The Upper Montgomery Lightning came up just short once again as a furious rally over the final three minutes of Friday night’s game at Rockville Ice Arena fell one goal short. The highly talented Blair Blazers prevailed in a high scoring, back and forth affair, 7-6. The Lightning have now lost three consecutive one goal games to start the season playing against the top three teams in the division standings. Lightning Coach Todd Hassett was proud of the team’s effort and the spirit with which the team fought and competed to the final horn.
The game started out with the Lightning immediately on the penalty kill as James Botti was sent to the penalty box for tripping 12 seconds into the contest. The Lightning managed to kill off the penalty and began to turn up the offensive pressure. Nathan Cassel gathered in a loose puck in the defensive zone and pushed the puck forward to Chris Hassett. Hassett sent the puck wide toward the boards and directly onto the stick of Ryan Jacobson. Jacobson tore down the left wing into the offensive zone and riffled a wrist shot far side and past Blazers goalie Lily Bendavid for his first career high school goal.
The Blazers would tie the game five minutes later on a power play marker from Zander Frey. Just seven seconds after Lightning defender Andrew Botti went to the box for hooking, Blair would tie the game off of a faceoff win in the Lightning defensive zone. Landon Bernard made the initial save on Ryan Frank’s slap shot from the point, but the rebound careened into the slot and a touch pass from Ben Russell over to Frey provided the space for him to shove the puck past Bernard. Bernard would settle in to the period nicely and made some acrobatic and difficult saves to keep the Blazers at bay the rest of the period. With a couple of minutes left in the first period, Lightning forward Stephen Shkeda received a big check from Blazers forward Alex Birchard on what should have likely been a major penalty if called properly by the officiating crew. Birchard was lucky to escape with no penalty called on the play.
After a hooking penalty to Blazers forward Michael Humphreys, the Lightning would strike for their first power play goal of the season. After a slick zone entry, the Lightning worked the puck around the rim of the boards. James Botti’s shot from the left point was wide of the net. Jacobson collected the puck in the far corner and dished to the slot where Cassel buried a one-time slap shot past Bendavid to put Upper Montgomery up 2-1.
The Blazers would come out flying in the second period. Using a strategy of pushing forwards up the ice, there were several rushes where Blazers forwards were skating in alone behind the Lightning defense. Michael Humphreys would tie the game two minutes into the second period on a breakaway. A minute later Alex Birchard would score on a two on one break. Off the ensuing faceoff, the Blazers would score again with Chris Birchard poking a loose puck in the slot past Bernard. Just like that in a minute and a half a 2-1 Lightning lead had become a 4-2 deficit.
At the ten minute mark of the second period, the Blazers began taking unforced penalties. First, Ryan Frank was called for elbowing Stephen Shkeda. On the power play, the Lightning thought they had closed the gap. A delayed penalty was being called on Blazers star center Remy Chartol for roughing Lightning defender George Benedick, when James Botti sent a wrist shot toward the goal. The puck deflected in front and into the net. The referees waived off the goal due to a high stick touching the puck. However, the sticks of both Jacobson and Hassett were nowhere near above the top of the crossbar. The Lightning did not let the second bad call of the evening affect their play. On the 5 on 3 power play, the Lightning struck. Hunter Cameron pushed the puck down the right side boards to Jacobson in the corner. Jacobson swept a back hand pass out into the front of the net finding a wide open Hassett who finished easily and the Blazers lead was cut to one.
Back and forth the teams went. Blair would again jump out to a two goal lead on a short handed goal by Ben Russell. A bad clearing attempt by the Lightning was kept in the zone by Chris Birchard. Birchard fed the puck in deep along the left boards to Humphreys who cut toward the net. Bernard was able to make the initial save, but Russell beat the Lightning defense to the puck in the crease area and jammed the puck into the net. Blair would extend their lead to 6-3 on another outnumber rush up the ice. This time it was Chartol finishing off a two on one rush off of a nice pass from Frank. Just 13 seconds later Hassett would score his second goal of the game. Jacobson pressured the Blazers defense down the left side in the offensive zone and forced a turnover. Collecting the puck, he cut to the net and had the puck poke checked off his stick by Bendavid. Fortunately for the Lightning, the puck bounced directly out to Hassett who was charging hard toward the front of the net. Hassett poked the puck past the left leg of Bendavid and into the far side of the net. At the end of two periods of play, Blair led 6-4.
Blair would again take a three goal lead at the 8:34 mark of the third period on Chris Birchard’s second goal of the game off assists from JJ St. Aubin and Chartol. Just when it looked like the Lightning were running out of time, Blair inexplicitly began taking ill advised penalties. First it was Chartol with an unnecessary cross checking penalty in the neutral zone on Olivia Robbins. He proceeded to argue the call and drew an additional two minute penalty. On the first power play, the Lightning were unable to cash in. Then, with 30 seconds to go on the second minor penalty, Ryan Frank took a dangerous cross checking penalty in the corner burying Bradley Cupples. Frank’s penalty gave the Lightning another 5 on 3 power play advantage. Although they did not score, the Lightning kept pressuring the Blazers.
Upon departing the penalty box Chartol remained on the ice to kill off the penalty to Frank. He chased the puck down ice and checked James Botti behind the Lightning net drawing his fourth penalty of the game and an automatic game misconduct. Back again on yet another 5 on 3 power play the Lighting would cash in with 1:12 left in the game. Robbins passed the puck from the left circle into the middle looking for Cassel in the slot. The puck ticked off of his stick and bounced to Cupples. Cupples was not able to gain total control of the puck but nudged it back to Cassel who fired a wrist shot far side from the bottom of the right face off circle.
Chris Hassett won the ensuing face off at center ice back to Andrew Botti. Botti raced up the left side of the ice and all the way around the net. He curled a backhand shot around the post and stuffed the puck into the net before Bendavid could come across the crease. For Botti it was his first career high school goal and with 58 seconds left in the game the Lightning now only trailed by one. Upper Montgomery kept pressuring over the final minute of the game pulling Bernard with 30 seconds left to create a 6 on 5 advantage. Time expired before the Lightning could find the net one final time to cap what would have been an epic comeback.
Game Notes:
- Several student athletes had multi-point performances.
- Blair
- Chris Birchard, 2 Goals, 1 Assist, Game Winning Goal
- Alex Birchard, 1 Goal, 1 Assist
- Michael Humphreys, 1 Goal, 1 Assist
- Remy Chartol, 1 Goal, 1 Assist
- Ben Russel, 1 Goal, 1 Assist
- Ryan Frank, 2 Assists
- Upper Montgomery
- Chris Hassett, 2 Goals, 2 Assists
- Ryan Jacobson, 1 Goal, 3 Assists
- Nathan Cassel, 2 Goals, 1 Assist
- Blair
- Shots on goal were even; Upper Montgomery 29, Blair 28
- Power Plays—Upper Montgomery 4-7, Blair 1-3.
- Upper Montgomery scored two 5 on 3 PPGs.
- Nathan Cassel has scored a goal in each of his first three high school games.
- Ryan Jacobson and Andrew Botti each scored their first career high school goals for the Lightning.
- The Lightning have now given up a short handed goal in all three games of the season.
- The Lightning are next in action on Friday, November 12th at 8:50 pm facing the DC Stars at Rockville Ice Arena.
Three Stars of the Game:
First Star—Chris Birchard—Blair Forward—2 Goals, 1 Assist, Game Winning Goal
Second Star—Chris Hassett—Upper Montgomery Center–2 Goals, 2 Assists
Third Star—Ryan Jacobson—Upper Montgomery Forward—1 Goal, 3 Assists