Martlets Lose Tough Game to Eaglebrook

The Martlets opened the 2024-25 hockey season with the traditional match-up against the visiting Eaglebrook Eagles. The game was a tight one from start to finish, though the Black & Gold found themselves chasing the lead until the final horn sounded. Jackson Rink was packed to the rafters, and the JVs thank the hometown faithful for their noisy support. The Eagles came out flying and overall gave the Martlets a spirited contest, outshooting the home side, 44 to 35. Westminster netminder Danny Maher ‘26 had 39 saves tonight, a few of them highlight-reel worthy. The Eagle goalie also had his share of impressive saves and a few Martlet shots rang of the Eaglebrook posts as well. Perhaps displaying some first-game nerves, the JVs took a slew of penalties early in the game and gifted the Eagles several power plays – two of which they converted, one in the 1st and one early in the 2nd. The Eagles took the early lead on one of those early power plays, setting the tone for the day. But the Martlets dug in, getting their first goal of the season and tying the score at 1-1 late in the first when Captain Ben Norten ‘25 banged home a rebound of a Dylan Zapata ‘27 shot – a shorthanded tally.  Settling down, the Black and Gold headed to the locker room happy with the 1-1 tie after the first. But barely a minute into the 2nd frame, the Eagles seized the lead again on another power play. Maher made the initial save, but after a scrum, the puck ended up in the back of the net. Battling back, Norten again tied the game a few minutes later on Westminster’s own power play (the Martlets’s first of the night) when a strong shift led to consistent pressure and several shots. Norten bounced on a loose puck in front of the Eagle net after a flurry of shots; teammates Captain Jack Peterson ‘25 and Xavier Kahn ‘27 assisted on the play. This back-and-forth game saw the Eagles go up 2-3 late in the second when the Martlets failed to shut down a whirling Eaglebrook forward who slipped the puck underneath Maher. At the break, the JVs found themselves down a goal again. The 3rd period began with the Martlets determined to make a statement at home. But two early miscues led to unfortunate turnovers, and the Eagles took full advantage, building their lead to 2-5. With the situation looking a little grim, Westminster showed some real grit – and promise for the coming season – by rallying for two goals in the last five minutes of the game. First, Khan jumped on a mishandled puck on the Martlet blueline and streaked into the Eagle zone on a breakaway to make it 3-5, niftily tucking the puck past the goalie. That tally was short-handed and energized the team. With the 3rd-period clock winding down, the Martlets called a timeout and Maher joined his teammates on the bench. Skating 6-on-5, the JVs produced one of the best shifts of the night. With just over a minute remaining, Zapata jumped on a loose puck in front of the Eagle net to make it 4-5. For the ensuing faceoff, the team remained at 6-5, won the faceoff, entered the offensive zone, and again was all over the Eaglebrook net. With 2.6 seconds remaining in the game, Lester Gu ‘27 gathered a puck in the corner and rocketed a hard shot into the net for what seemed like the equalizer – but the team’s joy soon turned to sorrow as the goal was waved off for a high-sticking penalty in front of the net. A tough call, to be sure; there were no fewer than six bodies entangled in the slot and sticks all over the place. But with that goal erased, the Martlets had to settle for a comeback that fell just a little short; the game ended with that 4-5 score on the board. The Martlets will have little time to lick their wounds: the boys are right back at it with Cardigan Mountain coming to town for a 5 pm puck drop tomorrow. The team learned a lot in this first game of the season and will try to apply those lessons in 24 hours. Norten earned the hard hat for his contributions tonight, but the coaches felt that this game was a good start to the seasons for several players. Of note, defenseman Soren Techet ‘28 played a solid game on the blue line, alongside Dylan Seals ‘25, Richard Kim ‘25, Lane Gallagher ‘25, Thomas Merrill ‘28, and Mikey Wang ‘28. Forward Reed Ghriskey ‘26 also played a complete game, and several newcomers to the JVs learned what it takes to play and win at this level. Despite the loss, the team showed some real tenacity in fighting back several times, and that’s invaluable experience. This old coach knows that hockey season is a long one, filled with ups and downs, and the team will have to draw on the positives from tonight’s game in the contests ahead. The Martlets will rest up and fuel up, take care of their academic business tomorrow morning, and be right back at Jackson Rink for tomorrow’s 5 pm game against the Cougars. Early ticket sales have been impressive, but there are still plenty of great seats available – reach out to your favorite Martlet and some tickets will be at the will-call window. See you at the rink!