Game Notes

Setting the Stage: The Bentley hockey team returns to Bentley Arena on Saturday for the first time in more than four weeks to take on the Dartmouth Big Green in a non-conference game. The puck will drop at 5:05 pm.

Bentley's last three outings have all been decided by one goal, the last two coming against Harvard on Dec. 4, which was the team's last home game, and on Sunday at UNH, the team's first game back from winter break.

Dartmouth returned from the winter break by hosting the annual Ledyard Classic. They defeated Army West Point 5-2 in the first game, before they dropped the finale to Providence, 5-3.

The Matchup: Both Bentley and Dartmouth have played several common opponents lately. The Falcons have played Army West Point twice, and split a series against them on Nov. 16-17, while Dartmouth defeated them 5-2 on Dec. 29.

Both teams played UNH recently, with Bentley suffering a one goal defeat on Dec. 30, while Dartmouth was swept on Dec. 7-8. Both teams have also played Harvard.

Bentley's power play units, which is converting at a 19.4 percent clip this season and has scored in four of the last six games, goes up against Dartmouth's penalty kill, which is at just 71.4 percent for the season.

Both teams are averaging just under 3.00 goals per game this season, with Bentley at 2.82 and Dartmouth at 2.85.

Last Time Out: Bentley suffered a one goal defeat at UNH on Sunday, 4-3. Junior goalie Aidan Pelino made a season high 39 saves, while the goals came from three different players; defenseman Alexey Solovyev and forwards Ryner Gorowsky and Luke Santerno.

Santerno's goal came on the power play, while Solovyev's goal bumped him to double digit points on the season with 10.

Looking at the Stats: Santerno leads the team with 16 points so far, which is T-9^th in Atlantic Hockey. He's T-4^th in the conference in assists.

Senior captain Tanner Jago is 5^th in Atlantic Hockey in points among defensemen (15), and he's T-4^th in power play points (9).

Jago Keeps Climbing: Jago, who earlier this season was named one just 15 candidates in Division I for the Senior CLASS Award, has 73 career points on 14 goals and 59 assists in 131 career games.

He ranks 2^nd among Atlantic Hockey defensemen in career points, trailing Robert Morris' Eric Israel by just three, and he's played in the most career games among active defensemen in the conference.

At Bentley, Jago ranks 4^th all-time in career points among defensemen. He trails Steve Weinstein (104), Steve Tobio (87) and Matt Blomquist (83).

Series History: Saturday's game will be the 4^th all-time meeting between Bentley and Dartmouth. The Falcons won last year's meeting up in Hanover, by a 5-1 score, which was the team's 6^th straight win at the time.

Bentley led 1-0 after the first period on a goal by Jago, then lit the lamp three times in the 2^nd period, on goals by Kyle Schmidt, Drew Callin and Jake Kauppila. Aidan Pelino made 30 saves to earn the win and had a shutout going with seven minutes left in the game. Santerno added an empty net goal late.

The other two meetings came in the 2007-08 and 2012-13 seasons.

Checking Dartmouth: The Big Green will come into Saturday's game with a 5-7-1 overall record and a 4-2-1 mark in the ECAC, which has them in 3^rd place, four points behind the leaders Yale and three behind second place Quinnipiac.

The team's leading scorer thus far is junior forward Will Graber with 11 points, on four goals and seven assists. Sophomore Quin Foreman and freshman Drew O'Connor lead with six goals apiece.

In goal, junior Adrian Clark has started 11 of 13 games. He sports a 2.78 GAA and .901 save percentage.

Up Next: The Falcons return to Atlantic Hockey play next weekend when they visit Robert Morris. It will be their 7^th trip out to the Steel City, including playoffs, since the 2014-15 season. The teams played seven times last season, four times in the regular season. Bentley swept a series at home, then lost and tied in the return series. They then met in the first round of the playoffs, which the Colonials won two games to one.