Box Score HARRISVILLE, R.I. – Led by senior Craig Simchuk (Winnipeg, Man./Winnipeg Saints (MJHL)) and junior Anton Racklin (Gothenburg, Sweden/Fairbanks Ice Dogs (NAHL)), it was a special teams bonanza for the Manhattanville men's hockey team on Tuesday night, as the Valiants scored four times on the power play and three times while short-handed in dealing Nichols a wild 8-5 non-conference defeat at Levy Rink.

Simchuk was unstoppable on special teams for Manhattanville (9-5-0), recording three short-handed points and five points on special teams overall. The co-captain became the first Valiant ever to score two short-handed tallies in a game, finding the net in each of the first two periods, and also added three assists for a career-high five points.

Racklin did just as much damage on special teams, recording a career-high five points of his own. The assistant captain scored once on the power play and once while short-handed to go with a trio of assists that all came in man-up and man-down situations.

Senior assistant captain Adam Young (Edmonton, Alta./Grande Prairie Storm (AJHL)) and sophomores Matt Coleman (Brentwood, N.Y./Springfield Pics (EJHL)) and Paul Allan Bamberg (Lulea, Sweden/Lulea HF J20 (SWE)) also found the net for the visitors, who set a new season-high for goals.

For the Valiants, the team's three short-handed goals are tied for the most in a game in program history, matching the three-spot put up at Western New England on January 26, 2009. As a team, Manhattanville went 4 for 6 on the power play and also scored on three of its eight man-down situations.

The first period featured plenty of chances for both teams, as the two squads combined for 33 shots, the last of which gave the home team a one-goal lead at the intermission.

Nichols (9-4-2) started strong on the first shift of the game, when Paul Prescott beat senior netminder Alex Scola (Exeter, N.H./Woodstock Slammers (MJHL)) just 1:06 into the contest to open the scoring. The Valiants went on the penalty kill six minutes later but it was the visitors that got on the scoreboard, as Simchuk intercepted a pass at center ice and went in alone to put the puck past Alex Larson at the 7:23 mark.

The Bison capitalized on their second power-play chance late in the period, however, getting a power-play goal from Brett Jackson to give the home team a 2-1 lead after 20 minutes.

The second period continued the frenzied pace of the first, as Manhattanville scored four times on 15 shots – twice man-down and twice man-up – to take a 5-3 advantage into the locker rooms.

Manhattanville capitalized again while shorthanded early in the middle stanza, and again Simchuk was a part of the action. The senior gained possession in center ice and put a shot on the net of Larson, but the rebound could not be controlled and Racklin charged the net to stuff the puck home for his fifth of the year – and first that didn't come on the power play.

And when the Valiants finally got a power-play opportunity later in the period, they scored not once but twice in 44 seconds to take a 4-2 lead. Racklin struck again and netted that fifth man-up goal of the year at the 10:57 mark, taking a feed from Simchuk after junior Eric McClure (Mitchell, Ont./Thorold Blackhawks (OJHL)) won the faceoff back to the point. Then on the subsequent five-on-four, Coleman picked up the carom of a shot off the stick of freshman Tanner Hicks (Calgary, Alta./Brooks Bandits (AJHL)) and found the net for his fifth of the year.

After Nichols got back within one on a power-play goal by Joe Sposit, Manhattanville returned to its best offensive tactic of the night: going down a man. And again it was Simchuk scoring a breakaway tally, as Racklin blocked a shot right to freshman Adam Platt (Trumbull, Conn./Springfield Jr. Pics (EJHL)), who sprung the co-captain for the score.

Manhattanville scored again on special teams 2:17 into the third period, as Bamberg notched a power-play goal of his own. Racklin racked up yet another special teams point with the primary assist, feeding Bamberg for the top-corner snipe.

The Bison got one back at even strength and then another on the power play to get back within one goal with 4:30 remaining in regulation, but Manhattanville again responded twice more to complete the scoring. Rivera notched the team's first and only even-strength goal at 16:16 off a Bamberg pass, followed exactly one minute later by Young's power-play rocket that finally put an end to the scoring.

Manhattanville finished the game with a 40-35 edge in shots. Scola's line wasn't the best, but the senior made some timely saves throughout the contest and finished the night with 30 saves.

Manhattanville will return to the ice on Friday night, when the Valiants travel to Williams for a non-conference matchup with the Ephs beginning at 7 p.m.