WATERTOWN, Mass. – Junior Joe Campanelli (Pierrefonds, Quebec/Westminster Prep) scored with eight minutes remaining in the third period to level the score at two, and that's the way the game ended between Bentley and Holy Cross in the first game of a crucial Atlantic Hockey series Friday night.

Bentley fell behind 2-0 after Holy Cross scored twice in the second period, the second one coming from Kyle Fletcher at 11:05. But a little more than three minutes after that, sophomore Brett Gensler (St. Charles, Mo./Youngstown Phantoms) scored a big goal to get Bentley back in the game.

The Falcons still trailed 2-1 past the midway point of the third period, until Campanelli struck with his fifth goal of the season. Campanelli took a tough angled shot from the right face-off circle, but the puck bounced in off goalie Matt Ginn to tie the game

Holy Cross had a golden opportunity to take the lead late as Bentley was called for two penalties in the same sequence, giving the Crusaders a full two minutes of 5-on-3 with 3:07 remaining. But the Falcons' penalty kill unit prevented the go-ahead goal.

Regulation ended 2-2 and the game went to overtime for the second time this season between the two teams, and it was Bentley that had a great scoring chance early on. Gensler hit Alex Grieve (Calgary, Alberta/Westside Warriors) with a beautiful cross ice pass to Ginn's stick side, but the freshman made a great pad save to deny the goal.

That was the last time Bentley seriously threatened to score, and Holy Cross put three shots on net in the extra session, but Falcons goalie Branden Komm (Williamsville, N.Y./Northfield Mount Hermon) stopped each of them.

After a scoreless first period the Crusaders struck first on a goal by Adam Schmidt at 5:41 of the second, which came 35 seconds into a 5-on-3 opportunity. A shot from the near post by Schmidt deflected in off a Bentley player's skate for the goal.

Holy Cross then made 2-0 as they took advantage of a defensive miscue by Bentley which led to a breakaway. Schmidt hit Fletcher with a centering pass and there was nothing Komm could do to stop his wide open shot.

Gensler though made it a one goal game again with his 17^th of the season and 40^th point. His initial shot went off the post, but he got his own rebound and put it past Ginn.

With the tie, the Falcons go to 13-6-7 in Atlantic Hockey for 33 points, putting them in a tie for third with RIT going into the final day of the regular season. They can clinch a first round bye with a win Saturday night when the series moves to Worcester. Holy Cross goes to 14-8-4 in Atlantic Hockey.