Hoosiers advance to nationals

After a tough season of gutting out injuries, coaching changes and suspensions, the IU club hockey team is headed to the Division II American Collegiate Hockey Association's National Championship Tournament.\nIn their last weekend of competition, the Hoosiers dropped a conference game to first place Oakland University 7-0 before downing Michigan 7-3. The split on the weekend was good enough to hold their position in the standings and earn an invitation to postseason play.\nThe invite comes at a good time for IU as they travel to Division I powerhouse Illinois for a two-game series. Already guaranteed a spot in the National Championship pool, the pressure is off for the underdog Hoosiers, as they look to upset one of the better hockey teams in the Midwest.\nFreshman forward Wyman Flynn said the Oakland drubbing is still hanging over their heads, but the team is eager to get back on the ice and go to work.\n"It was a huge loss," he said. "It shouldn't have affected us so much, especially since we came back and won the next day. But I think everyone's been thinking about it all week."\nIU will get another shot at the Grizzlies but must first concentrate on the Illini. Although the game does not have any weight on postseason position, traveling to a team of such a high caliber will act as the perfect tune-up for the Great Midwest Hockey League tournament, to be played next weekend in East Lansing, Mich.\nThe Illini, one of many Division I opponents the Hoosiers have faced this season, pose a particular threat to IU because of the size of their rink. Enjoying a home-ice advantage like no other team in the Midwest, Illinios skates on a rink that could swallow Frank Southern Ice Arena, IU's cozy confines.\n"Their rink is so much bigger than we're used to," sophomore forward Jon Laughner said. "An olympic-sized rink is 100 feet wide. I'd be willing to bet their rink is at least 15 feet wider."\nFor a team that likes to get in a rythm and rattle off goal after goal, IU is in for a different style of play where goals will be at a premium and hard-hitting defenses can control the game. Areas of the ice that would normally be good shooting positions at Frank Southern will be much further away this weekend. Patience and solid defense were focal points in practice, and something the Hoosiers will be concentrating on in their trip to Champaign, Ill.\n"We're going to have to sit back more than we're used to," Laughner said. "We need to avoid mistakes in our zone and capitalize when they mess up. It will be a close game, but we think we have just as much of a chance in this one than any other game we've played."\nConditioning will also be a factor, with all the extra ice for the Cream and Crimson to cover. While the Illini are used to the surface, IU must utilize their depth to silence the rowdy crowd and knock Illinios off their game.\nSophomore defenseman Bill Ravensberg said dealing with the crowd will be an issue for IU, but as underdogs, they will be playing with nothing to lose.\n"As far as standings and nationals go, this weekend doesn't matter," he said. "It's pretty fun playing there because of their fans, so we're ready for them. It should be a good weekend."\nThe Hoosiers hit the ice tonight at 7 p.m. with the rematch Saturday at the same time.\n-- Contact staff writer Jeff Fuldauer at jfuldaue@indiana.edu