RYE, N.Y. – Taking to the ice for the first time in the 2023-24 campaign, the Manhattanville College men's hockey team fell in overtime to the visiting Saint Michael's College 3-2. The Valiants drop the first-ever meeting between the two programs, opening the year 0-1-0.

The Purple Knights fought back from a 2-0 deficit to send the game to overtime before Ryland Dukes buried the game-winner from Jack Macdonald and Case Kantgias 2:34 into the extra period.

Taking to the ice with a number of new faces, the Valiants built up a two goal advantage on the backs of their rookies. After a scoreless first, Tyler Rolston (Newport, Pa./P.A.L Jr. Islanders (NCDC)) notched the Valiants' first goal of the year off assists by James Gregory (Darien, Conn./Connecticut Roughriders (EHL)) and Caden Eaton (Indian River, Mich./Cornwall Colts (CCHL)). The goal came shorthanded as Manhattanville was able to contain the puck in the offensive zone at the tailend of a 4-on-4 as the Purple Knight penalty expired.

Just over six minutes later, another freshman logged his first career goal for the Valiants, this time in the form of Tristan D'Elia (West Chester, Pa./Philadelphia Little Flyers (EHL)). The rookie set up shop just outside of the crease and was able to fire in a backhander off a pass from Corey Popowcer (Parkland, Fla./Vermont Lumberjacks (EHL)) past Marshall Murphy. Eaton also picked up the secondary assist for the second point of his young collegiate career.

Two minutes later, Manhattanville looked to momentarily have a 3-0 lead as Rolston put another puck in the net past Murphy after collecting a loose puck outside of the crease after a save. However, after the officials discussed, it was ruled the puck went out of play off the initial save and the score was waived off.

The Valiants were poised to take the 2-0 lead into the third period, aided by Saint Michael's' Ben Baxter being sent to the box for a hit from behind with under two minutes to play. The Purple Knights, however, cashed in with a shorthanded goal of their own as David Ciancio collected his own rebound and fired in the follow-up past Sebastian Woods (Limehouse, Ontario, Canada/Utica Jr. Comets (NCDC)) to cut the lead in half with just 17 seconds remaining in the period. Dukes collected the assist following his breakout pass.

The score held at 2-1 until late in the third period. The Purple Knights pulled Murphy for an extra attacker as time waned down below three minutes remaining in regulation. Saint Michael's capitalized as TJ Beaver netted the equalizer from Danny Keegan and Baxter to sent the game to overtime where Dukes would end it.
Woods began his second season with the Valiants with a 29 save effort in more than 62 minutes on the ice. The sophomore netminder made a game-high 12 saves in the first period.

Both teams were credited with 32 shots in the contest. Manhattanville's effort was led by five from Lucas Baksay (Fairfield, Conn./Connecticut Roughriders (EHL)), while Johno Hoins (Telluride, Colo./The Frederick Gunn School), Artem Mateichenko (Kharkov, Ukraine/New Hampshire Avalanche (EHL)), Noah Bradley (Lancaster, Pa./Philadelphia Revolution (EHL)) and Raymond Speerbrecker (Revelstoke, British Columbia, Canada/Revelstoke Grizzlies (KIJHL)) each finished with three.

Speerbrecker was also the Valiants' top faceoff man on the night, winning 14 of his 22 total draws. Eaton added ten faceoff wins as Manhattanville held a 35-25 win advantage on the night.

Up Next
The teams will run in back tomorrow afternoon with puck drop slated for 3 p.m.

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