WATERTOWN, Mass. – Bentley scored three goals in the first period on its way to a 5-1 win over AIC Friday night in the first game of a weekend home-and-home Atlantic Hockey series at Ryan Skating Arena.

Two goals in the first by sophomore Brett Gensler (St. Charles, Mo./Youngstown Phantoms), his 12^th and 13^th of the season, were sandwiched between a 3-on-5 goal by senior Aaron Stonacek (Basehor, Kan./Fairbanks Ice Dogs), and the Falcons were in cruise control from that point on.

The victory lifts Bentley's record to 10-12-7 overall and 10-6-6 in Atlantic Hockey, and they're now in fifth place in the standings, just one point behind Niagara for fourth-place. They've won three out of their last five and are 3-1-2 in the last six.

Gensler opened the scoring at 8:05, taking a pass from freshman Brett Switzer (Calgary, Alberta/Spruce Grove Saints) on the right wing and beating goalie Ben Meisner with a wrist shot.

Shortly after the goal though, Bentley found itself down a man, and with 25 seconds left in that penalty, another one was called resulting in a 5-on-3 for the Yellow Jackets. That didn't matter though, as Stonacek forced a turnover after the ensuing face-off in the neutral zone to create a breakaway, and he finished it off for his third short-handed goal of the year and seventh overall.

Gensler then added to his league-leading points total at 12:27 with his second goal of the game, his 34^th point of the season. Stationed on the right post, he was in perfect position to beat Meisner when the puck bounced right to him for a tap-in.

Switzer added a power play goal at 7:27 of the second to give Bentley a 4-0 lead, and Jared Rickord (Skokie, Ill./Springfield Jr. Blues) found the back of the net at 11:36 after Stonacek fed him a cross ice pass to the left post to make it 5-0.

Sophomore goalie Branden Komm (Williamsville, N.Y./Northfield Mount Hermon) made 26 saves for the win, which evens his record on the season to 10-10-6.

Game two of the series is Saturday night at Springfield's Olympia Ice Center.