(LEBANON, Ill., Jan. 27)—The McKendree College hockey team closed out the home portion of its 2006-07 schedule with an 8-5 victory Saturday against Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville.

 

Junior center Scott Roberts (Philadelphia, Pa./Bensalem) (Philadelphia, Pa./Bensalem) had two goals and three assists to lead the offensive charge, while sophomore wing Zach Crawford (Springfield, Ill./Pleasant Plains) (Springfield, Ill.) added two more goals as McKendree earned its third consecutive victory. Junior wing Kyle Ilges (Highland, Ill./Highland) (Highland, Ill./Highland) chipped in with a goal and three assists, and the Bearcats received a goal and two assists each from junior wing Nick Dreyer (Waterloo, Ill./Waterloo) (Waterloo, Ill./Waterloo) and sophomore center Charlie Donze (Fairview Heights, Ill./Althoff Catholic) (Fairview Heights, Ill./Althoff Catholic).

 

McKendree, now 14-9 on the season, will wrap up its 2006-07 regular season next weekend at Eastern Illinois University. The Bearcats will meet the Panthers Friday at 7 p.m. before a Saturday matinee contest at 4 p.m. in Danville, Ill.

 

Senior defenseman David Padgett (Belleville, Ill./Althoff Catholic) (Belleville, Ill./Althoff Catholic) gave McKendree a 1-0 lead with a power play goal just three minutes into Saturday’s game. SIU-Edwardsville tied the game midway through the first period, and eventually built a 4-3 lead late in the second period. However, with just 1:45 remaining in the middle stanza, Ilges scored an even-strength goal to tie the contest at 4-4.

 

Roberts broke the deadlock early in the third period, and Crawford added the first of his two tallies to extend the margin to 6-4. The Cougars closed the gap to one goal before Donze scored at the 4:45 mark, and Crawford added an empty-net goal in the closing seconds to account for the final margin.

 

Junior Ryan Ahlemeyer (Cahokia, Ill./Cahokia) (Cahokia, Ill./Cahokia) made 10 saves in playing the final 26 minutes to pick up the win in relief for the Bearcats. Ahlemeyer accounted for both McKendree victories on the weekend.