(LEBANON, Ill., Jan. 17)—The McKendree University hockey team returned to action Friday night with a 6-3 victory on the road against the University of Illinois.
 
The Bearcats scored early and often against the Illini, racing to a 5-0 lead at the first intermission in cruising to the win. McKendree improves to 12-9 with the win and will wrap up the weekend series with Illinois Saturday afternoon.
 
Sophomore forward Ryan Sizer (Belleville, Ontario, Canada/Moira Secondary School) scored twice and had three assists for McKendree. Defenseman Brendan Whitt (Granite City, IL/Granite City) also had a big night with four assists in the win for the Bearcats.
 
Sizer opened the first-period scoring frenzy for McKendree off a pass from sophomore defenseman Josh Donovan (Ojai, CA/Cornerstone Academy). Forward Dylan Mueth (Lebanon, IL/Wesclin ) made it 2-0 midway through the stanza on a power-play goal as Whitt collected his first assist of the evening. Sophomore defenseman Steve Csanyi (Belleville, Ontario, Canada/Nicholson) tallied another power-play goal for the Bearcats for a three-goal advantage. Sophomore forward Jacob Young (Arnold, MO/Fox) and junior forward Dakota Brewer (Linn Creek, MO/Camdenton) each scored in the final two minutes of the period to give McKendree a 5-0 lead heading into the locker room.
 
Illinois scored the lone goal of the second period before Sizer closed out the Bearcats' scoring with a power-play tally just over three minutes into the third period.
 
Freshman Andrew Best (Midland, Ontario, Canada/Cambridge Bears Junior A) faced 51 shots on goal against Illinois, stopping 48 to earn the victory between the pipes for McKendree.