Cyclone Hockey grabbed its broom for the second straight series, defeating the No. 12 Illinois Fighting Illini 3-2 on Saturday night.

Freshman goalie Aaron LaChance again got the nod, making it his third straight start — and win. The Fighting Illini (14-8-4) switched up their starting goalie, with Jake Barnhart starting instead of Elliot Gerth.

The Cyclones (17-9-2) took the lead just after the two-minute mark of the first period. Matty Moran fired a shot off of Barnhart’s stick that went straight to C.J. Banser for the finish.

The two goalies then recorded alternating saves until Braden Stewart lit the lamp late in the period for Illinois. Kacper Ryba gave Illinois the lead heading into the intermission, scoring just after the 19:00 mark.

The second period saw six combined penalties — two on the Cyclones and four on the Fighting Illini. Freshman forward Payton McSharry found the back of the net at 11:50 during the third Illinois penalty. He now has four straight games with at least one point.

The score then stayed at two apiece heading into the second intermission.

Ray Zimmerman got the puck to fellow forward Hunter Dolan for the Cyclone goal just after the 6:00 mark in the third period.

The Illinois players thought they had tied the game with a power play goal less than a minute later, but it was waved off as the net was dislodged before the puck crossed the line.

Dolan’s goal ended up being the last of the night as LaChance and the Cyclone blueliners kept Illinois from lighting the lamp in the second and third periods.

Cyclone Hockey returns to action on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 for a home series against Central Oklahoma.