ISU hockey loses twice to Fighting Illini

27-0!!! GO ILLINI!!!

Feb. 4 — (UWIRE) AMES, Iowa — The Cyclone hockey team is picking up the pieces after two eerily similar losses.

The No. 11 Cyclones (24-10) gave No. 1 Illinois (27-0) all it could handle over the weekend, but came away with two identical 3-2 overtime losses.

Not only were the scores the same, but the ways the teams scored were similar. The first period ended without a single goal, then the Cyclones took off in the second, taking a 2-0 lead into the final period. In the third, the Illini were able to tie the game and win in overtime.

Overtime periods are played four-on-four, instead of the five-on-five play seen in regulation — so when the Cyclones got a penalty early in the overtime period of the first game, they were skating three-on-four when Illinois scored the winning goal. On Saturday, Illinois sophomore defender Brad Hoelzer made a nice move and a difficult shot into the upper right corner of the net for the win.

"We’ve got a lot of overtime experience, and four-on-four opens the ice up a little bit — typically that is to our advantage," said Illinois coach Chad Cassel.

He was quick to give Iowa State credit, however.

"Iowa State played great all weekend — they outplayed us and outplayed us badly at times, but we just continued to battle and, fortunately, both nights we found a way to win the game," Cassel said.

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ISU hockey loses twice to Fighting Illini