The Upper Montgomery Lightning junior varsity earned a well deserved and hard working 2-0 shutout victory over the Whitman Vikings Friday night at Cabin John Ice Rink. The game was a rematch of last season’s quarterfinal round of the Montgomery Hockey Conference junior varsity playoffs. Unlike last season when the Lightning were playing without two key student athletes, center Josh Nadler and defender Sean Levine, both of whom were serving supplemental disciplinary suspensions, this year’s experienced Upper Montgomery squad rebounded from a slow start to the game and controlled long stretch of the second and third periods to secure the season opening victory. The Lightning’s tenacious effort and Ilan Shterenberg’s strong goaltending led the way.
Whitman controlled play for much of the opening minutes of the game. Shterenberg, making his first career high school start, tracked the puck well and made some nice positional saves to keep the Vikings scoreless. Just two minutes into the game, on his first high school shift, Lightning 9th grade forward, Jackson Schickler took a tripping penalty. The Lightning penalty kill did a nice job and limited the Whitman powerplay attack, not giving up any high quality scoring chances.
Midway through the opening period Upper Montgomery would take the lead on a nice individual effort by junior co-captain Josh Nadler. Whitman broke out of their defensive zone and headed up ice. Nadler backchecked hard and stole the puck away at his own blue line. He pivoted and curled up ice along the right wing. Reaching the Vikings defensive blue line, he jump cut toward the inside and split the two defenders while temporarily losing control of the puck. His speed allowed him to reach the puck first. Now in the high slot, he made a deke to his forehand, then over to his backhand. He lifted the puck over the outstretched right leg pad of Whitman 9th grade netminder Alex Minkoff to give the Lightning an early 1-0 lead.
In the last minute of the first period, Lightning defender Cole Howerton was called for slashing. A strong effort by Lightning senior co-captain Adam Levine stifled the Vikings who failed to exit their defensive zone multiple times. Frustration mounted leading to a slashing penalty being called on Whitman defender Mark Buckley just before the period ended. Whitman outshot Upper Montgomery eleven to three in the first period.
Both teams failed to capitalize on the four on four play to start the second period. However, Upper Montgomery seemed to come out stronger to begin the period. The feel of the game began to move in the Lightning’s direction as the ice began to tilt where Upper Montgomery created more scoring opportunities. A golden opportunity presented when Upper Montgomery went to their first full powerplay opportunity when Whitman defender Cameron McNeil was called for holding the stick after he ripped the stick from Lightning forward TJ Gottesman’s grasp. The ensuring powerplay was short lived when less than a minute later, Nadler was called for boarding when he threw a check along the right wing boards. The penalty was a double whammy for Upper Montgomery as they would be without their number one center for the next twelve minutes of game action as boarding penalties automatically come with a ten minute misconduct.
The Lightning did a nice job of once again killing off the Whitman powerplay while continuing to take the play to the Vikings. A cross checking penalty to McNeil put Upper Montgomery on the powerplay once again. As with Upper Montgomery’s first two shortened powerplay chances, once again this powerplay opportunity was cut short when Lightning senior Sean Levine took an unnecessary boarding penalty behind the Whitman goal. Once again, Upper Montgomery would be without an experienced member of the squad with Sean Levine missing the next twelve minutes of game action.
With Whitman on the powerplay to end the period, Upper Montgomery’s defense stood strong and prevented every high quality opportunity. Several Whitman shots from the point were blocked in the slot and cleared out of harm’s way. The second period ended with the score still Upper Montgomery one and Whitman zero. Shots on goal in the second period were Whitman with eight and Upper Montgomery with seven.
Starting the third period with both Nadler and Sean Levine in the penalty box, Upper Montgomery needed to play smart and safe defensive hockey to hold off Whitman until their misconduct penalties expired. This style of play seemed to suit the Lightning as their energy and effort on the defensive end created turnovers that led to scoring chances in the offensive zone that came in bunches. Adam Levine had several opportunities that went just wide. Aiden Zheng used his speed and hustle to win pucks and keep Whitman hemmed in their defensive zone. This effort led to yet another powerplay opportunity as the Lightning earned a hooking penalty to Whitman forward James Stahl for burying Levine in the corner just after Nadler’s misconduct penalty expired. This Upper Montgomery powerplay looked much better as the Lightning used their defenders to orchestrate the offensive. The point defenders peppered Minkoff with several high quality shots. Unfortunately, Minkoff was up to the task keeping Whitman trailing by just one goal.
With five and a half minutes remaining in the game, Upper Montgomery would tack on an insurance goal. Off of a faceoff in the left circle in the offensive zone the puck was won back into the corner by Whitman. Gottesman applied pressure and sent the puck back up the left wing boards to Lightning forward AJ Marks at the half wall. Marks took two strides off the side wall into the top of the left faceoff circle. He ripped a wrist shot that went far side past Minkoff’s glove hand. The puck clanged off the inside of the right post and settled just outside the goal line. With one Whitman defender covering Gottesman behind the net, a Whitman forward and the other Vikings defender both closed out on Marks trying to prevent his shot attempt. Lightning forward Jason Woodman was left all alone in front of the net. Woodman backhanded the puck over the goal line into the empty net to increase Upper Montgomery’s lead to two to zero.
Over the last five minutes of the game Upper Montgomery did a very good job of neutralizing the Whitman attack. Pucks were easily cleared over the defensive blue line into center ice. The forwards then did an excellent job of clogging up the neutral zone to prevent clean zone entries with puck possession. Whitman would dump the puck in deep, and Upper Montgomery would race to the puck and immediately clear the defensive zone. When Whitman was able to direct the puck toward the net, the shots were either blocked in front or sent well wide of the net. When Shterenberg froze the puck with a minute left in the game, Whitman pulled Minkoff in favor of an extra skater. It didn’t help. From the defensive zone faceoff until the end of the game, Upper Montgomery’s experience dominated as Adam Levine, Nadler, and Zheng were tough on the forecheck and prevented Whitman from getting back into the offensive zone. The effort preserved Shterenberg’s first career high school victory and the season opening shutout.
Game Notes:
- It was the second consecutive year that Upper Montgomery opened the season with a shutout victory. Both games had identical 2-0 scores.
- Upper Montgomery outshot Whitman 24-20 for the game, and 14-1 in the third period.
- Both teams were 0-4 on the powerplay. Neither team generated much in terms of offensive chances with the extra skater.
- Upper Montgomery returns to action Sunday evening, October 8th versus Northwest/Quince Orchard. Game time is 7:05 pm at Skate Frederick
Three Stars of the Game:
First Star—Ilan Shterenberg—Upper Montgomery Goalie—20 Saves, Shutout Victory
Second Star—Adam Levine—Upper Montgomery Forward
Third Star—Cole Howerton—Upper Montgomery Defense