(LEBANON, Ill., Sept. 22) – The McKendree University men's D3 hockey team defeated Northern Illinois by a final score of 7-1 in the home opener on Friday night.
 
Northern Illinois took an early lead in the first period, scoring on the power play just 4:53 into the game. The Bearcats answered with two power play goals of their own. McKendree freshman forward Garrett Poole (Columbia, IL/Columbia High School) netted his first career goal for the Bearcats with freshman defenseman Riley Brown (Granite City, IL/Granite City High School) and senior defenseman Ethan Gremminger (O'Fallon, MO/Fort Zumwalt North) notching assists on the goal. Freshman forward Christian Blandina (Glen Carbon, IL/Edwardsville High School) also scored his first goal as a member of the Bearcats just 29 seconds later on a pass from Gremminger.
 
The second period saw two more goals from the Bearcats. Freshman forward Adam Dempski (St. Charles, MO/Francis Howell North HS) registered his first career goal with McKendree with assists credited to Gremminger and Poole. Graduate student forward Brett Maggio (Collinsville, IL/O'Fallon) fired a shot that beat the Huskies goaltender to give the Bearcats a 4-1 lead on a pass from Gremminger.
 
McKendree wasn't done scoring, adding another three tallies in the third period. Poole opened the scoring in the third, with his second power play marker of the game, Brown and Gremminger each registered assists on the goal. Gremminger found the back of the net halfway through the third period on a pass from sophomore defenseman Nick Gay (Pinedale, WY/Tri City Outlaws). Freshman forward Nick Nelson (St. Charles, MO/Francis Howell) sent a pass over to defenseman Jacob Scrum (Maryville, IL/Collinsville High School), who capped off the scoring in the game with his first goal as a Bearcat.
 
Gremminger led McKendree in scoring in the contest, having a hand in six of the Bearcats seven goals. Gremminger registered five assists and one goal in the game. Poole netted two goals and tallied an assist for three points in the matchup. Junior goaltender Zach Allen got the nod, stopping 19 of 20 for a save percentage on 0.950 and a goals-against average of 1.00.
 
The Bearcats are hit the ice again on Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. against Northern Illinois University at the McKendree Metro Rec Plex. The game will be followed up by McKendree D2 men's hockey taking on Saint Louis University in their home opener at 4:45 p.m. at the McKendree Metro Rec Plex.