WALTHAM, Mass. – Bentley took a 1-0 lead in its best of three Atlantic Hockey quarterfinal series with Canisius on Friday with a 4-0 victory on home-ice.

Goaltender Connor Hasley and the Falcons recorded their ninth shutout of the season. Hasley made 26 saves to earn his 17^th win of the season.

Jake Black scored two goals, in the second and third periods, and Nik Armstrong-Kingkade and Nick Bochen had goals in the opening period.

Bentley took a 1-0 lead just 3:13 into the game on Armstrong-Kingkade's 9^th goal of the season. Arlo Merritt dug the puck out along the boards and fed a pass back to defenseman Tanner Main on the blue line. Main got a shot off just before it crossed over the blue line and Armstrong-Kingkade fought through traffic to get a tip-in for the goal.

The Falcons then made it 2-0 with 15 seconds left in the period on Bochen's 8^th goal of the year. Bentley kept the puck in the offensive zone after a Canisius clearing attempt and Bochen jumped on the loose puck after the Griffs turned it over. Bochen then fired a shot from the right point for the goal to double the lead.

The lead jumped to 3-0 at 5:15 of the 2^nd period on Black's first of the night. Garrett Horsager fed the puck down low to Peter Kramer who had a shot from close range saved. Jimmy Doyle got a touch on it over to Black, who fired a shot from a tight angle on the goal line to beat Ben Bonisteel.

Black scored again at 6:28 of the 3^rd period after he jumped on the rebound from a shot by A.J. Hodges that was blocked. Black then scored with a quick shot in front of the net to make it 4-0 Falcons.

Hasley and the Falcons continued to slam the door the remainder of the game to finish their ninth shutout of the season.

The win was the 19^th of the season which ties the program record.

Game two of the series is Saturday at 7:00 pm.