Martlets Fall to Taft

The Martlets opened their 2022 campaign hosting the Rhinos of Taft in a spirited JV hockey game at Jackson Rink. Starting a bit slowly in the first period, the hosts spotted the visitors 2 powerplay goals to fall behind early 0-2. Gathering themselves between periods, Westminster improved with every shift and on balance thoroughly outplayed Taft for the 2nd and 3rd periods. All credit is due the Taft keeper, who played very well turning aside 36 of 38 Martlet shots on the night – including some truly spectacular saves on point blank opportunities and rebounds. Jaden Goodsell ‘23 cut the lead in half early in the 2nd period when he took a pass from James Frangos ‘24 in neutral ice and sped around the Rhino defensemen before ripping a wrist shot bar down over the shoulder of the Taft goalie. That clearly energized the Martlets, who proceeded to pound the Rhino end. Late in the 2nd, however, a miscue on the Westminster blueline led to a mini-breakaway and a Taft forward beat Martlet goalie Max Hausman ‘25 on a nifty move to make it 1-3 Taft. Hausman, who played well contributing 22 saves to the teams efforts, was making his first start in the Black and Gold. That goal came with only 47 seconds remaining in the 2nd period – which sometimes can be a real deflator. Undeterred, however, the Martlets got right back to work in the 3rd period and continued to generate a series of strong scoring chances. That started with the first shift of the final frame, when Jack DeGulis ‘24 made it 2-3 after collecting a pass from Newt Cutler ‘22 from below the goal line and firing it into the net. The Martlets continued to press, but Taft’s goalie was equal to the task, and the game ended with that score though the entire period seemed to have been played in the Taft end. Certainly the coaches were pleased with the work effort and renewed commitment to the good structure and the team’s systems after more than a month since their last game. Disappointed in the outcome, but cognizant that this was the team’s first game in a while and players are still missing or just returned as a result of Covid protocols, the team should be optimistic about getting back to pre-vacation form and will return to work tomorrow in practice. We’ll have to be ready: the Martlets host always-tough Hillside School on Friday night and then turns right around and plays perennial powerhouse Salisbury on Saturday (both games are at home). Many thanks to the Peterson family for pizza and cookies after the game – pizza and cookies always ease the sting of a tough loss a little bit!