WALTHAM, Mass. — For the first time in three weeks, a close game turned against the Robert Morris University men's hockey team, which fell 3-2 in Game 1 of its Atlantic Hockey quarterfinal against Bentley.

Freshman Falcons center Jakov Novak scored his second goal of the night with 1:38 remaining in the third, collecting his own misfire and backhanding the loose puck high into the net. The play involved some bad luck for RMU, as Novak's initial whiff put goalie Francis Marotte out of position for the follow-up chance, but the Colonials had possession of the puck just seconds prior.

"We did a lot of good things, it's just at times we got away from the things that make us successful," head coach Derek Schooley said. "All three (Bentley) goals came off turnovers. We have to make sure we're more diligent with pucks."

Novak's back-breaking second tally broke a 2-2 tie that had been forged when RMU senior wing Mike Louria scored a power-play goal midway through a promising second period. 

The Colonials trailed 1-0 and 2-1 but showed the resilience they put on display during a 4-0-1 run that ended Friday. Still, the Colonials outshot the second-seeded Falcons 30-28 in their first game at Bentley Arena and probably had the better of play in the final 40 minutes overall.

"You've gotta play with that sense of urgency right now," Schooley said. "I think for long stretches of the second and third periods, we did."

RMU (14-21-2, 13-16-2 AHA) had won four one-goal games in a row coming into this best-of-three set, capped by a back-and-forth Game 2 against Holy Cross in the first round.

Much like in that dramatic series clincher six days ago, the Colonials rallied from an early deficit Friday, with Luke Lynch chopping a shot through Bentley goalie Aidan Pelino late in the first to level the score.

After the two teams exchanged goals to set up a decisive third period, the Colonials had their opportunities to go ahead, including a power play with eight minutes remaining. But Bentley (17-13-5, 14-9-4 AHA) killed RMU's second advantage, sending the two teams down the stretch with a Game 1 victory in the balance. 

"The refs are letting us play," said Schooley, noting that each side had just two power-play opportunities. "We just have to make sure our power play gets things done in a hurry, and they change when it's not working. If we want to go far, we have to go together. You have to believe the next man up can do the job."

With an elimination scenario looming for Saturday's Game 2, the Colonials can build upon some positives from the opener. Their top two forward lines were consistently dangerous, with Daniel Mantenuto generating four shots on goal while Louria, Alex Tonge, Justin Addamo and Luke Lynch ripped three each at Bentley netminder Aidan Pelino.

"Our 'D' were doing a great job moving it up the ice quick," said Louria, who netted his eighth goal of the season and first point of the playoffs. "I think we can catch 'em on some changes there. We were moving our feet better in the second and third. We just need to do that the whole game."

The first 10 minutes was a feeling-out process for both sides, but chances picked up in the next 10.

Bentley was first on the board at 12:55 when Novak, a 2018 Ottawa Senators draft pick, whipped a left-circle wrister past a Colonials defender and inside the near post on Marotte.

Nick Prkusic came inches from tying the score on a breakaway shortly after the icebreaker, but Pelino denied the low forehand.

RMU did get the equalizer with 1:06 to go before intermission, when Lynch chopped a loose puck toward the net that Pelino couldn't handle. That gave the junior Pittsburgh native eight points (2g, 6a) in his past eight games.

The home team had an answer, though, as Brendan Hamblet scored from the doorstep with just a half minute later. Drew Callin's centering pass from the side of the net was deflected into the air and off Hamblet's leg before bounding into the Colonials' net.

The Falcons came close to increasing their lead to 3-1 midway through the second, but Jonathan Desbiens banged his backhand off the right post after some fancy passing.

It wasn't to be for the home team, however, so RMU had an opening. The Colonials burst through that door at 11:19 of the second, when Louria one-timed Tonge's cross-rink pass behind Pelino for a power-play conversion. 

Mantenuto set the play up by gloving down an attempted Bentley clear and ripping a shot that got the Falcons scrambling. Although the visitors had just one power play through two periods, they also had a tie game.

"The first (power play) wasn't pretty but we had a lot of good chances," Louria said. "We need to continue to move our feet and draw some penalties tomorrow."

Tonge and senior captain Brandon Watt enjoyed partial breakaways late in the second, but couldn't put the Colonials ahead for the first time. 

Those two, plus Louria, Kyle Horsman and defenseman Eric Israel could be down to their final NCAA game Saturday if the result doesn't go RMU's way. That'll be more than enough to put them in the right frame of mind for a necessary rebound. The Colonials must win two in a row to advance to their sixth straight AHA final four.

"We lose tomorrow, our season's over," Louria said. "For the five seniors, that's it for (us). We just have to come out and play a full 60. That's what we didn't do today."

Saturday's faceoff is set for 7:05 p.m. Tim Benz and Mike Prisuta will have the radio call on ESPN Pittsburgh.