ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Sophomore Stephen Gaul (Downers Grove, Ill./Springfield Pics (USPHL)) scored a pair of goals and classmate Anthony Ragone (Babylon, N.Y./Springfield Pics (USPHL)) added the game-winner in the third period as the Manhattanville College men’s hockey team came back to defeat Nazareth College, 5-4, in a ECAC West Conference matchup on Saturday afternoon at Bill Gray’s Regional Iceplex.
The win was a key one for Manhattanville (10-8-1, 6-3-0 ECAC West), which maintains a four-point lead over Neumann University and Utica College for second place in the conference standings with six games left on the schedule. Nazareth (6-10-4, 3-6-1 ECAC West) remains in fifth place in the conference with the defeat.
Gaul led all players with his two goals, giving him a team-leading 11 on the season. He was matched with two points by Ragone and senior Matt Coleman (Brentwood, N.Y./Springfield Pics (EJHL)), both of whom had a goal and an assist, while freshman Jeff Beck (Broomall, Pa./Philadelphia Junior Flyers (EHL)) also scored for the visitors.
Beck got Manhattanville on the board first with 4:05 left in the first period, netting his seventh goal of the season from Ragone and sophomore Fabian Andark (Stockholm, Sweden/Vaxjo Lakers VHL (SWE)). But Nazareth came back with the next three goals, getting two in the final 2:16 of the second period and then another 2:47 into the middle period to take a 3-1 lead.
But in a reversal of last night, this time it was Manhattanville that stormed back from a two-goal deficit. Gaul single-handedly got the Valiants back to even with a pair of goals, scoring on the power play from Coleman at 6:11 and then adding an unassisted tally at the 12:34 mark. Coleman then gave Manhattanville back the lead with 3:11 left in the period, potting his fourth of the year from freshman Eric Berglund (Sollentuna, Sweden/Islanders Hockey Club (USPHL)).
Ragone added a key insurance goal while the teams skated four-on-four in the third period, and that proved to be the game-winner after Nazareth got one back less than a minute later.
Both defenses limited the offensive chances despite the nine goals, as Nazareth held only a slight 28-27 edge in shots. Freshman Tyler Feaver (Whitby, Ont./Whitby Fury (OJHL)) got the nod in goal and picked up the win, making 24 saves.
The win also continues Manhattanville’s string of wins when scoring four goals or more, as the Valiants are now 10-0-0 when scoring at least four goals in a game this season.
The Valiants will head to Utica next weekend for two games with the Pioneers beginning on Friday night at 7 p.m.
