WALTHAM, Mass. – The Bentley University hockey team defeated Air Force 7-3 on Tuesday night in the first round of the Atlantic Hockey playoffs. With the win Bentley advances on to the quarterfinals, where they will meet AIC this weekend in a best of three series.

Bentley's top line of Jakov Novak (Windsor, Ontario), Matt Gosiewski (Wilton, Conn.) and Brendan Walkom (Pittsburgh, Pa.) accounted for five of Bentley's seven goals. Freshman goalie Nicholas Grabko (Channahon, Ill.) made 28 saves to earn the win in goal.

Bentley actually fell behind early, as Air Force first line left winger Willie Reim scored just 20 seconds into the game to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.

But Bentley wasn't deterred and scored three unanswered goals before the first period was over. Freshman Cole Kodsi (Boca Raton, Fla.) scored from a tough angle just below the left face-off circle at the 8:40 mark to tie the game 1-1.

Just under three minutes later, Novak netted his 7^th goal of the season to put Bentley in front 2-1. An outlet pass by defenseman Luke Orysiuk (Edmonton, Alberta) in the defensive zone threaded the needle for Novak to receive the pass in the offensive zone. Novak then skated in on net and deked around Air Force's Zach LaRocque to beat him with a backhander for the goal.

Bentley then made it 3-1 at the 14:17 mark on a goal by sophomore center Joe Winkelmann (St. Louis, Mo.) An initial shot goal by Will Schlagenhauf (Carmel, Indiana) was saved by LaRocque, but Winkelmann scored off the rebound to give Bentley a two goal lead.

Air Force though scored one back before the period was over. Defenseman Brandon Kock scored on the power play at 17:39 to cut Bentley's lead to 3-2 heading into the 1^st intermission.

The visiting Falcons then tied the scored 2:10 into the 2^nd period when right winger Max Harper scored a power play goal.

After a 10 minute stretch with no goals by either team, Bentley scored twice 1:31 apart in what proved to be the decisive part of the game to take a 5-3 lead. Walkom scored an even-strength goal at 12:15, when defenseman Drew Bavaro (Bradenton, Fla.) found him with a nice cross-ice pass on the far post for the goal.

Gosiewski then scored on the power play at the 13:46 mark to give Bentley a 5-3 lead, with a shot from a tight angle just below the dot in the right face-off circle.

That was the last goal for a while, as Grabko helped Bentley's lead stand up with 14 saves in the 3^rd period. Gosiewski scored an empty net goal with 1:44 remaining, and Walkom tallied an empty netter with nine seconds left to round out the scoring.

Bentley and AIC will now meet in the quarterfinals, in a best of three series beginning on Friday night in Springfield.