(LEBANON, Ill., Oct. 16)—The McKendree University hockey team won its fourth straight game on Saturday with a 6-1 triumph at home against Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (Silver).

The Bearcats are now 4-1-1 on the season and will resume their eight-game homestand on Friday by entertaining Western Illinois University. Face-off at the U.S. Ice Sports Complex in Fairview Heights is set for 7:30 p.m.

Sophomore wing Nic Rolla (O'Fallon, IL/O'Fallon) (O'Fallon, Ill./SIUE) continued his recent torrid play by scoring four goals in the victory. Rolla has had a hat trick in each of the last three contests, scoring a total of 10 goals in that span.

Rolla started the Bearcats' scoring eight minutes into the contest with a power play goal. Senior wing Nick Smothers (Waterloo, Ill./Waterloo) and graduate defenseman Brooks Boeschen (Belleville, Ill./Belleville East) (Belleville, Ill./Belleville East) assisted on Rolla's goal. The Cougars tied the game four minutes later on their own power play goal before senior defenseman Kyle Clark (Waterloo, IL/Waterloo) (Waterloo, Ill./Waterloo) put the Bearcats in front with just over four minutes left in the opening period.

From there, Rolla helped solidify the McKendree lead. Rolla scored three consecutive goals in the second period to give the Bearcats a 5-1 advantage. Two of the goals were shorthanded, including the first one just 1:50 into the second period. Rolla scored just over three minutes later before another shorthanded tally completed the outburst with 2:19 left in the stanza. Clark assisted on all three of Rolla's goals in the period.

Boeschen netted the Bearcats' final goal of the contest midway through the third period off an assist from senior goaltender Mike Stier (Belleville, Ill./Belleville West) (Belleville, Ill./Belleville West).

Stier registered the victory in goal for McKendree. He stopped 31 of 32 SIUE shots to improve his record to 4-1-1 overall.