The #7 Purdue Northwest ACHA DI Hockey team earned a weekend sweep of Illinois this past weekend defeating the Fighting Illini in Game 1, 4-2, and then shutting them the next day in a 2-0 victory. Prior to Saturday's game, the Pride celebrated the dedication of their 2024 GLCHL Championship and ACHA Elite Eight banners at The Kube.

The Basics

• Records: #7 Purdue Northwest (4-0), Illinois (1-5)
• Location: The Kube - Hammond, Ind.
• Attendance: 400

Game 1
Inside The Numbers

• Freshman Mason Cole (Saginaw, Mich.) led the Pride with one goal and two assists.
• Freshman Alex Blankenship (Harrison Township, Mich.), freshman Kolin Leduc (Macomb, Mich.), sophomore RJ Swaw(Orland Park, Ill./), and senior Sam Bourdages (Hearst, Ontario/) each added one goal for Purdue Northwest.
• Sophomore Cooper Olson (Maple Grove, Minn./) played all 60 minutes between the pipes for the Pride and recorded 25 saves.
• Carson Mitchell and Louis Iandoli led Illinois scoring one goal each.
• Nolan Woodring started in goal for the Fighting Illini playing all 60 minutes in goal and made 24 saves.

The Breakdown

• Both teams scored a goal in period one to take 1-1 score into the second.
• Illinois grabbed the lead in the second period to go up 2-1.
• Late in the second period, the Pride tied things up 2-2 to head into the third all squared up in a tight game.
• Purdue Northwest took control in the third period scoring two goals to grab the lead and seal the win in the end, 4-2.

Game 2
Inside The Numbers

• Bourdages and sophomore Chase Solberg (Anchorage, Alaska/) each led the Pride with one goal.
• Junior Andrew Remer (Lake Orion, Mich./) and sophomore Jared Topil (Lincoln, Neb./) added one assist each.
• Sophomore Cooper Olson (Maple Grove, Minn./) played all 60 minutes between the pipes for the Pride once again and recorded 20 saves to earn another shutout victory this season..
• Nolan Woodring started in goal for the Fighting Illini playing all 60 minutes in goal and made 30 saves.

The Breakdown

• Neither team was able to light up the lamp in the first period going scoreless to the second, 0-0.
• Purdue Northwest grabbed the lead off a Solberg shot to make the score 1-0 after two.
• Bourdages scored a power play goal in the third period to take a 2-0 lead for the Pride.
• Purdue Northwest played strong defense throughout the game with great goalkeeping to hold on for the shutout in the end, 2-0.

Up Next

• The Pride now take on Davenport in a home-and-home weekend series. Purdue Northwest hosts the Panthers this Thursday, October 17 at 7:00 PM CT at The Kube in Hammond, Indiana to begin the series and then travel to Big Rapids, Michigan on Saturday, October 19 with puck-drop set for 2:35 PM CT.