The Upper Montgomery Lightning began the season on Friday night facing what is expected to be one of their toughest tests of the season. Promoted to the top division in the Montgomery Hockey Conference, Upper Montgomery is going to face a tough gauntlet of opponents over the first month of the season. Against the top ranked Walter Johnson Wildcats, the team showed grit and a complete level that pleased the coaching staff. Missing four student athletes who receive regular playing time, including last season’s leading scorer, Chris Hassett, the game demonstrated not unexpectedly that the program is still a bit away from the top tier in the conference. A wild comeback ended just short as Walter Johnson withstood the Lightning’s furious third period push and then rallied back for a 7-4 victory Friday evening at Skate Frederick.
The game began ominously for the Lightning. Just two minutes into the contest, Lightning forward Olivia Robbins was called for tripping. On the ensuing powerplay, Walter Johnson would jump out to an early lead. Wildcats star forward Ethan Birndorf had possession of the puck in the left circle. He fired a pass cross ice to Patrick Murphy in the right circle. Murphy’s wrist shot went wide of the net short side. The puck caromed off the end boards to the opposite side of the net where Alex Chang was standing alone. Chang had an easy tap in goal before Lightning goaltender Landon Bernard could come across the crease and prevent the easy layup goal. After the early goal, the Lightning settled into the game plan really well and limited Walter Johnson during five on five play. Both teams did not generate much offense with the Lightning only mustering two shots on goal in the first period.
The second period started out as a carbon copy of the first period. An early Lightning penalty, this time to Andrew Gean for roughing, and a Wildcats powerplay goal to extend the lead to 2-0. Murphy finished off a nice passing sequence, Chang to Oliver Curtis, then over to Murphy stationed in the bottom of the left circle (similar to Walter Johnson’s first goal). This time, Murphy’s shot was on net and beat Bernard short side high blocker.
Upper Montgomery would battle back on a powerplay of their own. With Wildcats defender Jon Corwin in the penalty box for roughing, Bradley Cupples would score the Lightning’s first goal of the season. Upper Montgomery entered the offensive zone with possession of the puck. Philip Shkeda and Bradley Cupples worked the puck in the right corner. Cupples came away with the loose puck and circled the net right to left passing the puck into the slot to Olivia Robbins. Robbins sent a spinning pass down low to Shkeda at the right post. Shkeda’s shot was saved by Wildcats senior goalie Isabella Pharr with the puck bounding directly to Cupples alone at the back left post for an easy tap in. For Shkeda it was his first career high school varsity point.
Unfortunately for the Lightning, less than a minute after Upper Montgomery clawed back within one goal, Lightning captain senior defender George Benedick was called for a roughing penalty. Again, the Lightning were forced to try and kill the penalty. A much better penalty kill turned out to be for naught as the Wildcats converted with just three seconds left on their powerplay. Henry Horwell sent the puck back to Adam Greene at the right point. Greene’s shot was going well wide, but was redirected by Cameron Luskin in the high slot. The deflection significantly changed the trajectory of the shot and the puck beat Bernard who was moving to the far post to stop the initial shot. Three Wildcats powerplays and three goals given up by Upper Montgomery.
Upper Montgomery had two additional powerplays over the remainder of the second period but was unable to capitalize on either advantage. The Lightning had done very good job playing five on five hockey versus the Wildcats yet trailed 3-1 entering the third period. Shots on goal in the second period were 14-13 in favor of Walter Johnson, far different from in the initial period of action.
Walter Johnson changed goalies after the second period giving 9th grade AAA goalie Joseph Villatoro his first taste of high school varsity hockey action. The goalie change backfired right away as Upper Montgomery climbed back into the game. Off of a faceoff stalemate in the right offensive zone faceoff circle, sophomore center Ryan Jacobson found the loose puck and riffled a wrist shot high glove side past an unsuspecting Villatoro. Walter Johnson now led only 3-2 with almost the entire third period left to play.
Twenty one seconds later, Jacobson pulled Upper Montgomery even with his second goal of the game. Ninth grade defender Brady Berkhammer rewound the puck in the neutral zone just outside the Lightning blue line. He shoveled the puck up the left wing boards into space. Lightning forward Nathan Cassel swooped in and carried the puck into the offensive zone on a two on one rush with Jacobson. Cassel held the puck and froze Villatoro as he skated down the left wing side of the ice deep into the offensive zone. He slid a perfect backhand pass across the ice to Jacobson who finished into an empty net with a sweeping wrist shot. It was Jacobson’s second goal in twenty seconds, and for Berkhammer it was his first career high school varsity point.
