Ryan Olson scored a pair of third period goals to lift Quinnipiac to a 5-2 win over Bentley in the Q-Cup semifinals.
The victory was the first of the season for the Braves, who advanced to the finals of the sixth annual Q-Cup. They will face American International College, a 3-2 winner over Fairfield in the early game on Friday, in the finals on Saturday night at 7:00 p.m.
With the score tied at 2-2 heading into the third period, the Braves scored three times to close out the win. Olson netted his first goal of the night at 5:12 of the final frame in a four-on-four situation.
Olson then gave Quinnipiac a little breathing room at 12:08 on his second goal of the night and then Todd Bennett concluded the scoring at 14:15 with a blast from the top of the right circle that beat Bentley goaltender Simon St. Pierre.
Quinnipiac opened the scoring with a first period goal from Chris White at 11:49.
Bentley responded with two second period goals in a span of 3:09. Steve Tobio put the Falcons on the board with a blast from the left point at 9:59 before Nick Carosa handed Bentley its only lead of the night at 13:08.
The Braves tied the game on a deflection by Craig at 14:02, a tip-in of a shot by Erhart from the left point.
In the first game of the day, AIC rode a 57-save outing from freshman Frank Novello in his collegiate debut to edge out Fairfield, 3-2.
Fairfield scored two goals in the first 9:02 of the game – markers from Rae Metz and James Lubinski – to jump out to an early lead.
However, AIC scored twice before the intermission to knot the game after the first period. Bryan Bassler lit the lamp at 12:08, followed by a goal from Scott Bottorf at 15:29.
Patrick Tabb scored the eventual game-winner for the Yellow Jackets at 17:55 of the second period.
Fairfield and Bentley will face off at 4 p.m. in the Q-Cup consolation game for the second straight year. The Braves will then tangle with AIC in a 7 p.m. contest.
