(LEBANON, Ill., Dec. 3)—Senior center Scott Roberts (Philadelphia, Pa./Bensalem) (Philadelphia, Pa./Bensalem) scored three goals and added two assists as the McKendree University hockey team blew past visiting Eastern Illinois University on Saturday, 10-6.

 

Senior wing Kyle Ilges (Highland, Ill./Highland) (Highland, Ill./Highland) and senior wing Nick Dreyer (Waterloo, Ill./Waterloo) (Waterloo, Ill./Waterloo) each scored twice as the Bearcats notched their sixth consecutive victory. McKendree improves to 13-5 overall and will head north to face Bradley University on Friday.

 

Unlike Friday’s contest, which saw McKendree fall behind 3-0 in the early stages of the second period, the Bearcats roared to a 5-0 lead in the first period on Saturday. Roberts, Ilges and Dreyer all scored even-strength goals before freshman wing Nick Smothers (Waterloo, Ill./Waterloo) tallied to give McKendree a 4-0 lead. Roberts then scored on the power play at the 6:42 mark of the period to build the Bearcats’ advantage to five goals.

 

Eastern Illinois then scored six of the next seven goals to tie the game at 6-6. McKendree responded by scoring the final four goals of the afternoon to pull away for the win. Junior wing Z.T. Evans (Columbia, Ill./Columbia) broke the deadlock just over five minutes into the final period of play.

 

Junior center Charlie Donze (Fairview Heights, Ill./Althoff Catholic) (Fairview Heights, Ill./Althoff Catholic) handed out four assists in the victory for McKendree. Sophomores Dustin Schildknecht (O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon) (O’Fallon, Ill./O’Fallon) and John Moore (Waterloo, Ill./Waterloo) (Waterloo, Ill./Waterloo) split time in goal for the Bearcats. Moore made 13 saves in the final 31 minutes of action to earn the victory.