RYE, N.Y. – It was a goal scoring barrage for the Valiants as eight different skaters found the back of the net Friday evening in a 9-2 rout of Plymouth State University in New England Hockey Conference action at Playland Ice Casino.
Despite firing just 30 shots on goal for the night, the Valiants found the back of the net nine times on a blistering 30 percent shooting percentage for the night. With the win, the Valiants improved to 4-1-0 for the year, the team’s best start since matching that mark in the 2009-10 season seven years ago.
It was not just an offensive show for the Valiants, as the defense successfully killed six of seven power play opportunities for the Panthers (1-4-1, 1-3-0 NEHC). Senior netminder Olivia Drew (York, Maine/Portland Jr. Pirates) was impressive in goal, stopping 23 shots to earn her second win of the season between the pipes. The special teams unit was phenomenal all night for the Valiants, as the power play unit found the back of the net on three of five opportunities, improving the team’s power play scoring percentage to 23 percent for the season.
Three Valiant freshmen scored their first career goals in the win, including Janet Xu (Edmonton, Alberta/Ontario Hockey Academy), Ashley Lougheed (Vancouver, Canada/Pacific Steelers), and Brayden James (Denton, Texas/Dallas Stars Elite). Along with the milestone scorers, junior Melissa Stys (Pequannock, N.J./N.J. Colonials) led the way with two goals, while juniors Cassie Kent (Lake Placid, NY/Northwood), Karly Kapur (Sparta, N.J./N.J. Colonials), and Kristi Peters (Newport Beach, Calif./Anaheim Lady Ducks), and sophomore Nicole Mensi (Mamaroneck, N.Y./SUNY Plattsburgh) each found the back of the net once. Stys, Peters, Kapur, Lougheed, and Kent along with junior Sarah Sinning (Southold, N.Y./National Sports Academy) each recorded two points in the win, while six other skaters added an assist on the night.
The Valiants pounced on the Panthers early, scoring just 31 seconds in on a shot from the point by Peters and doubled their lead 54 seconds later on a beautiful backhand shot from Mensi. The Valiants added two more goals in the opening period off the sticks of Kapur and Stys to take a 4-1 lead into the first intermission.
It was all Manhattanville the next 33 minutes as the Valiants tacked on four more goals before Panther senior Frederike Braqeau-Lalonde put home a one-timer in the slot to make it 8-2 in favor of the home squad. James deflected a home shot from Lougheed at the point for her first goal in a Valiant sweater, tallying the final goal in the 9-2 win for the Valiants.
The nine goals scored tonight are the most the Valiants have put up against an opponent since January when they defeated Nichols College 9-0 last season.
Manhattanville will be back in action tomorrow afternoon in their last of six NEHC matchups to begin the year when they host the Pilgrims of New England College at 3:00 pm at Playland Ice Casino.
