Score: Manhattanville College 4 – Elmira College 3
Records: Manhattanville (14-9-1, 10-3-0 ECACW), Elmira (8-14-1, 3-9-0 ECACW)
Location: Murray Athletic Center – Pine Valley, N.Y.
 
PINE VALLEY, N.Y. -- Tonight's contest between the Elmira College men's ice hockey team and Manhattanville College went right down to the final whistle, as the Valiants escaped with a nail-biting 4-3 victory at the Murray Athletic Center. With the win, Manhattanville clinched the No. 2 seed in the ECAC West Conference Tournament, while the Soaring Eagles remained in seventh place and still have an outside shot of clinching a postseason berth.
 
Despite a 9-to-5 advantage in shots on goal in the opening period, the Soaring Eagles trailed 1-0 after the first 20 minutes of action. Manhattanville struck first at the 14:45 mark, as Teagan Waugh punched in his 12th of the season on a follow-up effort from just outside the crease. Nolan Marshall and Eric Berglund were credited with assists on the game-opening goal.
 
The Valiants added to their lead 6:48 into the second period on a goal from Matt Lippa. A pass by Adam Platt from behind the back of the cage found Lippa just outside the left side of the crease, where he turned and backhanded it into the open net for the score. Cory Anderson and Platt picked up assists on the goal.
 
Manhattanville's Fabian Andark made it a 3-0 lead less than five minutes later with a rocket from the right point. Marshall began the play with a pass to Waugh, who sent the puck to the point to Andark. The junior blueliner launched a slap shot towards the cage and beat EC's starting netminder, Charl Pretorius '19, through the five-hole for the score.
 
Elmira responded 3:33 later on its second power-play opportunity of the night, cutting the Valiant lead to 3-1. Andrew Pucci '20 began the scoring play with a faceoff win in the Manhattanville defensive zone, which saw Eddie Nolan '17 gather the loose puck at the left point. From there, Nolan sent a pass over to Spencer MacLean '20 at the right point, who dished it back to Nolan before getting it right back seconds later. The pass created space for MacLean, who one-timed a missile through traffic to beat a screened Tyler Feaver. MacLean's goal held up through the end of the second period, as EC skated into the final intermission with a two-goal deficit, 3-1.
 
The third period began with Manhattanville on the power play, but it would be the EC penalty killers that would do the most damage during the Valiants' extra-skater opportunity. Following a turnover a center ice, Connor Powell '20 blew past Manhattanville's defenders to set up a one-on-one with Feaver. Powell drove towards the cage before snapping a wrist shot past Feaver on the to cut the Valiant lead to 3-2 just 1:18 into the final frame.
 
Manhattanville held onto its one-goal lead for the majority of the period, and a five-minute major to Elmira's Anthony Parrucci '20 at the 16:47 mark would place the Valiant power play on the ice for the remainder of the contest. However, an interference call on Manhattanville's Waugh at 17:56 set the table for four-on-four hockey the rest of the way out.
 
With 1:08 remaining on the clock, Manhattanville's Nigel Slade took a swipe at the puck out of mid-air and tipped it into the net for an insurance goal. The Slade tally was a bit controversial, though, as the fans at the MAC, along with the Elmira bench, made their case for a high-sticking call. The commotion from the crowd did little to change the officials' call, as the goal remained on the scoreboard.
 
Still skating four-on-four, Elmira opted to pull Pretorius from the net in hopes of an extra-attacker goal. The move paid off, as Mitch Atkins '19 brought EC to within one goal at the 19:45 mark with his seventh tally of the season. Harry Kramer '20 began the scoring play with a shot from the point that was initially saved, but the rebound went right to Matthew Cuce '20 just outside the crease. With the puck on his blade, Cuce dumped the puck back to the middle of the ice, where Atkins one-timed it past Feaver to bring the Soaring Eagles back to within one tally, 4-3.
 
Elmira had one last good look before the period ended, but was unable to find the game-winner, as the Valiants skated away with a 4-3 victory.  

Turning Point
Facing just a one-goal deficit, 3-2, in the third period, the Soaring Eagles ramped up their offense to get the game-tying goal. Elmira had a few chances to knot the game up, but the puck did not find the back of the net. Unfortunately for EC, the Valiants found a tally first with the Slade score with just 1:08 remaining. This goal gave Manhattanville the insurance goal that it needed, as the Elmira added one more tally that had little effect on the final result. 

Inside the Box Score

• The Soaring Eagles owned a one-sided lead in total shots, 33-23.
• Elmira was called for five penalties for 21 penalty minutes.
• The Valiants finished the contest with five infractions for 10 penalty minutes.
• EC went 1-for-4 of the extra-skater advantage, while Manhattanville finished 0-for-4.
• MacLean, Powell and Atkins were tagged as the Elmira goal scorers.
• Powell's tally being of the short-handed variety.
• Nolan and Pucci were credited with assists on the MacLean goal, while Cuce and Kramer were given helpers on the Atkins' tally.
• Waugh, Lippa, Andark and Slade were the Manhattanville goal scorers.
• Waugh and Marshall led all players with two points, Waugh with one goal and one assist and Marshall with a pair of helpers.
• Pretorius finished the contest with 19 saves in net for the Soaring Eagles.
• Feaver made 30 saves between the pipes for the Valiants.

 
News and Notes

• With the loss, EC falls to 8-14-1 on the season.
• Tonight's downfall also drops Elmira's ECAC West record to 3-9-0.
• With the triumph, Manhattanville evened the all-time series with the Soaring Eagles at 25-25-6.
• Powell's short-handed tally was his first of the year and EC's fifth of the season.
• Powell's goal was his team-leading 13th of the year.
• With the assist, Cuce widened his team lead in helpers to 19.
• After tonight's contest, Cuce improved to a tie for 32nd in the country in assists per game with 0.83 .
• Cuce also rose to a tie for 18th place in the country in freshman points per game with 1.04.

 
Up Next
The Soaring Eagles return to action when they welcome fifth-ranked Hobart College to the Murray Athletic Center on Friday, February 17th. The crucial ECAC West showdown is scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m.