NORTHFIELD, Vt. – Trinity (Conn.) College forward Anthony Sabitsky scored two goals, including the go-ahead tally early in the third period, as the eighth-ranked Bantams defeated the Manhattanville College men’s hockey team by a 4-3 score in the opening game of the 2016 Northfield Savings Bank Holiday Tournament, hosted by Norwich University on Saturday afternoon at Kreitzberg Arena.
Manhattanville (7-4-1) got goals from sophomore Stephen Gaul (Downers Grove, Ill./Springfield Pics (USPHL)) and juniors Phil Dinner (Dallas, Texas/Connecticut Oilers (EJHL)) and Nolan Marshall (Drumheller, Alta./Camrose Kodiaks (AJHL)) while freshman Tyler Feaver (Whitby, Ont./Whitby Fury (OJHL)) made 30 saves, but the Valiants could not overcome Sabitsky’s two goals and 20 saves from Alex Morin for Trinity (6-2-1).
Trinity put the first five shots on goal of the afternoon, eventually taking a 1-0 lead thanks to Sabitsky’s tally 3:29 into the frame. But Feaver kept the Valiants in the game and the team was rewarded at 14:12 with Gaul’s sixth goal of the year from junior Tanner Hicks (Calgary, Alta./Brooks Bandits (AJHL)) to tie the score after 20 minutes.
The second stanza was for the most part a battle of the goaltenders, as Feaver and Morin kept the teams off the scoreboard. Dinner gave Manhattanville its first lead of the game with 3:17 left in the period, but the Bantams came back just over two minutes later with a TJ Sherman score to even the score after two.
Trinity cashed in on its third man-up chance of the game early in the third period, with Sabitsky potting his second of the game to give the Bantams a 3-2 lead 5:10 into the final frame. Manhattanville had one last chance after Trinity was whistled for tripping with 70 seconds left and Feaver headed to the bench for a two-man advantage, but the Valiants did not register a shot and Ross Mandigo iced the game with an empty-netter. Marshall netted his second of the year on the power play with one second left, but it was not enough to complete the comeback.
The Valiant defense was busy all game long against the Bantams, as in addition to Feaver’s 30 saves the team was also credited with 27 blocked shots. Trinity outshot Manhattanville by a 34-23 margin on the afternoon.
Manhattanville will play in the consolation game of the Northfield Savings Bank Holiday Tournament tomorrow at 2 p.m., with the Valiants playing the loser of tonight’s second game between #12/11 Norwich and Wesleyan University.
