The Illinois Fighting Illini men's ice hockey team is a college ice hockey program that represents the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. The Illini play on campus at historic[3] 2,000-seat University of Illinois Ice Arena.[4] They are a member of the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) at the ACHA Division I level.[5] The team is a member of the Central States Collegiate Hockey League (CSCHL) within the ACHA. The team operates as a registered student organization (RSO) at the University of Illinois. The University does not currently have an NCAA varsity team, and thus the club team is the highest level of hockey offered by the University.[6] A feasibility study published in March 2018, and commissioned by the NHL, NHLPA, and College Hockey, Inc., found a high probability of success for the hockey program to transition to NCAA Division I. [7][8] Illinois however reversed course in May 2022, announcing that they were no longer exploring adding a varsity hockey program. [9]
Organized ice hockey came to Illinois in the 1930s and played its first official season in 1937 as an independent NCAA team.[10] The first head coach was Ray Eliot, who coached the Fightin' Illini from 1937-1939.[10] The team went winless in the 1937–38 season, going 0–4 before winning their first game in the following season.[10]Vic Heyliger, a former All-American at Michigan and professional player with the Chicago Blackhawks, took over as head coach for the 1939-40 season.[11] In this second year as Illini head coach he led the team to a 17-win season, the most successful season of the Illini NCAA ice hockey team. The team recorded a 10-win season in 1941-42 and a 9-win season in 1942–43 that included only a single loss.[10] The program was ended after the 1942–43 season during World War II; that same year in 1943 Heyliger came out of retirement for 1943–44 season to fill in the team's depleted war time roster.[11]
The current Fighting Illini men's ice hockey team formed in the post-war era during the mid-1950s.[12] The team joined the CSCHL in 1975, only 5 years after the league formed, making the Illini the longest on-going CSCHL members.[13]
Lee Archambault - U.S. Air Force colonel and NASA astronaut. Crew member of Mission STS-117 and Commander of Mission STS-119.[17]
Amo Bessone - A 3-year varsity player, Bessone coached college hockey for 31 years, spending most of his career with Michigan State and led the program to its first National Championship in 1966.
Chad Cassel - Inducted into the Illinois Hockey Hall of Fame (2007). Winningest coach in Illini Hockey history with a record of 326-104-14.[14]
Tommy Karakas - Goaltender in the team's final varsity season, set a modern collegiate record for consecutive shutouts (4, since broken). Brother of Stanley Cup champion Mike Karakas.
^"Illinois no longer exploring adding men's ice hockey". 2 May 2022.
^ abcd"Team History". College Hockey News. Retrieved September 28, 2011.
^ ab"Vic Heyliger". Legends of Hockey. Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved September 29, 2011.
^"Alumni". Illini Ice Hockey. Retrieved September 29, 2011.
^"CSCHL History". CSCHL. Retrieved September 29, 2011.
^ ab"2007-2008 Men's Division 1 Coach-of-the-Year". CSCHL. March 31, 2008. Retrieved September 29, 2011.
^"The History of Big Ten Hockey (1922-Present) | mgoblog".
^ abPlayers are identified as an All-Star if they were selected for the All-Star game at any time in their career.
^NASA (2007). "NASA Assigns Crew for Final Solar Array Delivery to Station". NASA. Retrieved October 19, 2007.
External links
www.illinihockey.com
December 30, 2022
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The Illinois Fighting Illini men s ice hockey team is a college ice hockey program that represents the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign The Illini play on campus at historic 3 2 000 seat University of Illinois Ice Arena 4 They are a member of the American Collegiate Hockey Association ACHA at the ACHA Division I level 5 The team is a member of the Central States Collegiate Hockey League CSCHL within the ACHA The team operates as a registered student organization RSO at the University of Illinois The University does not currently have an NCAA varsity team and thus the club team is the highest level of hockey offered by the University 6 A feasibility study published in March 2018 and commissioned by the NHL NHLPA and College Hockey Inc found a high probability of success for the hockey program to transition to NCAA Division I 7 8 Illinois however reversed course in May 2022 announcing that they were no longer exploring adding a varsity hockey program 9 Illinois Fighting Illinimen s ice hockeyUniversityUniversity of Illinois Urbana ChampaignConferenceCSCHLHead coachNick Fabbrini 1 6th season 142 87 9ArenaUniversity of Illinois Ice ArenaCapacity 2 000LocationChampaign IllinoisColorsOrange and blue 2 ACHA Tournament championships2005 2008ACHA Tournament appearances1993 1994 1995 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018Conference Tournament championships1986 1988 1992 2003 2006 2008Conference regular season championships2003 2008 2013 Contents 1 History 2 Facility 3 Notable events 4 Season by season results 5 Awards 6 Fighting Illini in the NHL 7 Notable alumni 8 References 9 External linksHistory EditOrganized ice hockey came to Illinois in the 1930s and played its first official season in 1937 as an independent NCAA team 10 The first head coach was Ray Eliot who coached