Kyle Schmidt
Kyle Schmidt

Sacred Heart Holds Off Bentley 5-4 for Series Split

WATERTOWN, Mass. – Visiting Sacred Heart came away with a 5-4 victory over Bentley University at the JAR on Saturday night to earn a split of the team's Atlantic Hockey series, after the Falcons won the first game 3-2 on Friday night. This despite two more goals from Kyle Schmidt (Menomonee Falls, Wisc./Sioux City).

Bentley dug themselves into a 5-2 deficit after Sacred Heart left winger Stephen Hladin scored at the 7:05 mark of the 3rd period. Though the Falcons rallied from a similar 5-2 deficit two weeks ago against Army West Point at the JAR to earn a 5-5 tie, they couldn't quite complete the comeback on this night.

Freshman Jonathan Desbiens (Montreal, Quebec/West Kelowna) got Bentley to within 5-3 at the 12:33 mark with a shot in front of the net, assisted by Jake Ahlgren (Fergus Falls, Minn./Wenatchee). Sacred Heart though would keep Bentley from getting any closer until the final seconds, when Schmidt scored an extra-attacker goal with just six seconds remaining, which provided the final 5-4 margin.

Bentley fell behind 3-0 after Sacred Heart's Jordan Minello found the back of the net 4:40 into the 2nd period. But the Falcons reeled off two straight power play goals to get back in it. Schmidt, the reigning Atlantic Hockey Player of the Week, scored first at 8:26. Just under six minutes later, with Bentley on a 5-on-3 power play, Max French (West Kelowna, B.C./West Kelowna) ripped a shot past SHU goalie Brett Magnus and into the top corner to make it a 3-2 game.

SHU responded though with a power play goal of its own, this one coming from senior Justin Danforth a little over two minutes after French's goal, to restore its two goal lead. The score stayed 4-2 until Hladin added the Pioneers' 5th goal in the 3rd period.

Schmidt finished the series with four goals for Bentley, and he now has seven in the last five games.

Bentley will get back at it next weekend when they visit RIT for a two game series.