The Dorchester Dragons knew they were in for a challenge when they travelled to Belmont Arena today for a 3:30 p.m. puck drop against the Belmont Rangers LL2 squad. Facing the same team that handed them a 9–2 loss in their previous meeting, and doing so without two of their major-year leaders, the task was never going to be easy.
*Photo Mateo Duarte of the Dragons attempts to escape a swarming Rangers LL2 squad Saturday in Belmont. Dorchester was without #6 Caleb Mitchell and #7 Xavier Papel, both upper year players and team leaders in plus/minus rating, leaving a noticeable gap in the lineup. Compounding the challenge was the presence of Belmont’s Forward #7, one of the league’s leading scorers who had beaten the Dragons in their earlier matchup.
In preparation, Dragons coaches placed a clear emphasis on limiting the Rangers dangerous forward’s time and space. To the team’s credit, that mission was largely accomplished, as the Rangers’ star was held to a single goal for his only point of the game.
Despite that success, the Rangers proved to be the deeper and more complete team on the day. Belmont struck for three goals in each of the first two periods before adding five more in the final frame, skating away with an 11–0 victory.
The scoreline did not tell the full story, particularly in net. Goaltender Trent Pietarinen faced relentless pressure throughout the afternoon as the Dragons spent much of the game in their own zone. While shots on goal are not officially tracked at this level, Pietarinen repeatedly rose to the occasion, making several dramatic saves that brought the Belmont crowd to its feet and prevented the game from becoming even more lopsided.
Offensively, Dorchester struggled to generate momentum, managing just three shots on goal over the course of the game. On a night when very little went right, every Dragon finished on the negative side of the plus/minus ledger. Everett Elliott was recognized with the Hardest Worker award, posting the team’s best rating at minus-2 and setting an example with his continued determination despite the adversity.
Following the loss, the message to the Dragons was clear: tough nights are part of the growth process. Earlier in the season, Dorchester had been on the other side of lopsided wins, and learning how to respond to difficult losses is just as important. Improvement comes not from discouragement, but from identifying mistakes, committing to hard practices, and continuing to train with purpose.
For the Dragons, Saturday’s result was a reminder that resilience and lessons learned in defeat are just as valuable as the victories that come along the way.