O'FALLON, Ill. – Back on home ice for the first time in 2024, the Bearcats hosted the University of Illinois for two games on February 2nd and 3rd at the McKendree Metro Rec Plex. McKendree bested the Fighting Illini in both games by the scores of 8-3 and 4-1.
February 2nd – Game One
The Bearcats jumped on the Illini in the first period with three goals. Matias Alexandrov netted his 10th of the season six minutes into the contest with assists from Steven Brachert and Alex Kent. Brachert made it 2-0 McKendree six minutes later with his seventh of the season as Alexandrov and Kent recorded the helpers. At the 16 minute mark, Tarcisius Tibishkogijig fired a harmless looking shot from the point that bounced off of the Illini goaltender's glove and trickled across the line for his first career goal. After the Illini got on the board with a power play goal to make it 3-1, Jack Harris found the back of the net for his 11th of the season with three tenths of second remaining in the period as Cade Rosansky and Harmon Marien picked up the assists.
In the middle stanza, the teams traded goals 45 seconds apart. The University of Illinois made it 4-2, before Joe McCormick netted a power play goal of his own on the helpers from Kent and Brad Richardson.
McKendree made it 6-2 on a Blake Martin power play goal just two minutes into the final period with Jack Sumner and Kyle Munyankuge picking up the assists. Later in the period, Rycol Davis found the back of the net for McKendree's third power play goal of the contest as Ben Anderson and Richardson picked up the assists. McCormick picked up his second of the game at the 17:29 mark as Richardson and Davis recorded the helpers.
Adam Siek picked up the win stopping 38-of-41 shots, while McKendree went a perfect 3 for 3 on the power play.
February 3rd – Game Two
Looking for the weekend sweep, the Bearcats and Illini went scoreless in the first period.
The midway part of the second period, Trevor Voyda scored on the power play for his fourth of the season with Rosansky and Marien picking up the assists. McCormick made it 2-0 McKendree at the 16:21 mark with Richardson and Davis recording the assists.
McKendree scored two goals within 20 seconds of each other early in the 3rd period. Richardson on the power play for his 9th of the season, then Davis with his 11th of the season made it 4-0.
The Illini netted their lone goal of the game at the 9:17 mark.
Siek picked up his 2nd win of the weekend stopping 26-of-27 Illini shots.
McKendree remains at home next weekend as they host the Northern Illinois University Huskies for two games. Friday, February 9th the Bearcats will honor their group of seniors.
