(LEBANON, Ill., Nov. 1)—The McKendree College hockey team wrapped up a six-game road trip with a 7-5 loss Saturday at Eastern Illinois University.
The Bearcats led 4-3 late in the second period before the Panthers scored three straight goals spanning the second and third period to grab the lead for good. The loss drops McKendree to 6-10 overall. The Bearcats will return to the U.S. Ice Sports Complex in Fairview Heights to host the University of Iowa Friday night and Saturday afternoon. Face-off on Friday is at 8:30 p.m. while the Saturday contest is scheduled for 3 p.m.
McKendree trailed 2-0 late in the first period at Eastern Illinois before junior defenseman Brent Grimm (O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon) (O’Fallon, Ill./O’Fallon) scored 31 seconds into the second period to get the Bearcats on the scoreboard. Sophomore defenseman Phil Heller (St. Louis, Mo./DeSmet) and freshman wing Z.T. Evans (Columbia, Ill./Columbia) followed with goals to give the Bearcats their first lead of the night, 3-2.
After the Panthers tied the contest at 3-3, freshman center Charlie Donze (Fairview Heights, Ill./Althoff Catholic) (Fairview Heights, Ill./Althoff Catholic) collected a power-play goal to give McKendree a 4-3 advantage midway through the second period. However, Eastern Illinois took control with their three-goal outburst. McKendree pulled to within 6-5 on a shorthanded goal by sophomore defenseman Shawn McBride (Waterloo, Ill./Waterloo) (Waterloo, Ill./Waterloo) with just over nine minutes remaining, but the Panthers added an empty-net goal in the closing seconds to ice the win.
Grimm finished with a goal and two assists for three points. Freshman Mike Stier (Belleville, Illinois/) (Belleville, Ill./Belleville West) had 41 saves in goal for McKendree.
-McK-
