WALTHAM, Mass. – Bentley will look to win back-to-back Atlantic Hockey championships on Saturday night when they host Sacred Heart at Bentley Arena in the league championship game. Puck drop is set for 7:00 pm.
Tickets are sold out but fans can watch the broadcast on
FloHockey
Game Notes
Bentley and Sacred Heart are the top two seeds in the AHA playoffs. Bentley finished in first place in the regular season with 53 points (16-6-4) and Sacred Heart was second with 48 points (15-8-3).
The Falcons are ranked 20th in this week's USCHO poll for their first ranking of the season.
The Falcons have gone 4-0 in the postseason so far on their way to the finals. They swept Mercyhurst in the quarterfinals, which included a triple overtime 4-3 win in game one, which was the longest contest in program history. Bentley then completed the sweep in game two, 6-0.
Next up was Holy Cross in the semifinals and Bentley took the series lead in game one with another OT win, with the goal scored by
Owen Goodbrand. In game two, goals scored by Goodbrand and
Ryan Upson gave Bentley a 2-0 lead, and late goals by Goodbrand and
Michael Mesic finished it off for a 4-0 victory.
Freshman goalie
Lukas Swedin is 4-0 in the playoffs, with a .943 save percentage and 0.99 goals against average. Sophomore defenseman
David Helledy leads the team with six points and Mesic leads the team with four goals.
Sacred Heart swept Niagara in the first round and eliminated Robert Morris in the semifinals in three games.
This game features the top-two scores in the AHA this season. Bentley's
Jake Black is second in both goals (19) and points (40) and SHU's Felix Trudeau is first in both categories (25 goals and 47 points).
These squads are also ranked one-two in several team stats. In fewest goals allowed per game, Bentley is first (2.29) and SHU is second (2.38). In power play percentage, they are tied for first, both at 22.3 percent. In penalty kill percentage, SHU ranks first (86.6) and the Falcons are second (83.9).
The regular season series was tightly contested. In four games, Sacred Heart had the slight edge at 2-1-1.
On January 16-17 in Connecticut, the Pioneers won the first game 3-2 after two late goals in the third period. The second game ended in a 4-4 tie and Bentley won the shootout.
On February 13-14 in Waltham, SHU again won the first game, 4-0, but the Falcons responded with a 5-1 victory in the second contest.
The all-time series has also been tightly contested. Sacred Heart has a slight edge at 46-42-8.
These teams have played in the postseason on five occasions. In the 2025 semifinals (2-0 Bentley series win), the 2017 first round (2-1 Bentley series win), the 2016 first round (2-1 Bentley series win), the 2012 first round (2-1 Bentley series win) and the 2011 first round (Sacred Heart won).
The winner on Saturday earns Atlantic Hockey's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
