The Upper Montgomery Lightning enter the Montgomery Hockey Conference Division Two playoff tournament having to deal with the disappointment of falling one game short of qualifying for the Maryland Student Hockey League state playoffs for the second consecutive season. It was a somber locker room after last week’s loss to Whitman even though the game was not very competitive. The upper class heavy Lightning were hoping to make history and be the first team in program history to qualify for the state playoffs. Now, the team will need to dust themselves off and focus on capturing the Montgomery Hockey Conference Division Two championship.
Upper Montgomery had a terrific finish to the regular season, concluding 5-1-1 in conference games with the only loss to perennial powerhouse Churchill. The squad also played extremely well in close losses to Oakdale, the number one seed in the state playoff bracket, and Bullis, a powerhouse private high school program. The Lightning had a businesslike approach in dispatching Blair in their playoff opener 5-1, before the Whitman game disappointment. The Lightning are the top seed in the Division Two tournament and begin play next Monday at Rockville Ice Arena. Game time is 4:20 pm.
Often, the Division Two tournament is won by the team that is able to mentally rise up and overcome the disappointment of having missed out on the state playoff tournament. The mindset of the Lightning will be critical. With seven seniors still competing, going out with a championship would cap a four year run that has taken the Lightning program to new heights. A win over Northwest/Quince Orchard would propel the Lightning into the semifinal round. A loss would be shattering. Against credible competition, Northwest/Quince Orchard has had a difficult time keeping the puck out of their own net. It would be a major upset if the Lightning were to lose.
Upper Montgomery’s play has evolved and transformed as the regular season progressed. The return of top defender, junior Andrew Botti has calmed the back end and provided additional confidence. At around the same time, Lightning senior goaltender Landon Bernard began playing much, much better in net. The Lightning are 6-2-1 over their last nine conference games.
Bernard will start in net for Upper Montgomery. He posted terrific statistics in the MHC playoffs this season and last year. He had a .966 save percentage and a 0.98 goals against average in his first three career playoff outings, never giving up more than one goal in a game. Bernard backstopped the Lightning junior varsity to the Montgomery Hockey Conference junior varsity championship two years ago. He excelled in those playoffs as well giving up only four goals over three games, including posting a shootout victory. In net for Northwest/Quince Orchard will be Ryan Stillwell. Stillwell was named the Montgomery Hockey Conference Division Two second team goalie albeit with abhorrent personal statistics. However, if you have watched Northwest/Quince Orchard play, defense is optional. Stillwell went 2-5 this season with a 6.51 goals against average and an .796 save percentage and he played very well. He played mostly against the bottom teams in the county as Northwest/Quince Orchard has only beaten last place Churchill 2 three times and Blair, the team directly ahead of Northwest/Quince Orchard in the standings.
The Lightning’s top forward line of senior co-captain and center Chris Hassett (17GP, 15G, 19A), playing between Nathan Cassel (15GP, 11G, 18A) and Philip Shkeda (17GP, 12G, 6A) should have freedom of movement in the Northwest/Quince Orchard offensive zone. This will be a vast departure from the playoff game against Whitman. The team’s second line will be composed of senior co-captain and center Hunter Cameron (15GP, 5G, 5A) playing with Henry Honakci (18GP, 5G, 3A) and Olivia Robbins (10GP, 3G, 2A). The season ending loss of Ryan Jacobson (6GP, 4G, 1A) (out long term with a lower body injury) definitely impacted the Lightning’s secondary offensive production.
Upper Montgomery’s third forward line will be centered by senior Bradley Cupples (14GP, 2G, 7A) playing with Brandon Bernard (18GP, 6G, 3A) and Adam Levine (9G, 3A). The objective of this line will be to provide energy and tireless effort on the forecheck and along the boards. Their focus will be on chipping pucks out of the defensive zone, dumping pucks in deep behind the Northwest/Quince Orchard net, and playing on the defensive side of the puck. Northwest/Quince Orchard will play run and gun offense with little attention to detail on defense. They also take an obscene number of penalties and are horrible on the penalty kill having given up 26 powerplay goals on the season. Unlike in games against some of the other Lightning opponents, Upper Montgomery should have plenty of optimal scoring chances on Monday.
On defense the return of top Upper Montgomery defender Andrew Botti really did stabilize the back end. He will log extensive minutes against Northwest/Quince Orchard and will play almost exclusively with 9th grade defender Miles Wendland. Wendland has a very bright future within the program as he gets stronger over the next several years. The other defensive pairing will feature a pair of AA external travel skaters, Brady Berkhammer and Owen Robbins. Cole Howerton will play some to spell Wendland throughout the game.
Northwest/Quince Orchard is led in scoring by talented sophomore forward Ethan Custodio who has (13 GP, 25G, 9A). He is part of the pair of offensive dynamos for Northwest/Quince Orchard along with senior Brady Graham (13GP, 24G, 8A). No other Northwest/Quince Orchard skater has more than six points on the season. Where Custodio and Graham have excelled is when they are on the penalty kill having scored eight and four times while shorthanded. However, all of the offensive statistics of the Northwest/Quince Orchard skaters should be taken with a grain of salt based upon the very low level of competition they have played this season. Defensively sound teams have been able to shut down Custodio and Graham.
The Lightning’s powerplay has come alive over the last three games, scoring goals in each contest. The team simplified their powerplay system and is getting more shots on net and traffic in front. Two of the recent powerplay goals have come off of puck retrievals of missed initial shots and then a secondary shot at the net with skaters in front. Upper Montgomery is now up to 4-51 on the powerplay for the season, 7.8%.
Expect the Lightning to play committed team hockey where the students focus on neutralizing Custodio and Graham on offense and countering against the rest of the Northwest/Quince Orchard skaters that are just not in the same class as the Lightning. The Lightning should be able to take the first step toward a Division Two championship on Monday. But, the game will not be won by just showing up. Upper Montgomery will need to earn the victory by putting the puck in the net and not giving up chances to Custodio and Graham in a run and gun game. The week long playoff run begins with an anticipated high scoring tilt that the Lightning must prevail in. If not, it will be a very long offseason if Upper Montgomery’s season ends on Monday.
#Win the Championship, #Get it Done, #UML, #Bleed Green, #Go Bolts!