Box Score PINE VALLEY, N.Y. – Senior Luc Van Natter (Fort Erie, Ont./Aurora Tigers (OPJHL)) scored the go-ahead goal 31 seconds into the third period to break a 2-2 tie and help lead the Manhattanville men's hockey team to a 4-2 victory over archrival Elmira in a testy ECAC West Conference matchup on Saturday night at the Murray Athletic Center.

The two teams traded two-goal periods throughout the night, but the Valiants got the better of that deal with two in both the first and third frames to pull out the victory.

A trio of seniors – Van Natter, Louie Balzano (Staten Island, N.Y./New York Apple Core (EJHL)) and Mark Rivera (Belmar, N.J./Springfield Pics (EJHL)) – scored the first three goals before junior Paul Sirignano (St. Catharines, Ont./Thorold Blackhawks (OJHL)) added an insurance tally. Van Natter and Rivera led all players with two points, while Taylor Love and Josh Burnell had the Elmira scores.

Just as they did last night, the Valiants came out of the games firing against Elmira on Saturday night, taking 11 of the first 12 shots of the game. And unlike Friday night's contest, Manhattanville was able to convert on its chances with a pair of power-play goals to take a 2-0 lead.

Balzano got the scoring started at the 10:09 mark of the opening frame, scoring 3:45 into a five-minute major to make it 1-0 Valiants. The lead doubled a mere 35 seconds later with the Valiants still up a man, as Rivera picked up a rebound and deposited it into an empty net for his first goal of the year.

Manhattanville continued its aggressive play in the second period, and looked to have its third goal of the game when junior Jake Mooney (Toronto, Ont./North York Rangers (OPJHL)) and freshman Adam Platt (Trumbull, Conn./Springfield Jr. Pics (EJHL)) seemed to have combined for a score, but the referee's call of indirect contact with the goaltender nullified the score.

So instead of being up by three goals and taking the wind out of the Elmira sails, the lead stayed at two and eventually Elmira started to mount a comeback. Taylor Love made it 2-1 with a one-timer from the circle at 14:17 of the middle frame, and Josh Burnell knotted the score at two on the power play with 50 seconds remaining to send the teams into the third period tied at two.

With the game still in the balance entering the third, Van Natter struck at the 31-second mark to regain the lead, picking up the rebound of a shot from junior Anton Racklin (Gothenburg, Sweden/Fairbanks Ice Dogs (NAHL)) and beating Elmira netminder Sal Magliocco. The lead remained at one until Sirignano added a big insurance tally with 5:17 remaining, when he sniped the top corner for his first of the year.

One night after having plenty of issues on special teams, the Valiants generated 14 shots on six man advantages and went 2 for 6 on the night. Elmira scored once on four man-up chances, but missed out on over 90 seconds of five-on-three play spanning both sides of the first intermission.

Junior Brian Fleming (Saint John, N.B./Northern Cyclones (AJHL)) performed well in his first start of the season, turning aside 35 of 37 shots to pick up the win. Magliocco made 37 saves in a losing effort for the Soaring Eagles.

Manhattanville will return home to Stamford, Conn., for the team's 2013-14 home opener next Saturday, as the Valiants host Neumann in an ECAC West Conference matchup at Terry Conners Rink beginning at 7:30 p.m.