RYE, N.Y. – In a defensive struggle between two of the top offensive teams in Division III, Stevenson University scored the first and only goal of the game in the final minute of the second period and then held on for a 1-0 victory over Manhattanville College in a United Collegiate Hockey Conference and Middle Atlantic Conference men's hockey matchup on Saturday night at Playland Ice Casino.
The win keeps Stevenson (4-0-1, 4-0-0 UCHC, 3-0-0 MAC) undefeated on the season, while Manhattanville (2-1-1, 2-1-0 UCHC, 0-1-0 MAC) suffers its first loss of the year.
Despite boasting offenses that combined to average 4.50 goals per game so far this year, Saturday's game turned into a battle of the goalies as junior
Tyler Feaver (Whitby, Ont./Whitby Fury (OJHL)) and Jacob Caffrey frustrated the opposition all night long.
The momentum of the game swung decisively in the final minute of the second period, when Caffrey made a huge save to rob junior
Cory Anderson (Bakersfield, Calif./Notre Dame Hounds (SJHL)) at one end of the ice and the Mustangs came back down the other way to score the only goal of the game. Carl Lyden had his initial shot saved by Feaver, but Austin Swingle swooped in to put home the rebound with 25 seconds remaining in the period.
Manhattanville had seven minutes of power-play opportunity in the third period to get the game back to even, including a five-minute major. But the Valiants recorded only three shots on their man-up chances against the nation's top penalty kill, and had precious few opportunities in the final minutes.
For the game, the Valiants held a 34-30 edge in shots, as Feaver turned aside 29 shots while Caffrey stopped all 34 shots he faced. Manhattanville's penalty kill excelled against one of the top power-play units, holding the Mustangs scoreless on eight chances, but the Valiant power play went 0-for-4 on the night.
Manhattanvile will return to UCHC and MAC action next Saturday, when the Valiants finish their three-game homestand against King's (Pa.) College beginning at 7 p.m. at Playland.
