Bentley Downs Air Force, 3-1, Advances to Q-Cup Final

NORTHFORD, Conn. - Bentley College got a goal in each period to beat Air Force, 3-1, and advance to the final of the Q-Cup to be held Saturday night at 7:00 at the Northford Ice Pavilion. The win comes in the season opener for Bentley, while Air Force falls to 1-2-0.

Bentley received goals from freshman forward Anthony Canzoneri (Homer Glen, Ill./Lockport Township HS), junior forward Marc Zwicky (Basel, Switzerland) and junior defenseman Kyle Larman (Canton, Mich./Plymouth-Canton HS). Junior transfer Ray Jean (Randolph, Maine/Gardiner HS) played solidly in his Bentley debut, making 32 saves and holding a potent Air force attack, which scored nine goals against Union last weekend, scoreless for the first two periods.

Bentley got off to a quick start, netting the opener just 3:38 into the first period. At the tail end of a power play Brendan McCartin (Camp Hill, Pa./Cedar Cliff HS) took a shot from just inside the blue-line. The shot was blocked in front, but sophomore Paul Scalici (Bingham Farms, Mich./Cabrini HS) poked the puck to freshman forward Anthony Canzoneri at the back post. Canzoneri made no mistake and banged the puck home for a goal in his collegiate debut.

Air Force pressed for the tying goal and almost got it shorthanded ten minutes into the period. A turnover in the Bentley zone allowed Mike Phillipich (Lansing, Mich.) to skate in on junior goaltender Ray Jean. Phillipich's shot to the right corner was turned away through a blocker save by Jean.

Bentley jumped out to a two goal lead 4:47 into the second period on a well-worked goal. McCartin broke into the right side of the Air Force zone and left the puck for Josh Chase (Big Rapids, Mich./Big Rapids HS) who was trailing just behind. Chase threaded a pass to a cutting Marc Zwicky in the center of the zone and the junior forward took the puck and beat Peter Foster (Canton, Mich.) five-hole for a goal in his Bentley debut.

Jean, who made 16 stops in the second period, took control from there to maintain the two goal heading into the final stanza. Air Force's best chance of the period came on the power play with 5:50 remaining as Bentley got caught on a line change. Eric Ehn (Dexter, Mich.) was played in all alone on Jean, but the sophomore's shot to the far post was turned away by Jean.

Air Force got a goal back just 58 seconds into the third period. Brina Gineo's (South Windsor, Conn.) shot from the left circle beat Jean just under the crossbar and the lead was cut to one. Almost just as quickly, the lead was returned to two goals. Bentley got a power play goal from junior defenseman Kyle Larman on a wrist shot from the top of the right circle at 2:43 to restore the lead to its final margin.