The Upper Montgomery Lightning competed hard and very well on Wednesday afternoon against highly rated Mount St. Joseph before falling to one of the top ranked private school programs in the region. In the losing effort the Lightning program received many accolades for how well the team played. Looking to spark the team, the Upper Montgomery coaching staff started 9th grade goaltender Ilan Shterenberg in net. Shterenberg continues to be undefeated at the junior varsity level having begun his high school career with four straight victories, two shutouts, and having given up only four goals in those four games. The change in net seemed to energize the team as the Lightning carried play early on in the game.
Mount St. Joseph looked to intimidate the Lightning directly from the drop of the opening faceoff. The Gaels’ skaters began running around trying to check Upper Montgomery skaters all over the ice. The tactic backfired as the Gaels often found their skaters out of position and needing to hook and impede Upper Montgomery’s attack through the neutral zone. The undisciplined play led to a boatload of penalties beginning with a hooking penalty to forward Timothy Trimble on the backcheck. Upper Montgomery had some effective zone time on the first powerplay of the game but could not convert in what would become a common theme for the Lightning. However, two minutes after Trimble’s penalty expired the Lightning would strike for the first goal of the game.
Off of a faceoff in the right circle in the offensive zone, Upper Montgomery controlled possession of the puck. Lightning center Ryan Jacobson tool possession of the puck and skated down below the goal line. As he was cutting back to the right faceoff circle he passed over to his right winger, forward Nathan Cassel. Cassel reversed the flow and skated down into the right corner once again before approaching the slot. He shoveled a backhander toward the net. Jacobson whacked at the puck as it went by, pushing the puck under the leg pads of Gaels goalie Nate Carr. Lightning forward Philip Shkeda was camped out at the side of the net and he also jabbed at the puck, finally pushing the puck over the goal line short side low along the ice.
The Gaels undisciplined play continued with defender Henry Boarman called for interference. Continuing their streak of futility on the powerplay, the Lightning failed to extend the lead. Upper Montgomery did not score on any of the team’s first eight powerplays of the season. But, with four minutes left in the period, Upper Montgomery would score its first ‘powerplay’ goal of the season, kind of. As he was skating up ice in the clear, Cassel was hooked from behind at the offensive blue line by Mount St. Joseph forward Liam Nilan. The hook sent the puck into the corner preventing Cassel from any offensive opportunity and earned the talented forward a penalty shot. With just himself and the goaltender involved in the penalty shot sequence, Cassel started down the left wing side of the ice. From the left faceoff circle, Cassel cut over to the slot area on his forehand. As he shifted to make a move on Carr, going from backhand to forehand, Cassel lost control of the puck. The puck slid away from him toward the net with Cassel continuing his move. The puck beat Carr five hole just inside the right post as he was moving over to make what he thought would be a save on Cassel’s impending forehand shot attempt.
With their two goal lead, Upper Montgomery began to play with some confidence, something that had not been present for much of the season to date. As the first period ticked under a minute remaining, Mount St. Joseph would get on the board. Off of a faceoff in the right faceoff circle in their defensive zone, the puck was pushed behind Shterenberg’s net. A Mount St. Joseph forward gained possession of the puck and sent a pass along the boards back to the left point. The Gaels defender sent the puck back down the boards where Lightning forward Henry Honacki attempted to get the puck out of his defensive zone. The puck was kept in at the left point and fired at the net by Gaels forward Ryan Joyce. The puck was deflected on the way toward Shterenberg by Gaels forward Aiden McIntyre. Shterenberg made the initial save but during the ensuing scramble in front, McIntyre fought off the Lightning defense and stuffed the puck home. Just before the buzzer sounded to end the first period, Lightning forward Brandon Bernard was called for a tripping penalty on a lazy backcheck. A very fast paced and action filled period ended with Upper Montgomery in the lead 2-1, and having outshot Mount St. Joseph thirteen to ten.
It was clear from the tongue lashing provided to the Gaels bench during intermission that their coaching staff was not pleased with the effort displayed during the initial fifteen minutes of action. The white and purple jersey contingent responded immediately capitalizing on their powerplay with a minute and a half gone in the middle period. After a legal Upper Montgomery icing while on the penalty kill, Mount St. Joseph’s forward Trimble, playing defense on the powerplay, retrieved the puck deep in his own end. He began the scoring play by heading up the right wing boards. Using some tick tack passing with fellow forward Emory Mager, Mager avoided the Lightning penalty killers. He curled toward the net where his shot was saved by Shterenberg. As the puck laid behind the young netminder, Gaels forward Ryan Currie slammed home the loose puck before the puck could be cleared from harm by the Upper Montgomery defense.
Back to back penalties on Gaels’ little used forward Jackson Powell for roughing and then on Nilan for interference away from the play gave the Lightning an opportune time to convert on the powerplay. Unfortunately, the anemic Lightning powerplay fizzled yet again failing to score with the two skater advantage. At the nine minute mark of the second period, the Lightning coaching staff put in starting netminder, senior Landon Bernard to play the second half of the game. Shterenberg was very solid in net saving sixteen of the eighteen shots he faced. Just after the goalie switch, Lightning forward Olivia Robbins was called for a slashing penalty.
