(LEBANON, Ill., Jan. 18)—Playing in its first game since the holiday break – and first contest in two months – the McKendree University hockey team registered a 6-3 win last night at home against Illinois State University. The contest was played at East Alton Ice Arena.
 
Sophomore forward Jacob Schlote (House Springs, MO/Hillsboro) led the charge for the Bearcats with two goals and an assist, including a shorthanded tally in the closing minutes to help ice the win for McKendree. The Bearcats improve to 5-6 on the year and will square off again with Illinois State Saturday at 4 p.m. in East Alton. It will be the Bearcats' final home game of the 2013-14 season.
 
Freshman defenseman Aaron Rogers (Troy, IL/Triad) opened the scoring by netting his first collegiate goal just 1:49 into the contest. Junior defenseman Brendan Whitt (Granite City, IL/Granite City) had the assist on the power-play goal. Schlote then converted his first tally of the night off a pass from Rogers midway through the first period to stretch the Bearcats' lead to 2-0. That score stood until the middle stages of the second period, when Illinois State scored to cut the deficit in half to 2-1.
 
In the third period, junior forward Eliot Emann scored from the slot with 15:55 remaining to extend the lead back to two goals for McKendree at 3-1. Illinois State tied the game less than two minutes later, scoring twice in a 19-second span to knot the contest at 3-3. Senior forward Matt Seelbach then put the Bearcats in front to stay when his shot from the right circle squirted past the Illinois State goalie to give McKendree a 4-3 advantage.
 
With 5:42 remaining, senior forward Andrew Olden (Edwardsville, IL/Edwardsville) helped McKendree push its lead to 5-3 when he swept behind the net and scored with assists from freshman forward Dakota Brewer (Linn Creek, MO/Camdenton) and junior forward Carlos Galvan (Mulvane, KS/Mulvane). Schlote then wrapped up the scoring as Illinois State held a two-man advantage in the closing minutes. Schlote grabbed a loose puck and center ice and beat the Icebirds' goalie with 1:21 on the clock.
 
Freshman Tony Salamone (Jefferson City, MO/Jefferson City) stopped 31 Illinois State shots, including several key saves in the second period, to pick up the victory in goal for McKendree.