In a pivotal matchup, Westminster Hockey faced off against the Panthers of Ft. Zumwalt North in the final game of the Founders Cup round-robin, determining tournament seeding. Before the game, seven seniors and their families were celebrated for their contributions and achievements throughout their hockey careers at Westminster. The honored seniors are pictured above from left to right; John Schweppe, Cody Kilgore, Mason Fricke, Logan Swenson, Aidan Irby, Joey Morici, and Monica Knapp.

Entering the game, both teams boasted a 2-0 record with victories over Holt and Duchesne. The Panthers were first to light the scoreboard, but Senior John Schweppe quickly tied the game before the first period concluded.

The second period turned into a high-scoring affair, with a total of ten goals shared between the two teams. Junior Cade Sadtler was instrumental, netting three of the Wildcats' five goals in the period, bringing the score to a 6-6 deadlock by the end of the second.

The momentum continued into the final period, with the Wildcats adding three more goals to their tally with 5:00 remaining. A late slashing penalty gave the Panthers a power play opportunity in the last 2:00 minutes, during which they scored the evening's final goal, resulting in a 9-9 tie. This draw positioned the Wildcats as the 2nd seed in Pool B, advancing them to the Founders Cup Tournament.

Leading the scoring for the Cats was Senior Joey Morici with six points (2 goals, 4 assists), while freshman David Creel stood guard in goal, amassing 26 saves on the night.

Next up, the Wildcats will face the Northwest Lions in the first round of the Founders Cup Tournament. The game is scheduled for February 13 at 8:15 p.m. at Webster Ice Arena.