RYE, N.Y. – Sophomore Adam Platt (Trumbull, Conn./Springfield Jr. Pics (USPHL)) and freshman Anthony Ragone (Babylon, N.Y./Springfield Pics (USPHL)) both had a goal and an assist and junior Kurt Williams (Rocky Mountain House, Alta./Salmon Arm Silverbacks (BCHL)) made 20 saves to earn his first collegiate victory as Manhattanville College defeated SUNY Canton by a 2-0 score in non-conference men's hockey action on Friday night at Playland Ice Casino.
 
Playing with a shortened bench, Manhattanville (5-4-1) received contributions of one type or another from all 15 skaters in the victory. In addition to Ragone and Platt's two points, senior Eric McClure (Mitchell, Ont./Thorold Blackhawks (OJHL)) also had two assists and freshman Stephen added his team-leading fifth goal of the year for the Valiants, who move to 4-1-0 in non-conference play so far this season.
 
Nick Vasilopoulos and Dave Schneider had the lone goals of the game for SUNY Canton (1-7-1), which came back from a pair of one-goal deficits but could not do it for a third time.
 
Manhattanville got on the board first at the 3:06 mark of the opening frame on Gaul's fifth of the year. McClure sent a pass to the slot where freshman Fabian Andark (Stockholm, Sweden/Vaxjo Lakers VHL (SWE)) got a shot off on Canton netminder Spencer Landry, and Gaul was there on the doorstep to deposit the rebound for the score.
 
Canton notched the equalizer just over four minutes later on the first power play of the night, when Schneider tipped home a shot from the point by Dave Ferris for his second goal of the season. That was the final goal of the opening period, which saw Manhattanville outshoot Canton by a 14-5 margin.
 
Ragone put the Valiants back up by a goal at 5:23 of the second period with his first collegiate goal. Platt won a faceoff to the near boards for freshman Matt Smethurst (Clifton Park, N.Y./New York Apple Core (EJHL)), who collected his first career point when Ragone's wrister from the blue line eluded the pads of Landry. But again the lead did not last long, as just 1:45 later Vasilopoulos worked a give-and-go with Kyle Matsumoto and one-timed a shot past Williams to even the score at two.
 
But this time, Manhattanville was able to respond before the end of the period, regaining the lead yet again on their first man-up chance of the night. After some nifty passing along the blue line, Ragone sent a nice cross ice pass to McClure in the near circle and he set up Platt for a one-timer in the slot that was buried for the sophomore's first tally of the year.
 
Neither team found the net in the third period, with the Valiants holding an 11-8 shot edge in the final frame. The Kangaroos had a great chance to even the score while shorthanded with a minute remaining, when Matsumoto went in one-on-one with Williams but could not get a shot off as the puck slipped off his stick.
 
Manhattanville finished the evening with a 36-22 edge in shots, with Williams making 20 saves in his collegiate debut to earn the win. Both teams finished the night 1-for-2 on the power play.
 
The Valiants will look to extend its home unbeaten streak into the new calendar year tomorrow, as Manhattanville closes out 2014 with a non-conference matchup against Nichols beginning at 7 p.m. at Playland.