LEWISTON, N.Y. – Graduate student Collin Rutherford (Tonawanda, N.Y.) scored 9:47 into overtime to give Bentley University a 3-2 win over Niagara in Game One of the Atlantic Hockey first round on Friday night.

Playing only 20 minutes or so from his hometown of Tonawanda, Rutherford's two goals on the night helped put the Falcons in control of this best-of-three series, one game to zero.

Rutherford's goal came after defenseman Luke Orysiuk (Edmonton, Alberta) took the puck away from a Niagara player in the defensive zone. Rutherford then took control of the puck and skated down the right wing. He deked around one Niagara defender in the neutral zone to enter the offensive zone, then maneuvered around another to get a look on Purple Eagles goalie Chad Veltri on the near post.

Veltri had the near post covered and dropped down, but Rutherford lifted a backhander over him for the goal to give Bentley the win and the series lead.

Prior to Rutherford's goal the team's traded goals in the 2^nd and 3^rd periods.

Lucas Vanroboys (Thamesville, Ontario) put Bentley ahead 1-0 at 4:38 of the 2^nd period. A rush into the offensive zone resulted in Vanroboys putting a shot on Veltri from the near post that the netminder turned away. The rebound though popped loose, Vanroboys stuck with it and attempted another shot from behind the net that deflected off Veltri and in.

Niagara tied the game at the 13:07 mark with a power play goal from Shane Ott.

In the 3^rd period, the Falcons took a 2-1 lead on Rutherford's first goal of the night at the 9:30. Harrison Scott (San Jose, Calif.) won an offensive zone face-off and passed the puck to Danny Pearson (Vancouver, B.C.). Pearson put a shot on goal from the edge of the left face-off circle, and Rutherford was in front of the net to redirect the shot for the goal.

Just under three minutes later though, the Purple Eagles tied it again with a power play goal from Carter Randklev.

Minutes later Bentley appeared to take a 3-2 lead from Kohei Sato (Nishitokyo, Japan) only to have it overturned after a review.

Falcons goalie Evan DeBrouwer (Blenheim, Ontario) made 30 saves to earn the win.

Game two is Saturday night at 7:05 PM.