The Upper Montgomery Lightning junior varsity increased their winning streak to eight games (dating to last season) with an impressive 4-2 road victory over the Glenelg Gladiators on Monday afternoon. In the non-conference game, Upper Montgomery controlled play from the outset and was never really threatened. Junior goaltender Landon Bernard had one of his easiest outings as Glenelg rarely mustered offensive pressure. The victory keeps the Lightning undefeated on the season with their two consecutive victories to begin the 2022 – 2023 campaign.
Upper Montgomery dominated the first period and could have scored many more goals than just the two late ones that found their way past Gladiators goaltender Gavin Coons. Upper Montgomery possessed the puck in the offensive zone for much of the period but had trouble finishing. It wasn’t until just over two minutes remained in the period that the Lightning were able to finally break through. Patrick Sell took possession of the puck in his defensive zone along the left wing boards. He chipped the puck up the boards to left winger James Hyman, who was just inside the defensive zone blue line. Hyman fired a perfectly timed pass to TJ Gottesman cutting up the middle of the ice from his right wing position. Gottesman received the pass at the red line and powered his way through the neutral zone past both Gladiators defenders coming in alone on a breakaway. Gottesman did not make much of a move, but fired the puck past Coons’ glove hand, up high, for his first goal of the season.
A minute later the Lightning would gain full control of the game. In the defensive zone, Cole Howerton won a race for a loose puck along the right wing boards. He shoveled the puck on to Gottesman at the blue line. Gottesman passed the puck left into the center of the ice to Henry Honacki. The pass was well timed and sprung Honacki on a two on one break with left winger AJ Marks. Honacki’s pass for Marks was just out of his reach and slid into the left wing corner in the offensive zone. Marks won the race to the puck and while being tied up by a Gladiators defender, he kicked the puck loose to Honacki. Honacki brought the puck into the left circle, swung around and fired a wrist shot short side and high, upstairs above Coons’ stick and blocker.
The second period was almost a carbon copy of the first period. Upper Montgomery dominated and spent most of the period in the offensive zone. With many open looks shot high or wide, the Lightning again scored just two goals. Halfway through the second period the Lightning would increase their lead to 3-0. Cole Howerton intercepted a pass in his defensive zone. From his location on the right side of the defensive zone, he advanced the puck to TJ Gottesman. Gottesman skated around a pinching Glenelg defender at the blue line which created another two on one break with Marks. Gottesman carried the puck and entered the offensive zone. He then passed the puck across to Marks. Gottesman’s pass was behind Marks who has to contort his body to bring the puck into shooting position. Once he had control in the mid-slot area, Marks fired a wrist shot high blocker side past Coons.
Glenelg continued to play hard and was able to eventually get one past Bernard on a nice individual play. Stephen Killorin picked up a loose puck at his own blue line and raced up ice. He split in between two Lightning defenders and beat Bernard with a wrist shot high blocker side from in tight. That goal gave Glenelg some life and the Gladiators had a momentary push. However, just 16 seconds before the second period’s conclusion, Upper Montgomery added to their lead. A bad turnover in the defensive zone doomed Glenelg. Honacki intercepted a stretch pass that was headed up the high slot area. He immediately fired a wrist shot five hole past Coons before the goalie could get into position to make the save. For Honacki, it was his first career high school two goal game.
The third period saw the high school goaltending debut of Lightning varsity center Chris Hassett. With only one goaltender in the program, Upper Montgomery needs an emergency goaltender to play in junior varsity games if Bernard is unavailable. Once Hassett entered the game, the Lightning defense began to struggle giving up way too many high quality chances. Hassett made more saves in the third period than Bernard did in his two period of play, including stopping a breakaway and an uncontested shot from the low slot. With five minutes left in the game, Glenelg did score on Hassett to make the game interesting down the stretch. Off of a face off loss in the defensive zone, the Lightning failed to possess or clear the puck. The puck entered the left corner where Dylan Hubbard took possession and began to skate around the net. Before he went around the net, Hubbard passed the puck into the slot to Eliot Horwath. Horwath’s shot beat Hassett along the ice toward the far post and just inside the goal to cut the Upper Montgomery lead to 4-2.
The Lightning’s collective team defensive and skating then took over and prevented Glenelg from having many more good chances, squashing any hope of a Gladiators comeback. A good win for Upper Montgomery, but an effort that the team knows will need to improve as the Lightning face stiffer league competition beginning later this week.
Game Notes:
- The Lightning outshot the Gladiators 34-20 for the game, including 22-9 over the first two periods of play.
- AJ Marks scored his first career high school goal.
- TJ Gottesman set a career high with three points.
- Chris Hassett made his high school goaltending debut stopping 10 of 11 shots in the third period.
- There were no penalties called in the game, a first for the Lightning junior varsity.
- Upper Montgomery junior varsity next returns to action on Friday, November 11 at 4:00 pm for an MHC conference matchup against Wootton at Rockville Ice Arena.
Three Stars of the Game:
First Star—Henry Honacki—Upper Montgomery Center—2 Goals
Second Star—TJ Gottesman—Upper Montgomery Forward—1 Goal, 2 Assists
Third Star—AJ Marks—Upper Montgomery Forward–1 Goal, 1 Assist