Branden Komm
Branden Komm

Komm Makes 54 Saves as Bentley and Army Tie 2-2

WEST POINT, N.Y. – Junior goalie Branden Komm (Williamsville, N.Y./Northfield Mount Hermon) made 54 saves, 21 in the third period and overtime, as Bentley University and Army skated to a 2-2 tie Saturday night at Tate Rink. The Falcons take three points from the series after Friday's 5-3 win.

After Army scored two goals in less than 90 seconds late in the second period to erase a 2-0 deficit, Komm was at his best over the final 25 minutes to keep the game tied. Bentley was outshot by Army 21-10 during that time, but Komm stopped every shot. The junior backstop also made 22 saves in the second period on his way to recording the second highest saves total of his career.

At one point early in the third period, Komm lost his stick, but was still able to rob Army's Andrew O'Leary with a glove save from point blank range.

Bentley's best chance to score in overtime came on a break down the ice led by freshman Andrew Gladiuk (White Rock, B.C./Nanaimo Clippers), with Joe Campanelli (Pierrefonds, Quebec/Westminster Prep) trailing. Gladiuk left a drop pass for Campanelli on the near post of goalie Rob Tadazak, but Tadazak denied him.

The draw means Bentley's record goes 12-15-2 overall and 10-11-2 in Atlantic Hockey. They are now 1-1-2 in four overtime games this season.

The Falcons had an early opportunity to do some damage after Army was called for a five minute major just 4:45 into the first period, but it was the Black Knights who produced the better scoring chances and Bentley came away empty handed.

But less than four minutes after the teams returned to 5-on-5, Brett Gensler (St. Charles, Mo./Youngstown Phantoms) put Bentley up 1-0 at 13:06 with his 15th goal of the season. Brett Switzer (Calgary, Alberta/Spruce Grove Saints) had the assist.

The Falcons went up 2-0 at 2:39 of the second period on Alex Kubiak's (Tinley Park, Ill./Chicago Steel) first goal of the season after finishing off a 2-on-1 break with Jared Rickord (Skokie, Ill./Springfield Jr. Blues). Rickord brought the puck into the attacking zone down the left wing, and fed Kubiak as he crashed the net. Kubiak got his stick to it and steered the puck past Tadazak for the goal.

Bentley kept its two goal lead for most of the period until the Black Knights scored twice in a 1:27 span late in the frame. Senior Andy Starczewski scored first at 17:28. After Komm made a skate save on a shot by Joe Kozlak, the rebound came right to Starczewski in front of an open net. Defenseman Mac Lalor then scored at 18:55 on a wrist shot in the slot off a broken play.

Bentley will return to the ice on Friday when they host Sacred Heart in the first game of a home-and-home series.