The Upper Montgomery Lightning’s five game winning streak is over. It ended with a dud of a performance against the seventh ranked Richard Montgomery Rockets, the team right behind the Lightning in the Montgomery Hockey Conference rankings. The Rockets possess two of the top offensively gifted student athletes in the conference, and both showed out against Upper Montgomery on Friday night in the Rockets 6-4 win. What was concerning more than the loss, Upper Montgomery’s first since way back on December 2nd, was that the coaching staff had implemented a simple game plan. The focus was 100% on stopping Rockets’ game changing top line center Daniel Martella and high school hockey’s top scoring defender, Luke Guttman. The Lightning did neither.
Upper Montgomery came out sluggish right from the start of the game and was back on its heels for the entire first period. Maybe it was next game hangover after beating number two ranked Quince Orchard last week? Two minutes into the game, Brandon Bernard was called for tripping. An immediate powerplay for the high powered Rockets offense. The Lightning’s vastly improving penalty kill was up to the task and kept the game scoreless. On their next shift after the powerplay ended, Guttman and Martella teamed up to put the Rockets in front.
Guttman collected the puck deep in the left corner of his defensive zone. He passed the puck up ice into the neutral zone to Martella. Martella gained possession of the puck at the red line and skated into the offensive zone. Entering the zone, he cut to the middle of the ice. At the top of the faceoff circles, he fired a snapshot to the top left corner of the net past Bernard’s blocker to open the scoring.
The Rockets next goal would start an eleven second sequence that defined the game. Off the rush, Richard Montgomery entered the offensive zone with speed. Rockets center Tom Stone unleashed a shot from the left circle that was blocked by Lightning defender Andrew Botti. The puck deflected over to Martella who sent it back to Stone in the corner. Stone returned the puck to Martella who skated around the back of the net from left to right. Coming around the net, Martella passed the puck out to Guttman who was cutting in from his right point position. Guttman’s shot went seven hole stick side past Bernard. It was a play from beginning to end where the Rockets speed and effort were rewarded with the goal.
Off the ensuing faceoff, Lightning center Chris Hassett won the draw back to Botti just inside the Lightning defensive zone. Botti banked the puck out of the zone off the boards. Unfortunately for Upper Montgomery, the unathletic, out of shape, and out of position referee had the puck bounce off his hip and back into the Lightning defensive zone. It was an extremely poor attempt by the referee to get out of the way and it cost the Lightning. With every Lightning skater headed up ice, the puck was sitting free for Martella to enter the zone on a clear breakaway. He faked forehand to backhand and slid the puck around Bernard for an unassisted goal. The first period mercifully ended with the score 3-0 Richard Montgomery and with the Rockets outshooting the Lightning eleven to six.
After a thorough tongue lashing by the Upper Montgomery coaching staff that was heard throughout the rink, the Lightning responded with a better second period. Four minutes into the second frame the Lightning would strike for their first goal of the game. Upper Montgomery captain, senior George Benedick curled around in the neutral zone with the puck. He headed up ice and entered the offensive zone along the right wing. His shot attempt was blocked with the puck tumbling into the high slot. After a poor clearing attempt by Richard Montgomery, Lightning center Bradley Cupples shot wide left of the net. The puck rebounded off the end boards to Brandon Bernard near the goal line. Falling away from the net Bernard banked in the shot off Rockets’ senior netminder, Ian Hutchinson. The goal epitomized the renewed effort being put forth by the Lightning during the second period.
Two minutes after the Lightning had crept back into the game, Upper Montgomery was called for a too many skaters on the ice penalty. Lightning defender Owen Robbins served the penalty as the penalty was required to be served by a skater on the ice when the penalty was called. With twenty seconds remaining in the resulting powerplay, Richard Montgomery would again hold a three goal lead at 4-1. Martella and Stone battled with the Lightning defense in the left corner. The puck came free into the lower slot right to Guttman who banged a slap shot past Landon Bernard. On the very next shift, the Lightning were again back on the penalty kill as Benedick was called for interference.
Continuing to show fight, the Lightning would follow up last week’s three shorthanded goals with another shorthanded tally. Off of a defensive zone faceoff in the left faceoff circle, Hassett won the draw back to Lightning senior defender Ethan Hockey. Hockey cleared the puck to center ice where a Rockets’ defender stuck out his foot in an attempt to stop and control the puck. The puck deflected past him, and speedy Upper Montgomery forward Ryan Jacobson outraced the Richard Montgomery defense. He gathered the puck and shot stick side seven hole from close range. The shot was a body blow that was saved by Hutchinson. Jacobson stayed with the play and slammed the puck into the open net from a foot in front. With five minutes remaining in the second period the score was 4-2.
