(ST. LOUIS, Mo., Feb. 8) – The McKendree University men's D2 hockey team recorded a dominant 11-1 win over Maryville on Friday night on the road.
The Bearcats advance to 22-5-1 overall on the season following the win.
Junior
Dominic Naas (Neurensdorf, Zurich, Switzerland/Casper Coyotes WSHL) kicked off the scoring midway through the first period on an unassisted goal. Just 30 seconds later, the lamp was lit again by senior
Ty Watt (Barrie, Ontario, Canada/Rama Aces GMHL) on an assist by sophomore
Connor Brennan (Castle Rock, CO/Regis Jesuit High School). With under a minute left in the period, senior
Lazar Lestaric (Belgrade, Serbia/National Sports Academy USHS) extended the lead to three with help from sophomore
Daniel Nordlander (Göteborg, Sweden/Wasaskolan Tingsryd) and Naas. The Bearcats carried a 3-0 lead into the first intermission.
Nine minutes into the second period, junior
Michael Weedman (O'Fallon, MO/Fort Zumwalt North High School) jumped onto the scoresheet with his first goal of the season. Naas and sophomore
Shayne Pluto (Calgary, Alberta, Canada/Central Memorial High School) were credited with the assists. Shortly after, Naas recorded his second goal of the evening with assists from Lestaric and freshman
Trevor Wolf (Wellington, FL/Wellington High School). Sophomore
Adam Dempski (St. Charles, MO/Francis Howell North HS) further extended the lead just a minute later with his first goal of the evening. Weedman and Nordlander got credit with the helpers. Brennan closed the second period with back to back goals to give McKendree an 8-0 lead. Sophomore
Aleks Ivasenko (Riga, Latvia/Riga 1. Distance Education High School) assisted Brennan's second goal.
Maryville scored the first goal of the final period to avoid the shutout. Watt notched his second goal of the game with five minutes on the clock. Brennan and sophomore
Jacob Scrum (Maryville, IL/Collinsville High School) were awarded assists on the goal. Naas finished off the hat trick for the Bearcats' 10
th goal of the evening on an unassisted goal. Watt joined the hat trick club with under two minutes remaining in the game with a pass from Brennan.
McKendree would go on to win 11-1 over Maryville in game one of the series.
Freshman
Wes Werner (LaSalle, Ontario, Canada/Sandwich Secondary School) stymied 17 shots during the win.
The Bearcats will look for a sweep late Saturday afternoon at 5:45 in St. Louis.
