BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The men's Division II hockey team traveled to Indiana University on Friday and Saturday to kick off the 2016 portion of their schedule. The team performed at a high level in the sweep of the Hoosiers by the scores of 6-0 on Friday and 5-1 on Saturday at Frank Southern Ice Arena. The Panthers were clearly the better team in this two-game set outshooting IU 88-37 in the contests. Zac Smith earned both wins in net for the Panthers including the shutout on Friday when he made 19 saves. He played 40 minutes on Saturday and made 11 saves before Devin Rosema stepped in and made six saves in the third period.

Tyler Thomas had a total of four goals over the weekend including a hat trick on Friday. He currently ranks third on the team with nine goals this season. Thomas scored the team's first two goals on Friday including a power play goal at 19:15 of the first period from Branden Burton and Jake Otto. Burton and Otto also assisted on Thomas' next goal at 9:21 of the second period. Thomas also scored the team's sixth goal at 16:30 of the third period again from Burton and Otto. Blake Damerow, Otto and Kyle McConnell also scored for the Panthers. Thomas and Jessee Game assisted on the Otto goal at 5:50 of the third.

Thomas got on the board first for DU on Saturday at 1:30 of the first period from Alex Stewart and Trevor Murray. Burton scored the next two goals to run his season total to eight. He scored at 14:18 of the first from Donald Sund and again at 3:58 of the second from Dugan Kelly. Damerow made it 4-0 at 7:24 of the second from Chris McRae and Zac Bodziak. Bodziak scored his 15th of the season at 15:51 of the second from McRae and Damerow.