Martlets Fall to Deerfield

The Martlets took to the road for their final game of the season at Deerfield, always a tough game and especially on the road. Today was no exception, as the Big Green pressed the JVs hard from the get-go. This old coach – and history teacher – was put in mind of the 1704 Raid on Deerfield which, ominously for the Black & Gold, occurred 321 years ago to the very day of today’s matchup. In that event, it was the visitors who came out on top and the home team that suffered the defeat, but this time around the visitors had their hands full from the opening puck drop. Deerfield’s 14  goals came on a total of 54 shots in this wide-open affair, as both teams traded rushes back and forth up the ice. For their part, the Martlets fired 29 shots on the pair of Deerfield keepers. The 1st period was all Green, as the hosts scored 7 goals and the JVs struggled to compete and maintain good structure and balance in all three zones. The 2nd and 3rd periods were better for the Martlets, but Deerfield continued to press, scoring 4 times in the middle period. That included three quick tallies in the final two minutes of the frame after Westminster had managed to get back into the game and make it 3-8, gaining momentum while better matching Deerfield’s pace and physicality. The Martlets added a fourth goal in the 3rd period, but Deerfield scored three of their own to extend their lead. As has been the case for much of the season, the Black & Gold found themselves chasing the game for most of the 45 minutes – always a challenging prospect, and especially so in this league. On the scoresheet in the 2nd period for the Martlets was Chace Maurice ‘27, who fired a wrist shot into the lower left hand corner of the Deerfield net from just in front (Dylan Zapata ‘27 assisted on that goal when he carried the puck into the offensive zone in front of the Martlet bench before finding Maurice); Lester Gu ‘27 unassisted on a breakaway; and Xavier Kahn ‘27 who ripped a shot from the high slot passed the keeper (Reed Ghriskey ‘26 assisted on Kahn’s goal). Ghriskey added Westminster’s fourth and final goal in the 3rd period when he banged home a rebound of a Gu shot. The tough afternoon completes what was at times a frustrating season for this young and largely inexperienced team. The coaches are most proud of how the guys stuck together and did not let the team’s record dictate their attitudes or energy levels, instead coming to practice every day with enthusiasm and a commitment to each other and to getting better. This game marks the end of our Sixth Formers’ JV hockey careers: Captains Jack Peterson ‘25 and Ben Norten ‘25 (both on the IR for today), and Zac Jainchill ‘25, Dillon Seals ‘25, Lane Gallagher ‘25, and Richard Kim ‘25. Thanks as well for the good work and support from Sixth Form managers Adrien Dellaert ‘25 and Mark Richardson ‘25. The coaches appreciate the Sixth Formers’ leadership on the ice and in the locker room – they were a key ingredient in making this season a success from a team perspective. They will be missed. The team enters the off-season with a goal firmly in mind: now that many of the new players to the team have a clear sense of what it takes to compete in the Founders League, they’ll have a definite roadmap for preparation for next year. Management will take a look at the free agency pool and keep a close eye on the upcoming entry draft. Don’t sleep on the Martlets: we’ll be back next year. Thanks to all the parents and fans for their support throughout the season. Next season is just around the corner, and we’ll see you at the rink!