(O'FALLON, Ill., Oct. 30) – The McKendree University men's D1 hockey team suffered a loss to Maryville on Wednesday night at the McKendree Metro Rec Plex. The visiting Saints overcame a 2-0 deficit to win 4-3 over the Bearcats.
 
McKendree drops their first game of the season to fall to 3-1 overall on the season and 1-1 in the Midwest College Hockey (MCH) conference.
 
The Bearcats jumped on the board first with a goal from senior Dominic Naas (Neurensdorf, Zurich, Switzerland/Casper Coyotes WSHL). Freshman Connor Mullins (Whitby, Ontario, Canada/Donald A. Wilson Secondary School) sent a pass to Naas who carried the puck into the Maryville zone, cutting in front the goalie and sliding it into the back of the net for a 1-0 lead. Senior goalie Andrew Best (Midland, Ontario, Canada/Cambridge Bears Junior A team) stopped six Maryville shots to keep the score at 1-0 after the opening period.
 
Junior Connor Brennan (Castle Rock, CO/Regis Jesuit High School) pushed the lead to 2-0 after receiving a pass from sophomore Otasowie Omoregie (Pickering, Ontario, Canada/) in front of the net. The Saints countered back with back to back goals to tie the game at two just past the midway point of the second period. McKendree answered back with a goal from Mullins who fired the puck on net, sneaking by the Saint goalie to give the Bearcats a 3-2 lead. Maryville knotted the game at three with eight seconds remaining in the period.
 
Maryville scored the game-winning goal with seven minutes left in the third period to take a 4-3 win over the Bearcats.
 
The Bearcats will now head on the road to Northern Illinois University on Nov. 8-9.