DANBURY, Conn. – Freshman Matt Lippa (Richmond Hill, Ont./Oakville Blades (OJHL)) of the Manhattanville College men’s hockey team was recognized for his four-point weekend by earning his first career ECAC West Conference Player of the Week honors, the conference office announced on Monday afternoon.
Lippa is the third member of the Valiants’ excellent freshman class to earn weekly honors from the ECAC West Conference this year, but the first rookie (and second Valiant overall) to be named conference Player of the Week so far in 2015-16.
The freshman forward scored two goals and added two assists in Manhattanville’s two games last week, playing a vital role in the team’s 1-0-1 record that closed out the 2015 calendar year. He assisted on two goals before scoring the game-winner in overtime in a 5-4 (OT) defeat of Neumann University on Friday night at Playland Ice Casino. He then netted the game-tying goal with five minutes left in the third period to salvage a 3-3 (OT) tie at Curry College on Sunday.
Lippa has played a big role in Manhattanville’s resurgence so far this season, leading all ECAC West freshmen and tying for third overall among conference skaters with a team-high seven goals, while adding two assists for nine points. The Ontario native, who is currently riding a four-game goal scoring streak that is the longest by a Valiant freshman since 2003, is also tied for the Division III lead in game-winning goals with three.
Manhattanville will return to the ice on the second day of January, when the Valiants begin play at the Northfield Savings Bank Holiday Tournament against defending national champion Trinity (Conn.) College at 4 p.m. The Valiants’ last meeting against a defending champ also came at Norwich University, when the team defeated the host Cadets at the NSB Holiday Tournament five years ago.