In a blink the game was tied, and Upper Montgomery had all of the momentum. After the Lightning had come back, sophomore defender Andrew Botti was called for interference. After such a tremendous season last year killing penalties (Upper Montgomery was stellar with an 87.9% penalty kill rate), Walter Johnson had gone three for three to start the game. This time, the Lightning were up to the task and held strong. As the penalty to Botti was ending, Wildcats defender Patrick Adams was called for roughing. While Upper Montgomery did not score on the powerplay, the Lightning would take the lead just after the penalty to Adams expired.
Olivia Robbins had the puck just outside the left circle in the offensive zone. She unleashed a wrist shot that went wide of the net short side. The puck circled around the boards to the lower portion of the right corner where Bradley Cupples won possession of the puck. He took one stride forward as if he were going to skate around the net and found Robbins wide open in the slot. Robbins looked to shoot right away, but had to pause and stake around the screen set in front by Stephen Shkeda. In doing so, she froze Villatoro who lost track of his positioning allowing Robbins to fire a wrist shot past his blocker for her first goal of the season. Upper Montgomery now had a 4-3 lead over the top ranked Wildcats with 8:20 left in the game.
The goal sent the Lightning’s spectators into a frenzy. For a brief moment the Wildcats were stunned by Upper Montgomery’s three goal eruption over the first half of the third period. It took just 13 seconds for the Lightning’s bubble to burst. Birndorf collected a bouncing puck at the offensive blue line. He stickhandled around in the offensive zone before unleashing a left handed shot from the high slot. The puck went high stick side top shelf past Bernard. After the shot, Birndorf slashed a Lightning defender on his way to celebrate and drew a penalty putting the Lightning on the powerplay. However, the tying goal along with the effort put forth by the shorthanded Lightning roster to get back into the game seemed to drain all of the energy out of the team.
Upper Montgomery failed to mount much pressure while on the ensuing powerplay with disaster striking at the conclusion of the powerplay. Walter Johnson took the lead one second after Birndorf’s penalty expired. A bad turnover in the Lightning defensive zone led to the Wildcats regaining the lead. From the right wing side wall, a defensive pass toward the middle of the ice went off Horwell’s skate and directly to Chang high in the left circle. Chang’s wrist shot high stick side beat Bernard as he shuffled over to square up to the shot. Walter Johnson was back in front 5-4 with six minutes left in the game.
Energized after re-taking the lead, Walter Johnson picked up the pace and kept threatening. At the same time, it appeared that Upper Montgomery had just run out of steam with the short bench of available skaters. With five minutes remaining, Walter Johnson would increase the lead to 6-4. Murphy bumped the puck forward to Max Epstein at the blue line. Epstein and Liam Mannle broke in on a two on one rush. Epstein passed the puck across the crease. From the bottom of the left circle, Mannle shot high glove side past Bernard to provide the Wildcats with breathing room.
A minute later the competitive portion of the game would end as Epstein scored the final goal of the night. Liam Dorrien kept the puck in at the left point. He pushed the puck ahead to Mannle. Mannle sent the puck into the slot to Epstein. Epstein skated the puck around the net from left to right and came back out in front of the net. His shot beat Bernard short side seven hole between his body and blocker.
It was a valiant effort by the Lightning. They had pushed top ranked Walter Johnson to the limit. The Wildcats were lucky to escape with the season opening win. The game’s outcome will surely open the eyes of the other top programs in the county. The effort is one that Upper Montgomery can build off of for the rest of the season.
Game Notes:
- Upper Montgomery played without last season’s leading scorer, Chris Hassett who was out of town with his external travel team.
- Upper Montgomery was also missing Brandon Bernard, Ethan Hockey, and Josh Nadler against the Wildcats.
- Walter Johnson outshot Upper Montgomery 33-26 for the game, and 9-2 in the first period.
- Upper Montgomery’s penalty kill which was so good last season at 87.9%, was putrid allowing three powerplay goals in four chances.
- Upper Montgomery continues the brutally hard initial part of their schedule on Friday afternoon in a non-conference game against Urbana, the top team in Frederick County. Game time is 5:05 pm at Skate Frederick.
Three Stars of the Game:
First Star—Alex Chang—Walter Johnson Forward—2 Goals, 1 Assist
Second Star—Patrick Murphy—Walter Johnson Defense—1 Goal, 3 Assists
Third Star—Ryan Jacobson—Upper Montgomery Center–2 Goals