RYE, N.Y. – Opening a weekend home-and-home series against one of the top teams in the nation, the Manhattanville University men's hockey team battled valiantly against No. 2 / 2 Utica on Friday night, falling to the Pioneers 3-2. The Valiants fall to 4-9-1 overall with the loss and 3-5-1 in UCHC play, while Utica improves to 11-2-1 and 7-1-1 in conference action.

The Valiants matched up well with Utica in Manhattanville's sixth game against a ranked opponent on the season. The offensive chances were nearly even, with the Pioneers holding a narrow 30-27 advantage in the shots on goal department. While Utica built up a three-goal advantage, Manhattanville flirted with a comeback effort by scoring twice in the third.

After a scoreless first period, the Pioneers broke through off Anthony Cafarelli's first collegiate goal 6:33 into the second. Brian Scoville and goalie Ryan Piros picked up the assists on the tally. Twelve minutes later, Utica doubled up their advantage on their lone power play of the night as Johnny Mulera found the twine with the man advantage, with Drake Morse and Aydin Parekh setting up the score with 1:26 left in the period.

Utica wasted little time adding onto their lead in the third as Eric Vitale scored from Matt Wood 58 seconds into the period. The Pioneers would ultimately need all three goals as the Valiants found their footing over the remainder of regulation. Manhattanville got the opportunity they were looking for 6:02 into the period as a slashing call put the Valiants on the power play. Raymond Speerbrecker (Revelstoke, British Columbia, Canada/Revelstoke Grizzlies (KIJHL)) won the faceoff in the offensive zone to Nicholas Rogers (Broad Channel, N.Y./Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks (NA3HL)). The UCHC's leading goal scorer continued his red-hot sophomore campaign by notching his 13^th tally of the season just four seconds into the power play, his fourth goal of the week, to pull Manhattanville back within two.

After surrendering the goal, the Pioneer skaters took away open looks at the net by blocking the next five Valiant shot attempts. Manhattanville's continued attack paid off with 5:20 left in regulation when Johno Hoins (Telluride, Colo./The Frederick Gunn School / Notre Dame Hounds (SJHL)) picked up his seventh goal of the season off assists from Justin Fernet (Sherbrooke, Quebec/Taft School) and Cameron Vassos (Caledon, Ontario/Navan Grads (CCHL)).

While the Valiants were able to claw their way back into the contest, time was not on their side. Manhattanville was held to just one shot attempt before emptying the net for an extra attacker with 2:08 left to play. Even with the numbers advantage, the Valiants were held to two shot attempts as time wound down, neither of which were able to make their way to Piros in the net, as Utica escaped with the win in tow.

William Billequey (Montreal, Quebec/Vermont Lumberjacks (EHL)) finished with 27 saves in the Manhattanville crease. The sophomore goaltender saw the most traffic in the second period, making 12 of his saves in the middle frame. Billequey falls to 3-4-1 on the season with the loss, with his goals-against average sitting at 2.39 on the year as he has not allowed more than three goals in any of his eight appearances this season.

Both sides won 32 faceoffs in the contest, with Hoins and Lane Paddison (100 Mile House, Canada/Canmore Eagles (AJHL)) leading Manhattanville's effort with eight wins apiece. Hoins also finished with a team0high five shots on goal, with Rogers adding four.

A fairly clean game throughout, just two total minors were assessed in the contest. Both teams were able to score on their respective power play opportunities to finish 1-for-1 on the night.

Up Next
The teams run it back tomorrow up in Utica with puck drop at the Adirondack Bank Center scheduled for 7 p.m.

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