WATERTOWN, Mass. - Bentley University scored four power play goals and one shorthanded goal as the Falcons topped Sacred Heart 6-3 on Friday night in the opening game of a weekend Atlantic Hockey series. Seniors Marc Menzione (Darien, Ill./Mahoning Valley Phantoms) and Brendan Harrison (Scituate, Mass./Walpole Stars) each had two goals. Sophomore Herbie Kent (Amesbury, Mass./The Governor's Academy) had a career-high three assists.
Bentley jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period on a pair of power play goals by sophomore Aaron Stonacek (Basehor, Kan./Fairbanks Ice Dogs) and Harrison. A power play goal by Sacred Heart's Patrick Knowlton with 4:36 left in the period got the Pioneers to within 2-1 heading into the first intermission.
Bentley scored two more power play goals in the first 3:40 of the second period. Menzione tallied his first just 39 seconds in, and Harrison followed that up with his second minutes later.
Sacred Heart though rallied throughout the remainder of the period. Matt Gingera made it a two-goal game with a power play goal at 5:08, then Evan Mladenoff scored an even strength goal to cut Bentley's lead to 4-3 at the midway point of the second.
After a flurry of goals over the first two periods, almost 18 minutes passed before another was scored, and it went Bentley's way courtesy of Menzione. With the Falcons shorthanded, Menzione converted a Sacred Heart turnover into a breakaway goal, giving Bentley some breathing room. Less than five minutes later freshman Joe Campanelli (Pierrefonds, Quebec/Westminster Prep) got in on the act to finish the scoring.
Freshman Dan Koudys (Grimsby, Ontario/Burlington Cougars) and senior Bobby Preece (Bonita Springs, Fla./Fargo-Moorhead Jets) each had two assists. Junior goalie Joe Calvi (New Lenox, Ill./New England Jr. Huskies) made a career-high 44 saves to earn his third win of the season. Calvi is unbeaten in his last four starts.
These two teams will be back at it tomorrow in the conclusion of the series. Game time is 7:05.
