(LEBANON, Ill., Jan. 20)—The McKendree University hockey team shook off the rust of a seven-week layoff with a 10-5 victory Friday night at home against Illinois State University.
 
The Bearcats, who last played in a 6-3 road win against Bradley University on Dec. 3, improved to 9-9-1 overall with Friday's victory. McKendree and Illinois State will wrap up its two-game weekend series Saturday at 3 p.m. at the U.S. Ice Sports Complex in Fairview Heights.
 
Junior wing Nic Rolla (O'Fallon, IL/O'Fallon) (O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon) had a big night with three goals and three assists against the IceBirds. Sophomore center/wing Dylan Mueth (New Baden, IL/Belleville East) (New Baden, Ill./Belleville East) chipped in with two goals and three assists, while senior center J. David Coleman (Budapest, Hungary/Fort Zumwalt West) (Budapest, Hungary/Fort Zumwalt West) handed out four assists. Playing in his first game for the Bearcats, sophomore wing Brett Denap (Granite City, IL/Granite City) (Granite City, Ill./Granite City) scored twice and had an assist.
 
Sophomore center/wing Carlos Galvan (Mulvane, KS/Mulvane) (Mulvane, Kan./Mulvane) and Denap scored in the first two minutes of play to push McKendree out to an early 2-0 lead. Illinois State tied the contest before Denap added his second goal of the contest at the 6:30 mark to give the Bearcats a 3-2 advantage. Graduate defenseman Nick Smothers (Waterloo, Ill./Waterloo) netted a power-play goal to open the second period scoring to extend the McKendree lead to 4-2.
 
Rolla scored twice in the second period – as Mueth notched his first goal of the night -- as the Bearcats stretched the margin to 7-4. Junior defenseman Matthew Seelbach (Brentwood, MO/John Burroughs) (Brentwood, Mo./John Burroughs) posted the first of three third-period goals for McKendree, followed by Mueth and Rolla's final tally, a shorthanded goal with just under three minutes to play.
 
Junior Nathan Campo (Westmont, IL/Downers Grove South) (Westmont, Ill./Downers Grove South) stopped 25 shots on the night to pick up his seventh victory of the season in goal for McKendree.