Box Score SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Bentley scored three goals in a span of 1:37 late in the 2nd period that propelled them to a 6-2 victory over AIC on Friday night at the MassMutual Center for the team's fourth straight victory.
Six different players had the goals, as the Falcons improved their Atlantic Hockey record to 4-6-3. Three of the goals came on special teams, two on the power play and one shorthanded, and one goal came on a penalty shot.
Sophomore goalie Aidan Pelino (Oakville, Ontario) made 31 saves for his 4th straight win.
Bentley trailed 1-0 midway through the second period, but a shorthanded goal from left wing Matt Riggleman (Milford, Mich.) started to turn the tide. A pass from defenseman Matt Lombardozzi (Leominster, Mass.) released Riggleman into the offensive zone, who then snapped of a wrist shot from the left face-off circle that beat AIC goalie Alex Murray to the far post to the tie the score. Riggleman now has a point in five straight games.
Towards the end of the period, pressure by Bentley while on the power play in front of the AIC net resulted in a penalty shot being awarded. Sophomore Ryner Gorowsky (Lino Lakes, Minn.) was tasked with taking it, and he converted with 3:05 left in the period after he deked right and shot to his left to give Bentley a 2-1 lead.
That was the first of three goals in a span of 1:37 to close out the period. With the power play still going, captain Kyle Schmidt (Menomonee Falls, Wisc.) scored in front of the net on a backhander, after taking a pass across the slot from freshman Luke Santerno (Smithers, B.C.).
The fourth goal of the period came from defenseman Connor Brassard (Fitchburg, Mass.) with 1:28 remaining. Brassard scored on a shot from the right face-off circle that got through traffic for his fourth goal of the season and second in as many games.
With a 4-1 lead going into the third period, Santerno tacked on the Falcons' fifth goal of the night, and second on the power play, after a steal behind the AIC net 5:08 into the final period. Sophomore Jonathan Desbiens (Montreal, Quebec) then became the team's sixth goal scorer of the night when he lit the lamp with 6:45 remaining
That was the final Atlantic Hockey game of the first semester for Bentley. They'll close out the first half next week with a pair of road games against ECAC schools, starting on Wednesday night against Brown.
