Richard Montgomery Hockey finished their season Friday night with a 12-2 loss to Wootton.

Hugs and handshakes were exchanged during the senior night festivities before Friday’s game; it would be the last time Eli Levine, David Hoddinott, Ben Polster, Jordan Kochman, Sam Shawn, and Jack Blitz would skate onto the ice dressed in black and gold. As soon as the ceremony ended, the team put their game faces on, and the six seniors took their places out on the ice with Polster in goal.

The first face-off went to Wootton, but RM’s defense shut them down immediately, led by senior Jordan Kochman with his aggressive play and unceasing effort. “[Kochman] has stressed being much more physical on the puck—that’s one of his strong suits,” said sophomore defenseman Peter Jasperse. It was barely two minutes into the first period when Jack Blitz sent the puck, hard and fast, to the back of the net.

Minutes later, a penalty against the Rockets during a hectic scramble in front of the goal gave Wootton a penalty shot that led to the Patriots scoring. This gave Wootton the momentum to score three more goals in the first period. A few breakaways from Kochman, Shawn, and sophomore Ryan Grossman kept their teammates and buzzing student section on their toes.

Near the end of the second period, sophomore forward Adrian Martella, son of RM’s Head Coach Dave Martella and standout player throughout the season, slipped past a Wootton defenseman and scored. Next came a breakaway for RM followed by a power play.

Sophomore Simon Gershunskiy said that “the seniors have taught him to be relentless”, and it showed. The team was playing their heart out, and everyone could see it. “I think that most people underestimate us,” Gershunskiy went on to say. “This year we showed them through the scores that we were dishing out that we’ve been working hard.”

Penalties to freshman Jacob Logsdon for high sticking and sophomore Dmitriy Bilous for hooking left the Rockets down two men in the middle of the third period. Wootton kept pressing for a goal, but RM’s defense wouldn’t let up. They fought until the last buzzer sounded across the rink. The game ended 12- 2, with goalie Ben Polster stopping 29 shots.

“This is the classiest team I’ve ever played on,” senior Hoddinott said after the game. “If we win or lose we’re still joking around in the locker room, still having fun, and we’re just great people.”

Head Coach Dave Martella said that he “told the kids […] that in any organized activity there are people who are either part of the problem or part of the solution. All these great kids are part of the solution. No one complains, no one gets down, even when we’re losing, everyone keeps fighting. They’re just a wonderful group of kids to coach.”