BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – Sacred Heart scored a goal in each period to take a hard-fought 3-1 decision over Bentley University on Friday night in the series finale between the two teams at Webster Bank Arena.

Trailing 2-0, Falcons freshman Danny Pearson (Vancouver, B.C.) scored his sixth goal of the season for the visitors in the third period, but they were not able to get any closer.

SHU jumped out to a 1-0 lead on a goal by junior right wing Braeden Tuck, his 10^th of the season, at 4:00 of the opening period.

Shots on goal were even at 10-10 in the opening 20 minutes.

The Pioneers then took a 2-0 lead at 8:07 of the 2^nd period on a power play goal by Austin Magera. The goal was the 8^th of the year for the senior center.

With 2:16 left in the 2^nd frame Bentley went on the power play for five minutes after a major penalty on Sacred Heart. The power play extended into the third period, and that's when the Falcons took advantage with Pearson scoring the goal at the 1:05 mark.

Grad student forward Collin Rutherford (Tonawanda, N.Y.) had the puck behind Sacred Heart's net and fed a quick pass to Pearson who was all alone out front. Pearson then beat SHU goalie Justin Robbins to the far side for the goal to make it a 2-1 game.

Bentley pressed throughout the period for the tying goal, including a short-handed chance by Eric Linell (Great Neck, N.Y.) that was robbed by Robbins midway through the period.

But it was SHU that got the all-important next goal as defenseman Conner Hutchison scored at the 17:24 mark to give them a 3-1 lead.

The Falcons fall to 10-11-1 in Atlantic Hockey. They'll be back in action next Friday night to open a home series against Air Force.