WORCESTER, Mass. - The No. 19 men's ice hockey team fell to Bentley, 6-3, in the Atlantic Hockey Championship Game Saturday night at the Hart Center Rink.

The game was played in front of a sold-out crowd, with the final attendance ringing up at 2,717, a new record for the Hart Center Rink.

With the win, Bentley earns the league's automatic qualifier into the NCAA tournament.


HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Senior Liam McLinskey scored the first goal of the Atlantic Hockey title game with 6:06 to play in the opening period. Just 51 seconds into the Crusaders' power play opportunity, freshman Matt Kursonis wove a pass through the Bentley defense on the rush, finding McLinskey for the tap-in score.
• Kursonis scored a goal of his own on a second power play opportunity three minutes later, sending a one-timer from the slot off a pass by McLinskey to extend the lead to 2-0.
• Bentley tied the game at 2-2 in the second with two goals in 37 seconds, before taking the lead with 9:22 remaining in the frame.
• Junior Devin Phillips tied the game at 3-3 with the Crusaders' third power play goal of the night, cleaning up a booming rebound off a shot by McLinskey.
• Bentley notched two goals in five minutes to extend the lead to 5-3 with 5:22 remaining, before tacking on an empty net goal to put the game out of reach.

BEYOND THE BOX:

• Senior Thomas Gale made 24 saves in the contest.
• McLinskey finished the night with three points, putting him at 54 on the season, which ties the single season record set by Tyler McGregor in the 2005-06 season. His 30 assists on the season also ties the single season record, set twice previously by Patrick Rissmiller in 2000-01 and McGregor in 2005-06.
• Following the contest, McLinskey was named to the Atlantic Hockey All-Tournament Team for the second time in his career. McLinskey finished the postseason run with 11 points on four goals and seven assists.

VOTE LIAM FOR HOBEY!
For the second consecutive year, senior Liam McLinskey is a finalist for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award. From now until March 30, fans can vote for McLinskey once a day on the Hobey Baker website.

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