RYE, N.Y. – The Manhattanville College men's hockey team earned their third win of the season in the home opener on Friday evening, defeating conference foe Stevenson University by a final score of 2-0. With the victory, the Valiants move to 3-2-0 overall and in UCHC play. 
 
A scoreless first period with eight shots coming from the Valiants and four from the Mustangs along with a power play each, would lead to some very dominant hockey going into the next 20 minutes.  
 
The Valiants would score their first goal of the night in the 11^th minute of the second period when Hayden Taylor (Bloomfield Hills, Mich./Islanders Hockey Club (NCDC)) would take the pressure of one Stevenson defender and bypass that with a quick shot fired into the net. Assists would be awarded to Josh Fletcher (Calgary, Alb./Kindersley Klippers (SJHL)) and Corey Popowcer (Parkland, Fla./Vermont Lumberjacks (EHL)) for setting up the Manhattanville offense for a clear window of opportunity. While the man advantage would take place twice following the first goal, the Valiants weren't able to connect and have more insurance to back them in the second period. 
 
A busy third period would occur with four more combined penalties and 18 shots total between the two teams. Manhattanville would then get another on the board with less than four minutes remaining in regulation. Raymond Speerbrecker (Revelstoke, British Columbia, Canada/Revelstoke Grizzlies (KIJHL)) would get a pass from Troy Crosson (Hatfield, Pa./New Jersey Rockets (NCDC)) with a break away puck to light up the net for his first goal of the season. The Mustangs were unable to get themselves on the board for night one of the conference series. 
 
Manhattanville would hold a 42-39 advantage in draws on the night, with even matchups for each player facing the circle. Speerbrecker would win 13 draws, while Fletcher had 12. The opposition would show Stevenson's Eric Olson with 12 draws and Graeme McCrory with 11. 
 
Manhattanville went 0-for-6 on the power play, only firing four shots with the Mustangs being dominant in the disadvantage. The same goes for the Valiants, going a perfect 3-for-3 with only 5 shots fired against them in response. 
 
Sebastian Woods (Limehouse, Ontario, Canada/Utica Jr. Comets (NCDC)), the UCHC Rookie of the Week, would stop all 24 shots fired his way in net for Manhattanville, while bringing his goals-against average down to 1.33 and raising his save percentage to .956. 
 
The Valiants will finish their series against the Mustangs tomorrow with a 4:30 p.m. puck drop at Playland Ice Casino.