Jacobson’s goal started an explosion of offense and goals over the final five minutes of the second period. A minute and a half after Jacobson closed the margin, the Lightning would pull even closer, to within one. A bad Richard Montgomery pass deep in their defensive zone provided the opportunity Upper Montgomery needed. The errant pass was headed from the right wing boards over to the left wing. Lightning forward Henry Honacki outraced the Rockets to the puck, and he then skated wide down the right wing boards. From a bad angle he slung a shot at the net. Hutchinson made the easy save but sent a juicy rebound into the slot. Brandon Bernard collected the loose puck and took one stride to the left. Having a better shooting angle, he fired a wrist shot short side high over Hutchinson’s blocker and into the top portion of the net for his second goal of the game.
With Richard Montgomery’s lead down to just one goal and momentum seemingly on Upper Montgomery’s side, it would be up to the Lightning to continue to take the play to the Rockets. However, rising to the challenge once again Guttman and Martella struck. Off of a faceoff in the left faceoff circle in the offensive zone, Martella won the draw back to Guttman at the left point. Guttman unleashed a perfectly placed slap shot that went high far side above Bernard’s glove hand. The puck nestled into the nook of the net just below the point where the crossbar and the right post converge. Guttman’s long range cannon of a shot completed his hat trick to cap off a memorable senior night for the star defender. Having clawed all the way back into the game, just like that Richard Montgomery was again up by two goals. The score was 5-3 with two minutes remaining in the second period.
Just over a minute later, Upper Montgomery would again climb to within one goal, completing an explosive five minutes of hockey in which four goals were scored. Off of a faceoff in the left faceoff circle in the Lightning’s defensive zone, the puck was sent to the left wing boards where Richard Montgomery’s Stone dropped the puck back to the point. His pass got away from the Rockets’ defender. Cassel collected the puck and sped up ice down the right wing boards all the way into the offensive zone. Cassel faked a shot which froze Hutchinson before sliding the puck across the crease to where Jacobson was waiting for another tap in goal at the left side of the net. Jacobson’s second goal of the period closed out the frame in which Upper Montgomery scored four times. Richard Montgomery’s lead was closed to 5-4.
Upper Montgomery had the entire third period to play needing just one goal to even the score. Every time the Lightning seemed to gain momentum, the failure to bottle up Martella, Guttman, or both, would come back to haunt the team. Four minutes into the third period senior Martella would score his senior night hat trick goal, a back breaker for the Lightning’s chances. In the Richard Montgomery defensive zone Martella won the faceoff over to the right wing boards. Rockets forward Lester Benitez dropped the puck back to his near side defender, Jack Evans. Evans lifted the puck off the glass to Martella just inside his defensive blue line. Marella skated the puck diagonally across the ice from right to left reaching the top of the left circle in the Lightning defensive zone. Martella fired a wrist shot high far side and past Bernard’s glove.
On the very next shift, immediately after Martella’s goal provided Richard Montgomery with a bit of breathing room, Botti was called for interference. Richard Montgomery was back on the powerplay and Upper Montgomery was losing precious time to mount yet another comeback. Upper Montgomery was able to successfully kill the penalty, and earned its first powerplay of the game with eight minutes remaining to play. Benitez was called for cross checking in the offensive zone trying to create space in the slot. Unfortunately, Upper Montgomery was not able to generate any grade A scoring opportunities. The push over the last eight minutes of the game was not enough. The early hole that the Lightning dug in the first period was too much to overcome.
With their five game winning streak over, the team must regroup heading into the regular season finale next Friday night against BCC. BCC will be out for revenge after Upper Montgomery was able to earn a tie early in the season on Halloween, a game that BCC surely thought would be a cakewalk. Expect BCC to come with a much better focus and effort this time around. Hopefully, the energy from the Lightning’s senior night will provide a spark as the Lightning’s five senior student athletes (George Benedick, Ethan Hockey, Andrew Gean, Stephen Shkeda, and Lucas Eyman), will be celebrated for all that they have provided to the program over the past four seasons.
Game Notes:
- Shots on goal for the game were fairly even, Richard Montgomery with 32 and Upper Montgomery with 30.
- Continuing a developing streak, Upper Montgomery dropped to 0-5 when giving up more than three goals in a game. Conversely, the team is 6-0-1 when giving up three or fewer goals in a game.
- Ryan Jacobson has now scored two or more goals in four games this season.
- Landon Bernard’s career high five game winning streak ended.
- Upper Montgomery will conclude the regular season next Friday, January 27th with senior night. It is a late start against perennial powerhouse BCC. Game time is 10:00 pm at Cabin John Ice Rink.
Three Stars of the Game:
First Star—Daniel Martella—Richard Montgomery Center—3 Goals, 3 Assists
Second Star—Luke Guttman—Richard Montgomery Defense—3 Goals, 1 Assist
Third Star—Brandon Bernard—Upper Montgomery Forward–-2 Goals