Bentley Rallies for Second Straight Atlantic Hockey Title

Falcons score twice in third period to defeat Sacred Heart 3-2

Mar. 22, 2026 at 12:00pm

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In the Atlantic Hockey Championship game, Bentley University came from behind to defeat Sacred Heart University 3-2 and win their second consecutive conference title. After Sacred Heart took a 2-1 lead in the second period, Bentley scored twice in the third period, including the game-winner from Kellan Hjartarson, to complete the comeback victory.

Why it matters

Bentley's win marks the second straight Atlantic Hockey championship for the program, solidifying their status as a top team in the conference. For Sacred Heart, the loss is a tough ending to an otherwise historic season that saw the team set a new program record for wins.

The details

After Sacred Heart's Vitaly Levyy tied the game at 1-1 in the second period, the Pioneers took the lead on a power-play goal by Gavin Bryant. However, Bentley stuck to its game plan of consistently driving to the net, and it paid off. Kellan Hjartarson scored the tying goal early in the third period, and then netted the game-winner later in the frame after a deflected puck landed in front of the net. Bentley's Michael Mesic and Hjartarson each finished with three-point nights.

  • In the second period, Vitaly Levyy tied the game at 1-1 for Sacred Heart.
  • Later in the second period, Gavin Bryant scored a power-play goal to give Sacred Heart a 2-1 lead.
  • Three minutes into the third period, Kellan Hjartarson tied the game at 2-2 for Bentley.
  • Hjartarson scored the game-winning goal for Bentley later in the third period.

The players

Kellan Hjartarson

A key player for Bentley who scored the tying and game-winning goals in the third period to lead the Falcons to victory.

Michael Mesic

A Bentley player who finished with three points in the game, including the opening goal that gave the Falcons an early lead.

Vitaly Levyy

A Sacred Heart player who scored the goal that tied the game at 1-1 in the second period.

Gavin Bryant

A Sacred Heart player who scored the power-play goal that gave the Pioneers a 2-1 lead in the second period.

Andy Jones

The head coach of the Bentley Falcons, who praised his team's commitment to their game plan of driving to the net.

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What they’re saying

“The second goal (by Bentley) was huge because the momentum had tilted, had shifted, and I thought the ice was tilted for an extended period of time in Sacred Heart's favor.”

— Andy Jones, Bentley Head Coach

“At the end of the day, the team that usually wins the net front wins the game, and they did that.”

— C.J. Marottolo, Sacred Heart Head Coach

“We knew they were really good in their own zone, boxing out, and we were trying to do everything we could — roll-offs and just being around the net for second opportunities. Luckily, we got a couple to fall tonight, and it worked out for us.”

— Kellan Hjartarson

What’s next

Bentley will now advance to the NCAA Tournament, where they will look to build on their historic 2025-26 season and make a deep run. Sacred Heart, despite the tough loss, will look to build on the success of the past two seasons and make another push for their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance.

The takeaway

Bentley's ability to stick to their game plan and consistently drive to the net proved to be the difference, as they rallied from behind to capture their second straight Atlantic Hockey championship. The Falcons' resilience and team-first mentality have made them a force to be reckoned with in the conference.