Details
Martlets Ground Pelicans
On a rainy January afternoon a Seconds team depleted by injury and illness — missing five skaters overall — made the short trip down the Farmington River to take on Founder League rival Loomis Chaffee. Playing at Loomis is always a challenge, but the Martlets answered the bell and played their best, most complete game of the season to post a come-from-behind 2-1 victory. Despite some early penalty trouble, strong penalty killing and the steady play of goalie Will Scott '20 kept the Black and Gold in the game. Loomis did manage to score the opening goal of the afternoon with six minutes to go in the first period when a Pelican forward fired a low, hard shot from the right faceoff circle that beat Scott just under his glove hand. But that was all Scott would allow for the game, overall posting 18 saves and anchoring the defense. For their part, his teammates only got better and better, playing well in their own end, transitioning quickly through neutral ice, and producing some long, furious periods of sustained pressure in the Loomis end. All credit to the Loomis keeper for keeping his team in the game: he turned aside shot after shot, and ultimately had 37 saves on the afternoon. The Martlets finally broke through at the eight-minute mark of the second period when Ryan Huntley '21 picked up a puck chipped up along the near boards by Jack Rockefeller '23 and handily beat the Pelican defensemen before rifling a shot past the Loomis goalie on the near post. The Martlets continued their pressure, and quite simply controlled play during much of the second period, generating one scoring chance after another. The game winner came roughly five minutes after Huntley's tally when Peter Diorio '23 won a faceoff on the left dot in the Loomis end, pulling the puck back to linemate Willie Noble '20 who fired a low, hard shot on the Loomis net. Right winger David Harris '21, crashing the net and tied up with a Pelican defenseman, managed to find the rebound and bang it home for a 2-1 Westminster lead. The third period saw some back-and-forth hockey, but the ice was clearly slanted in the Martlets' favor. Despite several excellent chances in the third period, the Seconds could not add to their lead — but their strong defensive play continued and with Scott a stone wall in net, the team handled any serious Loomis threat. With fewer than two minutes on the clock, the Pelicans pulled their goalie and launched some of their most pressing attacks of the game, but a too-many-men-on-the-ice penalty ended any real threat from the home side. And so when the final buzzer sounded, the 2-1 Westminster score held up. The coaches were very pleased with the team's work, and in particular with their focus and discipline. In addition to those noted above, forwards Newt Cutler '22, Oscar Ball '22 (who had a strong, physical game), Will Mazzaro '21, Will Rizzo '21 and Xander Cardia '21 all played smart, hardworking games. The defensive corps, again short-handed, of Nate Stevens '21, Rex Flinn '21 (back from injury and much missed in the interim), Sawyer von Jess '22, Rockefeller and Beck Winsor '21 (who had his best game of the season) were terrific, controlling the puck in all three zones and getting the offense started. A good, satisfying team win, and all deserve credit for the victory. The Seconds will get back to work on "mini-game Monday" and prepare for the trip up the old College Highway to face the Wildcats of Williston Northampton Wednesday.
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