ELMIRA, N.Y. – In what was a relatively clean contest – only two penalties called the entire night – the Manhattanville College men's ice hockey team dropped a tough road United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) matchup to Elmira College Friday night, Jan. 25, by a score of 5-2. The series goes all the way back to February of 2000 and is now completely even, with the all-time record tied at 27-27-7 after Friday's meeting – the 61st between the two programs.
 
Manhattanville (8-7-3, 5-4-3 UCHC) allowed the first goal of the game to Elmira (10-8-1, 8-3-1 UCHC) with 5:22 gone in the first following a quick rush and a crowded net in front of Valiants' goaltender sophomore Mac Vail (East Elmhurst, N.Y./Philadelphia Jr. Flyers (EHL)). Just over five minutes later, junior defenseman Joel Knight (Stoney Creak, Ont./Markham Royals (OJHL)) scored just his second goal of the season – he has now scored in two straight – with a ripper from the point that made its way to the back of the net at 10:28 to knot it up a 1-1. Rookie Niko Happo (Kauniainen, Finland/Grankulla IFK Hockey Club (FIHA)) and senior Cory Anderson (Bakersfield, Calif./Notre Dame Hounds (SJHL)) assisted on the blueliner's goal. The Valiants drew a slashing penalty on the Soaring Eagles with 4:01 remaining in the period and took three shots on the powerplay, but were unable to land one on net. The score remained 1-1 after one.
 
The Valiants controlled play in the first, outshooting Elmira 13-6 in the period. Momentum was on their side in the second, but the Soaring Eagles quickly turned the tide with a pair of goals within 21 seconds of one another. They scored at 3:12, and then after winning the faceoff, scored once again at 3:23 and all of a sudden, Elmira held a 3-1 lead. Neither team was able to make any further offensive progress from that point on in the second and the score remained the same as they headed into the third.
 
Each team had a few chances early on in the final period, but it was not until the 6:10 mark when either team had something to show for it. Valiants junior Kenny McLean (New Rochelle, N.Y./New York Bobcats (EHL)) broke through, with the assist coming from senior Oscar Arfelt (Stockholm, Sweden/Connecticut Oilers (EHL)), and just like that Manhattanville was back within one at 3-2 with just under 14 minutes left in regulation. McLean has been the hottest Valiant of all over the last five games, with six points, including four goals – and that doesn't include his Jan. 18 double overtime UCHC clincher over Nazareth College for the extra point in the conference standings.
 
Unfortunately, Manhattanville was unable to retain that momentum and Elmira was stretched its lead back to two at 4-2 following a goal with 10:29 remaining. The Soaring Eagles got one more on the board five minutes later to extend their lead to 5-2 with 15:30 left in the period. Senior Nigel Slade (St. Catherines, Ont./Niagara Falls Canucks (GOJHL)) was then called for a cross-check nearly 30 seconds later, but the Valiants killed it off without allowing a shot on net. Head coach Arlen Marshall pulled Vail with 1:43 remaining and Manhattanville managed four shots, but just one landed on net and was frozen by the Elmira goalie with 16 seconds remaining, en route to the final horn.
 
Despite the loss, the Valiants continued to have success in the faceoff circle and won 51-of-91 (56 percent) of the puck-drops. McLean won 17-of-33 (52 percent), while rookie Alex Rowella (Ridgefield, Conn./Connecticut Roughriders (EHL)) was 11-of-19 (58 percent). Slade and Anderson combined to win 20-of-35 (57 percent) of their faceoffs as well.
 
The Valiants will look to rebound tomorrow night, Jan. 26, in another UCHC road contest, this time at Lebanon Valley College in Annville, Pa. Puck-drop against the Flying Dutchmen is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Manhattanville and LebVal last met at the Playland Ice Casino in Rye, N.Y, Nov. 9 and played to a 2-2 tie, with the visiting Dutchman grabbing an extra point in the UCHC standings on a tally with 00:49 remaining in double overtime.