NORTHFIELD, Vt. – The Manhattanville College men’s hockey team continued its penchant for late-game heroics on Sunday afternoon, as sophomore Thimmy Garbenius (Nykvarn, Sweden/Sodertalje SK (SWE)) tied the game in the final minute and junior co-captain Nolan Marshall (Drumheller, Alta./Camrose Kodiaks (AJHL)) won it with 11 seconds left in overtime as the Valiants defeated Wesleyan University, 4-3 (OT), in the consolation game of the 2016 Northfield Savings Bank Holiday Tournament at Norwich University’s Kreitzberg Arena.
The win moves Manhattanville (8-4-1) to 4-0-1 in five overtime games this season. In three of those victories, the Valiants tied the game in the final minute of regulation to send the game into extra time.
Marshall played a role in all the heroics for Manhattanville, assisting on Garbenius’ game-tying goal and then potting the last-minute game-winner for a game-high two points. Garbenius also had a goal and an assist for a career-high-tying two points, while junior co-captain Teagan Waugh (Nanaimo, B.C./Powell River Kings (BCHL)) also had a pair of assists for a multi-point game.
For the second straight game, Manhattanville entered the final minute down a goal and on the power play – but unlike yesterday, the Valiants converted on their chance. With 21 seconds on the clock and freshman Tyler Feaver (Whitby, Ont./Whitby Fury (OJHL)) again on the bench for a six-on-four advantage, Garbenius took a feed from Marshall and potted the game-tying tally with 21 seconds left on the clock.
And as tends to happen for the team in these circumstances, the Valiants again ended the game dramatically in the final minute of overtime, with Marshall posting his second game-winning overtime goal of the season at 4:49 of extra time.
It didn’t look like Manhattanville would have any late-game drama after the first 21 minutes, as the Valiants took an early two-goal lead. Freshman Jeff Beck (Broomall, Pa./Philadelphia Junior Flyers (EHL)) opened the scoring with his sixth of the year 13:03 into the opening frame, and sophomore Stephen Gaul (Downers Grove, Ill./Springfield Pics (USPHL)) added his team-best seventh of the year 42 seconds into the second period to double the Valiant lead.
However, Wesleyan stormed back with the next three goals to put the Valiants on the defensive. Alex Carlacci made it a 2-1 game with 5:02 left in the second period, and Jay Matthews tied it 20 seconds into the third period on a two-man advantage. After Manhattanville missed on two man-up chances in the period, Chad Malinowski put the Cardinals ahead for the first time with just 1:48 remaining in regulation.
Manhattanville finished the game with a 29-17 edge in shots, with Feaver making 14 saves to pick up his fifth win of the year. Dawson Sprigings made 25 saves in a losing effort for Wesleyan.
The Valiants will face off with another NESCAC foe, Connecticut College, on Saturday at 7 p.m. at Playland Ice Casino.
