WATERTOWN, Mass. - For the second consecutive night, the Mercyhurst University and Bentley University hockey teams were deadlocked at 4-4 and needed overtime to decide the outcome. On Saturday night, the Lakers were 33 seconds away from playing back-to-back 4-4 ties at the John A. Ryan Skating Arena - but Bentley's Andrew Gladiuk had other ideas.

Gladiuk scored his third goal of the game at the 4:27 mark of overtime, beating Mercyhurst starting goaltender Spencer Bacon, to send the Falcons to a 5-4 overtime victory over the Lakers on Saturday night in the final game of a two-game series between two of the top teams in the Atlantic Hockey Association. Mercyhurst, which had its four-game unbeaten streak snapped, dropped to 5-4-1 overall and 3-2-1 in the AHA standings. The Falcons improved to 5-5-1 overall and 3-2-1 in conference play.

It spoiled a night where senior Ryan Misiak picked up his 100th career point when he registered an assist early in the second period. He became the second player this season to reach the plateau and the 18th Laker to reach the milestone during the Division I era.

When sophomore Kyle Dutra scored a power play goal at the 14:31 mark of the second period, the Lakers held a 4-2 advantage over the Falcons. But Gladiuk scored just 48 seconds after Dutra, then Chris Buchanan scored at the 4:17 mark of the third, and Gladiuk provided the heroics in overtime to complete the Bentley comeback.

Bacon, making his first collegiate start, gave the Lakers a chance for at least a point in the standings after stopping 19 shots in the third period alone. Bentley outshot Mercyhurst, 20-4, in the third period and finished the game with a 41-21 shot advantage. The sophomore, who has now seen action in three straight games after appearing in just one game as a freshman, turned aside a career-high 36 shots in suffering the first defeat of his career.

Mercyhurst's power play was again a bright spot on Saturday night as the Lakers went a perfect 3-for-3 with the man advantage. After starting the season 2-for-29 through the first seven games, Mercyhurst's power play is now 7-of-13 over the last three.

And, it was the Lakers' power play that started the scoring on Saturday night. Senior Chris Bodo gave the Lakers a 1-0 lead with his team-leading sixth goal of the season at the 8:30 mark of the opening period. The senior's first power play goal of the season, and 17th of his career, was assisted by fellow seniors Matthew Zay and Daniel Bahntge.

Max French tied the game at 1-1 with his ninth goal of the season with exactly four minutes remaining in the opening period. Gladiuk added his first goal of the night, on the power play, at the 18:38 mark to give the Falcons a 2-1 lead after twenty minutes.

Shots favored Bentley by a 12-7 margin in the opening period.

The Lakers then took a 4-2 lead after stringing three consecutive goals together. Senior Tyler Shiplo started the scoring in the second period with a power play tally at the 2:37 mark. His first goal of the season was assisted by Misiak and senior Zac Frischmon. Then, at 6:30, senior Grant Gettinger got on the board with his first goal of the season, and just his third career goal in his 121st career game. Bahntge and junior Alec Shields had the assists.

Bahntge's two assists on the night moved him to within four points of reaching the 100-point club. The senior, who was playing in his 132nd career game on Saturday, has not missed a game in his collegiate career.

Dutra gave the Lakers a 4-2 lead with a power play tally at the 14:31 mark. Junior Anthony Mastrodicasa had the lone assist.

Gabe Antoni got the win in goal for Bentley, despite stopping just 17-of-21 Laker shots on the night. Bacon dropped to 1-1-1 on the season with his 36-save performance. Mercyhurst was perfect on the power play (3-for-3) while Bentley, which entered the weekend with the nation's best power play, went 2-for-5 with the man advantage.

Mercyhurst will play a home-and-home series against longtime rival Canisius next Friday and Saturday, November 21 and 22. The teams will meet at the Mercyhurst Ice Center on Friday night and then will convene at the newly-erected HarborCenter in Buffalo, New York on Saturday night. Friday night's faceoff is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. while Saturday's contest will begin at 7:35 p.m.