WATERTOWN, Mass. – Senior Max French (West Kelowna, B.C./West Kelowna) helped ensure there will be at least one more game this season for Bentley University. His hat trick, with two of the goals in the 3^rd period, lifted the Falcons to a 5-2 win over Sacred Heart in game two of the Atlantic Hockey first round Saturday night and to force a decisive game three on Sunday night.

Bentley led 2-1 after two periods, but a Sacred Heart goal by left wing Jeff Carroll just 1:12 into the 3^rd period knotted the game 2-2. However, the Falcons scored three unanswered to secure a 5-2 victory. It will be the second straight year Bentley and Sacred Heart will play a deciding third game in the first round of the postseason.

Junior Kyle Schmidt (Menomonee Falls, Wisc./Sioux City) scored what would be the game-winner at the 11:28 mark. The goal was setup with a shot from close range by center Ryan McMurphy (Broken Arrow, Okla./Tri-City) that SHU goalie Brett Magnus turned away. Schmidt though pounced on the loose rebound and poked it past Magnus for a 3-2 lead.

Bentley held on to the lead for the next seven-plus minutes, with goalie Jayson Argue (Swan River, Manitoba/Nanaimo) coming up with several big saves among his 30 total on the night.

Under the two minute mark, French rifled in his 2^nd of the night to put the Falcons up 4-2. Freshman Ryner Gorowsky (Lino Lakes, Minn./Fairbanks) got the play started with a pass from behind the net to Schmidt in the slot. Schmidt then fed a short centering pass to French, who ripped a shot past Magnus top shelf.

Magnus was then pulled with 1:20 left as SHU tried to cut into the lead. However, French won a defensive zone face-off, and slid the puck the length of the ice into the empty net with 31 seconds left to provide the final 5-2 margin, and for his 3^rd goal of the night.

In the early going, SHU led 1-0 after the first period on a goal by right wing Vito Bavaro. But Bentley scored twice in the 2^nd period. French scored his first of the night at 6:39. Less than a minute later, defenseman Chris Buchanan (San Jose, Calif./Fargo) scored with a shot from the blue line, after French won an offensive zone face-off.

Game three tomorrow night will get started at 7:05 pm.