(LEBANON, Ill., Feb. 11)—Sophomore wing Nic Rolla (O'Fallon, IL/O'Fallon)'s third goal of the evening with just under two minutes remaining capped a torrid comeback to give the McKendree University hockey team a 7-6 victory Friday evening on the road against Robert Morris University-Springfield.
Rolla (O'Fallon, Ill./SIU Edwardsville) scored twice in the later stages of the second period, then added the game winner with 1:57 on the clock to help the Bearcats overcome a 5-3 deficit. McKendree improves to 15-5 on the season and will close out the 2010-11 regular season Saturday evening with another road tilt against Robert Morris-Springfield.
Senior defenseman Alec Steiner (Swansea, Ill./Belleville East) (Swansea, Ill./Belleville East) added a goal and three assists while junior wing David Coleman (Budapest, Hungary/Fort Zumwalt West) dished out four assists in the come-from-behind victory for McKendree.
McKendree jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the first period. Freshman wing Josh Hasamear (Collinsville, IL/Althoff Catholic) (Collinsville, Ill./Althoff Catholic) started the scoring eight minutes into the contest before graduate defenseman Brooks Boeschen (Belleville, Ill./Belleville East) (Belleville, Ill./Belleville East) made it 2-0 less than two minutes later. After Robert Morris-Springfield cut its deficit in half, the Bearcats regained a two-goal lead with 1:43 remaining in the period as senior wing Nick Smothers (Waterloo, Ill./Waterloo) found the back of the net off a pass from Hasamear.
The host Eagles exploded for four goals in an eight-minute span of the second period to grab a 5-3 lead. Steiner started the comeback at the 4:42 mark of the period with assists from Rolla and Coleman. Rolla then netted his first goal of the night just 13 seconds later to even the score at 5-5. Just over two minutes later, Rolla's second tally of the game put the Bearcats in front 6-5.
Robert Morris-Springfield tied the game early in the third period before Rolla finished off his hat trick with the game-winning goal with assists going to Steiner and Coleman.
Senior Mike Steir picked up the win in goal for the Bearcats.
