The Upper Montgomery Lightning played their most complete game of the season in Friday night’s 6-1 dismantling of the Northwest Jaguars. The top line continued to provide offense. The second line contributed two goals. The third and fourth lines dominated puck possession in the Northwest defensive zone. The defense locked down against Northwest limiting quality chances and Will Mellen made important saves when called upon. All in all, a great team effort. The win was the third consecutive victory for the Lightning and evened their season record at 3-3-1. The win was immensely important for the season ending Montgomery Hockey Conference postseason playoff tournament as the Lightning now hold one of the final playoff positions with five league games left in the regular season.
The Lightning pressured right from the opening faceoff creating chance after chance in the Jaguars zone. Outside of Jaguars forward Evan Steinberg and offensive defender Brady Graham, the Jaguars had no answer for the Lightning. Northwest only had two quality chances to score during the game. Halfway through the opening period, Lightning goalie Will Mellen made a nice save off of a backhand shot by Steinberg on a one-on-one rush. That save seemed to energize Upper Montgomery and it felt like it would only be a matter of time before the Lightning would beat Jaguars goalie Jonah Boles.
Two minutes later the Lightning would grab the lead. After a faceoff win in the offensive zone, Chris Hassett controlled the puck in the left corner. He passed the puck into the slot to Nathan Cassel. Cassel’s shot was saved by Boles and the rebound went in front up the slot area to Ryan Jacobson. Jacobson fired the puck wide of the near post. Cassel picked up the puck skating around the back of the net, and he completed an easy wrap around goal into an empty net for a 1-0 Lightning lead.
The lead would be short lived however. Just a minute later, on a delayed penalty call, Steinberg evened the score. He carried the puck up ice weaving into the Lightning defensive zone. From the bottom of the right faceoff circle, he fired a wrist shot far side past Mellen. The Lightning would score a momentum changing goal in the last minute of the first period. Off of another faceoff win in the Jaguars defensive zone, Bradley Cupples won the draw back to James Botti at the right point. Botti’s shot toward the net was deflected and landed at the feet of Cupples. All in one motion, Cupples turned and shot. The shot was perfectly placed over the right shoulder of Boles and into the top left corner of the net giving the Lightning a lead they would not relinquish. Shots on goal in the first period were Lightning 15 and the Jaguars 5.
Cupples’ goal gave the Lightning momentum they would build upon during the first shift of the second period. The Lightning controlled the puck for a minute and twenty seconds off the opening faceoff of the period. From besides the goal post, Hassett passed the puck back to Andrew Botti at the blue line. Botti’s wrist shot was high and seemed to handcuff Boles. The puck hit off of Boles’ catching glove and landed at the feet of Cassel who finished the rebound into an open net. For Cassel it was his second goal of the game and gave the Lightning a 3-1 lead.
The lead would grow to 4-1 on another strike by Cassel just three seconds after a penalty to Graham expired. Cupples won the draw to the left of Boles. The puck went right to Cassel in the high slot. His quick wrist shot beat Boles for his first career hat trick. A little under a minute later the Lightning would strike on the power play to stretch the lead. Hassett controlled the puck behind the net. He passed off the boards to Andrew Botti at the left point. Botti bumped the puck to Jacobson at the center point along the blue line. Jacobson’s slapshot went past several skaters and was deflected by Hassett past a screened Boles. Shots on goal in the second period were in favor of the Lightning 13-4.
The third period turned into a shooting gallery against Boles with Lightning totaling 16 shots on goal to the Jaguars 1. The coaching staff rolled all four lines and the three defensive pairings. With five and a half minutes remaining Upper Montgomery would finish off the scoring on a nice passing play. From his own blue line, Hunter Cameron made a rink wide pass to Olivia Robbins in the neutral zone. She entered the Jaguars defensive zone along the right wing and cut toward the middle of the ice. While stick handling she maneuvered around two Jaguars defenders sliding the puck over to Cameron who had hustled up the ice. In alone, Cameron wristed the puck high glove side to beat Boles for the final score of the game.
Game Notes:
- Several Lightning student athletes had multiple point games; Nathan Cassel–3 Goals, Chris Hassett–1 Goal, 2 Assists, Ryan Jacobson–2 Assists, Andrew Botti–2 Assists, Bradley Cupples—1 Goal, 1 Assist.
- This was the third straight game a Lightning student athlete scored a hat trick.
- The Lightning outshot the Jaguars by a wide margin, 44-10.
- Will Mellen lowered his goals against average to 1.51.
- The Lightning penalty kill is 21 of 24 on the season, 87.5%.
- The Lightning powerplay is 6 of 28 on the season, 21.4%.
- The Lightning picked up their third straight victory and are unbeaten in their last four games 3-0-1.
- The Lightning are next in action on Friday, December 17th at 9:10 pm at Rockville Ice Area for an important cross division game versus Whitman.
Three Stars of the Game:
First Star—Nathan Cassel—Upper Montgomery Forward—3 Goals
Second Star—Chris Hassett—Upper Montgomery Center–-1 Goal, 2 Assists
Third Star—Andrew Botti—Upper Montgomery Defense—2 Assists