UTICA, N.Y. – The Manhattanville University men's hockey team opened its home-and-home against No. 3/4 Utica University to conclude the regular season on Friday night, falling to the Pioneers in the Adirondack Bank Center, 5-1.

Manhattanville (9-14-1, 8-10-1 UCHC) struck first and led at the end of the first period, but the Pioneers (19-3-2, 15-2-2) closed the night out with five unanswered goals to maintain a tie with Geneseo atop the UCHC standings. The Valiants remain in third in the conference despite the loss, maintaining a one-point lead over Chatham in the standings with one game remaining in the regular season.

Artem Mateichenko (Kharkov, Ukraine/New Hampshire Avalanche (EHL)) put the visiting side up 8:04 into the contest, scoring his sixth goal of the season off of assists by Justin Fernet (Sherbrooke, Quebec/Taft School) and Johno Hoins (Telluride, Colo./The Frederick Gunn School / Notre Dame Hounds (SJHL)). The Valiants maintained the upper hand through the opening 20 minutes, despite Utica holding an 11-7 shots on goal advantage. William Billequey (Montreal, Quebec/Vermont Lumberjacks (EHL)) held the Pioneers quiet in the opening stanza with 11 saves.

The Pioneers broke through with the equalizer 7:35 into the second courtesy of Johnny Mulera. Utica maintained the advantage on offensive chances, outshooting the Valiants 13-4 in the period. Billequey remained up to the task with 12 more saves to keep the game even heading into the third.

Utica's offensive pressure finally broke through a worn-out Valiant defensive unit as the Pioneers scored four times in the third period on 16 shots. Andrew Della Rovere notched the game-winner at the 7:32 mark ahead of insurance tallies from Mulera, Brian Scoville and Alexander Gullichsen to close out the night.

Billequey finished with 35 saves on the night for the Valiants. The sophomore now holds a 2.56 goals-against average on the year with a .931 save percentage as his record drops to 5-7-1.

The Valiants finished with 15 shots to Utica's 40. Five different skaters—Hoins, Lucas Baksay (Fairfield, Conn./Connecticut Roughriders (EHL)), Ryan McKenna (Spokane, Wash./Sheridan Hawks (NA3HL)), Caden Eaton (Indian River, Mich./Cornwall Colts (CCHL)) and Lane Paddison (100 Mile House, Canada/Canmore Eagles (AJHL))—finished with two shots apiece to lead Manhattanville's effort.

Utica won the faceoff battle, 34-23. Elijah Devereaux (Webster, N.Y./Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks (NA3HL)) was Manhattanville's leader on the draw with seven faceoff wins in the contest.

A clean game from whistle to whistle, neither team was given an opportunity on the power play as no penalties were assessed on the night.

Up Next
The two teams head down to Rye to close out the regular season tomorrow night at Playland for a 7 p.m. puck drop.

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