(PEORIA, Ill., Oct. 6)—Senior center Scott Roberts (Philadelphia, Pa./Bensalem) (Philadelphia, Pa./Bensalem) scored four goals and added two assists as the McKendree University hockey team won for the second time in as many nights on the road against Western Illinois University, 10-1.

 

The Bearcats rolled to a 6-0 lead midway through the second period and never looked back to push their overall record to 4-2 on the season. McKendree will return to the ice Oct. 19 at home against Robert Morris College. Faceoff is set for 8 p.m. at the U.S. Ice Sports Complex in Fairview Heights.

 

Against Western Illinois, senior wing Nick Dreyer (Waterloo, Ill./Waterloo) (Waterloo, Ill./Waterloo) chipped in with two goals and two assists for McKendree, while senior win Kyle Ilges (Highland, Ill./Highland) (Highland, Ill./Highland) and junior defenseman Jordan Thompson (St. Louis, Mo./Chaminade) (St. Louis, Mo./Chaminade) each posted a goal and two assists. Junior wing Zach Crawford (Springfield, Ill./Pleasant Plains) (Springfield, Ill./Pleasant Plains) and senior wing Ryan Haeffele (Columbia, Ill./Columbia) (Columbia, Ill./Columbia) also scored for the Bearcats.

 

Crawford opened the scoring with an even-strength goal just over two minutes into the game off a pass from Thompson. Roberts then proceeded to score the natural hat trick (three consecutive goals) to help McKendree build a 4-0 advantage. Roberts’ first two goals were shorthanded and unassisted before he completed the hat trick at the 10:27 mark of the second period with an even-strength tally.

 

Dreyer and Thompson then added power-play goals before the host Leathernecks netted their only goal of the night to pull within 6-1 late in the second period. Roberts posted his fourth goal to open the third-period scoring. Dreyer, Haeffele and Ilges completed the Bearcats’ scoring for the evening.

 

Making his first start of the season, junior Marcus Power (O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon) (O’Fallon, Ill./O’Fallon) made 18 saves to notch the win. Power played behind a stellar defensive effort from the Bearcats, who allowed just 19 shots on goal in the effort.