RYE, N.Y. - In their return to the ice in the new year, the Manhattanville Valiants fell to the top-ranked team in the nation Hobart, 3-0, on Saturday evening. With the result, the Valiants slip to 3-7-1 on the year, after starting out the 24-25 campaign with a 3-2 overall record. 

This marked the Valiants' fourth contest against a ranked opponent of the season, falling in all four matchups. 

Sebastian Woods (Limehouse, Ontario, Canada/Utica Jr. Comets (NCDC)) stood tall in the line of fire in the first stanza, facing 34 total shots, 12 of them being on the frame of the goal. The Statesmen were able to light the lamp first in the contest from the stick of Chris Duclair, as he was set up by linemates Tamas Toth and Austin Mourar to take the 1-0 lead fifteen minutes into the contest. Manhattanville would have a chance to level the score later in the first period, as they found themselves with the man advantage thanks to a tripping penalty. The Valiants could only find one shot against the Hobart PK unit, leaving things at a 1-0 margin. 

Manhattanville would register a tripping penalty of their own in the waning seconds of the first period, leading to the Statesmen holding the extra skater as the second period kicked off. Hobart would fire three shots with a decisive one coming from Austin Mourar, netting his own tally with help from Luke Aquaro and Shane Shell, mounting a 2-0 lead under a minute into the second frame. 

The Valiants would find themselves with two more opportunities with the extra skater, but once again the cohesiveness of the Statesmen's penalty kill would prevail, turning away every attempt towards goal. 

Halfway through the final period, Kahlil Fontana would deliver the deciding blow, from a one-timed shot standing near the blue line, for a 3-0 margin and sealing the game for Hobart. 

The Statesmen's Damon Beaver kept a clean sheet, saving all 22 shots faced in the crease. 

The aforementioned Woods finished the day with 33 saves for a .917 save percentage. 

Johno Hoins (Telluride, Colo./The Frederick Gunn School / Notre Dame Hounds (SJHL)) paced the Valiants in shots with seven, as Nicholas Rogers (Broad Channel, N.Y./Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks (NA3HL)) followed with five. Tristan D'Elia (West Chester, Pa./Philadelphia Little Flyers (EHL)), Ryan McKenna (Spokane, Wash./Sheridan Hawks (NA3HL)), and Mitchell Watson (Calgary, Alberta, Canada/Canmore Eagles (AJHL)) all finished with four shots apiece. 

Lane Paddison (100 Mile House, Canada/Canmore Eagles (AJHL)) led all skaters with 14 faceoff wins, as it was a near even draw in the circle, with the Statesmen edging out the Valiants 41-38. 

Manhattanville was unsuccessful in their four power play opportunities, while Hobart was able to convert on one-of-three attempts with the man advantage. 

Up Next 

Manhattanville takes the trip up to Cortland to face the No. 13/10 Red Dragons on Saturday at 5:00 p.m. 

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