The near capacity crowd in attendance was treated to a classic back and forth, physical game. Harvard is coming off an ECAC split beating Colgate 6-1 Friday and losing to Cornell 2-1 on Saturday. The Falcons were swept by Mercyhurst here in Waltham. Tonight would be each teams last game for a month.

The crowd was electric. This new on campus arena is awesome. Harvard and Bentley came out flying. After a few exchanges up and down the ice, Sophomore Ben Solin was called for Kneeing @ 2:13 giving the Falcons the game’s first Power Play. Harvard having the 3rd worst Penalty Kill in the nation, this wasn’t the start they wanted, but they took it to the Falcons on the PK. Nathan Krusko and John Marino had a chance on Junior goalie Aiden Pelino but he turned it away. Harvard was buzzing after killing off the Falcon man advantage. Bentley wasn’t deterred as they created pressure of their own. As a scrum was happening around Michael Lackey’s crease Bentley had a solid scoring chance as Sophomore Defensman Charlie Marchand walked in from the point and put a shot high over the empty right side of the Harvard goal. The nation’s top Power Play unit would get a chance when Senior Drew Callin was whistled for Roughing @ 14:07. The Crimson got two shots on Pelino who was very impressive in the Falcon’s goal. Adam Fox was called for Unsportsmanlike Conduct @ 18:04 giving Bentley their 2nd PP of the night. It was short lived as the Crimson PK kept the pressure on Pelino with a 2 on 2 rush that resulted in another penalty for Callin. Hooking @ 19:05. The teams would end the first period in 4 on 4 play tied scoreless at 0-0. The Crimson outshot Bentley 10-9 and won the face-off battle 18-7.

The second period seen Harvard up a man a few seconds into it. Bentley had succesfully killed that off but shortly after Freshman Jack Drury notched his 4th goal of the season when he beat Pelino from the right side. He was fed by Casey Dornbach @ 1:18. After that goal Bentley woke up. The Falcons carried the play for most of the 2nd. They were physical and buzzing all over the ice. That led to a Bentley chance as Sophomore Luke Santerno split the Harvard defense and drew a hooking call on Fox for his 2nd penalty of the game @ 13:31. Freshman Will Garin had a chance to put the puck in the net but fanned on it. Lackey was in a zone tonight, breaking up a cross ice pass in front his net. The period ended with Harvard up 1-0. Bentley outshot Harvard 7-3.

Bentley would open the 3rd with the same pace and play that they carried through the 2nd. Harvard’s Henry Bowlby would be called for Hooking @ 1:44. The Crimson would kill it off and start to generate more control over the game. A Crimson 2 on 1 had Jack Donato rip his 2nd goal of the season past Pelino’s glove side giving the Crimson the 2-0 lead @ 6:10. Bentley would finally get on the scoreboard after an up ice rush from Junior Jonathan Desbeins, when he wrapped around the net and threw it out front for Sophomore Brendan Hamblet to bang home the rebound past Lackey @ 13:06. The physical play would continue as both teams fought for control of the puck. Bentley pulled Pelino for the extra skater for the last 1:11 and had plenty of momentum but just couldn’t generate a scoring chance as Harvard held on for the 2-1 win.

Bentley coach Ryan Soderquist said after the game “It was a terrific college hockey game.” He was “very pleased with the guys effort.” His counterpart behind the Crimson bench Ted Donato said the game was “a real hard fought win, both teams played well.”