Boxscore

HARRISVILLE, R.I. – Junior Assistant Captain Hannah Muskego (Neilburg, Saskatchewan/PWM Steelers (AMMFHL)) scored the game-winning goal for the Valiants early in the third period, as the Manhattanville women's hockey team picked up a 3-1 victory over Nichols College in ECAC East Conference play on Wednesday evening at Levy Rink.

The Valiants got on the board at the 4:09 mark as an offensive faceoff was won in the Bison zone allowing sophomore Katie Little (Victoria, British Columbia/Team British Columbia) to capitalize on the man-advantage with her seventh goal of the season. Senior captain Shannon Coffey (Malden, Mass./North American Hockey Academy) and sophomore Lauren Nutkevitch (Montreal, Quebec/Dawson College) were credited with the assists. With the goal, the Valiants chased starting goalie Melissa Mansfield just two shots into the contest.

Nichols added the tying goal on their only power play of the period as Courtney Carey and Bridget Griffith found Emily Larosa for her team-leading fourth goal of the season with 5:39 remaining in the opening frame. The Valiants outshot the Bison, 14-10, after the first frame.

The Valiants added a pair of goals in the final period beginning with Muskego's goal at the 3:21 mark as the defender rushed through the neutral zone and sent a blast behind back-up goalie Francesca Palazzo. The Valiants concluded the game with a short-handed insurance goal with 2:36 remaining as sophomore Sonia Occhionero (Montreal, Quebec/Kent School (Conn.)) raced around a defender and scored on a breakaway to give the visiting team a two-goal lead and the eventual victory.

For the Valiants, freshman netminder Mary Evans (Ferndale, Mich./Honeybaked (TOEHL)) made 14 saves for her fourth victory of the season, while Palazzo made 44 saves in relief and was dealt her seventh loss of the season.  

The Valiants outshot the Bison, 49-15, for the game and were effective on the special teams, scoring one power-play goal and erasing 5-of-6 man-advantages for the Bison.

Manhattanville (8-3-1, 7-1 ECAC East) will return to Playland Ice Casino for a pair of games this weekend, beginning with Utica College on Friday evening at 7 p.m., followed by third-ranked Plattsburgh State on Saturday at 3 p.m. Both games will have live stats and a live video broadcast on GoValiants.com and GoValiants.TV. Nichols (2-9, 1-7 ECAC East) will host Utica College on January 14 at 7:40 p.m.