RYE, N.Y. – The Manhattanville College men's ice hockey team, ranked 10th in the most recent USCHO (United States College Hockey Online) Division III Top 15 Poll, had a rough start to its United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) campaign tonight, Friday, Nov. 8, falling by a score of 5-2 to No. 14 Utica College at home at Playland Ice Casino.
 
Both teams were pretty even in nearly all aspects of the game Friday. Each squad had five powerplays, though Utica (1-0-1, 1-0 UCHC) was able to convert on one of those opportunities during 5-on-3 advantage late in the second period, while the Valiants (1-1-1, 0-1 UCHC) could not capitalize on their man-up chances. The Pioneers took 28 shots on goal to Manhattanville's 23 – a slim five-shot advantage – but the difference was really made at the faceoff dot. Utica finished the night with a 44-22 edge over the Crimson and White, and that led to a possession advantage the ultimately did the Valiants in.
 
The visitors got on the board first after just having missed out on a powerplay opportunity. Utica's first shot was blocked by senior Ken McLean (New Rochelle, N.Y./New York Bobcats (EHL)), but the puck ricocheted left and was tapped into a virtually open net to make it 1-0 just under three minutes in. The score would remain that way for the rest of the period, despite multiple scoring chances on each side.
 
Sophomore Jarod Lavallee (Cumberland, Maine/Seacoast Spartans (ECEL)) – fresh off a three-point weekend – put Manhattanville on the board first, just over five minutes into the second. A Pioneer turnover in the neutral zone led to a breakaway for the Valiant forward and he was able to beat the goaltender with a few dekes and a forehanded snipe to the top left corner, tying it up at 1-1. Just over five minutes later, McLean struck again for the Valiants to put them up 2-1. Sophomore Kyle Miller (Bristol, Conn./Trinity-Pawling) stopped a clearing attempt at the near blue line, found McLean down low, who made one move and beat the netminder short-side and high.
 
Unfortunately, Utica tied it up about three and a half minutes later, making it 2-2 before taking the lead with 2:29 to play before intermission following a 5-on-3 goal, scored by Brandon Osmundson. He scored once again just 00:18 into the third and sealed the hat trick with an empty netter in the waning moments of the game.
 
Making his second career start between the pipes, Valiants rookie netminder Alexei Masanko (West Milford, N.J./Kingston Voyageurs (OJHL)) made 23 saves on 27 chances. Though Manhattanville had some difficulties in the faceoff circle, McLean was 9-of-16, while sophomore Alex Rowella (Ridgefield, Conn./Connecticut Roughriders (EHL)) took 5-of-10. Junior Jamie Dorsey (Wilbraham, Mass./Springfield Pics (USPHL)) blocked four shots on the night, while classmate Tristan Ramage (Pittsburgh, Pa./Philadelphia Flyers (USPHL)) and sophomore Kyle Miller (Bristol, Conn./Trinity-Pawling) each blocked a pair.
 
The Crimson and White will look to bounce back tomorrow afternoon, Saturday, No. 9, in another UCHC battle when Nazareth College comes to visit Playland for a 3:30 p.m. puck drop. The Valiants and Golden Eagles tied twice last season, with each team earning the extra point in the conference standings on their respective home ices – Nazareth in a shootout and Manhattanville in double-overtime.