WALTHAM, Mass. - The Mercyhurst men's hockey team hit the road to play No. 1 Bentley in the AHA Quarterfinals. They started the game hot, scoring two goals in the first period and led 2-1 by the end of that frame. The Falcons then scored another two, unanswered goals before the Lakers tied it up at three. The game then went through an intense pair of overtime periods, where the Lakers were under immense pressure. Bentley broke through late in the third period to win game one, 4-3. Mercyhurst blocked 35 shots and Charles-Edward Gravel made a career-high 65 saves. This was the 16th longest college hockey game in NCAA history. 
 
The game commenced with Mercyhurst (6-27-3) taking control early in the first period. Christian Kocsis opened the scoring at 15:41, assisted by Jacob Leblanc and Andrew LeBlanc. J. Leblanc extended the lead to 2-0 at 9:40 for the first goal of his collegiate career. This came with an assist from Sean James and Alexander Dimitriadis. Despite all the Bentley (19-11-5) attempts to respond, including a goal by Michael Mesic at 3:13, the Lakers held a 2-1 advantage as the period concluded.
 
Mercyhurst faced a challenging second period as they conceded three goals to the Falcons. The first goal came during a power play when Bentley scored at 17:48, with the Lakers down a man due to a tripping penalty on Dimitriadis. Bentley extended its lead with an even-strength goal by at 04:57. Despite the Laker's attempts to respond, including shots by Brendan Lamb and Kocsis, the period concluded with Bentley leading 3-2. 
 
In the third period, the Lakers capitalized on a power-play opportunity at 13:07 when Lamb scored with assists from Francesco Iasenza and Tyler DesRochers, leveling the score at 3-3. Mercyhurst's defense remained steadfast, with Charles-Edward Gravel making several crucial saves to keep Bentley from regaining the lead. The Lakers fended off the Falcon's attacks and the period concluded with both teams locked at 3-3.
 
Mercyhurst fought hard in the overtime period, demonstrating resilience on defense. Gravel continued to make several crucial saves, Despite Bentley's aggressive offensive pressure, the Lakers maintained their composure. They successfully blocked multiple shots, notably by DesRochers and John Larkin. Mercyhurst had its opportunities as well. However, shots by James and Lamb were saved by Bentley's netminder. The first OT period ended goalless. 
 
The Lakers opened the second overtime period by winning the initial faceoff, with Ryan Coughlin prevailing. Despite sustained offensive efforts, including a blocked shot by Larkin and several attempts going wide, Mercyhurst was unable to find the back of the net. Throughout the period, the Laker's defense, particularly marked by Kocsis and Gravel, effectively countered Bentley's attacks. They blocked numerous shots and secured numerous saves to maintain the stalemate. The period concluded without a change in score.
 
In the third overtime period, Mercyhurst initially gained control with Coughlin winning the faceoff. The Lakers' early efforts, including a blocked shot by Coughlin and another attempt by Peter Klemm, were met with strong defensive plays from Bentley. Despite Mercyhurst's persistent offensive pressure, Bentley's Jake Black scored the game-winning goal at 6:43, concluding the 16th longest college hockey game ever. 
 
Puck drop for game two will begin at 6 p.m. tomorrow.