(LEBANON, Ill., Dec. 2)—The McKendree University hockey team nearly pulled off a dramatic come-from-behind win Friday night on the road against Bradley University, but instead dropped a 4-3 overtime loss.
 
The Bearcats trailed 2-0 after one period of play, but reeled off three straight goals to take a 3-2 lead with just over three minutes to play. But the host Braves tied the score with just 4.5 seconds left in regulation, then scored with 3:37 remaining in the extra session to pull out the win. McKendree slips to 7-9-1 on the year. McKendree and Bradley will wrap up their weekend series Saturday at 7 p.m. in Peoria.
 
McKendree began its comeback from a two-goal deficit seven minutes into the second period. Senior center J. David Coleman (Budapest, Hungary/Fort Zumwalt West) (Budapest, Hungary/Fort Zumwalt West) netted an unassisted goal to bring the Bearcats within 2-1. Junior wing Nic Rolla (O'Fallon, IL/O'Fallon) (O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon) used an offensive burst in the later stages of the third period to help McKendree tie and then take the lead. First, Rolla scored on the power-play with 4:13 left in regulation to knot the score at 2-2.
 
Just 37 seconds later, Rolla registered the go-ahead goal with assists going to Coleman and sophomore center Carlos Galvan (Mulvane, KS/Mulvane) (Mulvane, Kan./Mulvane) to give McKendree a 3-2 lead with 3:36 on the clock.
 
However, Bradley's Mike Robbins scored with 4.5 seconds on the clock to tie the game at 3-3 and force overtime. In the extra period, the Braves' J.P. Fitzgerald netted the game-winning goal just over 90 seconds into play.
 
Junior Nathan Campo (Westmont, IL/Downers Grove South) (Westmont, Ill./Downers Grove South) stopped 38 shots in goal for McKendree.