Hockey off to a strong start

Kevin Kenealy
Online Interactive Editor

They're 5-3. They drive an hour and a half to Danville just for their home games. Most of the players have been playing most of their life. For most of the players, this is their life. But how many people actually know Eastern's RSO hockey team actually exists?

"I did not actually know that," Terrah Granes, sophomore journalism major said. "Yeah, actually I like hockey games, they're fun."

For $3 a ticket, fans get to see big 6-foot-6 inch defender Richie Nelson keep the puck away from the Eastern goal or the hard-hitting, physical play of forward Ryan Hastings. Acrobatic skating. Unbelievable saves. $3 a ticket.

"The speed, the intensity, the team really helps develop you as a person. I came from a hockey family, watching the Blackhawks on TV," said Gavin Wilk, an avid hockey player since he was 10 years old.

Mike Fanjoy has been playing since he was seven and has similar feelings to Wilk's.

"I heard Eastern had a team, (I) just wanted to keep playing, speed's a lot quicker now in college; I'd like to keep playing after college, in like a men's league," Fanjoy said.

This year, Eastern is competing in the Gold Division, the best division the team can be in for college hockey. Eastern defeated silver teams Northwestern and Purdue in its first four games. Eastern then lost two games against silver team McKendree, going 4-2 on the season. This past weekend, they split games with rivals Northern Illinois, losing the last game 4-3 in overtime.

Using four lines made up of mostly rookies, captain and team president Dave Fitzgerald has said his team will have to make a big push at the end of the year to come out good on the gold.

"We should be on pace to make (the) playoffs again this year," Fitzgerald said. "It will be a tough schedule this year; we got Kentucky who's coming up and qualifying for regionals. We have three teams qualifying for regionals from last year."

Head Coach Cameron Estes said that he wanted to play in the gold division since you don't get a chance to play regionals and nationals playing as a silver division team. Eastern was a Silver Division team last season.

"The team looks real good and the Gold Division definitely means a lot more," Estes said.

Eastern will head to David S. Palmer Arena in Danville next weekend against the University of Cincinnati for its game at 7 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday.

A fan bus will head out to Saturday's game for $10 a ticket. For more information on that, contact Assistant Captain Richie Nelson at 217-840-7156 or email Dave Fitzgerald.