Last weekend, in the CSCHL Tournament, the Illinois hockey team couldn’t muster any offense and was held scoreless for the first time of the season.

The Illini had no such troubles this weekend.

Illinois (25-11-2) swept Eastern Michigan in its final games before the national tournament, as well as the last home contests for five Illinois seniors. The Illini earned a 6-4 victory Friday and held on for an 8-5 win Saturday on senior night.

Coming off of a disappointing exit in the conference tournament, No. 7 Illinois was looking to get back into form against an unranked Eastern Michigan squad. In Friday’s game, however, the Eagles gave the Illini all they could handle, racing out to a quick lead in the first period. Despite only five shots on net in the period, two went in, including a short-handed goal by Bryan Kozlowski, his first goal in what would be a monster weekend for the forward.

“I think everything they got (Friday), we gave them,” forward Austin Bostock said. “When we gave them those chances, they capitalized.”

The Illini would tie the game before the period ended, with goals from center John Olen and forward Kyle Varzino to even the score 2-2.

Kozlowski tallied two more goals in the period, including his second short-handed goal of the night. The Eagles and the Illini traded goals in the second to keep the score tied.

The turning point in the game would be when Kozlowski elbowed senior defenseman Chad Himley into the boards five minutes into the third period. Himley was down on the ice for a few minutes but skated back to the bench under his own power.

Kozlowski was dealt a five-minute major and a game misconduct, effectively taking out Eastern Michigan’s offensive threat.

Bostock notched the go-ahead goal just after returning to even strength, and center Eddie Quagliata buried an insurance goal with two minutes to go to reach the 6-4 final. The Illini dominated the shots on goal category, outshooting the Eagles 59-22 for the game.

“In the third period, when we needed to dig deep and play strong, defensive hockey, we did,” head coach Nick Fabbrini said. “That’s the effort we need consistently.”

In the finale, senior night festivities preluded the game, as five seniors were recognized on the ice. It was those five who started the game, a line that was not only sentimental but surprisingly productive.

On the first shift, forward Barera took a feed from Nick Stuercke and buried a goal to kick off more offensive fireworks.

The Illini peppered the Eagles with shots throughout the game, notching 54 on net. Eight of those found the back of the net.

Forward John Scully took a feed from senior Anthony Carlsen to light the lamp, and Matt Crook earned the first two goals of his Illini hockey career. A short-handed Quagliata score with just two seconds left in the second pushed the Illini advantage to an 8-1 margin.

Illinois apparently started the celebration a little too soon, allowing the Eagles to score four times in the third — including two more from Kozlowski to make five goals on the weekend — to finish with the 8-5 score.

“I let them have it pretty good. I wasn’t happy with the third,” Fabbrini said. “We’re still looking for that killer instinct to bury a team.”

Despite the struggles in the final frame, the final home weekend was still a success for the seniors, who leave the Big Pond with a 15-5-2 mark this year.

“It’s definitely bittersweet,” Carlsen said. “It’s been a long, grueling season. You look forward to the end a little bit, but when you get there, it’s not as exciting as you thought it would be.”

For the seniors, especially Carlsen, who had thoughts of not competing this season after limited playing time the year before, there is still more to accomplish with the national tournament next weekend.

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