(DEKALB, Ill., Jan. 19) – The McKendree University men's D2 hockey team defeated Northern Illinois University by a score of 9-8 on Friday night at Leafs Ice Center.
 
The Bearcats improve to 17-4 overall on the season with the victory. Sophomore forward Dominic Naas (Neurensdorf, Zurich, Switzerland/Casper Coyotes WSHL) led the Bearcats in scoring with five points in the game, including four goals and one assist. Both sophomore forward Tyler Wilson and freshman forward Connor Brennan had three assists on the night for three points. Freshman defenseman Daniel Nordlander notched three points in the game with one goal and two assists.
 
The Huskies netted the first goal of the game but the Bearcats responded with three goals of their own to close out the first period leading 3-1. McKendree extended the lead to 4-1 just 29 seconds into the second period, but Northern Illinois responded with two goals of their own. The Bearcats answered with two more goals of their own to take a 6-3 lead. The Huskies again responded scoring two more of their own, but the Bearcats found the back of the net again to take a 7-5 lead into the third period. Naas lit the lamp with his fourth goal of the game to open the scoring in the first minute of the third period, to give McKendree the three goal lead. Northern Illinois would score three unanswered to tie the game at eight, but sophomore forward Levi Armstrong (Urbana, IL/Peoria Mustangs NA3HL) scored the game winner with 6:09 remaining in the third period to secure the win for the Bearcats.