Bentley Opens Home and Home Series with AIC Wednesday Night
The Matchup: Just three weekends are left in the Atlantic Hockey regular season and Bentley gets this weekend started early when they visit American International on Wednesday night for the first game of a home and home series. The series shifts to Waltham and Bentley Arena on Friday night.
This will be the second series of the season between the Falcons and Yellow Jackets. The played a home and home series back in early December.
Bentley is coming off a series at home against Holy Cross where they lost the opener on Friday 4-1, then battled back to force overtime on Saturday but ultimately fell 3-2. AIC had a home and home series with Sacred Heart last weekend. They lost the home game 4-2 but won on the road on Saturday 4-1.
Follow the Games: Both games this weekend can be seen on FloHockey.TV. A subscription is required.
Live stats can be found at https://bentleyfalcons.com/sports/mice/2022-23/schedule
Tickets for Friday's game at home can be purchased at https://www.etix.com/ticket/v/12892?cobrand=BentleyHockey
Last Time Out: Bentley took on rival Holy Cross last weekend and battled back to force overtime on Saturday. Trailing 2-1 late in the game, freshman Stephen Castagna scored with 3:03 remaining to tie the score. Holy Cross though won the game in overtime on a goal by Jack Ricketts with 1:04 remaining.
Holy Cross scored the game's first goal at 12:41 of the first period. Bentley tied the game at 10:52 of the 2nd period on a goal by freshman Arlo Merritt, his fifth in the last seven games.
The Crusaders won the first game 4-1. Junior defenseman Nick Bochen had the goal for Bentley.
Niemo Named HCA Co-Rookie of the Month: Freshman forward Nicholas Niemo was named the national Co-Rookie of the Month for January by the Hockey Commissioners Association. He led Atlantic Hockey in points (13) and assists (9) during the month and added four goals.
He took a seven-game points streak into February, which he extended to eight games with an assist on Friday against Holy Cross.
On the season, he leads the Falcons in both points (19) and assists (13). He's tied for second on the team in goals (6), along with Stephen Castagna and Harrison Scott. Dylan Pitera's seven goals leads the team.
He was also named the Atlantic Hockey Rookie of the Month for January and was twice the Rookie of the Week during the month.
Gensler Named to AHA Hall of Honor: 2014 Bentley graduate Brett Gensler was named to the Atlantic Hockey Hall of Honor on Tuesday. In celebration of its 20th anniversary, Atlantic Hockey has been selecting players to inaugural Hall of Honor class throughout the 2022-23 season.
Gensler suited up for Bentley from 2010-14 and finished his career as one of the most decorated players in Bentley's and Atlantic Hockey's history. He's the conference's co-leader in career points (167) and is one of only two players in Atlantic Hockey to rank in the top-10 in career points, goals and assists.
The only two-time scoring champion in league history, Gensler ranks as Bentley's career leader in each of goals (73), assists (94) and points in the program's Division I era (1999-current). Overall, he has the second most goals and points in program history, behind only head coach Ryan Soderquist. He holds the school's overall record for career assists.
Pitera Moves Up: Graduate student forward and team co-captain Dylan Pitera played in his 146th career game on Saturday against Holy Cross. That moved him into a tie for 4th place in Bentley's career games played list, with Brett Switzer '15.
Only three players have played in 150 career games at Bentley. Kyle Schmidt '18, who holds the record at 153, plus Brendan Hamblet '22 with 152 games and Tanner Jago '19 with 151 games.
Series History: This series will mark the 78th and 79th all-time meetings between Bentley and AIC. The Yellow Jackets have a slight edge in the series, at 32-31-14.
The first ever game between Bentley and AIC occurred during the 1980-81 season, a 5-4 Bentley win.
21 Deep: 21 different players have scored goals for Bentley this season, led by seven from graduate student Dylan Pitera.
25 different players have at least one point this season, with eight players in double digits so far.
Games at RIT on NESN+: Bentley's games at RIT next weekend on Feb. 17 and 18 will be broadcast live on NESN+. The game on Feb. 17 begins at 7:05 PM and the game on Feb. 18 starts at 5:05 PM.