WORCESTER, Mass. – Bentley University made it a sweep of the weekend with a 5-2 victory over Holy Cross at the Hart Center on Saturday night in Atlantic Hockey action.

Like last Saturday's game against Niagara, Bentley got off to a fast start and led 3-0 after the first period. Niagara rallied to win that game 5-3, and for a time, this game appeared to be following the same script after a second period lull allowed the Crusaders to get back in the game. The Falcons finished strong in the third period for the second straight game though, as sophomore Joe Campanelli (Pierrefonds, Quebec/Westminster Prep) and junior Aaron Stonacek (Basehor, Kan./Fairbanks Ice Dogs) scored timely goals.

Holding onto a 3-2 lead entering the third, Campanelli's first goal of the season at 5:17 gave Bentley some breathing room. Stonacek followed that up with a pretty goal from senior Jeremy Robert (Maplewood, Minn./Bismarck Bobcats) to give the Falcons a comfortable 5-2 lead with 12:22 to play.

Bentley improves to 4-5-1 on the season and 3-2 in Atlantic Hockey play with the win, while Holy Cross falls to 6-5-1 overall and 5-2-1 in the league. Junior goalie Kyle Rank (Islip, N.Y./Markham Waxers), making his first start in nearly a month, made 30 saves to earn his first win of the season.

After withstanding an early barrage of Holy Cross shots that Rank looked sharp stopping, the Falcons got on the board at the 4:32 mark of the opening period on a nice effort by freshman Justin Breton (Fitchburg, Mass./Boston Jr. Bruins) to set up the goal.

Breton took the puck from the neutral zone into the offensive zone, skated in on net and fed a backhand pass to freshman Jared Rickord (Skokie, Ill./Springfield Jr. Blues), who one-timed it past an out-of-position Thomas Tysowsky.

Just past the midway point of the period, junior Ryan Kayfes (Maple Grove, Minn./Fairbanks Ice Dogs) gave Bentley a 2-0 lead with a power play goal. Kayfes took a pass from sophomore Dan Koudys (Grimsby, Ontario/Burlington Cougars) on the point and blasted a slap shot that went under the pads of Tysowsky.

Senior Erik Peterson (Shorewood, Minn./Sioux Falls Stampede) made it 3-0 at 14:15, following up a shot from Dustin Cloutier (Berkley, Mich./Mahoning Valley Phantoms) and depositing the rebound into a wide open net.

Bentley's offense went silent in the second period, getting outshot 15-2 as the Crusaders got back in the game with two goals.

Junior Jay Silvia made it 3-1 at the 7:22 mark, and junior Andrew Cox made it a one-goal at game at 14:13. Junior Matt Gordon had the first shot on net that was saved, but Cox crashed the net untouched and put the rebound past a sprawling Rank.

Bentley is back in action on Saturday to begin a two-game series at home against Canisius.

Box Score

At Worcester, Mass.

Bentley (4-5-1, 3-2 AHA)               3   0   2   --   5

Holy Cross (6-5-1, 5-2-1 AHA)       0   2   0   --   2

1st Period: B, Jared Rickord (Justin Breton, Brett Hartung) 4:32; B, PP Ryan Kayfes (Dan Koudys, Trent Bonnett) 10:02; B, Erik Peterson (Dustin Cloutier, Kayfes) 14:15

2nd Period: H, Jay Silvia (Kyle Fletcher, Rob Linsmayer) 7:22; H, Andrew Cox (Matt Gordon, Jeff Reppucci) 14:13

3rd Period: B, Joe Campanelli (Jamie Nudy, Dan Koudys) 5:17; B, Aaron Stonacek (Jeremy Robert, Jordy Trottier) 8:38

Shots: H, 32; B, 24

Saves: H, Thomas Tysowsky 19; B, Kyle Rank 30

Penalties: H, 4-8; B, 4-8

Power Plays: H, 0-3; B, 1-3