Every time the Indiana Hoosiers take the ice, it comes with a target on its back. Despite a modest 4-8 record coming into the weekend, Indiana proudly carries its national championship legacy, which comes with its own challenges. First-year head coach Mark Dych acknowledged part of the struggle.
“As expected, there’s still a little bit of arrogance left over from last year, but we’re still fighting and finally piecing it all together,” Dych said.
That goes hand-in-hand with Indiana’s juggernaut of an opening portion of its schedule, which Dych considered “all national-caliber teams.”
The zamboni glided onto the ice for just the second time this season at Frank Southern Ice Arena as the DePaul Blue Demons traveled down I-65 into Bloomington. Fresh off a series split with Kentucky the previous weekend, Indiana had the chance to notch its first winning streak of the 2024-25 season, and did just that with a pair of wins — 3-1 and 7-1 — over the Blue Demons this past weekend.
In a physical bout Saturday, Indiana and DePaul remained in a scoreless deadlock after the first 20 minutes. The slow pace persisted until the Blue Demons finally broke through just 49 seconds into the middle frame, claiming a slim 1-0 lead they carried into the second intermission.
For the Hoosiers, the locker room isn’t just a space to regroup and catch a breath — it’s a haven of brotherhood. In this circle, the team refocuses, drawing on each other’s strength and determination to turn the game around.
Dych’s squad wasn’t about to go down without a fight. The former Purdue assistant coach knows the game inside and out, with over 850 contests behind the bench spanning youth leagues to collegiate club hockey. He brought that wealth of experience into the break, instilling a fresh, fiery approach for the final period — one shaped by the leadership of Indiana’s senior players.
Among them, Ithan DeLorenzo and Will Gerami have risen to the occasion, and Dych credits them as “two of the program’s all-time greats.” On the hockey side of it, he mentions “their point production speaks for itself.”
“Everyone recognizes them as our leaders, and they’ve done a solid job of steering us in the right direction,” Dych said.
Gerami and DeLorenzo got involved in the comeback effort. The Hoosiers’ power play unit came through as Luke Slaven picked the top corner to even up the scoresheet. Just over one minute later, sophomore Davis Jegers won a puck battle and spotted Indiana a 2-1 lead. From there, the Hoosiers locked down defensively, and Jake Rock sealed the deal with an empty-net goal, completing a thrilling 3-1 comeback with three unanswered goals.
Indiana carried its momentum into Sunday, delivering a dominant 7-1 victory over DePaul and extending its winning streak to three games.
Now sitting at 6-8, the Hoosiers will look to their veteran leaders to help solidify their identity as the middle portion of their season progresses. Up next, Indiana faces Miami (Ohio) in a home-and-home series beginning Nov. 7 in Oxford, Ohio, with the second game set in Bloomington the following night.
