(EAST ALTON, Ill., Feb. 17)—Senior wing Kyle Ilges (Highland, Ill./Highland) (Highland, Ill./Highland) scored an even-strength goal 4:46 into overtime to give the McKendree University hockey team a 6-5 victory Sunday over Missouri State University in the championship game of the Mid-America Collegiate Hockey Association Silver Division Tournament. The title game was played at the East Alton Ice Arena.

 

Ilges, who scored the first-ever goal for the Bearcats when the school began its hockey program four years ago, closed out his McKendree career in dramatic fashion as he netted the game-winner off assists from junior center Charlie Donze (Fairview Heights, Ill./Althoff Catholic) (Fairview Heights, Ill./Althoff Catholic) and senior center Scott Roberts (Philadelphia, Pa./Bensalem) (Philadelphia, Pa./Bensalem). The win for McKendree, the top seed in the MACHA Silver Division Tournament, allowed the Bearcats to equal a school record for victories in a season. McKendree wrapped up its 2007-08 campaign with an overall record of 22-6.

 

McKendree trailed 5-4 late in the third period when Roberts tied the game with his only goal of the day with just 3:06 remaining in regulation. Donze had two goals and three assists to lead the offensive surge for the Bearcats. Junior wing Zach Evans (Columbia, Ill./Columbia) and senior defenseman Ryan Fitzsimmons (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada/) (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada) also scored for McKendree, which earned the win in the rubber match against Missouri State. The Bearcats and Bears split a two-game series back in January at Springfield, Mo.

 

Evans scored just 2:19 into the contest to give McKendree a 1-0 lead. Donze followed with a short-handed, unassisted goal to extend the Bearcats’ advantage to 2-0. Missouri State tied the contest with two goals to close out the first period, then scored midway through the second period to grab a 3-2 lead.

     

Fitzsimmons’ goal with 4:42 remaining in the stanza allowed McKendree to tie the game at 3-3, but the Bears regained a 4-3 lead with just 33.6 seconds left before the end of the second period.

 

Donze’s second goal of the day midway through the third period enabled the Bearcats to even the score once again at 4-4. Missouri State grabbed the lead for the third time, 5-4, at the 6:31 mark before Roberts’ equalizer just over three minutes later.

 

Sophomore Mike Stier (Belleville, Ill./Belleville West) (Belleville, Ill./Belleville) stopped 40 shots, including two in overtime, to earn the victory in goal for McKendree. Stier picked up his team-leading 10^th victory of the year.