(O'FALLON, Ill., Dec. 7) – The McKendree University men's D2 hockey team peppered 62 shots during the 10-1 over the Redbirds on Friday night, the first of a two game series. Senior Ty Watt (Barrie, Ontario, Canada/Rama Aces GMHL) netted four goals to pace the Bearcat attack.
 
McKendree moves to 15-4-1 overall on the season following the victory.
 
Sophomore Daniel Nordlander (Göteborg, Sweden/Wasaskolan Tingsryd) got the Bearcats on the board first, jamming the puck past the Redbird goaltender off a passes from sophomore Connor Brennan (Castle Rock, CO/Regis Jesuit High School) and junior Tyler Wilson (Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, Canada). Five minutes later, sophomore Shayne Pluto (Calgary, Alberta, Canada/Central Memorial High School) sniped a goal from the top of the face-off circle to give McKendree a 2-0 lead. Senior Lazar Lestaric (Belgrade, Serbia/National Sports Academy USHS) and junior Dominic Naas (Neurensdorf, Zurich, Switzerland/Casper Coyotes WSHL) were credited with the assists. Wilson passed to Brennan who skated around the net to set up Watt who was open in front to record his first goal of the game. The Bearcats led 3-0 heading into the first intermission.
 
Thirteen minutes into the second period, Lestaric passed the puck to Naas who lit the lamp from the dot on the right face-off circle. Pluto was also credited with an assist. Watt recorded his second goal off a two on one breakaway after Wilson gave him the puck in front of the net. Watt finished off the hat trick by taking the puck off the face-off and drilling it in the back of the net from 12 feet. Brennan won the face-off to set up Watt.
 
Extending the lead was Wilson as he carried the puck into the Redbird zone and squeaked it past the Illinois State netminder. Nordlander closed out the scoring in the second period as junior Wolfgang Davis (Langdon, ND/Billings Bulls NA3HL) passed to Brennan who passed to a cutting Nordlander on the weak side. McKendree led 8-0 after the second period.
 
Sophomore Ryan Reader (Granite City, IL/Granite City High School) capped off the nine goal run with one of his own after Watt set him up in front of the net. Wilson was also given an assist on the goal. Illinois State answered back with their first goal of the game just a minute later. Watt scored McKendree's 10^th goal on his fourth of the game after Wilson passed to him 10 feet in front of the net and buried in the back of the net, Wilson's fifth assist.
 
McKendree went on to beat Illinois State 10-1.
 
Freshman goaltender Wes Werner (LaSalle, Ontario, Canada/Sandwich Secondary School) recorded 23/24 saves in the victory, good for a .958 save percentage.
 
The Bearcats will look for a sweep of Illinois State to close out the first semester on Saturday afternoon at 4:30p.m.