BUFFALO, N.Y. – Sophomore Andrew Gladiuk (White Rock, B.C./Nanaimo Clippers) scored two power play goals to help Bentley University defeat Canisius 4-1 in Atlantic Hockey play Saturday afternoon at the Buffalo State Ice Arena.

Gladiuk struck on the power play in the second and third periods as part of a 3-5 day on the man-advantage for the Falcons. Senior captain Jared Rickord (Skokie, Ill./Springfield Jr. Blues) also had a power play goal in the first period to get Bentley rolling.

Senior goaltender Branden Komm (Williamsville, N.Y./Northfield Mount Hermon) made 21 saves playing near his hometown for his 12^th win of the season. The Falcons are now 10-1-2 over their last 13 games and they improve to 10-3-2 in Atlantic Hockey play. The Griffs drop to 7-6-1 in conference games.

It was Canisius that opened the scoring just 1:43 into the first period on a goal by junior Tyler Wiseman. The Griffs held that 1-0 lead for most of the period, until Rickord's fourth tally of the season with just 38 seconds left in the frame sent the game into intermission tied 1-1. A shot on net by senior Justin Breton (Fitchburg, Mass./Boston Jr. Bruins) created a rebound in front of the net that Rickord deposited into the back of the net for the goal.

The Falcons took a 2-1 lead on Gladiuk's first power play goal of the afternoon at 9:37 of the second period. Bentley had been on the penalty kill until a Canisius penalty with nine seconds left created a 4-on-4 situation. Once that expired and the Falcons went on the power play, it took them just 20 seconds to score. They played the puck in down low, and a pass across the crease found Gladiuk on the far post, allowing him to one-time his shot past Canisius goalie Keegan Asmundson.

Bentley continued to lead 2-1 into the third period, and was given a big chance to pad its advantage when Canisius was whistled for a five-minute major with 7:58 remaining. The Falcons' red hot power play again struck as Gladiuk potted his second of the game with 5:02 left in the contest. A shot from the point by defenseman Steve Weinstein (Los Angeles, Calif./Vernon Vipers) was saved by Asmundson, but the rebound came loose. Asmundson dove to the ice to try to recover the loose puck, but not before Gladiuk roofed it into the open net for a 3-1 lead.

Freshman Max French (West Kelowna, B.C./West Kelowna Warriors) finished the scoring with an empty-net goal with 30 seconds left, scoring on a shot from the redline.

Gladiuk now has 15 goals on the season with 10 of them coming on the power play, while Brett Gensler (St. Charles, Mo./Youngstown Phantoms) had two assists.

These two teams will play the second game of their series Sunday afternoon at 12:05 pm.