Box Score Box Score

GENEVA, N.Y. – Saturday was a day to forget for the Manhattanville men's hockey team at the Geneva Recreation Center, as an undisciplined Valiant squad allowed six power-play goals on the way to a 10-3 defeat at the hands of Hobart in the team's ECAC West Conference regular-season finale.
 
Manhattanville (13-8-3, 6-6-0 ECAC West) was locked into the two seed in the upcoming ECAC West Conference Tournament and just needed to find out its opponent; after the loss today to Hobart (14-10-1, 5-6-1 ECAC West), that opponent turns out to be these same Statesmen. The two squads will meet, this time at Playland Ice Casino, next Saturday beginning at 7 p.m., with the game video streamed live on GoValiants.TV beginning at 6:40 p.m.
 
The Valiants hope to change their fortunes with a change of location, because the team was outscored by a 13-3 margin in two games in Geneva this weekend. Saturday was by far the worst of the days, as the visitors allowed 10 of the game's final 11 goals in suffering the lopsided defeat.
 
The game actually started really well for Manhattanville, as junior Jason Bowles (Elkhorn, Man./Waywayseecappo Wolverines (MJHL)) and sophomore Brian Elser (Hopewell Junction, N.Y./Bay State Breakers (EJHL)) scored less than four minutes apart to give the Valiants a 2-0 less than nine minutes into the game. Bowles scored off assists from sophomore Louie Balzano (Staten Island, N.Y./New York Apple Core (EJHL)) and senior co-captain Bill Silengo (Madison, Conn./South Kent School), while Elser's 11th of the year came from classmate Craig Simchuk (Winnipeg, Man./Winnipeg Saints (MJHL)) and senior Marcus von Sydow (Stockholm, Sweden/Djugarden J20 (SWE)).
 
Things rapidly went downhill from there, however, as three power-play goals put the Statesmen back on top before the first period had ended. Greg Ciciola got it started at the 9:56 mark, and Hobart followed up with two more goals after a five-minute major to take control of the contest.
 
Things got worse early in the second, as Tommaso Traversa scored a shorthanded tally 1:18 into the period and then scored four-on-four 90 seconds later to make it a 5-3 Hobart lead. Sophomore Mark Rivera (Belmar, N.J./Springfield Pics (EJHL)) got the Valiants back within two with a power-play tally at the  6:02 mark, but again Hobart came back, this time with three man-up goals in the final 4:04 of the middle frame to take a commanding 8-3 lead into the locker rooms.
 
The home team added two more in the third period, as Ryan Corcoran and Ciciola both completed their four-point nights with even-strength tallies.
 
Thanks to a big lack of discipline by their opponents, Hobart was awarded 14 power-play chances and converted on six of them. Manhattanville, meanwhile, went 1 for 8 on the man advantage.
 
The shots were even between the two sides, with both teams firing 38 shots on goal. Nick Broadwater made 35 saves to earn his second win in as many nights for Hobart, while senior Pierre-Olivier Lemieux (Rimouski, Que./Neepawa Natives (MJHL)) took the loss by allowing five goals on 15 shots in 22:48 to start the game. Freshman Brian Fleming (Saint John, N.B./Northern Cyclones (AJHL)) came on in relief, also allowing five goals on 23 shots in the final 37:12 of the game.
 
Be sure to check GoValiants.com all week long for more information about the upcoming ECAC West Conference Tournament.