into Division I hockey, Crook already could tell a difference in the skill level of his past and present opponents.

“It was a lot different, guys are a lot faster,” Crook said. “I’d say I’m maybe one step behind right now. … But hopefully those differences will go away fast.”

While Crook is adjusting to the game, Baker didn’t even have enough ice time to get acclimated for his first game in almost 10 months.

Baker had played junior hockey for four years with the Chicago Hitmen before deciding on enrolling at Illinois. Baker was good friends with starting goaltender Nick Clarke and forward Jacob Matysiak and came to Illinois for the hockey and education, as he aspires to become a chiropractor. 

Baker was set to attend Bethel University in St. Paul, Minn., to play Division III hockey but backed out at the last minute and decided to come to Illinois.

“It’s a small school, only like 3,000 kids,” Baker said. “I didn’t want to go to high school again.”

He missed the deadlines to enroll for the fall semester, so he attended Parkland while practicing with the team on a full-time basis.

Baker has been a member of the hockey team in all aspects but the games, as he is living with Bostock, John Scully and Dan Kerr. Baker sent an email to Matysiak last spring to set up the living arrangements for the year. Matysiak then sent out Baker’s request to the team, and Bostock responded to finalize the deal. 

“It’s nice because (Bostock) has the inside scoop on everything,” Baker said. “I love living with all those guys.”

While Baker aims to return “closer to four than six weeks” from now, he is already well-versed in the waiting game. He has to wait just a little bit longer.

Stephen can be reached at [email protected] and @steve_bourbon.