Hockey team opens home season against No. 2 Illinois

Hockey fans looking for tough competition in Bloomington should be ready for this weekend.   

IU’s club men’s hockey team takes the ice in its Bloomington home opener at 9:15 p.m. Friday against No. 2 Illinois. The two teams face off again at 2:30 p.m. Saturday.  

The Hoosiers have been holding their own since moving to American Collegiate Hockey Association’s Division I level where they say there is a noticeable increase in game quality.  

The team’s two victories came against the University of Michigan and DePaul in the first two weeks of the season.  

In the win against Michigan, senior center Adam Logue had three goals to lead the team to a 6-2 finish. Against DePaul, senior offenseman Mike Vaughn had two goals in the third period to tie the game at 2-2. The Hoosiers went on to win 3-2.  

The team then traveled to No. 6 Iowa State last weekend where they suffered two losses to a powerful team.

IU coach Tom Orr said he knows that Illinois is coming into town with a chip on their shoulder and he has been preparing his team for high-tempo and physical hockey.  

“We’ve never seen speed like this in Bloomington before,” he said.  

After a week of practices back on their home ice, this game has the Hoosiers excited for their first game in the renovated Frank Southern Center.  

Orr knows that Illinois is accustomed to playing in a larger arena. He hopes the smaller Bloomington rink will make for a more exhilarating environment than the Illini are used to playing in.  

With Illinois being one of the premier teams in ACHA’s D-I level, the team knows this is an opportunity to prove it belongs.  

“We feel we are right on par with the skill level of anyone that has been in D-I for all these years,” senior defenseman

Tyler Bohman said. “We have been stepping up our practice intensity to match our stepping up to D-I.”  

Logue knows that Illinois will be looking to push the pace and claim victories.  

“They are going to come into Bloomington with a full head of steam,” he said. “This is going to be a very energetic and physical game.”   

Those in attendance should look for an intense environment in what should be a great, athletic matchup. 

“It’s our first home game, and we’re expecting a big crowd,” Logue said. “I think it will go down to the wire like it always does against Illinois.”