BOSTON - The 2026 Atlantic Hockey America (AHA) Postseason continued with four best-of-three quarterfinal series beginning on Friday night.

Only one matchup went to regulation, while three others went to overtime. One contest featured three overtimes and ranked among the 15 longest games in NCAA Division I men’s ice hockey history.

NO. 10 MERCYHURST VS. NO. 1 BENTLEY
Mercyhurst had a 2-0 lead nearly halfway through the first period. Bentley got one back in the opening frame and managed to tie it in the middle frame.

The Falcons managed to take a 3-2 lead, but the Lakers tied the score again off the stick of sophomore forward Brendan Lamb and made it 3-3 at the 13:07 mark of the third period. Lamb’s goal was regulation’s last as the game headed into overtime. The first two overtime periods saw no goals scored. 

6:43 into the third overtime, Bentley senior forward Jake Black finally put an end to the first game of the series and clinched a 4-3 victory for the top-seeded Falcons. After 106:43 of hockey, the contest officially became the third-longest in AHA postseason history and the 14th longest in NCAA men’s Division I ice hockey history.

NO. 8 NIAGARA VS. NO. 2 SACRED HEART
In the only matchup of the evening that was decided in regulation, the pair of teams were knotted 1-1 after the first 2:00 of action in the second period.

However, in the middle frame, Sacred Heart also took back its lead when sophomore forward Vitaly Levyy added the eventual game-winner. Senior forward Felix Trudeau cemented a 3-1 victory with a goal 17:51 into the final frame.

Sophomore forward Ajeet Gundarah made 29 saves in the winning effort.

NO. 6 AIR FORCE VS. NO 3 ROBERT MORRIS
Air Force opened the scoring with a goal 15:29 into the first period off the stick of junior defenseman Will Staring. The Falcons held a 1-0 lead into the first intermission and extended that in the middle frame, holding a 2-0 lead by the start of the third period.

The Colonials got on the board at 14:08 in the final frame, then tied it with only 1:40 to go to force overtime. Junior forward Tanner Klimpke potted both third-period goals for Robert Morris.

The game went to overtime, but it was not decided in the first extra 20:00 of play, as neither team scored. In the second overtime, sophomore forward Nick Sajevic was able to net the game-winning goal for visiting Air Force at the 6:40 mark to collect a 4-3 victory.

NO. 5 RIT VS. NO 4 HOLY CROSS
Through two periods, RIT and Holy Cross remained scoreless. The scoreboard did not see a goal until RIT freshman forward Zach Wigle found the back of the net 2:24 into the third period to take a 1-0 lead.

Holy Cross sophomore forward Noah Eyre potted the game-tying goal on the man-advantage, 19:08 into the final frame, which forced overtime.

In the extra period of play, junior defenseman Will Elias found the back of the net 9:06 into overtime and took game one in a 2-1 win for Holy Cross.

SCORES
NO. 1 BENTLEY 4 - NO. 10 MERCYHURST 3 (3OT)
BOX SCORE
Mercyhurst Goals: Barrett Brooks, Ryan Coughlin, Sean James, Riley Fitzgerald, Christian Kocsis
Canisius Goals: Hunter Price, Walter Zacher

NO. 2 SACRED HEART 3 - NO. 8 NIAGARA 1
BOX SCORE - RECAP  
Sacred Heart Goals: Reid Pabich, Vitaly Levyy, Felix Trudeua
Niagara Goals: Dallon Melin

NO. 6 AIR FORCE 3 - NO. 3 ROBERT MORRIS 2 (2OT)
BOX SCORE
Air Force Goals: Will Staring, Mason McCormick, Nick Sajevic
Robert Morris Goals: Tanner Klimpke (2)

NO. 4 HOLY CROSS 2 - NO. 5 RIT 1 (OT)
BOX SCORE - RECAP
Holy Cross Goals: Noah Eyre, William Elias
RIT Goals: Zach Wigle

ABOUT ATLANTIC HOCKEY AMERICA
Atlantic Hockey America (AHA) is in its second season following the merger between the Atlantic Hockey Association and College Hockey America. The conference fields 10 Division I men's teams and seven women's teams. For more information, visit atlantichockeyamerica.com.

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