The Cyclones and Eagles found themselves caught up in a whirlwind of physical play — chasing competing players as much as the puck and holding onto enemy jerseys as much as their sticks.

Each team received a loss from the other, leaving something to be settled in the tournament opener.

In 65 minutes of play, nothing was ever settled. Eastern Michigan and Iowa State left the overtime ice war tied. The final score was 2-2.

Until the final minutes of regulation play, the score seemed as though it would rest Eagle-heavy. Eastern Michigan led 2-0 until the final minutes of play.

Then, ISU’s Darren Anderson and Mike Ogbourne gave the Cyclones the two-goal lift they needed to force a five-minute overtime.

Ogbourne’s score for the tie brought the crowd to life and to its feet.

“It doesn’t get any closer than that,” Ogbourne said.

In overtime, both teams saw opportunities to take the cake but neither was able to take a bite.

“That’s not how we like it to happen, but we’ll sure take it,” Ogbourne said.

Starters for the Eastern Michigan team were Matt Morrell, Tad Peterson, David Cairns, Paul Fassbender. Biff Griese stood in the net for the Eagles.

The Cyclones were led by Ogbourne, Chad Evers, Bob Dressel, Brian Paolello and goaltender Rob Howitt.

Hard hitting and aggressive play got things going at the drop of the puck. By the end of first 20-minute chapter, the Cyclones had experienced close encounters with a score.

Still, no puck made it into the box.

The first period ran out before ISU could neutralize the one-point advantage Eastern Michigan had picked up in the first five minutes of play. Dan Mazatics collected the Eagle goal.

The second period started much the same and had an identical outcome. Eastern Michigan snagged a second goal, and ISU earned none.

However, this is not to say there weren’t fireworks to keep the contest exciting.

A fight at the center line near the wall at 6:43 sent Eastern Michigan’s Fassbender to the locker room for laying one on the referee. Meanwhile, a vent burnt out, and the smoke alarmed some fans, sending half of them from their seats until the air cleared.

Once play resumed, the Cyclones spent most of the second period in scoring territory, but the eagle eye of Griese allowed him to reject every puck pushed that came his way.

Too much play next to the Cyclone goal in the latter portion of the period resulted in a second point for Michigan.

At 14:29, the puck flew in off the stick of Eastern Michigan’s Sean Kass during a power play, slipping through Howitt’s legs.

ISU’s Chris Poli said the team returned to the ice confident it could make a comeback.

Much of third period passed before Poli’s words rang true. With five minutes left, ISU’s Darren Anderson made a little Hilton Magic when he netted a power play goal. The assists came from Cyclones Evers and Terry Conlin.

The game-balancing goal was tossed in by Ogbourne. It was unassisted.

Coach Al Murdoch, who is on the verge of his 600th career win, said although tough third period play has not been characteristic of this year’s squad, it is usually typical of his teams.

In this game, he saw his Cyclone squad play like one of his “traditional teams.”

Other results of the tournament: Penn State defeated Arizona 10-3; Ohio downed Delaware 5-0, and Illinois took revenge on Michigan-Dearborn 2-1.