RYE, N.Y. - The Neumann University men's ice hockey team continued its flair for the dramatic on Friday evening, falling by a score of 4-3 at Manhattanville College in its fourth overtime game in its last five United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) contests.
Nick Martino continued to carry the Neumann attack on the evening with a goal and an assist to lead the team.
Luke Croucher and
Barry Kneedler also scored for the Knights, who received 26 saves from
Cal Ambrose.
Looking to continue their momentum from last Saturday's overtime win on senior day, the Knights travelled to New York for a crucial conference clash with the Valiants. The first frame would be a back and forth affair with each team trading punches. Manhattanville would break the ice with game's first goal at the 6:19 mark, capitalizing on the power play to take an early 1-0 advantage. Neumann responded quickly though, needing under three minutes to equalize the contest. Croucher found the back of the net at 9:09 of the first off a feed from
Wyatt Wong to level things up at one apiece. The Knights were not content with just a tie, continuing to press forward until a goal from the red hot Martino with just 3:39 left on the clock gave them a 2-1 lead late in the period. However, the Valiant power-play was again a thorn in Neumann's side as the hosts scored with under a minute left to play in the frame on the man-advantage to knot things up at 2-2 moving to the second.
Neumann was the better team in the second stanza, outshooting the Valiants by a count of 10-2 on its way to retaking the lead. Much of the period would stay quiet, but the Knights moved back on top using a power play of their own with 4:39 left to play in the frame. This time Kneedler lit the lamp off a feed from Martino as Neumann headed to the locker room with a one-goal lead to protect.
As things moved to the third, the Knights did everything they could to protect their advantage, but Manhattanville was again able to make their potent power-play count. The Valiants scored at the 6:51 mark of the frame to tie the score and set up a wild finish to the conference matchup. Neumann carried most of the play late in the game, but could not find a winner as regulation time finished at 3-3.
An early power play in the extra session gave the Knights a golden opportunity to win the game early in overtime, but despite a few quality chances, the visitors could not put a puck over the line. Neumann did think they had won the game after putting a puck past the Manhattanville net-minder, but the net had been dislodged prior to the puck going in so the game remained tied. Each team had its chances to win late in the game, but just as it looked like a shootout was likely, the Valiants struck. With just 10 seconds remaining the hosts buried the game-winner on a partial breakaway to seal the win.
Neumann (8-13-1, 5-10-1 UCHC) has off tomorrow before returning to the road next weekend for games at Nazareth College and Utica College. Puck drop at Nazareth is slated for 4:00 PM on Saturday, February 18th.
