WATERTOWN, Mass. – It was a comeback for the ages and a game that will be talked about at Mercyhurst for years to come.

Senior forward Nardo Nagtzaam completed a miraculous comeback Sunday night, scoring the game-winner with 5.5 seconds left in regulation, to lift the Mercyhurst University men's hockey team to a 3-2 victory over a stunned Bentley University Falcon team that led for much of the night. The Lakers won the series two games to one and will advance to the Atlantic Hockey Conference semifinals next Friday at the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, New York.

The Lakers improved to 18-15-4 overall while the Falcons finished their season with a 17-15-5 record.

Head coach Rick Gotkin never saw the game-winning goal. "To be completely honest with you, I didn't see it," Gotkin said. "I wasn't looking because I had my head down. I just wanted to get to overtime and take our swings there and then all of sudden, I was hugging and high-fiving on the bench."

Mercyhurst was trailing 2-0 with 7:48 left in regulation before the Lakers tied the game with two goals in 14 seconds.

Senior forward Matthew Zay gave the Lakers life with his 12th goal of the season at 7:48, firing home a shot from the right-wing circle to finally solve Bentley freshman goaltender Jayson Argue. Senior Daniel Bahntge took the initial shot that was blocked but ended right on the stick of Zay with Argue out of position. Freshman Zach Todd had the other assist.

Just 14 seconds later, senior Chris Bodo notched his 50th career goal, and 11th of the season, to tie the contest at 2-2. Nagtzaam took the initial shot that Argue stopped, but Bodo was there to stuff home the rebound and to send a silence over the small, but loud, crowd at the John A. Ryan Skating Arena. Senior forward Zac Frischmon had the other assist.

Then, after Bentley pressured the Laker defense, Frischmon came up with a loose puck in the defensive zone to lead one-last rush. Frischmon played it ahead to Nagtzaam, who was stationed in the left wing circle. Nagtzaam cut towards the goal and chipped a shot under the crossbar and over the shoulder of Argue to give the Lakers their first lead of the night and to send the Lakers to the next round.

It was Nagtzaam's fourth goal of the season.

"I don't know what to say," said Gotkin. "Bentley played great all weekend. I'm completely in shock but we'll take the win and we are extremely happy and fortunate to advance."

Bentley's Matt Blomquist gave the hosts a 1-0 lead on a blast from just beyond the right wing circle at the 5:25 mark of the opening period. Andrew Gladiuk and Steve Weinstein had the assists on Blomquist's third goal of the season.

The goal was reviewed and appeared on the replay that a Bentley player had interfered with Wildung in the crease as he attempted to make the save. However, much to the dismay of the Laker bench, the goal was upheld.

Nine penalties were called in the opening twenty minutes – five against Mercyhurst. Thanks to a number of longer power play opportunities and 4-on-4 situations, the Falcons outshot the Lakers by a 16-9 margin in a wide open first period.

Bentley held a 9-7 shot advantage in a scoreless second period – a period owned by Wildung. The freshman from Nassau, Minnesota only stopped nine shots but one was on a breakaway by the Falcons' Brett Switzer early in the frame. Two more came on 2-on-1 opportunities for the Falcons – one at 13:32 against Bentley's leading-scorer, Gladiuk, and the other came off the stick of Max French who one-timed a slapshot from the left circle that Wildung, somehow, came over to make the save.

Six more penalties were assessed in the second period – three to each team.

Gladiuk gave the Falcons a 2-0 lead, which, at the time, seemed to be enough for the Falcons. It was his 20th goal of the season.

Mercyhurst outshot Bentley, 19-12, in the third period with the Falcons ending up with a 37-35 shot advantage for the contest. Wildung was sensational for the second time in three games and was the beneficiary of the late-game heroics. He turned aside 35-of-37 shots to improve to 10-9-3 on the season. Argue, meanwhile, finished his rookie season with an 8-7-4 record after stopping 32 shots.

Both teams were 0-for-7 on the power play.

With the victory, the Lakers will advance to the Atlantic Hockey Semifinals on Friday, March 20 at the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, New York. Mercyhurst, the lowest seed remaining, will play the top-seed Robert Morris at 5:05 p.m. in the first semifinal game. Mercyhurst and Robert Morris split the season series back in December.

"They are a great team," said Gotkin about the Colonials. "They have had an unbelievable season and Derek (Schooley) has done a great job with that program. We know we have our work cut out for us but we'll be prepared and we'll be ready to go. Anything can happen in a one-and-done scenario – we proved that tonight."