(FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Ill., Oct. 9)—Senior center Charlie Donze (Fairview Heights, Ill./Althoff Catholic) (Fairview Heights, Ill./Althoff Catholic) scored four goals and added an assist to lead the McKendree University hockey team to a 7-5 victory Friday night at home against Eastern Illinois University.
After scoring the first goal just 28 seconds into the contest, Donze netted the Bearcats' final three goals to help McKendree push its record to 3-2 on the year. The Bearcats will host the Panthers again Saturday at 3 p.m. at the U.S. Ice Sports Complex in Fairview Heights.
Junior wing Kyle Clark (Waterloo, IL/Waterloo) (Waterloo, Ill./Waterloo) posted two goals and two assists, while graduate defenseman Chris Donahue (Levittown, Pa./Truman) (Levittown, Pa./Truman) added three assists in the victory for McKendree. Sophomore wing David Coleman (Budapest, Hungary/Fort Zumwalt West) handed out two assists, while junior wing Nick Smothers (Waterloo, Ill./Waterloo) had the Bearcats' other goal in the contest.
Donze's goal in the first minute of play was followed by a power-play tally from Clark to give McKendree a 2-0 advantage. Eastern Illinois cut the deficit to 2-1 before Smothers' goal with 3:31 left in the opening period gave the Bearcats a 3-1 lead at the first intermission.
The teams traded goals early in the second period before Donze scored twice in a 2:24 span midway through the stanza to extend the Bearcats' margin to 6-2. The Panthers cut the McKendree lead in half before Donze closed out his big night on his fourth goal with just 1:54 remaining in the second period. Eastern Illinois registered the only two goals of the third period, but the Bearcats' defense was able to help preserve the victory.
Senior Mike Stier (Belleville, Ill./Belleville West) (Belleville, Ill./Belleville West) had 55 saves, including 19 in the third period. The Bearcats won the contest despite being outshot 60-35.
-McK-
