RYE, N.Y. – There were goals aplenty to go around at the Playland Ice Casino on Friday night as the Manhattanville College men's hockey team scored twice in the final 15 seconds of regulation to defeat Lebanon Valley by a final of 7-6. With the thrilling win, the Valiants climb to 9-9-2 overall on the year and 8-6-1 in UCHC play.
After a three goal fury by the visiting Dutchmen in the third period saw the Valiants fall behind for the first time in the game, Manhattanville pulled out some final-second theatrics to escape from the jaws of defeat and earn a miraculous win. After pulling the goalie to get an extra skater on the ice with 1:20 to play in regulation,
Dan Barry (St. Louis, Missouri/Vermont Lumberjacks (EHL)) was able to bury the equalizer from
Mason Emoff (Collingwood, Ont./Vermont Lumberjacks (EHL), Pembroke Lumberkings (CCHL)) and
Artem Mateichenko (Kharkov, Ukraine/New Hampshire Avalanche (EHL)) with just 15.8 seconds remaining in regulation, tying the game up at 6-6.
While the late goal all but signaled for overtime,
Raymond Speerbrecker (Revelstoke, British Columbia, Canada/Revelstoke Grizzlies (KIJHL)) had plans other than playing an extra period. The Valiants called timeout to draw up a play with six seconds remaining ahead of a draw in the offensive zone. The sophomore won the draw back to
AJ Bella (Norwalk, Conn./Connecticut Roughriders (EHL)) at the blue line, who set up
Nick Prestia (Niagara Falls, Ont./Pickering Panthers (OJHL)) for a one-timer. The shot would deflect off a diving Speerbecker in front of the crease, flying past Ty Franchi with milliseconds remaining on the clock to give the Valiants as improbable of a victory as they come.
Leading up to the closing second heroics was a pair of offensive eruptions as both teams set season-high goal totals on the night. Things started quick for the Valiants as the home team scored twice in the opening 4:38.
Troy Crosson (Hatfield, Pa./New Jersey Rockets (NCDC)) got things underway with his fourth goal of the season 2:36 into the game off a pass from
Noah Bradley (Lancaster, Pa./Philadelphia Revolution (EHL)).
Lane Paddison (100 Mile House, Canada/Canmore Eagles (AJHL)) would go on to double the lead just over two minutes later with the second goal of his rookie campaign, finishing a play set up by Barry and Mateichenko. The Dutchmen would respond 36 seconds later as Brenden Yingling got Lebanon Valley on the board from Mark Kishko and Chris Mingus. Despite the outpouring of early offense, the three goals across the opening 5:14 would be all of the scoring across the opening period as the Valiants held a 2-1 lead into the intermission.
It would be the Valiants continuing the early scoring trend into the second as the home team netted a pair of goals across the first 5:42 of the period. After collecting an assist earlier, Mateichenko got into the goal column for the second straight game with a power play goal assisted by
Josh Fletcher (Calgary, Alb./Kindersley Klippers (SJHL)) and Emoff.
Hayden Taylor (Bloomfield Hills, Mich./Islanders Hockey Club (NCDC)) would then score the team's fourth of the night with the ice back to even strength at the 5:42 mark from
Dylan Pollak (New Fairfield, Conn./Selects Academy (18U AAA)) and Prestia. Things seemed to be going all Valiants, but the Dutchmen would score twice just seven seconds apart to make it a game once again. Darion Benchich pulled the visiting team back within two at 6:55, scoring from Brad Viola and Blake Tosto. With the goal still in the process of being announced, Benchich would take control of a lost puck in the offensive zone right in front of the crease and fire a shot that found the back of the netting. The costly Valiant turnover would cut the home team advantage back down to a single goal, where the score would hold at 4-3 heading into the third.
Manhattanville would gain some insurance courtesy of Crosson 5:19 into the final period of regulation as the senior netted his second of the night shorthanded. As the Valiants were in the closing seconds of a penalty kill, Prestia and Emoff were able to send Crosson on a breakaway towards the Dutchmen net. A series of dekes and dangles forced Franchi to open up a slot that the Valiant forward was able to sneak the puck through to put Valiants up 5-3.
Despite surrendering the goal while having the man advantage, Lebanon Valley shook off the blow to rattle off three unanswered goals to take the lead. It would be Viola netting the first two tallies of the comeback separated by 2:07 as he would pull the Dutchmen back to even at 5-5 with 9:35 gone in the period. Then, 50 seconds later, Harris Blackwood would strike from Cade Freer and Dylan Miller as Lebanon Valley came storming back determined to put an end to their six game skid. However, it would be the Valiants ending the night with the victory following the effort of Barry and Speerbecker.
Tyler Roy (Brighton, MI/Neumann University) got the start in net, making 23 saves across 50:02 of ice time while being charged for all six goals against.
Sebastian Woods (Limehouse, Ontario, Canada/Utica Jr. Comets (NCDC)) came in off the bench, playing eight and a half minutes of shutout action while making two saves to allow the Valiants to come back in this one.
The Valiants dominated the faceoff battle, 43-27. Fletcher and Speerbecker would win 11 draws each in addition to their offensive contributions.
Manhattanville went 1-for-3 on the night on power plays, firing five shots with the mand advantage. The Dutchmen were unsuccessful on their lone power play attempt, surrendering the short handed goal while not logging a shot.
Up Next
The two teams will show what they have for an encore performance tomorrow as the series concludes with a 3 p.m. puck drop.
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