Upper Montgomery has an opportunity to win the program’s most important championship in its 16 year history when the Lightning face off against arch rival Wootton on Thursday afternoon. Game time is 4:20 pm at the Rockville Ice Arena. The team will be looking to capture the Montgomery Hockey Conference Division Two Championship, a title the program won after the 2018 – 2019 season when the Division Two tournament only included the bottom teams in the conference. The winner of tomorrow’s game will have won the post season tournament which now includes all of the Montgomery County programs that did not make the state playoff tournament. In addition, the team that wins the Division Two championship will finish the season ranked fifth in the final year-end conference rankings. Finishing fifth in the final year-end county rankings would be the highest finish ever for the Lightning.
The game will match two programs that do not get along. A prime rivalry has developed originating from animosity stemming from Upper Montgomery beating Wootton in both of the team’s matchups last season. Last year’s victories were the first ever for the Lightning program against Wootton. The Patriots did not take well to losing both times to the upstart Upper Montgomery program. Now, Wootton, once a perennial powerhouse in the county, has fallen into the next cut of programs. Wootton was able to punch their ticket to the Division Two championship game by sneaking past Blair 4-3 and beating the DC Stars 8-4, a game in which the Stars had to use their backup goalie. Both teams now sit one victory away from capturing the Division Two tournament title. Wootton will be looking to atone for last season’s blowout loss to Sherwood in the Division Two tournament final.
The Lightning destroyed Northwest / Quince Orchard in the quarterfinal round of the Division Two playoffs winning by an outlandish 14-1 score. There were many notable offensive performances against Northwest / Quince Orchard. Aiden Zheng scored his first career high school varsity goal and then added two more for a hat-trick. Cole Howerton recorded his first career high school varsity point with an assist. Adam Levine scored his first varsity goal of the season. Levine now has matching 1, 1, 1, 1 goal totals each season ninth grade through senior year. Several students had big multiple point games–Chris Hassett (who is climbing up the Maryland Student Hockey League all time points and assists lists), Hunter Cameron, Brandon Bernard, Brady Berkhammer, Owen Robbins, and Henry Honacki. Every skater had at least one point. The team then conquered Sherwood 5-1 exacting revenge over last year’s Division Two playoff semifinal loss as well as a loss to the Warriors earlier in the regular season. Chris Hassett scored four goals, Brandon Bernard and Philip Shkeda each chipped in with three assists, and Landon Bernard made 26 saves in the victory. The Lightning are 8-2-1 over their last ten games against conference opponents.
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. Or, the tournament is won by the team that has the most available skaters for the games. Wootton has played both of their Division Two playoff games without leading scorers Ilhom Abdulaev (15GP, 18G, 23A) and Grady Sellman (12GP, 12G, 6A). While we are not confirming why both highly talented forwards have skipped the first two Division Two playoff games, rumors are circulating that once Wootton was eliminated from making the state playoffs, both seniors have decided that their high school hockey careers are over.
In addition, the Montgomery Hockey Conference Division Two playoff games are played mid-week when many of the student athletes have competing travel team practices in preparation for the travel team league championships. This may also mean that high scoring Justin Heller (16GP, 15G, 16A) and Owen Goozh (16GP, 9G, 11A) are unavailable.
Bernard will once again 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. He has given up zero goals and one goal this week in the first two Division Two playoff games. In net for Wootton will be Kevin Yu. Yu is 10-6-1 this season with a 4.88 goals against average and an .796 save percentage.
Wootton plays run and gun hockey usually with individual skater rushes up ice. The Patriots rely on outscoring their opponents which worked very well at the beginning of the season when they played extremely weak competition in the lower division of the conference. When the Patriots competed against the top teams in the county, they have been soundly defeated with no game closer than a four goal margin. Defensively, Wootton is porous and there will be plenty of chances for the Lightning to find the back of the net.
The Lightning’s top forward line will consist of senior co-captain and center Chris Hassett (18GP, 19G, 19A), playing between Philip Shkeda (18GP, 12G, 9A) and Brandon Bernard (19GP, 6G, 6A). They should have freedom of movement in the Wootton offensive zone. The team’s second line will be composed of senior co-captain and center Hunter Cameron (16GP, 5G, 6A) playing with Henry Honakci (19GP, 6G, 3A) and Josh Nadler. The season ending loss of Ryan Jacobson (6GP, 4G, 1A) (out long term with a lower body injury) and now Nathan Cassel (15GP, 11G, 18A) who missed the entire Division Two playoffs and is out for the season with an upper body injury definitely impacted the Lightning’s secondary offensive production. Depth forward Adam Levine who scored versus Northwest / Quince Orchard missed the Sherwood game and will not play against Wootton. Upper Montgomery’s third forward line will be centered by senior Bradley Cupples (14GP, 2G, 7A) who returns after missing the last two games playing with rising ninth grader Aiden Zheng. Olivia and Owen Robbins both will miss the championship game as they have conflicts with their external travel teams being out-of-town. The Lightning will need to band together to overcome the absences of these five valuable skaters.
The return of top Upper Montgomery defender Andrew Botti really stabilized the Lightning’s defense. He will log extensive minutes against Wootton and will play almost exclusively against the Patriots top offensive threat, defender Sam Hosier (18GP, 35G, 18A). The other defensive pairings will be determined at game time when the Patriots roster is known. Anticipate that 9th grade defender Miles Wendland and sophomore Brady Berkhammer will play together, and that junior Cole Howerton will pair with Botti receiving plenty of ice time. There may also be forwards dropping back on defense to play shifts depending upon game situations.
The week long Division Two playoff run ends on Thursday afternoon with the crowning of a champion. The Lightning’s senior class has been on a mission to elevate the program to new heights. Recognition around the county has occurred. Upper Montgomery is now unable to sneak up on any of the top programs. Capping the season with the Division Two championship would be an incredible send off for the seven seniors still competing. They have helped bring the program from the bottom of the county rankings and standings to the pinnacle of winning the Division Two title. It is anticipated to be another high scoring tilt. All of the program’s supporters are hoping that the Lightning execute the game plan, smother the Patriots, and leave the ice after skating the trophy as CHAMPIONS!
#Win the Championship, #Get it Done, #UML, #Bleed Green, #Go Bolts!