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Last home stand for Illini seniors
   
Illini seniors Park, Liang, Resch, Heredia, Wicklin, Schmitt, Gomez, and Fabbrini.
   
February 20, 2008 - This is the time of year when it really hits you like a MTD bus, there are only two more home games left, the season is over in less than two weeks, and you're losing some good hockey players, not to mention an all-around great group of guys. This weekend will be the last time that #15 - Joey Resch, #20(A) - Ricky Gomez, #22 - Johnny Liang, #23(C) - Drew Heredia, #24 - Nick Fabbrini, #27 - Kevin Wicklin, #28 - Dave Schmitt, and #32 - Alex Park skate on the Big Pond in an Illini uniform. And what a season they've had so far, a spotless 32-0-0 record, CSCHL regular season champions, and most recently CSCHL playoff champions. Definitely not a bad way to end your career, but of course they're not quite done yet, there are these two home games, and not to mention, going into the ACHA nationals as the #1 team.

This coming weekend brings in a new team to the ACHA Division I program, the Adrian College Bulldogs out of Adrian, Michigan. In their inaugural year the Bulldogs currently have a record of 15-19-0, and being from South East Michigan, have played a number of teams that the Illini usually play, as well as a group of CSCHL teams. Adrian's offense and defense have been fairly even, at least in the number of goals scored and goals allowed per game are concerned, both of which are just over 3 per game. Leading the Bulldogs with 34 points (22 goals, 12 assists) this season is Saskatchewan native, Jared Semple. Just behind Semple is Tony Aukskalnis with 30 points (9 goals, 21 assists) and Jason Knutson with 27 (9 goals, 18 assists), while Mark Wood is the second highest goal scorer on the team with 16. Adrian's defense has been holding the opposing offenses to around 30 shots on goal per game. while the Bulldog netminders have been rejecting roughly 90% of them. Spending the majority of time between the pipes for Adrian this season has been Ryan Krichiver, who currently has a Goals Against average of 2.97, and a save percentage of around .886. Getting the nod lately however is Matt Welch with a 2.83 GAA and a .896 save percentage. These are the last pair of games for the Bulldogs this season, and will undoubtedly be looking for an upset against the #1 Illini.

The puck will drop for both of these games at 7:00pm this Friday and Saturday nights at the University of Illinois Ice Arena with live broadcast online thanks to 107.1 WPGU-FM starting at 6:00pm. Come out and root on the #1 team in the land and salute the seniors as they head wrap up the regular season and head off to the National tournament.