RYE, N.Y. – The Manhattanville University men's hockey team delivered a dominant offensive performance Tuesday evening, defeating Post University (1-4, 1-1 NE10) , 7-2, at home. Led by two-goal performances from Tristan D'Elia (West Chester, Pa./Philadelphia Little Flyers (EHL)) and Brandon Paluszak (Powell, Ohio/Gilmour Academy), the Valiants improved to 2-1-0 (0-0 UCHC) on the season while handing the Eagles their fourth loss of the year.
Manhattanville wasted little time getting on the scoreboard as Ryan McKenna (Spokane, Wash./Sheridan Hawks (NA3HL)) opened the scoring just 3:46 into the first period. McKenna netted his third goal of the season off assists from Paluszak and Beau Depencier (Dresden, Ontario, Canada/LKCS) to give the Valiants an early 1-0 advantage. Post responded at the 9:15 mark as Cayden Sweitzer capitalized on a power-play opportunity to even the contest at one apiece.
The Valiants quickly regained control less than two minutes later when Jack Roberts (Middlefield, CT/Lyman Hall) found the back of the net at 11:01, recording his first goal of the season with assists from Jack Sullivan (Alexandria, Va./Binghamton Buzz (NA3HL)) and Emil Grinsvall (Gothenburg, Sweden/Maja Beskow). Manhattanville continued its offensive push as D'Elia extended the lead to 3-1 at 15:56. Trey Dionne (Long Lake, Minn./New Jersey Rockets (NCDC)) and Ezra Zizmor (New York, N.Y./Worcester Jr. Railers (NCDC)) were credited with assists on the play, sending the Valiants into the first break with a two-goal advantage.
Manhattanville carried its momentum into the second period, adding two goals to further separate itself from the Eagles. Paluszak struck first at 6:40, scoring an unassisted goal to push the lead to 4-1. Just over a minute later, D'Elia recorded his second goal of the night at 7:53, converting on the power play with assists from Roberts and Jake Wilkerson (Raleigh, N.C./Norwich Sea Captains (NA3HL)). The Valiants maintained their commanding 5-1 lead heading into the final period.
The offensive pressure continued in the third as Paluszak secured his second goal of the contest at 5:51, marking his second unassisted tally of the evening. Wilkerson joined the scoring effort at 15:26, netting his first goal of the season off assists from Grinsvall and Brett LoGelfo (Long Island, N.Y./Westhampton Beach) to extend Manhattanville's advantage to 7-1. Post managed to add a late shorthanded goal from Jonathan Bergmann at 18:29, but the Valiants comfortably closed out the 7-2 victory.
Manhattanville controlled the offensive tempo throughout the contest, outshooting Post 52-22 while holding a 36-26 advantage in faceoffs. D'Elia finished with two goals, while Paluszak led the Valiants with three points on two goals and an assist. Roberts and Wilkerson each contributed a goal and an assist, while Grinsvall recorded a pair of helpers.
Between the pipes, Oliver Andel (Wesley Chapel, Fla./Northern Cyclones (USPHL)) earned the victory for Manhattanville, making 20 saves across 60 minutes of action. The Valiants also held Post to just one goal on seven power-play opportunities.
UP NEXT
The Valiants are on the road for the first time this season on Nov 17 to face Wilkes University at 3PM.
