(LEBANON, Ill., Oct. 18)—The McKendree University hockey team saw a two-goal lead slip away in the third period of a 5-4 loss Saturday afternoon at home against Bradley University.
 
The visiting Braves netted three goals over a five-minute span in the early stages of the third period to rally to earn a weekend split of its series against the Bearcats. McKendree moves to 6-5 overall and will be the road team for a Thursday night contest against Southern Illinois University Edwardsville at the East Alton Ice Arena. Face-off is set for 7 p.m.
 
Forward Dylan Mueth (Lebanon, IL/Wesclin ) scored two of the Bearcats' four goals against Bradley. Sophomore forward Ryan Sizer (Belleville, Ontario, Canada/Moira Secondary School) added a goal and assist in the effort, while freshman forward Sasha-Mitchell Perron (Victoria, British Columbia, Canada/Bellingham Blazers (NPHL)) handed out three assists for McKendree. Freshman forward Lazar Lestaric (Belgrade, Serbia/Sesta) scored the other goal on Saturday for the Bearcats.
 
After Bradley took a 1-0 lead in the first, McKendree tied the game midway through period. Mueth scored the first of his two goals off a pass from Perron to knot the score at 1-1. The Braves answered later in the period with a power-play goal to grab a 2-1 advantage at the first intermission.
 
With 12:47 left in the second period, Mueth scored again with assists going to Sizer and Perron to help the Bearcats even things at 2-2. Lestaric gave McKendree its first lead of the contest at 3-2 with a tally just 96 second later. Sizer capped the second-period flurry for the Bearcats with 6:52 remaining as Mueth and Perron were credited with the assists.
 
The Bradley defense tightened up as it did not allow a goal the remainder of the afternoon. In turn, the Braves took control offensively in the third period, scoring the eventual game-winning goal with 12:25 to play.
 
Sophomore Trevor Klostermann (Highland, IL/Highland) earned the start in goal for McKendree and made 16 saves in collecting the hard-luck loss for the Bearcats.
 
Saturday's game also marked the final official home contest of the 2015-16 season for McKendree at the East Alton Ice Arena. The Bearcats went 3-2 on its home ice.