LEWISTON, N.Y. – Sophomore Danny Pearson (Vancouver, B.C.) scored a hat trick to lead Bentley past Niagara 6-3 on Friday night in the series opener between the two teams.

Pearson scored twice in the 2^nd period, as part of a four goal second period for the Falcons. That helped the team rally and take a lead 4-3 after they trailed 2-0 at the end of the 1^st period.

A goal by Dylan Pitera (Culver, Indiana) gave Bentley a 5-3 lead at 5:43 of the 3^rd period. Pearson then completed the hat trick with a power play goal at 12:37 after he took a cross-ice pass from freshman Nicholas Niemo (Middlebury, Vt.) for a 6-3 lead.

The last hat trick by a Bentley player was Jonathan Desbiens against Army West Point on Feb. 7, 2020.

Trailing 2-0 after the first period, Pearson's first goal of the night at 3:29 of the 2^nd period got Bentley on the board.

Niagara went ahead 3-1 at the 11:54 mark on a goal by Mike Egan, but that would be their final goal of the night.

Just under two minutes later, freshman Stephen Castagna (North Vancouver, B.C.) finished off a rush down the ice after he took a pass from Niemo, for his fourth goal of the season. That cut the deficit to 3-2.

32 seconds later senior Lucas Vanroboys (Thamesville, Ontario) tied the game 3-3. Cole Kodsi (Boca Raton, Fla.) made a steal behind Niagara's goal and fed Vanroboys out in front, who one-timed his shot in the slot and past the glove of Niagara goalie Chad Veltri for the goal at 14:12.

Bentley's fourth goal of the 2^nd period came off the stick of Pearson, with a shot in the slot past Veltri's stick after he took a pass from Joe Winkelmann (St. Louis, Mo.) along the boards. That came with 47 seconds left in the period and gave Bentley a 4-3 lead.

Pitera gave the Falcons a 5-3 lead at 5:43 of the 3^rd period after he scored off his own rebound.

Pearson then completed the hat trick after he one-timed Niemo's cross-ice pass on the right face-off dot.

Nicholas Grabko (Channahon, Ill.) made 19 saves in goal for the win.

Grad student Matt Thomson (Reading, Mass.) had an assist on Pearson's second goal for his first point as a Falcon. Niemo and Kodsi both had two assists on the night.

Bentley will look for the series sweep when these teams play on Saturday at 5:30 PM.