Novak's Late Goal Gives Bentley 3-2, Game One Win over Robert Morris

Box Score

Waltham, Mass. – Freshman center Jakov Novak (Windsor, Ontario) scored with 1:37 left in the 3^rd period to break a 2-2 tie and give Bentley University a 3-2 victory over Robert Morris in game one of the Atlantic Hockey Quarterfinals on Friday night.

Novak backhanded a shot in the right face-off circle over the glove of RMU goalie Francis Marotte to put the Falcons ahead 3-2 when overtime was looking like a possibility. Marotte was then pulled for an extra-attacker for the final stretch, but Bentley held firm to claim the game one victory.

Novak's goal was his second of the night. He also scored the game's first goal, 12:55 into the 1^st period to give Bentley a 1-0 lead. The goal broke an early feeling out period by the two teams and got the Falcons on the board first with a shot from just inside the blue line on the left point.

Falcons goalie Aidan Pelino (Oakville, Ontario) kept the lead intact shortly after by denying RMU's Grant Herbet on a breakaway.

RMU though did tie it on center Luke Lynch's 9^th goal of the year at 18:54 on a shot that from the right wing that got in through a funny bounce.

But just 22 seconds before the end of the period, Brendan Hamblet (Hopkinton, Mass.) put Bentley back in front with his 10^th goal of the year. Jonathan Desbiens (Montreal, Quebec) got the play started by intercepting an RMU clearing attempt in the offensive zone and passing down low to Drew Callin (Middleton, Wisc.). Callin then quickly slid a pass across the crease to Hamblet for the goal and a 2-1 lead just before intermission.

RMU scored the only goal of the 2^nd period, a power play goal by right wing Michael Louria at 11:19 to tie the game 2-2.

That was the final goal until Novak's winner late in the 3^rd as the team's battled back and forth looking for the go-ahead goal. Bentley killed off the only power play of the 3^rd period, which included a big blocked shot by Jake Kauppila (Gurnee, Ill.)

Pelino finished the night with 28 saves to earn the win, his 16^th of the season.

Bentley will look to clinch the series tomorrow night and advance on to the semifinals in game two, which gets underway at 7:05 pm.