Box Score Box Score
RYE, N.Y. – The Manhattanville men's hockey team continued its recent hot streak in the return to ECAC West Conference play on Friday night, as senior netminder
Pierre-Olivier Lemieux (Rimouski, Que./Neepawa Natives (MJHL)) made 32 saves to extend the Valiants' unbeaten streak to seven with an impressive 3-0 victory over USCHO.com #7 Neumann at Playland Ice Casino.
It was a great team effort for the Valiants, who improved to 3-1-1 against nationally ranked teams this season and moved to 5-0-2 in the last seven games, the second-longest active unbeaten streak in Division III.
The leader of the pack for the home team was once again Lemieux, who extended his own program record with his 10th career shutout and moved into a tie for the D-III lead with his third clean sheet of the year – all coming in the last six games. The senior netminder turned aside all 32 shots faced, including 26 in the final two periods alone, to improve to 9-3-3 on the year.
After spotting Neumann a two-goal lead the last time the teams played in November, this time it was Manhattanville on the attack early on Friday night, scoring twice in less than four minutes in the first frame. Senior Marcus von Sydow (Stockholm, Sweden/Djugarden J20 (SWE)) opened the scoring at 6:13 of the first with his fifth goal of the year, dropping off a pass then driving to the net to tip it past Neumann keeper Matt Tendler. Junior Brendan Turner (Tisdale, Sask./Lloydminster Bobcats (AJHL)) and sophomore Louie Balzano (Staten Island, N.Y./New York Apple Core (EJHL)) picked up assists on the tally.
Then at the 9:41 mark, freshman Mark Rivera (Belmar, N.J./Springfield Pics (EJHL)) continued his excellent rookie campaign with his sixth goal of the season, making it a two-goal game with a beautiful backhanded tally. Turner and sophomore Adam Young (Edmonton, Alta./Grande Prairie Storm (AJHL)) assisted Rivera on the goal, which gives him a conference-best 11 points by a rookie so far this year.
After the first 20 minutes, the home team had an 11-6 edge in shots, but more importantly held a two-goal lead on the scoreboard heading into the second.
Neumann came out desperate to get back in the game in the middle frame, posting a 14-7 edge in shots but still was unable to find the net. The major momentum swing of the game came late in the period, when Neumann had a power-play goal called off due to goaltender interference and a few minutes later sophomore Luc Van Natter (Fort Erie, Ont./Aurora Tigers (OPJHL)) scored a breakaway tally to give the Valiants a 3-0 edge with 4:06 left. Freshman Joel Rosenberg (Sigtuna, Sweden/Boston Bulldogs (AtlJHL)) recorded his first career point on the goal, as his outlet pass sprung Van Natter, who deked to the backhand before lifting the puck over a prone Tendler.
Manhattanville remained on point defensively for the remainder of the contest, killing off seven man-down chances in the final two periods alone to preserve the shutout. For the game, the Valiant penalty kill went a perfect 8 for 8 against the Knights, including a five-on-three situation late in the contest.
Manhattanville (9-4-3, 3-2-0 ECAC West) and Neumann (12-5-0, 2-4-0 ECAC West) will meet again tomorrow night, as the Valiants and Knights complete their two-game weekend series on Saturday beginning at 7 p.m. at Playland Ice Casino. The live GoValiants.TV video broadcast will begin at 6:45 p.m.
