When it looked like the Illini were about to be out of a rut, they fell right back into it.

The Illini hockey team (7-6-1) won in dramatic fashion Friday night, scoring two late third period goals to defeat Lindenwood (4-5-1) 3-2 in overtime, but familiar penalty-killing troubles led Illinois to a 6-3 loss on Saturday.

It looked as if the team’s season was about to take a dramatic shift in the right direction when Illini captain Austin Bostock netted a game-tying goal late in the third and then scored just 31 seconds into overtime Friday night to snap the team’s six-game losing streak.

The Big Pond quickly took on a playoff-like atmosphere after Bostock banked a shot in off of Lindenwood goaltender Linus Ahgren’s stick from behind the net and the euphoric dog pile which ensued after the senior’s overtime game-winner was everything the Illini’s season was poised to be just two months ago.

But while the come-from-behind victory erased a six-game losing streak, it didn’t erase the problems that have plagued Illinois throughout the season.

The Illini allowed three power play goals Saturday night, while even giving up a shorthanded goal to Lindenwood sophomore Stephen Bopp on a five-minute major power play.

Trailing by three goals, the power play provided the Illini an opportunity to get back in the game, since it was a major penalty and if they scored, the Lindenwood player would not have been let out of the penalty box.

“We had decent traffic tonight on the power play and got a lot of good looks, but we just need to produce,” head coach Nick Fabbrini said after Saturday night’s game, nearly at a loss for words. “Getting good looks is great, but it only takes you so far. It doesn’t win you games.”

Fabbrini said the team needs to improve on finishing and putting the puck in the net, a problem exacerbated by Lindenwood defenders’ shot blocking throughout the weekend.

The Illini scored six goals this weekend, one more than they had throughout their six-game losing streak. They also had 82 shots between both games against Lindenwood, after averaging just 21.16 shots per game during the losing streak.

Illinois has talked about putting pucks in the net in order to allow shots to go in through traffic or cause rebound opportunities, much like Bostock’s game-tying goal that deflected in from behind the net on Friday night.

Despite Illinois’ continued trouble on the penalty kill, the team looked refreshed with an offense that finally started producing goals this weekend.

Junior Jon Langan, who scored the first Illini goal Friday night, said the team can be a national contender if it continues to play like it did during its 3-2 overtime victory, while Fabbrini said he could feel a collective weight lift off the team’s shoulders after scoring three goals in just over eight minutes.

The Illini’s 3-2 overtime victory Friday night flashed a glimpse of what the team can do when in full-stride, a potential Bostock recognizes.

“That’s the team we want to be,” Bostock said. “That’s the team we knew we were going to be coming into this season.”

Sean can be reached at [email protected] and @Neumannthehuman.