(LEBANON, Ill., Jan. 21)—Sophomore wing Nic Rolla (O'Fallon, IL/O'Fallon) (O'Fallon, Ill./SIU Edwardsville) pumped in three goals and added three assists to lead the McKendree University hockey team to a 7-5 victory at home Friday night against Robert Morris University-Peoria.
Junior wing David Coleman (Budapest, Hungary/Fort Zumwalt West) chipped in with a goal and three assists as the Bearcats notched their eighth straight victory. McKendree is now 13-3-1 on the season and will host the Eagles again on Saturday at 3 p.m. at the U.S. Ice Sports Complex in Fairview Heights. The contest will mark the Bearcats' final regular-season home game for the 2010-11 season.
Robert Morris-Peoria jumped out to a 2-0 lead before sophomore wing Brandon Riley (Belleville, IL/Belleville West) (Belleville, Ill./Belleville West) found the back of the net with just five seconds left in the first period to bring McKendree within 2-1. The Bearcats then scored the first three goals of the second period – including two from Rolla – to grab a 4-2 advantage. However, Robert Morris-Peoria battled back to knot the contest at 4-4 with just over 13 minutes to play.
Less than a minute after the Eagles tied the game, McKendree defenseman Brooks Boeschen (Belleville, Ill./Belleville East) (Belleville, Ill./Belleville East) gave the Bearcats the lead for good with a power play goal off a pass from Rolla. Coleman then tallied at the four-minute mark to give McKendree a two-goal advantage. The Eagles pulled within one with 22 seconds left, but Rolla finished off his hat trick on a goal with two seconds remaining to seal the victory.
Senior Mike Stier (Belleville, Ill./Belleville West) (Belleville, Ill./Belleville West) collected 37 saves to earn his 13th victory of the season in goal for the Bearcats.
