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Cloutier Nets Game-Winner as Bentley Wins Third Straight, 4-2 Over Connecticut
Courtesy of Bentley Sports Information
STORRS, Conn. - Freshman Dustin Cloutier (Berkley, Mich./Mahoning Valley Phantoms) scored the game-winning goal as Bentley used a pair of scores in a two-minute span in the second period to earn a 4-2 win over Connecticut in Atlantic Hockey action on Friday night at the Freitas Ice Forum. The Falcons won their third straight game and improved to 4-5-1 overall and moved into sole possession of first place in Atlantic Hockey with a 4-1-1 conference mark. The Huskies dropped their fifth straight, falling to 1-5 overall and 1-4 in AHA play.
Bentley scored first, getting on the board short-handed in the opening period. After picking off a pass, freshman Erik Peterson (Shorewood, Minn./Sioux Falls Stampede) passed up the ice to give the Falcons a two-on-one opportunity and junior Tom Dickhudt (Woodbury, Minn./Fargo-Moorhead Jets) dished to classmate Dain Prewitt (Westminster, Colo./Fargo-Moorhead Jets), who wrapped around the UConn goalkeeper to score his fifth career short-handed goal and claim the Bentley Division I record.
The Huskies came back to take the lead with a pair of goals midway through the second. Freshman Matt Pedemonti (Enfield, Conn.) netted his first collegiate tally when he went top-shelf from point blank range to tie the score. Less than two minutes later, Connecticut took the lead after the Huskies won a faceoff in their own defensive zone and got the puck to sophomore Chris Ochoa (Santa Monica, Calif.), who made a dash up the ice and scored his third of the season.
The Falcons came back in the second, netting the equalizer late in the frame when senior Paul Scalici (Bingham Farms, Mich./Toledo Ice Diggers) managed to score as he was being brought down by a UConn defenseman in front of the net, thanks to assists from junior Casey Russell (Orange, Conn./Boston Jr. Bruins) and sophomore Blake Hamilton (Edmonton, Alberta/Spruce Grove Saints). Cloutier netted the eventual game-winner just over a minute later when sophomore Marc Menzione (Darien, Ill./Mahoning Valley Phantoms) passed him the puck on the right circle and Cloutier caught the Huskies off-guard with a quick shot into the top right corner to give Bentley the 3-2 lead.
That line added an insurance goal in the third period when Menzione and Cloutier set up Peterson, who scored on the power play for his second goal of the season.
Freshman Joe Calvi (New Lenox, Ill./New England Jr. Huskies) stopped 17 shots for the Falcons, while sophomore Beau Erickson (Hinton, Iowa) made 20 saves for Connecticut as Bentley held a 24-19 advantage in shots on goal.
The Falcons and Huskies face off again tomorrow at 7:05 p.m. at Ryan Skating Arena in Watertown.
At Storrs, Conn.
BENTLEY 4, CONNECTICUT 2
Bentley (4-5-1, 4-1-1
AHA)
1 2 1
-- 4
Connecticut (1-5, 1-4
AHA)
2 0 0
-- 2
1st Period: B, SH Dain Prewitt (Tom Dickhudt, Erik Peterson) 7:37; C, Matt Pedemonti (Michael Coppola, B.J. Bayers) 11:12; C, Chris Ochoa (Chris Myhro, Sean Erickson) 12:56
2nd Period: B, Paul Scalici (Casey Russell, Blake Hamilton) 16:10; B, Dustin Cloutier (Marc Menzione) 17:22
3rd Period: B, PP Peterson (Cloutier, Menzione)
15:46
Saves: C, Beau Erickson 20; B, Joe Calvi 17
Shots: B 24, C 19
Penalties: B 4/8, C 6/12
Power Play: B 1-6, C 0-4
