RYE, N.Y. – The Manhattanville College men's ice hockey officially played to a 3-3 overtime tie Friday night, Jan. 18, at the Playland Ice Casino versus United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) rival Nazareth College. This is the second time the two squads have tied this season, only this time the Valiants picked up the extra point in the UCHC standings as junior Kenny McLean (New Rochelle, N.Y./New York Bobcats (EHL)) scored the clincher with 3:36 remaining in double-overtime.
 
Manhattanville (8-5-3, 5-2-3 UCHC) was first to get on the board with 12:47 gone in the initial period against the Golden Flyers (8-4-4, 5-2-3 UCHC). Valiants' senior goaltender Tyler Feaver (Whitby, Ont./Whitby Fury (OJHL)) decided to play the puck from behind his net and sent one hard along the boards. Senior Jeff Beck (Broomall, Pa./Philadelphia Junior Flyers (EHL)) took the puck from Feaver's pass with speed down the ice and went all the way to the Nazareth net for a good chance at a wraparound shot. Golden Flyer goalie Sean Kuhn rebuffed Beck's shot attempt, but senior co-captain Casper Dyrssen (Stockholm, Sweden/Northern Cyclones (EHL)) was able to stuff the rebound home for the early 1-0 lead – Feaver was credited with the secondary assist on the play.
 
Nazareth scored the next two on the night, first from Jacob Paluch at 14:04 into the first, and then from Casey Kubara with 9:25 gone in the second. Grant Gallo of the Golden Flyers was then called for holding at 10:59, giving the Valiants the powerplay opportunity. Thirty seconds later, Manhattanville capitalized as McLean scored his first of the game – assisted by seniors Marco Ferraro (Toronto, Ont./St. Michael's Buzzers (OJHL)) and Matt Lippa (Richmond Hill, Ont./Oakville Blades (OJHL)) – at 11:29 to knot it up at 2-2.
 
Over the next few minutes, Manhattanville was called for two major penalties and the Valiants found themselves in an elongated 5-on-3 disadvantage. They held out for quite a while, but Nazareth eventually broke through the defense and James McDonald gave the Golden Flyers the 3-2 lead at 15:59 into the second. The score would remain that way headed into the second intermission.
 
Nazareth maintained the one goal lead until 15:49 into the third. McLean made an amazing individual effort, stickhandling around several visiting defenders and attracting a lot of attention. Senior co-captain Eric Berglund (Sollentuna, Sweden/Islanders Hockey Club (USPHL)) was able to settle into the slot, completely uncovered, and McLean found him for the score to knot it up at 3-3. No more goals would be scored and so overtime came next.
 
Both squads had their chances in the first extra period, but it was not to be so it goes into the NCAA record books officially as a tie. To decide which team would walk away with the extra point toward the UCHC standings, Manhattanville and Nazareth continued play in a second, 3-on-3 overtime period. Lippa entered the zone several times and eventually the puck landed on McLean's stick. The junior centerman dangled around all three Golden Flyer skaters and sniped one past Kuhn to clinch the extra point for the Valiants in exciting fashion.
 
Weather permitting, Manhattanville will next hit the ice tomorrow afternoon, Jan. 19, when the Valiants host UCHC frontrunner Utica College at Playland. Puck drop is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. against the Pioneers, who defeated the Valiants 5-1 in Manhattanville's season-opener in Utica, N.Y., Oct. 30, when Utica was ranked nationally (No. 8-D3hockey.com/No. 11 U.S. College Hockey Online).