(SPRINGFIELD, Mo., Feb. 16) – The McKendree University men's D2 hockey team defeated American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) D1 opponent Missouri State University in overtime by a final score of 8-7 on Saturday evening.
 
The Bearcats move to 24-6 on the season splitting with Missouri State. The Bearcats posted a record of 3-3 against ACHA D1 opponents this season
 
McKendree scored first in the contest with a goal from freshman forward Connor Brennan. Missouri State evened the game at one a side, but the Bearcats responded with two more goals before the end of the first period. McKendree's goals came from sophomore forward Levi Armstrong (Urbana, IL/Peoria Mustangs NA3HL) and freshman defenseman Daniel Nordlander. After the first 20 minutes of play, the Bearcats held a 3-1 lead over the Ice Bears.
 
The second period opened with two more unanswered goals by McKendree, from sophomore forward Dominic Naas (Neurensdorf, Zurich, Switzerland/Casper Coyotes WSHL) and senior forward Jacob Young (Arnold, MO/Meramec Sharks). Missouri State answered with two goals of their own before McKendree sophomore defenseman Alec Nichols (Cedar Rapids, IA/Northern Iowa Bulls NA3HL) netted a goal for the Bearcats to take a 6-3 lead. The Ice Bears responded with 2:42 remaining in the second period to draw the game back within two goals. Freshman defenseman Aleks Ivasenko lit the lamp with just 11 seconds remaining in the second period to extend the Bearcats lead back to three goals. At the close of the second period McKendree held a 7-4 lead over Missouri State. The Ice Bears charged back in the third period scoring three goals to tie the game and force overtime.
 
In the overtime period, Naas found the back of the Ice Bears net to give McKendree the victory with Nordlander and Brennan recording assists on the goal.
 
Senior goaltender Trevor Klostermann (Highland, IL/Highland HS) started the final game of the regular season for the Bearcats turning aside 41 of 48 shots on goal in the contest. Klostermann moves to 6-0 on the season with the victory on Saturday.