MIDDLEBURY, Vt. – The Manhattanville College men's ice hockey team dropped the consolation game of the Middlebury Holiday Classic by a score of 5-2 today, Saturday, Jan. 4, falling to the host Middlebury College. Sophomore netminder Reid Robertson (Plano, Texas/Plano West) made his starting debut for the Valiants between the pipes and stopped a career-high 30 shots, while senior co-captain Ryan Jackson (Montreal, Que./Pomfret School) was selected to the All-Tournament team.
 
The Crimson and White (5-8-1) fell behind 1-0 early on in the first to the Panthers (7-3), but were able to tie it up with 4:16 remaining until the first intermission to make it 1-1 after one period of play. Sophomore assistant captain Alex Rowella (Ridgefield, Conn./Holy Cross (H.S.)) received a pass through the crease from rookie Glynn Robitaille (Northville, Mich./Detroit Catholic Central) and snuck it in near the left post for the equalizer.
 
Manhattanville, with momentum on its side, nearly took the lead five minutes into the second period when senior assistant captain Joel Knight (Stoney Creak, Ont./Orchard Park Secondary School) rang a shot from the point off the cross bar. Later in the period, however, Middlebury was able to score a pair – the latter on the man-advantage – to take a 3-1 lead into the third period.
 
Both squads had several good chances in the third period and the Valiants were able to make it a one-goal game when rookie Josh Fletcher (Calgary, Alb./Central Memorial) took a pass from senior assistant captain Ken McLean (New Rochelle, N.Y./New Rochelle) and put it past the Panthers' goalie at 9:11 into the period. However, it was Middlebury that took the 4-2 lead with just over 7:30 remaining. The Panthers scored one more on an empty net to ice it.
 
Highlights:

• McLean and Robitaille led the Valiants with four shots apiece.
• Junior co-captain Tristan Ramage (Pittsburgh, Pa./Pittsburgh Central Catholic) and sophomore Niko Happo (Kauniainen, Finland/Haukilahti Upper Secondary School) each notched secondary assists.
• Rookie centerman Jack McDonough (Princeton, N.J./La Salle College (H.S.)) was 9-of-12 from the faceoff dot against the Panthers, while Rowella was 6-of-12.

The Valiants return to the ice when they open up home play in 2020 on Tuesday night, Jan. 14, at Playland Ice Casino in Rye, N.Y. Manhattanville will host Albertus Magnus College for the first time in program history as the Falcons compete in their first season as a varsity team.