(FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Ill., Oct. 25)—For the sixth consecutive game, the McKendree University hockey team found its way into the win column.

The Bearcats carried a shutout deep into the third period before posting an 8-1 victory over Western Illinois University Saturday at the U.S. Ice Sports Complex in Fairview Heights. The Bearcats are now 8-2 overall and return to the ice on Friday (Oct. 31) at Marquette University.

In Saturday's win, there were 13 different McKendree players that scored at least one point in the contest. Junior center Charlie Donze (Fairview Heights, Ill./Althoff Catholic) (Fairview Heights, Ill./Althoff Catholic) and senior win Nick Dreyer (Waterloo, Ill./Waterloo) (Waterloo, Ill./Waterloo) each scored a pair of goals and had an assist to lead the way for McKendree. Sophomore defenseman Alec Steiner (Swansea, Ill./Belleville East) (Belleville, Ill./Belleville East) and junior wing Nick Smothers (Waterloo, Ill./Waterloo) chipped in with two assists each.

McKendree took a 1-0 lead in the first period on Donze's first goal of the afternoon with exactly seven minutes remaining in the stanza. The Bearcats padded their cushion with four more goals in the second period for a 5-0 advantage. The Leathernecks tallied their only goal of the game with 5:50 to play before Dreyer netted an unassisted, shorthanded goal, and freshman wing Jordan Donze (Fairview Heights, Ill./Althoff Catholic) (Fairview Heights, Ill./Althoff Catholic) closed out the scoring on the day for McKendree.

Junior Dustin Schildknecht (O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon) (O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon) and freshman Kelsey Medina (Highland, Ill./Twin Bridges) (Highland, Ill./Twin Bridges) shared goaltending duties for the Bearcats. Schildknecht played into the third period, making 11 saves to pick up the victory. Medina stopped all three shots he faced.

-McK-