SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – American International took the first game of the home and home series with Bentley 7-2 on Thursday night at the MassMutual Center.

AIC's Nicholas Cardelli had a hat trick with a goal in the 2^nd period and two in the 3^rd period.

The goals for the Falcons came from sophomore Harrison Scott (San Jose, Calif.) on the power play in the 2^nd period and junior defenseman Nick Bochen (North Vancouver, B.C.) in the 3^rd period.

Scott's goal came after Matt Gosiewski (Stamford, Conn.) dug the puck out of the corner and fed a pass along the boards to Bochen. Bochen wheeled around an AIC defender and hit Scott with a pass in the right faceoff circle. Scott then lifted his shot over the shoulder of AIC goalie Jarrett Fiske for the goal.

That was Scott's 6^th of the season.

AIC though took a 4-1 lead into intermission after the 2^nd period as Blake Bennett scored a power play goal at the 14:16 mark.

Bochen's goal at 9:52 of the 3^rd period came after he put a shot on net from the blue line that Fiske saved. Cole Kodsi (Boca Raton, Fla.) put another shot in front of the net that Fiske saved, but Bochen scored off that rebound amongst the traffic.

That made it a 5-2 game, before Cardelli netted his second and third goals of the night.

These same two teams will play again on Friday night at Bentley Arena.