The #17 Purdue Northwest ACHA DI Hockey finished the weekend sweeping Illinois State on the road in a two-game away series. PNW took Game 1, 1-0, and then dominated in Game 2, 5-1, for the victory.

The Basics

• Records: #17 Purdue Northwest (6-4,1-1), Illinois State (6-4-1)
• Location: Normal. Illinois
• Attendance: 300

Game 1
Inside The Numbers

• Freshman Brock Behrend (Luverne, Minn.) scored the lone goal of the game at 7:13 of the second period, his fourth of the season, providing all the offense Purdue Northwest needed.
• Senior goaltender Cooper Olson (Maple Grove, Minn./) was outstanding between the pipes, stopping all 33 shots he faced to earn the shutout victory.
• Purdue Northwest was outshot 33–30 but capitalized on their best scoring chance midway through the second frame.
• Illinois State goaltender Cole Walter turned aside 29 of 30 shots in a strong performance despite taking the loss.
• Neither team was able to convert on the power play, with Purdue Northwest going 0-for-4 and Illinois State finishing 0-for-5.
• The game featured a combined nine minor penalties, including a four-penalty stretch for Purdue Northwest in the second period that their penalty kill successfully handled.
• Purdue Northwest's defensive unit, led by Olson and a disciplined effort in the third period, kept Illinois State scoreless despite 12 shots in the final frame.

The Breakdown

• Purdue Northwest and Illinois State battled through a scoreless first period with both teams trading early power plays and defensive stops.
• Behrend broke the deadlock at 7:13 of the second period with an unassisted strike that held up as the game-winner.
• Illinois State applied heavy pressure late in the second, aided by multiple power plays, but Olson and the PNW penalty kill stood tall.
• The third period saw chances at both ends, but neither team could find the back of the net as Olson preserved the shutout.
• In a tight, defensive contest, Purdue Northwest's resilience and goaltending proved to be the difference in a 1-0 road victory.

Game 2
Inside The Numbers

• Junior Brodie McIntyre opened the scoring for Purdue Northwest with a power-play goal at 3:01 of the first period, his fourth of the season.
• Sophomore Kolin Leduc (Macomb, Mich./) had a breakout night, scoring twice and adding an assist for a three-point performance.
• Junior Chase Solberg (Anchorage, Alaska/) recorded his first goal of the season and picked up an assist for his first multi-point game.
• Senior Michael Clough (Andover, Minn./) capped the scoring with his fifth goal of the year late in the third period.
• Sophomore Baden Powell (Calgary, Alberta, Canada/) notched two assists, while Cooper Knott (Glenwood Springs, Colo./) and Carson Finney (Holt, Mich./) each added one helper.
• Freshman goaltender Caleb Kril (Whitmore Lake, Mich.) was steady in net, turning aside 32 of 33 shots to earn his second win of the season.
• Purdue Northwest finished 1-for-5 on the power play, converting early in the first to open the scoring.
• PNW's penalty kill went a perfect 5-for-5, shutting down Illinois State's power-play chances.
• Both teams recorded 33 shots on goal, but Purdue Northwest controlled the final two periods with efficient scoring and strong defense.

The Breakdown

• Purdue Northwest struck first with a power-play goal from McIntyre just three minutes into the game, assisted by Knott and Powell.
• Illinois State answered midway through the first when Giovanni Barghini evened the score at 1-1, which held through the opening period.
• The Pride regained momentum in the second as Solberg scored at 3:50, followed by Leduc extending the lead to 3-1 just four minutes later.
• Leduc found the back of the net again late in the third to make it 4-1, finishing off a great setup from McIntyre and Powell.
• Clough sealed the victory with a late goal at 17:16, assisted by Behrend and Finney.
• Kril shut the door the rest of the way, stopping all 22 shots he faced after the first period.
• The win completed a weekend sweep for Purdue Northwest, backed by strong special teams play and balanced scoring throughout the lineup.

Up Next

• Purdue Northwest now returns to defend home ice when they host Roosevelt on Saturday, November 1. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 PM CT at The Kube in Hammond, Indiana.