After spotting the home team the first goal seven minutes into the opening period, the Landon Bears put up three unanswered goals on their way to a 4-3 victory over Bishop O’Connell on Friday night at the Kettler Capitals Iceplex. The win put the Bears (8-1-1, 17 pts. MAPHL) in a first-place tie with Gonzaga (8-0-1, 17 pts.) in the league’s top-flight AA Division.

O’Connell’s Jacob Smith got on the board at 7:47 with Victor Musoke picking up the first of two assists in the game. Musoke leads the MAPHL in that category with 15, as well as total points (23). Landon’s Will Jarrett tied the score on a power play with 36 seconds remaining in the first.

Goals by Joe Graham and Spencer Davis gave the Bears a 3-1 lead after two periods, but the Knights’ Alexander Vouras struck just 19 seconds into the third while Landon’s Graham was serving a two-minute penalty for cross-checking.

The Bears regained their two-goal lead with a goal from Matt Brille at 5:56, an insurance goal they would need as Vouras got the Knights to within one with just under two minutes left in the game. O’Connell pulled goaltender Jack Mackinnon for an extra skater but could not get the equalizer.