Martlets Fall to Bearcats

The Martlets returned to action this afternoon after Winter Long Weekend, hosting a nationally ranked Hotchkiss squad at Smith Rink. Westminster entered the contest on the heels of a strong win over Avon last Wednesday, while the Bearcats arrived ranked among the top five teams in New England.

Hotchkiss opened the scoring at 7:43 of the first period, capitalizing on an early opportunity to take a 1–0 lead into the intermission. Westminster responded with energy and pace, generating consistent offensive-zone time and ultimately outshooting the Bearcats, but could not find the equalizer.

The Martlets continued to push in the second period, carrying much of the play and testing the Hotchkiss goaltender. Despite the pressure, the visitors extended their lead at 9:46 of the second, finishing a chance to make it 2–0 heading into the third.

Hotchkiss struck again early in the final frame, adding their third goal at 4:23 to build a 3–0 advantage. To their credit, the Martlets did not waver. Westminster kept pressing and was rewarded late in the period. On the power play at 17:29, John Donohue ’23 broke through, finishing a well-worked sequence with assists from George Tsatas ’05 and Ryan Holmes ’18 to cut the deficit to 3–1.

Westminster continued to battle until the final horn, outshooting the Bearcats on the afternoon, but the early third-period goal proved decisive as Hotchkiss secured the 3–1 win.

While the result did not reflect the shot totals or sustained effort, the Martlets’ compete level against one of New England’s premier programs underscored their growth as they move into the final stretch of the winter season.