NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. - Freshman Scott Arnold netted two goals to lead the Niagara men's hockey team (4-3-2, 3-1-0 AHA) to its third-straight win, over the visiting Bentley Falcons (2-4-1, 1-1-0 AHA) 4-1 on Friday night at Dwyer Arena.

Arnold collected his first multi-goal and multi-point game of his career with his two goals, including his first career shorthanded goal to finish the game. Niagara now has a shorthanded goal in three straight games, with their penalty kill coming up huge once again.

"Our penalty-kill saved the day for us tonight," head Niagara men's hockey coach Dave Burkholder said. "We have six to seven forwards that take pride in it. They got no momentum off the power-play tonight."

The Purple Eagles scored the game's first goal halfway through the first period, when freshman Arnold broke into the offensive zone to the right of Bentley netminder Joe Calvi and let go of a shot that went off the netminder's stick and into the back of the net.

Niagara upped its lead to 2-0 when sophomore C.J. Chartrain ripped a shot from the left point, with the resulting rebound landing right on the stick of senior Bryan Haczyk, for the simple tap-in goal. Bentley would come within one late in the period when Brett Gensler snuck the puck past a diving Andrew Hare.

The Purple Eagles increased their lead to 3-1 early in the third period, when sophomore Giancarlo Iuorio converted for his fourth power-play goal of the season. With Chartrain in the box in the waning moments of the game and the Bentley net empty, Arnold collected his second goal of the night on the penalty kill when he wristed in a shot from the slot.

Hare made 20 saves to keep Niagara unbeaten against teams from Massachusetts, improving to a 2-0-2 record so far this season.

Niagara continues its five-game homestand against Bentley on Saturday night at 7:05 p.m.