PINE VALLEY, N.Y. — In game one of their two game United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) Semifinal versus Elmira College, the Manhattanville College men's hockey team played to a 2-2 tie Friday, Feb. 22 at Murray Athletic Center.

Both teams had opportunities early, as the two squads both hit posts in the first few minutes. The two teams then traded penalties, with neither able to convert. The period ended in a scoreless tie, with the Golden Eagles holding an 11-5 shot advantage.

The game remained scoreless in the early stages of the second period until senior forward Jared Martin (Fort Qu'Appelle, Sask./Notre Dame Hounds (SJHL)) picked up his second goal of the season on a deflection in front of the net off a cross-ice pass from senior forward Casper Dyrssen (Stockholm, Sweden/Northern Cyclones (EHL)). The goal gave the Valiants a 1-0 lead at the 3:58 mark of the second, with senior defenseman Marco Ferraro (Toronto, Ont./St. Michael's Buzzers (OJHL)) also picking up an assist on the play.

Minutes later, the Valiants would double their lead when freshman forward Alex Rowella (Ridgefield, Conn./Connecticut Roughriders (EHL)) stuffed home a rebound to extend to Valiants' lead to 2-0 at the 9:01 mark of the period, with sophomore forward Braedan Cross (Sechelt, B.C./Cochrane Crunch (CJHL)) and junior defenseman Ryan Jackson (Montreal, Que./Hawkesbury Hawks (CCHL)) picking up the assists.

But just over two minutes later, Elmira's Matthew Cousino would score on a wrist shot from the slot that cut Manhattanville's lead to one. Then at the 14:24 mark of the second, the home team would tie it up on a goal from Nick Ford, making the game a 2-2 contest heading into the third.

The third period got underway with senior goaltender Tyler Feaver (Whitby, Ont./Whitby Fury (OJHL)) making a big save on a breakaway by Ford to keep the game knotted at two. Though both teams had their chances, nobody was able to break through for the game-winner in the third, sending the game to a five-minute overtime period.

Neither team was able to score in overtime, ending the game in a 2-2 tie. With the tie, the second game of the series will be a winner-take-all contest. If the game is tied at the end of regulation tomorrow, the teams will play a five-minute sudden death. If nobody wins in the overtime, the teams will then play a 20-minute mini-game with the full period being played regardless of scoring during the period. If the teams are tied after the mini-game, the game and series will then go to 20-minute sudden death periods, which will be continued until there is a winner.

The Valiants only took one penalty on the night and successfully killed it off, and Feaver made 31 saves for the Valiants.

The Valiants and Soaring Eagles are back in action for game two of the UCHC Semifinal Saturday, Feb. 23 at Murray Athletic Center in Pine Valley, N.Y.