LEBANON, Ill. – The Bearcat men's hockey team dropped the puck on their 2023-24 season on September 14th and 15th against the Maryville University Saints in a home-and-home series. In the home opener on Thursday, September 14th, the Saints took the game by the score of 4-3. On Friday, Maryville scored seven goals in the first period and never looked back as the final was 12-2.
September 14th
On the 3rd power play of the opening stanza, Bradley Richardson fired a shot towards the net, letting Rycol Davis gather the rebound to open the scoring and give the Bearcats the 1-0 lead.
As the game moved to the 2nd period, the scoring floodgates opened as both teams scored two goals apiece in the opening seven minutes. After Maryville made it 2-1, just 90 seconds later, Blake Martin took Connor Mullins pass from the defensive zone and beat the Saints' goalkeeper high over the glove to tie it at 2. Alex Kent gave McKendree the lead once more at 3-2 after the Bearcat defense was able to keep the puck in the zone.
The Saints would score twice late in the middle period to cap the scoring and take season opener by the score of 4-3.
Between the pipes, Chad Purdy stopped 44 of the 48 Maryville shots.
September 15th
Twenty-four hours later, the two teams dropped the puck over at the Maryville University Hockey Center, the Saints came out on fire. They scored seven goals in the first period in route to their 12-2 win over the Bearcats.
The two Bearcat goals were scored one minute apart late in the first period. Steven Brachert picked up his first of the year at the 18:26 mark unassisted. Then, Trevor Yoda scored at the 19:31 mark with assists coming from Jack Harris and Cade Rosansky.
Maryville outshot the Bearcats 44-22.
The Bearcats will return to the ice on September 29th at 7:45 p.m. when they host the Midland University Warriors.
