PITTSBURGH, Pa. - For the first time in the young season, the Manhattanville University men's hockey team failed to register a point in the UCHC standings, falling to the hosts Chatham, 2-1, on Saturday afternoon. Following the defeat, the Valiants reside at 3-6-1, with a 3-4-1 mark in conference play, holding firm in third place with ten points. 

Despite outshooting their counterparts, 43-33, the Cougars netminder Geno Pichora stood tall in the line of fire, keeping the Cougars in the contest. 

In the opening period, the Valiants peppered the frame of the goal with 23 shots total, 12 of which were on net. Both squads had opportunities to find the opening tally, as the Cougars were able to garner a man advantage, but the Valiants' penalty kill squandered that attempt. Manhattanville had advantages of their own, as the Valiants found themselves on two occasions with the extra skater. As was the same for the Valiants, the Cougars tightened up on the defensive end, not allowing a marker despite six chances. 

Chatham was able to break the deadlock 11:21 into the second period, with Brendan Pomerantz finding the back of the net after being set up by Carson Grainer and Nicholas Babbie, to put the Cougars ahead, 1-0. The Valiants would answer back later in the second as they found themselves with the man advantage from a roughing penalty. Nicholas Rogers (Broad Channel, N.Y./Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks (NA3HL)) would find his second goal of the weekend from Artem Mateichenko (Kharkov, Ukraine/New Hampshire Avalanche (EHL)), evening things up at one-all. 

Halfway through the final period, the Cougars would net the definitive tally from the stick of Camden Smith, putting Chatham ahead, 2-1. 13 shots on goal for the Valiants couldn't find a hole, leaving Chatham with a 2-1 win. 

William Billequey (Montreal, Quebec/Vermont Lumberjacks (EHL)) got the nod for the second-straight game for the Valiants, totaling 31 saves for a .939 save percentage. The sophomore broke the 200 saves mark on the season in the contest, sitting at 215 on the year. 

Rogers led the offensive output for the Valiants with nine shots, followed by Caden Eaton (Indian River, Mich./Cornwall Colts (CCHL)) with seven, as James Gregory (Darien, Conn./Connecticut Roughriders (EHL)) and Mateichenko rounded out the shots with five apiece. 

Manhattanville had the edge in the faceoff circle on the day, 33-28. Ryan McKenna (Spokane, Wash./Sheridan Hawks (NA3HL)) paced all skaters with eleven wins, followed by Lane Paddison (100 Mile House, Canada/Canmore Eagles (AJHL)) with nine. 

The Valiants continue to be lethal on the powerplay, turning in a 1-4 day with the extra skater, firing seven shots total. On the contrary, the Cougars finished 0-4 with tweleve shots of their own. 

Up Next 

The Valiants take a 28-day break from the ice, returning on Jan. 4 to welcome in the No. 1 team in the land, Hobart, at 7:00 p.m. for the second game in a Valiant hockey doubleheader. 

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