HARRISVILLE, R.I. – A late-game comeback from the Manhattanville College men's hockey team came up just short on Saturday afternoon, as the Valiants fell one goal short in a 5-4 loss to Nichols College in non-conference action at Levy Rink.
 
Down by two goals entering the final period, Manhattanville (8-6-3) outshot Nichols (10-5-2) by a 13-4 margin in the third period in an attempt to get back into the game. The Valiants pulled junior netminder Tyler Feaver (Whitby, Ont./Whitby Fury (OJHL)) with 2:08 left in regulation and got one goal back a minute later on a goal from sophomore Ryan Jackson (Montreal, Que./Hawkesbury Hawks (CCHL)), but the visitors could not strike again with the extra attacker over the final 45 seconds.
 
Jackson led all Valiants with two points on a goal and an assist. Juniors Cory Anderson (Bakersfield, Calif./Notre Dame Hounds (SJHL)) and Nigel Slade (St. Catherines, Ont./Niagara Falls Canucks (GOJHL)) and sophomore Joel Knight (Stoney Creak, Ont./Markham Royals (OJHL)) all scored as well for Manhattanville. Nichols was paced by a hat trick from defenseman Ian Spencer.
 
The Valiants came back from a pair of one-goal deficits in the first two periods. Anderson knotted the score at one with a power-play goal at 9:44 of the opening period, and then Slade tied the score again with his first of the year 2:34 into the second period. Knight gave Manhattanville its first lead of the game less than four minutes later by netting his second tally of the season, putting the visitors ahead 3-2 at the 6:26 mark.
 
But the momentum swung drastically in the next 3:19, with the Bison scoring three times to take control. Chris Deming tied the game at the 8:35 mark, and then two Manhattanville penalties resulted in two Spencer goals, first on a five-on-three advantage and then 25 seconds later on the subsequent five-on-four power play.
 
Manhattanville finished the game with a 33-26 edge in shots. Feaver made 21 saves for the visitors, while Henry Burns stopped 18 of the 19 shots he faced over the final 33:34 to earn the win in relief for the Bison.
 
The Valiants will begin a stretch of eight straight UCHC games to finish the regular season next weekend, beginning with a Friday night game versus Elmira College at Playland Ice Casino beginning at 7 p.m.