Another weekend is approaching, and so is yet another pair of games against a ranked opponent for the ISU hockey team. The No. 7 Cyclones will travel to Champaign, Ill., for two games against No. 9 Illinois.

Last time the two met, the Illini handed the Cyclones their first regulation loss of the season by shutting them out 1-0. However, the Cyclones got their revenge in the second game winning in a 4-3 shootout.

ISU coach Al Murdoch said the offense needs to step up this time around and plans on using the wider ice surface at Illinois as an advantage.

“The biggest advantage for us is the speed of our forwards,” Murdoch said. “We’ve got a very physical team, these guys don’t shy away from the body contact at all. We’ll make the ice small, we’ll cut down the size of the ice with body contact.”

ISU forward J.P. Kascsak, who leads the team in both goals (16) and points (33), said the team has been working this week on driving the net, getting the puck to the net and getting support all the way there in order to increase their scoring.

Kascsak remembers the first game they played against Illinois this season.

“That was a bad game,” Kascsak said. “The lines are different now, we’ve been working on a lot of different stuff.”

The Cyclones (21-5-1-4) are coming off of a sweep of No. 22 Kent State last weekend. The Cyclones won 6-1 on Friday and 7-1 on Saturday.

The Illini (10-10-1) were swept by No. 8 Oklahoma, 6-3 on Friday and shut out 5-0 on Saturday.

The new lines that Kascsak mentioned seem to be working for the rest of the team as well.

Last Saturday, ISU forward David Kurbatsky had a hat trick against Kent State. Kurbatsky said he has been clicking with his line mates as well as the defensemen.

“I took on a new role as being the guy in front of the net for tips and screens and taking away the goalie’s eyes,” Kurbatsky said. “I think I’ve been doing well with that role.”

The Cyclones take on Illinois this Friday and Saturday night in Champaign, Ill., at 7:30 p.m.