Erik Peterson is fast on the ice. The speed at which the sophomore left-winger made an impact on the Bentley hockey program was even faster.

Peterson established himself as one of the top players in the Atlantic Hockey Association in his first season, scoring 16 goals in 35 games – tops among AHA freshmen and sixth overall in the league. He ended 2007-2008 as the first-ever Bentley player to be named Atlantic Hockey Rookie of the Year, and just the fourth Falcon to earn league All-Rookie team status.

But how does a kid from Shorewood, Minn. (population 7,400) end up nearly 1,500 miles from home?

“I always had an interest in going to school on the East Coast,” Peterson says. “What attracted me to Bentley were the academics and proximity to the city. I felt that it would be a good fit for me after visiting the school and talking with the guys and coaches.”

At 5 feet, 8 inches and 155 pounds, Peterson may not have ideal measurements for a hockey player. But he offsets his lack of size with quickness, agility, and an ability to visualize how plays will develop before they happen. Natural aptitude notwithstanding, Peterson attributes his success to hard work off the ice and the support of talented teammates.

“The summer before coming to Bentley I trained hard, so I started the season in pretty good shape,” he says. “Last year I played with guys who really knew the game well, and I fed off their play.”

Perhaps as notable as their prowess on the ice is the juggling act that Peterson and his teammates perform as student athletes.

“Being able to balance hockey with academics was probably my biggest concern,” says Peterson, who has not yet chosen a major. “But Bentley does a great job of getting student athletes on the right track in the classroom.”

Peterson and seniors Dain Prewitt (Westminster, Colo.) and Anthony Canzoneri (Homer Glen, Ill.) compose a top line that is among the best in Atlantic Hockey. If the Falcons are able to improve on last season’s 9-13-6 conference record this year, the success will trace a direct line to the offensive contributions of this trio.

And if history is any guide, Peterson will be quick to do his part.