Martlets Fall to Kent

The Martlets took the long trip through the Litchfield Hills on a cold January afternoon to face the Lions in a 5 pm contest. The Martlets, still playing with a short bench owing to illness and injury, had their hands full with a Kent team that played a strong game, belying their 1-7 record. Though the JVs got the first goal of the game, that was all they could muster as Kent rallied to score three times in the 1st period and then added a goal in the 2nd and a final tally in the 3rd. The Lions outshot the Martlets 33-23 for the game, with a clear advantage in the 3rd period when the Black & Gold legs were spent. Danny Maher ‘26 had 28 saves between the pipes, and the Lion netminder shone in his end of the ice, making several strong saves. But the real story of this game was the Lions were simply more than the Martlets could handle, playing with speed and a physical presence – particularly in front of both nets – that challenged Westminster throughout the game. Mikey Wang ‘28 got the Martlets on the board early – just 1:23 into the game –  with a wrist shot through traffic from just inside the far faceoff circle that eluded the Kent keeper. Chace Maurice ‘27, playing his usual blue-collar game, assisted on the play when he dug the puck out of the corner and fed Wang on the point before Wang took a few steps and fired the puck into the net. Unfortunately for the Martlets, that marked both the high-water mark of the JVs offensive production and seemed to jolt the Lions into action. The rest of the period was all Kent, as they scored three goals before the horn sounded. The equalizer came on a scramble in front of Maher, as the Martlets were caught puck-watching and failed to clear out the crease and granted the Lions too many slaps at the puck. That goal came just three minutes after Wang’s and put the JVs back on their heels. Kent scored again when a seeing-eye shot from the right point found its way between sticks and skates and slid beneath Maher’s pads. With the score now 1-2, the Martlets were hard-pressed, and Kent’s efforts earned a third goal late in the frame on another slapshot from the right point. After a few gentle reminders from the coach in the locker room after the 1st, the Martlets collected themselves and overall played a better, more consistent game in the 2nd and 3rd periods, but despite generating several scoring chances could not solve the riddle of the Lion keeper. A few posts and a few other near misses might have changed the momentum in the Black & Gold’s favor, but the hockey gods were elsewhere tonight. This old coach knows well that in this league chasing the lead on the road is an uphill climb, and against a determined opponent a tall order. This team simply has to come ready to compete from the opening puck drop to the final horn, and that means walking out of the locker room with a mental and physical edge – something that was perhaps lacking today. Some Martlets were ready. The first line of Reed Ghriskey ‘26, Dylan Zapata ‘27, and Xavier Kahn ‘27 led the attack, generally matching the Lion’s intensity and playing Kent even for the game. Auggie Jiranek ‘27 continues to set the standard with his high work rate and commitment to playing the game the right way – day in and day out Jiranek comes to play. The same can be said for blueliner Thomas Merrill ‘28, who’s been battling illness all week but gets in the trenches and does the hard work. Others playing solidly this afternoon were Carsten Matthews ‘28, who impresses the coaches more and more, and Paul Coccaro ‘28, who keeps his feet moving and makes plays. Wang earned the hard hat for his overall solid game. The team will lick its wounds on Sunday, but then it's right back to work Mini-Game Monday as the Martlets prepare for the Winged Beavers on Wednesday. Avon is always a tough opponent: hard-working, skilled, and well-coached. This is a legendary matchup in JV Founders League hockey, with a storied history that matches any Original Six rivalry. The Winged Beavers have had the edge the last several years, but the Martlets will be ready and looking to reverse that trend. It’s a 2 pm puck drop, and the networks and the domestic and international hockey press will all be in attendance. Feel free to use Avon Head Coach Mike Symes’s name at the gate – you might be able to upgrade your top-tier obstructed view seat into a center-ice lower-level box. See you at the rink!