(FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Ill., Sept. 14)—The McKendree University hockey team used some third-period heroics from senior wing Nick Dreyer (Waterloo, Ill./Waterloo) (Waterloo, Ill./Waterloo) to post a 6-4 victory Friday against the University of Missouri at the U.S. Ice Sports Complex in Fairview Heights. The game marked the 2007-08 season opener for the Bearcats.

 

Dreyer broke a 4-4 tie midway through the third period with his first goal of the season, then added an empty-net tally in the final minute to help McKendree pull away for the non-conference win. The Bearcats, who finished the 2006-07 season with an overall record of 16-10, will host Missouri again Saturday at 3 p.m. in Fairview Heights.

 

McKendree broke through early in the first period as senior center Scott Roberts (Philadelphia, Pa./Bensalem) (Philadelphia, Pa./Bensalem), the team’s leading scorer a year ago, scored a power-play goal for a 1-0 lead. Senior defenseman Ryan Fitzsimmons (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada/) (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada) netted his first goal as a Bearcat just moments later to push the McKendree lead to 2-0.

 

Missouri scored twice before the end of the period to even the score. Nine minutes into the second period, Roberts posted his second power-play goal of the evening to help McKendree regain a 3-2 advantage. The Tigers knotted the score once again before junior wing Zach Crawford (Springfield, Ill./Pleasant Plains) (Springfield, Ill./Pleasant Plains) scored later in the second period to push the Bearcats back in front, 4-3.

 

The Tigers scored their final goal early in the third period before Dreyer took over for the Bearcats. In addition to his two goals, Dreyer had two assists in the victory. Senior wing Ryan Haeffele (Columbia, Ill./Columbia) (Columbia, Ill./Columbia) also had a pair of assists for McKendree.

 

Sophomore Mike Stier (Belleville, Ill./Belleville West) (Belleville, Ill./Belleville West) stopped 29 shots to pick up the victory in goal for the Bearcats.