WALTHAM, Mass. – The Bentley Falcons hockey team played its first game in front of fans since March 2020, and the fans went home happy as the Falcons defeated Ohio State 2-1 on Friday night at Bentley Arena.

Sophomore goalie Nicholas Grabko (Channahon, Illinois) made 34 saves, including 18 in a stellar first period. The reigning Atlantic Hockey Goalie of the Week, he now has a .943 save percentage in two games to start the season.

The Falcons goals came from graduate student Collin Rutherford (Tonawanda, N.Y.) and freshman Cooper Connell. Those were the first goals in a Bentley uniform for both of them.

Rutherford's goal came early on, just 1:35 into the game, after he took the puck off OSU goalie Ryan Snowden behind the net and beat Snowden and another OSU defenseman to the spot in front of the net for the goal.

Grabko kept Bentley in front the rest of the period, and the Falcons made it 2-0 with another early goal to start the 2^nd period.

Right winger Phil Knies (Phoenix, Ariz.) brought the puck into the offensive zone and played a pass off to Brendan Hamblet on the right. Hamblet put a shot on net that Snowden saved, but Connell was in front to score off the rebound.

The assist was the first point in a Bentley uniform for Knies.

The Buckeyes would score just 18 seconds later off the stick of Mason Lohrei to make it a 2-1 game.

But that ended up being the final goal of the game. Grabko made 17 saves over the final 39-plus minutes as the Falcons secured the 2-1 win.

The Falcons will go for the series sweep tomorrow night at 6:05 pm.