The Upper Montgomery Lightning junior varsity returns to game action on Monday afternoon against the Glenelg Gladiators in a non-conference matchup. Game time is 3:00 pm at the Columbia Ice Rink. The game is a rematch of a game between the two programs last season that ended in a 3-3 tie.
The junior varsity has been off for almost two weeks since its season opening victory over the DC Stars. The program had an opportunity to schedule an additional game because Montgomery County Public Schools are closed for end of the marking period grading. The game will be a good opportunity for the team to play together prior to Friday’s league game versus Wootton.
The goalie matchup will be a duel between two long-time friends. Landon Bernard will be in net for the Lightning and Zain Huda will backstop the Gladiators. Both student athletes grew up playing together and against one another in the Montgomery Youth Hockey Association and with the Frederick Freeze travel program. Bernard has been outstanding at the junior varsity level riding a seven game winning streak. He followed up a strong sophomore season (MSHL high 8 wins, 2.69 gaa, and an .880 save percentage) with a 15 save shutout victory in the Lightning’s season opening 2-0 victory over the DC Stars. It was Bernard’s first career high school shutout. Bernard was excellent in net again last week in the varsity’s 2-2 tie versus highly ranked BCC. If Bernard plays up to his capabilities, Glenelg will have a very tough time finding the back of the net.
On defense the Lightning will have a full complement of skaters. Expect the pairings to be Brady Berkhammer with Behr Schickler, Cole Howerton with Patrick Sell, and Jake Roth with Sean Levine. Each pairing will have one offensive minded defender paired with a more traditional stay at home defender. If the forwards backcheck and help the defense by clogging up the neutral zone, Glenelg will find it difficult to generate much offense. The Lightning will have to pay special attention to the Gladiators top scorer, defender Holden Yeager, who leads Glenelg with four goals in two games from his defensive position.
The Lightning should be able to feast on the Glenelg defense. The Gladiators have given up 13 goals in two games and have not played very well in front of their goalies. The Lightning will need big games from Henry Honacki, Stephen Shkeda, and Adam Levine who has goals in three straight games dating back to last season. This talented trio will need to continue to play well as they did against the DC Stars to take pressure off of the rest of the roster. Junior varsity captain Josh Nadler is close to returning to the lineup and should be back in action either on Monday against Glenelg or on Friday versus Wootton. Forwards Lucas Eyman, James Hyman, and TJ Gottesman will be looking to light the lamp early in the season and newcomers AJ Marks, Jason Woodman, and Callum Hughes will be looking to score their first ever high school goal.
Since winning the Montgomery Hockey Conference junior varsity championship last season, every opponent will be bringing their top effort to try and beat the Lightning. At the same time, Upper Montgomery’s junior varsity student athletes need to continue to play an intelligent, complete team game. The best way to impress the coaching staff and earn additional playing time is to play the game the right way.