The Upper Montgomery Lightning entered Friday’s season opener well prepared for how the Whitman Vikings were going to play the game. The Vikings defend very well and play a structured team game with their forwards coming back hard on the backcheck. To beat Whitman a team needs to play dump and chase hockey and muck it up along the boards. The games against Whitman rarely are visually pleasing with a significant amount of fighting for every inch all over the ice and then converting on scoring chances when they present. For two periods the Lightning and Vikings battled in a game of evenly matched squads. Then, a backbreaking goal scored with one second remaining in the second period completely turned the game. Losing composure and playing with a condensed lineup, the Lightning collapsed in the third period turning an even game into a foul looking lopsided 7-2 Whitman decision. The game was much closer than the final score would indicate.
The first period opened with both teams eager to show the other squad that they were serious contenders in the upper division of the Montgomery Hockey Conference. The opening shift saw big hits delivered on both sides. A minute into the contest Vikings forward Samuel Van Leeuwen was called for a two minute penalty for head contact and he was also given a ten minute misconduct for the foul. The penalty was a marginal call against Van Leeuwen, and maybe a signal to both teams to focus on playing hockey rather than running around throwing body checks. Whitman had no trouble on the penalty kill and prevented the Lightning from controlling play in the offensive zone even though Upper Montgomery had the extra skater on the ice.
With 3:30 left in the opening period, Whitman went on the powerplay after an elbowing penalty was assessed against Upper Montgomery forward Nathan Cassel. Although Whitman pressed play with the extra skater, Upper Montgomery was able to kill off the powerplay keeping the game scoreless. Thirty seconds after the powerplay ended, Whitman jumped out in front. Vikings defender Nicholas Huguely dumped the puck in deep behind the Lightning net. Whitman forward Andrew Fou outraced the Lightning defense to the puck. He centered out front to Vikings center Charles Ingis in the slot. Ingis wasting no time was ready to unleash a snap shot and he banged the puck past Upper Montgomery goalie Landon Bernard for the game’s opening tally. The first period ended with Whitman in front by one goal while shots on goal were relatively even, Upper Montgomery with seven and Whitman with six.
Three minutes into the second period, the Lightning would tie up the game. Upper Montgomery senior co-captain Hunter Cameron playing defense this season intercepted a bad Whitman clearing attempt. The puck had been sent up the center of the ice in the Whitman defensive zone. Cameron made a quick stick handle and ripped a wrist shot stick side past Vikings goaltender Ryan Graf for the unassisted goal. For Cameron it was a quick start to the 2023 – 2024 season after struggling offensively last year to find the back of the net. With the game tied at one, both teams dropped back and played strong defense. There were many dump ins to the offensive zone, pucks lobbed back out to center, rush attempts with shots taken from long range, blocked shots by each team’s defense, and harmless shots from the perimeter by the outside edges of the faceoff circles.
Then, with time running down in the second period, with just ten seconds remaining before the second period intermission, the entire complexion of the game instantly changed. Upper Montgomery cleared the defensive zone with six seconds left in the period. The puck was retrieved by Van Leeuwen in the neutral zone and carried into the offensive zone along the left wing boards. Van Leeuwen was ridden off the puck in the left corner where Vikings defender Mason Cohen slung the puck toward the net. Bernard made the save with the puck shooting into the air and into the slot area with time running out. The puck neared Whitman forward Benjamin Luo who smacked the puck out of mid air with his stick below shoulder height toward the net. The puck crossed the goal line just prior to the buzzer sounding to end the period. It was a jarring end to the period for the Lightning after the teams had played evenly through the first thirty minutes of game action.
With Upper Montgomery now trailing entering the third period, several of the team’s student athletes tried to do too much individually to help the team get back even. This was counterproductive and led to a loss of focus on the game plan resulting in a meltdown in the third period. First, two minutes into the third period, Cohen advanced the puck up the right wing boards in his defensive end. A poor decision by the Lightning defense to pinch at the offensive blue line led to a full ice breakaway for Ingis. He skated in on Bernard before lifting a wrist shot high over the netminder’s glove hand to extend the Whitman lead to 3-1. It was Ingis’ second goal of the game.
Whitman’s third goal started an onslaught. With 9:30 left in the game, a turnover just inside the Lightning defensive blue line led to a quick transition counter attack. Huguely poke checked and intercepted the puck. He quickly passed down low to an unguarded Luo who easily put the puck past Bernard for his second goal of the game. Twenty second later the score would balloon to 5-1 when Jacob Lerman let loose with a slap shot that went low past Bernard’s leg pads. Huguely picked up his third assist of the game on the play with Zack Krauss also assisting on the goal.
A few minutes later Lightning defender Owen Robbins was called for roughing. While shorthanded the Lightning would temporarily claw closer. At neutral ice, Cameron stole another errant Vikings pass exiting the Whitman defensive zone. He passed to the right wing to Cassel. Cassel skated into the offensive zone down the right hand side of the ice. He fed the front of the net where Cameron was charging down the slot and cutting in front of the net. Cameron buried the feed for the shorthanded goal, his second goal of the game.
Upper Montgomery could not take advantage of the momentum. Down three goals with 6:45 to play the Lightning were able to finish off the successful penalty kill. Then, back to back quick in succession Whitman goals with 4:30 left in the game ended the scoring. First, Fou passed from the left circle to the center point area of the blue line. Kraus received the pass and shot from long distance past several skater’s legs into the far side of the goal past Bernard’s leg pads. Off the ensuing center ice faceoff, Whitman advanced the puck to the right faceoff circle where Fou scored off of a feed from Kraus.
Upper Montgomery will need to quickly put the disappointment of this game in the rear view mirror. Up next is a critically important contest against the much improved DC Stars. Upper Montgomery will need a victory before a highly anticipated non-conference matchup against private school foe Good Counsel. Losing the season opener is not a severe blow as the Lightning learned last year when the team rebounded from a dreadful start to the season to come oh so close to qualifying for the state playoffs. The same is true this year. While the final score may have looked lopsided, the Lightning were certainly in the game and played Whitman even for two periods. A full three periods will be needed to fight past the DC Stars next week.
Game Notes:
- Whitman outshot the Lightning by a 31-16 margin.
- Cameron’s two goals equaled his total goals scored for the entire season last year.
- Upper Montgomery’s penalty kill shut down both Whitman powerplay opportunities with Cameron scoring while Upper Montgomery was shorthanded.
- Upper Montgomery returns to action next Friday, October 20th versus the DC Stars. Game time is 10:00 pm at Cabin John Ice Rink.
Three Stars of the Game:
First Star—Charles Ingis—Whitman Forward—2 Goals
Second Star—Benjamin Luo—Whitman Forward—2 Goals
Third Star—Hunter Cameron—Upper Montgomery Defense—2 Goals, Including Shorthanded Goal