Cyclone Hockey took the top ranked team in the country, Ohio, to its limits before ultimately coming up short in a shootout last weekend.

This weekend’s opening game on Friday night against Illinois State was the Cyclones first chance to bounce back, but the team came out slow.

The Redbirds scored the opening goal of the game at the 13:50 mark in the first period. Multiple shots were deflected by a stout Cyclone defense before D.J. Mussey found the back of the net to put Illinois State up 1-0 after the first period.

Cyclone Hockey was on a power play just more than two minutes into the second period when the Redbirds got a breakaway and scored a shorthanded goal courtesy of Parker Johnson to put Illinois State up 2-0 early in the second period.

The puck seemed to rarely leave the Cyclones offensive zone for a stretch in the second period but the Cyclones couldn’t capitalize until cocaptain Alex Stephens put the first Cyclone Hockey goal through.

After that the Cyclones seemed to take off.

Jake Arroyo tied the game a couple minutes later off an assist from Kody Reuter.

Aaron Azevedo put the go ahead goal in clinched the Cyclone Hockey victory.

Colton Kramer added another goal and the Cyclones defeated the Redbirds 4-2 to improve to 7-1-1 on the season.

The Cyclones will attempt to complete the sweep  7:30 p.m. Saturday night against the Redbirds at the Ames/ISU Ice Arena.