Game-day information: Game 2 vs. Bentley
When	Friday, Oct. 16, 7 p.m.
Where	Boston, Mass.  |  Matthews Arena  |  Directions
Broadcast and stats	Live Stats  |  Video  |  Audio  |  Tickets
Notes and yearbook	Game Notes  |  2015-16 Yearbook
Promotions	Wear Black  /  In-Game DJ
Social media	@GoNUmhockey  facebook.com/GoNUmhockey instagram.com/GoNUathletics  Use #GoNU

BOSTON -- The Northeastern men's ice hockey gets back to work on Friday night when the Huskies host Bentley at Matthews Arena for the frontend of a home-and-home set.
 
Fans are encouraged to wear black to the game during Parent's Weekend. The Huskies will also be holding a sale of replica game jerseys for $60, which are $25 off normal cost. Chuck-a-Puck, Double Husky Sled Race and Army ROTC T-shirt toss will all be occurring throughout the evening.
 
The all-time series with Bentley
Northeastern and Bentley will square off for the fifth time in program history on Friday night, followed by another contest at Bentley on Saturday. All four previous games between the Falcons and Huskies have been played at Matthews Arena. Northeastern got the upper hand in their first two contests, winning them both 4-1 and 3-2. The next two matchups went Bentley's way with the Falcons leaving Matthews with 2-1 and 6-3 victories.
 
Scouting the Falcons
Bentley comes into the weekend series with an 0-2-0 record after the Falcons fell twice to the Mercyhurst Lakers last weekend in a pair of close games, 3-1 and 3-2. Forward Andrew McDonald has scored all three of Bentley's goals so far this season while fellow forward Ryan McMurphy has recorded two assists.
 
In goal, the Falcons boast a tandem that should split time evenly this season. Jayson Argue made 26 saves in the opening-night loss to the Lakers while Gabe Antoni stopped 19 pucks in the second of two defeats. Argue started 20 games as a freshman for Bentley last season, posting a record of 8-7-4. Antoni saw 10 starts as a junior last year, finishing with a record of 6-5-0.
 
Three of Bentley's top five scorers from 2014-15 graduated this past summer, leaving some big holes in the team's scoring. Forward Andrew Gladiuk posted 42 points as a junior last season and looks to lead the charge offensively for the Falcons this season with a new supporting cast.
 
Junior Max French had an impressive 34 points in his sophomore campaign last season and led the Falcons in shots on goal with 115. Gladiuk and French put up seven goals each on the man advantage last season, and with the emergence of players like McDonald and McMurphy, Bentley is poised to have a deadly power play this season.
 
Recapping the season opener vs. Colgate
With the score tied at one midway through the third period, sophomore Nolan Stevens put his talents on display, stickhandling through three defenders before beating Colgate goaltender Charlie Finn five-hole to lift Northeastern to a 2-1 victory over the Raiders on Saturday night at Matthews Arena.
 
The eventual game-winner began when Stevens collected a breakout feed from Colton Saucerman in the neutral zone before Stevens did the rest. Stevens crossed the blue line before losing a Raider defenseman twice, then beating Finn with 8:12 to play in regulation.
 
Nolan's brother John also scored for Northeastern, which won its season opener for the third time in four seasons. Derick Roy got the nod in goal for the Huskies, making 16 saves in the win as NU outshot the Raiders 43-17 in the game.
 
Unfamiliar faces
While Northeastern and Bentley are meeting for just the fifth time in team history on Friday night, the Huskies haven't gone up against opponents from Atlantic Hockey in recent seasons. Since head coach Jim Madigan took the reigns of the program in 2011, NU has played four games against Atlantic Hockey members, going 2-2-0. Overall, Northeastern is 53-21-2 (.710) all-time against current members of Atlantic Hockey.
 
Poll position
Northeastern is currently receiving votes in both the USCHO.com and USA Today preseason polls. The Huskies are one of 10 Hockey East teams either ranked or receiving votes in the USCHO.com poll, while 14 of NU's opponents are featured in the poll.
 
Nolan Stevens makes NCAA top plays
Nolan Stevens' goal last weekend against Colgate caught the attention of the nation, and in doing so earned him a spot on the NCAA Top Plays of the Week. Stevens stickhandled through three defenders before sneaking the puck through the legs of Raider netminder Charlie Finn, a highlight that generated more than 26,000 views on social media.
 
Returning firepower
With 21 letterwinners back from a season ago, the Huskies won't be at a shortage for options in the attacking end of the ice. NU's returning skaters combined for 82 goals and 167 assists during the 2014-15 season. Their 249 points, which was 81.1% or NU's offensive output in 2014-15, was more than 21 teams compiled in total last year.
 
Northeastern's 249 returning points are the ninth highest in the nation, and third in Hockey East entering this season, while its 81.1% percentage of returning points is also ninth in the country and second in the conference.
 
Take me to your leader
The biggest storyline entering the 2015-16 season is senior captain Kevin Roy, who returns for his senior season on Huntington Avenue. He begins his final season of collegiate eligibility ranked in a tie for 24th in career scoring at Northeastern (55 goals, 69 assists, 124 points). He also ranks 28th all-time in career goals and tied for 29th in career assists.
 
He is currently the nation's active leader in career assists and points, and is also second among active players in career goals (see page two).
 
Last season, the Lac-Beauport, Quebec native became the 21st player in program history to record 100 career points in three seasons or less. He logged 44 points to become the first Husky since 1993-94 to log at least 40 points in consecutive seasons. For his efforts, he was named a CCM Second Team All-American, First Team Hockey East All-Star and was a candidate for the Hobey Baker Award.
 
Roy is one of eight returning All-Americans, and the first Northeastern player since Rob Cowie in 1990 to be named an All-American and return for the following season.
 
Points from the point
Last season, the Huskies were tied for 24th in the nation with 73 points from defensemen (18 goals, 55 assists), and started this year off on a good foot with three assists from blueliners in the season opener against Colgate. Jarrett Fennell, Eric Williams and Colton Saucerman all logged helpers against the Raiders.
 
D makes a statement against Colgate
Derick Roy and the Northeastern defense came up big in the opening game of the year against Colgate, holding the Raiders to just 17 shots and one goal. It marked just the eighth time in team history that the Huskies have held their opponents to one goal or less in the season opener. The others came in 2013, 1999, 1983, 1960, 1954, 1951 and 1942.
 
Road trip!
Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh has joined Councillor Arder Carson, Lord Mayor of Belfast, Northern Ireland and representatives from the hockey community to announce "The Friendship Four," an international hockey tournament in Belfast from November 27-28 featuring hockey teams from Northeastern, UMass Lowell, Brown and Colgate competing for the Belpot Trophy.
 
Northeastern and UMass Lowell will square off on Nov. 27 at 2:30 p.m. (ET) with Hockey East points on the line before Brown and Colgate take the ice in the nightcap. The winners of each game will square off for the Belpot the following night. The Friendship Four will be held at the Belfast Giants/Odyssey Arena.
 
The road ahead
Northeastern will head out west next weekend to battle No. 15/13 Minnesota on Friday and Saturday in Minneapolis. The Huskies are making their first trip to the Mariucci Center since capturing the Mariucci Classic in 2011.