The Utica College men's hockey team lost to nationally ranked No. 16 Manhattanville College 7-3 in ECAC Men's West Conference play Saturday night. The Pioneers fall to 4-8-1 in the conference play and 8-12-3 overall, while the Valiants improve to 9-3-1 in conference play and 17-5-1 overall on the season.

Manhattanville broke the ice by scoring on its first power play 6:08 into the first period. Utica answered with an even strength goal by senior Jeff Pappalardi just over a minute later at 7:10. Sophomore Brian Gibbons was credited with an assist on the game-tying goal. The Valiants would score two more goals to close out the period with a 3-1 lead.

At the start of the second period UC was flagged for another penalty at 4:08 and just 31 seconds later Manhattanville would capitalize with its fourth goal of the contest. The Valiants would score shorthanded at 6:19 and again at 7:54. UC's Vincent Nucci scored a power-play goal at 13:07 in the second with assists by Scott Wentworth and Jeff Pappalardi to cut the Valiant lead to 6-2 headed into the final period of play.

At the halfway point in the third period senior forward Matt Fitzgibbons scored the Pioneers third and final goal. The Valiants netted the final goal of the game at 11:05 to close out the scoring on the evening.

UC was out shot 38-18 and was 1-for-6 on the power play, while Manhattanville was 4-for-6 with a one-man advantage. Utica was penalized seven times for 25 minutes while the Valiants were penalized eight times for a total of 16 minutes.

The Pioneers are back in action as they travel to Hobart College on Friday night. Hobart is currently 8-4-1 in the ECAC West Conference and 12-9-2 overall.

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