Waltham, MA – The visiting American International College Yellow Jackets got 32 saves from sophomore goalie Stefano Durante en route to a tightly fought 2-1 win over the Bentley Falcons in front of 1,332 at Bentley Arena. A second period power play goal from defenseman Janis Jaks was the difference in the game. AIC garnered the weekend sweep to pick up ground on first place Sacred Heart in the Atlantic Hockey standings.
Tobias Fladeby was called for Tripping at 3:04 giving the Falcons the first power play of the game. Bentley was unable to capitalize the man advantage while generating three shots on AIC goalie Durante.
The Yellow Jackets had a power play of their own at 5:40 when Bentley’s Connor Brassard was whistled for Hooking. AIC had two bids on Aiden Pelino (20 saves) in the Falcons goal.
Bentley’s Hunter Toale was sent to the penalty box at 14:26 for Elbowing. The Yellow Jackets power play struck for the game’s first goal at 15:13 when Hugo Reinhardt beat Pelino. Brennan Kapcheck and Fladeby were credited with the assists. The goal was Reinhardt’s seventh of the season.
Bentley outshot the Yellow Jackets 10-7 for the period while AIC won the face-off battle 11-7.
AIC opened up the second period with three straight penalties. Just forty seconds in an Elbowing call on Reinhardt was successfully killed off by the Yellow Jackets.
Which was followed up by a Roughing penalty to Blake Christensen at 3:46. Again the AIC penalty kill was up to the task as Bentley mustered two shots on Durante.
The third time was the charm as Fladeby was sent off for High-Sticking at 8:37. This Time the Falcons were able to take advantage of the AIC penalty as Matt Gosiewski fired a wrist shot from the blue line past Durante at 9:33. The goal was Gosiewski’s eighth of the season and was assisted by defenseman Toale.
The last five minutes of the period were slowed by six total penalties. Two more on AIC and four on Bentley.
At 14:32 Reinhardt was sent off for Cross-Checking Lucas Vanroboys, who was called for Slashing on Reinhardt in retaliation. The four on four play was cancelled out as Bentley’s Brendan Hamblet was called for Interference at 14:59.
AIC’sJaks broke the stalemate with a slapshot from the blue line at 15:31. The power play goal was the senior’s third goal of the season. Assists on the goal went to Christensen and Reinhardt.
A Slashing call on Bentley center Luke Santerno put the Yellow Jackets back on the man advantage only to have it negated at 16:39 by Jaks for Interference.
Santerno would end the period back in the box when he was sent off for Interference at 19:21.
Bentley would continue to outshoot the Yellow Jackets 13-11 for the period and lose the face-off battle 15-7.
An Interference call on AIC defenseman Jared Pike gave Bentley a power play at 15:55. The Yellow Jackets penalty kill had a two on one chance for Joel Kocur and Reinhardt that Pelino made a split save on Kocur’s shot.
The Falcons pulled Pelino with about 1:30 left to play. Bentley appeared to score with 9.6 left on the clock but after review the call on the ice stood, no goal.
Bentley outshot AIC 9-4 in the third and 33-22 for the game. With the win AIC’s record climbed to 11-5-1-0 in Atlantic Hockey play, while Bentley fell to 6-11-2-0.
AIC travels to Robert Morris for a weekend series while Bentley visits Mercyhurst. Both games have 7:05 pm EST puck drops.
