Martlets Fall to AOF

The Martlets were looking forward to this rematch on the road with a talented Winged Beaver team, and while the score was lopsided the game, overall, was not. For the first two periods and much of the 3rd, the JVs battled hard and competed with what is, really, the best team we’ve seen this year. Unfortunately, the first four-and-a-half minutes of the 3rd period were disastrous for the Black and Gold, as the team conceded 4 quick goals, several off turnovers in our end as Avon’s forecheck proved too much to handle. This Avon team is skilled, deep, well-coached, and they play an up-tempo, attacking style – hockey as it’s meant to be played. The game opened as expected, with both teams playing hard and clearly eager for the contest. Avon scored early when an errant Westminster pass was seized by an Avon forward for a quick 2-on-1 against. Though keeper Alec Rosenbaum ‘23 made the first save, Avon banged the rebound home. Down 0-1, the Martlets settled into a good rhythm and produced several solid shifts and scoring chances (in that stretch, Westminster hit one crossbar and one post – perhaps a harbinger of the “puck luck” to come . . . but in this game, you make your own luck, as the team would discover). That pressure led to a Martlet powerplay, which Assistant Captain New Cutler ‘22 made good on when he jumped on a rebound off a Cole Raycraft ‘23 shot. Luke Reiter ‘23 also assisted on the play. Though the Martlets were energized, Avon was, too, and quickly reseized the lead on the very next shift – the most important shift in a hockey game is the one after a goal, for or against – when a shot through a screen beat Rosenbaum. Though the 1st period ended with the visitors down 1-2, the coaches certainly felt as if the score could just have easily been 3-1 Westminster. But “ifs” and “buts” don’t show up on the scoreboard, and so with renewed purpose the JVs took the ice for the 2nd period. Ultimately, the period was scoreless as both teams played hard. Though Westminster matched Avon’s intensity at times, there were also sustained stretches when the JVs were clearly back on their heels and relying too much on Rosenbaum, who had 24 saves for the game, to bail them out. It must be said that several players on the JVs got more than a little bit of a lesson on what it takes to compete at this level (and just a hint of the physical play, speed, and skill necessary to make it to the next level). The Martlets were able to survive the 2nd down 1-2, but the coaches knew that the team would have to elevate their game if they were to truly compete with Avon. As noted, it was not to be: the first 4:44 of the 3rd was all Avon. The coaches and players will address the deficiencies in our next practice, and do not bear mentioning here (an old sports saw says of a tough loss: “think of it always, speak of it never”). Everyone could have done their job better. After the 4th Avon goal of the period, the coaches called a time out for a re-set, and the team did respond for the final 10 minutes of the game. No more goals were conceded, and several offensive chances were generated. But other than Cutler’s early powerplay goal, Westminster could not solve the challenges of Avon’s talented defensemen and goaltender. When the final horn sounded, Avon was on top 1-6. A tough loss, to be sure, but an instructive one for many players in Black and Gold. Special mention for their gritty play goes first and foremost to Stuart Dorman ‘23, who answered the bell for the full game, and also to Reiter, Nick Orenstein ‘23, Easton Masse ‘25, Jack Adams ‘23, Raycraft, Cutler, Jake Timone ‘25 (who, though perhaps the smallest player on the team is really growing into this level of hockey), and the short-handed defensive corps of Captain Sawyer von Jess ‘22 (celebrating his 18th birthday – thanks to mom for the post-game brownies, which maybe didn’t taste quite as sweet as they might have to the boys), Hayden Raycraft ‘23, Jack Rockefeller ‘23 (whose nickname should be shortened from “Rocky” to simply “Rock”), Jack Carter ‘23, and Miles Kim ‘24. In sum, the coaches felt as if the team played well for 40 minutes – but against this Avon team, 45 minutes were required. A little beat up after this physical affair, and a little worn down by the season and the winter, the team will gather itself in practice and prepare for the season finale: Deerfield, another strong opponent, at Jackson Rink on Saturday. Puck drop is at 1 pm; the boys will be looking to end the season with a win for sure.