Martlets Defeat Loomis

The Martlets hosted the Pelicans at Jackson Rink for a spirited rematch – The Battle of the Bankoffs II – of a game won earlier this year by Westminster on the road. The teams are relatively even-matched, and both teams boast quality goaltending. Given the spirited rivalry and history between the two teams the game promised to be a good one, and that was certainly the case from the opening puck drop to the final horn. Led by the solid goaltending of Alec Rosenbaum ‘23 between the pipes, the Black and Gold skated to a convincing 2-0 victory. Rosenbaum was poised and confident in the net, making 21 saves to post the shutout. His counterpart 200 feet away, Loomis goalie Connor Bankoff ‘24 (younger brother of Martlet captain Keegan Bankoff ‘22), was again terrific for the Pelicans, turning aside 35 Westminster shots on the afternoon and keeping his team in the game. The first period was an exciting affair, as the Marlets jumped on offense and fired 18 shots on the Loomis net. Several wild flurries ensued as the home side banged away at rebounds and battled for position in front of the net, but Loomis’s Bankoff was equal to the challenge and mades several spectacular saves. But the JVs kept coming, and with 4 minutes remaining in the 1st period Westminster broke through when defensemen Jack Carter ‘23 jumped into the play in neutral ice, collected a pass from Easton Masse ‘25, and raced down the near boards before firing a wrist shot up under the crossbar over the Loomis goalie’s right shoulder. Jack Adams ‘23 also assisted on the play. The frame ended with the Martlets up 1-0, but the lead could have been more. After the break, the ice evened out a little bit – and even tipped in the Pelicans’ favor as the visitors pushed the pace and frankly outworked the Martlets for good stretches of the game. But an overall strong defensive effort led by Westminter’s Bankoff and his defenseman colleagues Carter, Captain Sawyer von Jess ‘22, Luke Reiter ‘23, Miles Kim ‘24, and the steady utility man Stuart Dorman ‘23 and the play of Rosenbaum kept the score at 1-0. Loomis kept up the pressure as the 2nd period unfolded, and Westminster had to match that intensity – which they did a much better job of doing in the second half of the period. That hard work paid off when, after a strong forechecking shift with linemates Peter Diorio ‘23 and Jack DeGulis ‘23 and with fewer than two minutes to go in the 2nd, Jake Timone ‘25 collected a pass from Kim in the offensive corner nearest the Martlet bench, deftly stepped between to Loomis defenders, and ripped a shot past the Loomis keeper from the faceoff dot. It was Timone’s first Westminster goal, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. Energized, Westminster finished the period with good pressure on the Pelicans. The 3rd period was a back-and-forth affair, and both goalies were called upon to make several key saves. Both sides had chances to seize the initiative, and both sides blocked shots and played committed defense during an exciting final period. Despite a careless late penalty by the Martlets and a resulting long stretch of 6-on-4 play against with the Loomis keeper on the bench, the Black and Gold were able to finish the game and post a solid 2-0 victory. Overall, the coaches were pleased with the team’s discipline and focus, and will look to build on that as the Martlets head into the final 3 games of the season. Next up, the JVs will travel to Sheffield, MA for a Saturday tilt against the always-tough Berkshire Bears. Many thanks to the proud Bankoff parents for their snacks after the game.