the Fightin Illini from 1937 1939 10 The team went winless in the 1937 38 season going 0 4 before winning their first game in the following season 10 Vic Heyliger a former All American at Michigan and professional player with the Chicago Blackhawks took over as head coach for the 1939 40 season 11 In this second year as Illini head coach he led the team to a 17 win season the most successful season of the Illini NCAA ice hockey team The team recorded a 10 win season in 1941 42 and a 9 win season in 1942 43 that included only a single loss 10 The program was ended after the 1942 43 season during World War II that same year in 1943 Heyliger came out of retirement for 1943 44 season to fill in the team s depleted war time roster 11 The current Fighting Illini men s ice hockey team formed in the post war era during the mid 1950s 12 The team joined the CSCHL in 1975 only 5 years after the league formed making the Illini the longest on going CSCHL members 13 Facility EditMain article University of Illinois Ice ArenaNotable events Edit Fighting Illini Hockey vs LindenwoodUndefeated season in 2007 2008 Record of 38 0 0 14 2 ACHA Division I National Championships Won in Bensenville Illinois in 2005 Won in Rochester New York in 2008 48 game winning streak spanning from September 28 2007 to October 25 2008 Season by season results EditNote GP Games played W Wins L Losses T Ties Pts Points Champions NCAA Frozen Four Conference Regular Season Champions Conference Playoff ChampionsSeason Conference Regular Season Conference Tournament Results National Tournament ResultsConference OverallGP W L T Pts Finish GP W L T Ray Eliot 1937 1939 1937 38 Independent 4 0 4 0 0001938 39 Independent 10 3 7 0 300Vic Heyliger 1939 1943 1939 40 Independent 14 3 11 0 2141940 41 Independent 21 17 3 1 833 Western Intercollegiate Champions1941 42 Independent 16 10 4 2 688 Western Intercollegiate Champions1942 43 Independent 12 10 2 0 833 Western Intercollegiate ChampionsTotals GP W L T ChampionshipsRegular Season 77 43 31 3 578Conference Post season 0 0 0 0 NCAA Post season 0 0 0 0 Regular Season and Post season Record 77 43 31 3 578 3 Western Intercollegiate Championships Winning percentage is used when conference schedules are unbalanced Awards EditBig Ten Conference Championships 3 1941 1942 1943 ACHA National Championships 2 2005 2008 ACHA Final Four Appearances 10 1998 2001 2002 2003 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2018 ACHA National Tournament Appearances 23 1993 1994 1995 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 CSCHL Regular Season Championships 2 2003 2008 2013 CSCHL Tournament Championships 6 1986 1988 1992 2003 2006 2008 15 Fighting Illini in the NHL Edit NHL All Star team NHL All Star 16 NHL All Star 16 and NHL All Star team Hall of FamersPlayer Position Team s Years Games Stanley CupsAldo Palazzari Right Wing NYR BOS 1943 1944 36 0Notable alumni Edit Lee Archambault U S Air Force colonel and NASA astronaut Crew member of Mission STS 117 and Commander of Mission STS 119 17 Amo Bessone A 3 year varsity player Bessone coached college hockey for 31 years spending most of his career with Michigan State and led the program to its first National Championship in 1966 Chad Cassel Inducted into the Illinois Hockey Hall of Fame 2007 Winningest coach in Illini Hockey history with a record of 326 104 14 14 Gene Honda Public address announcer for the Chicago Blackhawks Tommy Karakas Goaltender in the team s final varsity season set a modern collegiate record for consecutive shutouts 4 since broken Brother of Stanley Cup champion Mike Karakas Norbert Sterle Led program in scoring during the team s championship season in 1940 41 Killed while serving in World War II References Edit Coaches Illini Hockey Retrieved 19 October 2012 University of Illinois Urbana Champaign Visual Identity Color Retrieved November 13 2022 Leetaru Kalev Buildings Ice Skating Rink Ice Arena UIHistories Project A History of the University of Illinois Retrieved September 29 2011 Zeck Gregory August 30 2010 Hockey hecklers make noise at Ice Arena Daily Illini Archived from the original on September 5 2010 Retrieved September 29 2011 Pauly Tom September 15 2010 Multimedia the Daily Illini Daily Illini Archived from the original on March 4 2016 Retrieved September 29 2011 Augustoviz Roman September 20 2010 Illinois downplays likelihood it will add hockey Star Tribune Retrieved September 29 2011 Why Illini Hockey University of Illinois Athletics Retrieved March 24 2018 Feasibility study UI setting just right for hockey The News Gazette Champaign Urbana Retrieved March 24 2018 Illinois no longer exploring adding men s ice hockey 2 May 2022 a b c d Team History College Hockey News Retrieved September 28 2011 a b Vic Heyliger Legends of Hockey Hockey Hall of Fame Retrieved September 29 2011 Alumni Illini Ice Hockey Retrieved September 29 2011 CSCHL History CSCHL Retrieved September 29 2011 a b 2007 2008 Men s Division 1 Coach of the Year CSCHL March 31 2008 Retrieved September 29 2011 The History of Big Ten Hockey 1922 Present mgoblog a b Players are identified as an All Star if they were selected for the All Star game at any time in their career NASA 2007 NASA Assigns Crew for Final Solar Array Delivery to Station NASA Retrieved October 19 2007 External links Edit www illinihockey com Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Illinois Fighting Illini men 27s ice hockey amp oldid 1125569893 Season by season results, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
