The Upper Montgomery Lightning junior varsity returns to action on Tuesday evening, December 27th for their final regular season contest. The non-conference game against the Carroll County Bears begins at 8:20 pm at Skate Frederick. For Upper Montgomery, a victory will conclude the regular season with a .500 record at 4-4-2. The Lightning have completed conference play. The team awaits the outcome of several season concluding conference games in early January to determine what seed they have earned for the season ending junior varsity playoff tournament. The Lightning finished conference play with a .500 record at 2-2-2.
Upper Montgomery enters Tuesday’s game having played better over the past few games, earning standings points in their past three contests. The team fought hard this past Thursday to earn their second straight tie against Rockville/Magruder. Overall, as a team, the Lightning did not play well. But the team fought back to earn the tie with a pulled goalie extra attacker goal with 45 seconds remaining in the game. It was a very nice play initiated by Adam Levine behind the net. Levine won the puck battle, centered the puck to AJ Marks, and the play was finally finished off by Henry Honacki with a nice high backhanded shot.
Over the past three games the Lightning’s offense has awakened, scoring 19 total goals. The team has been led by its top five forwards; TJ Gottesman continues to lead the team with twelve points (6GP, 4G, 8A) despite missing the past two games. He is expected back Tuesday night against the Bears. Henry Honacki continues to lead the junior varsity in goals with seven (9GP, 7G, 4A). He is second on the team in points. Adam Levine has produced over the past three games with five points and is now third on the team in scoring (9GP, 3G, 4A). Steven Shkeda’s attacking style has stretched the ice and provided many opportunities for Gottesman. His scoring pace is (8GP, 2G, 4A). After a slow start, Josh Nadler has scored in three straight games as he has begun to find his skating legs after a long absence from game action. It is no coincidence that the performance of these experienced student athletes has contributed to the team’s overall better offensive performances.
In goal, Landon Bernard will look to continue his excellent play. He has been really, really good over the past three weeks for the varsity giving up only four goals over the past three games. With Bernard in net, the Lightning will have a distinct advantage in junior varsity play over whoever the Bears decide to start in net.
Carroll County has played just three junior varsity games thus far this season. In two of the three games, the Bears have been shutout. The Bears did beat Glenelg 7-2 to open the season. (Glenelg was an opponent the Lightning beat 4-2). Samantha Miller and Levi Lustig scored twice, and Anthony Coronel had a goal and an assist in that game.
After playing better the past several games, Upper Montgomery cannot play down to the level of the Bears. The team needs to continue to build momentum by playing well. Upper Montgomery needs to show maturity and demonstrate that it knows how to handle teams that are equal to it or of a lower talent level. The winter break non-conference tilt will be a good opportunity to judge where the team is heading into the playoffs.