And, as circumstances usually go, the Lightning failed to score on a long two skater advantage…the Gaels scored on the powerplay for the second consecutive time to jump into the lead. Joyce retrieved the puck in the neutral zone and carried the puck down the left wing as he entered the offensive zone. He passed the puck to Trimble near the left point. Trimble’s shot was saved by Bernard with the rebound caroming into the left faceoff circle. Currie got to the puck first and curled around the faceoff circle toward the center point where he passed off to Boarman. Boarman’s slap shot was blocked in front by traffic, hitting Mager stationed in front of the net in the back of the pants. The puck changed direction and dropped right in front of Currie for a tap in shot at the far side of the net that easily went past Bernard’s glove.
Taking the lead did not stop Mount St. Joseph from continuing its undisciplined play. With three minutes left in the second period, another of the Gaels’ little used forwards, Aidan Folmer was called for hooking. Joyce, unhappy with the penalty call, mouthed off to the officials and drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. With a full two minutes of five on three powerplay time, Upper Montgomery had extensive zone time, but could not get the puck past Carr to tie up the game. Failing to score on either of their two long five on three powerplays doomed Upper Montgomery.
And, once again as circumstances usually go, fifteen seconds after returning to even strength, Mount St. Joseph increased their lead to 4-2. Off of a faceoff win in the offensive zone, Lightning defender Brady Berkhammer was stripped of the puck along the blue line. Gaels forward Matt McQueeney pushed the puck into the neutral zone coming in on a two on one rush with Gaels forward Aaron Werner. From the bottom of the right faceoff circle McQueeney fired a shot on Bernard. Bernard made the save with the puck deposited behind the net. McQueeney gained possession of the puck as he was circling the net. He passed out in front to Werner who had stopped in the low slot. Uncovered, Werner fired a high shot near side that beat Bernard’s blocker. The Gaels had started to tilt play when not in the penalty box scoring four straight goals to erase Upper Montgomery’s 2-0 lead. Mount St. Joseph had outshot Upper Montgomery sixteen to five in the second period. Upper Montgomery mustered only five shots on goal with the two long five on three powerplay opportunities.
The third period was another action packed back and forth frame. Each time it looked like Mount St. Joseph would pull away, the Lightning would fight back and close the gap. Three and a half minutes into the period McIntyre would score his second goal of the game to extend the Gaels lead to 5-2. A faceoff in the right faceoff circle in the offensive zone was won by Currie. The puck went back to the top of the circle where Mager fired a wrist shot on net that was saved by Bernard’s leg pads. McIntyre got behind the Lightning defense to grab control of the puck. He made a backhand to forehand deke before tucking the puck around Bernard’s right leg.
On the next shift, a minute later, the Lightning would score to close the margin to just two goals. Upper Montgomery took possession in their defensive zone. Senior defender Jacob Roth bumped the puck forward to Cassel in the high slot of the defensive zone. Cassel sent an outlet pass to Shkeda on the left wing as he exited the defensive zone. Shkeda returned the puck to Cassel cross ice along the right wing boards in neutral ice. Cassel took the puck all the way into the Mount St. Joseph defensive zone where he circled the net. Coming out the left side of the net, he curled around and fired a high wrist shot short side that beat Carr over his blocker.
With six and a half minutes remaining in the game, Mount St. Joseph’s would be back up by three goals. A dump in behind the Upper Montgomery net was controlled by the Lightning’s defense. The puck was stolen by Mager who immediately wrapped the puck around the front of the net past an unprepared Bernard. Mager had snuck the puck past Bernard’s feet using his backhand going short side just inside the near post.
Six seconds after Mager’s goal, Jacobson cut the lead back to 6-4. From center ice off the faceoff, Jacobson controlled the puck in the neutral zone. He exploded into the offensive zone down the left wing past the Gaels defense. From the left faceoff circle, Jacobson fired a wrist shot far side just under Carr’s outstretched leg pad. It was two consecutive unassisted goals in six seconds, one for each team.
With five minutes to play, Mount St. Joseph would score its final goal to extend the margin once again. A puck battle behind the Upper Montgomery net resulted in a clearing of the puck around the boards to the left point. As the puck approached, Boarman took an innocent slap at the puck firing it at the net from distance. Seeming to loose track of the puck, it sailed high past Bernard’s blocker. It was a very soft goal to allow and ended any real chance for the Lightning of fighting back to tie the game.
A minute and a half later Upper Montgomery would tally once more to close the score back to 7-5, and show how important the last Gaels goal would prove to be. Lightning senior center and co-captain, Chris Hassett picked up the puck in the slot area of the Upper Montgomery defensive zone while on the backcheck. He skated up ice through the neutral zone on a wide offensive zone entry down the left wing. From a bad angle at the bottom of the left faceoff circle, Hassett dished in front with his backhand to Honacki charging toward the front of the net. Honacki got his backhand on the pass and swiped the puck into the far side of the empty net to close out the scoring.
Game Notes:
- The start in net was Ilan Shterenberg’s first career varsity appearance.
- Jacob Roth’s assist was his first career varsity point.
- Henry Honacki scored for the second time in three games.
- Upper Montgomery was outshot by Mount St. Joseph’s 38-25, getting dominated over the final two periods of play, 28-12.
- Nathan Cassel’s penalty shot goal was the Lightning’s first penalty shot in at least four seasons.
- The Lightning are now zero for twelve on traditional powerplays for the season excluding Cassel’s penalty shot goal which technically counts as a powerplay marker.
- Upper Montgomery will try again to secure its first victory of the season when the team returns to action after a two week break on Tuesday afternoon, November 21st, taking on the 2nd ranked Walter Johnson Wildcats. Game time is 3:10 pm at Rockville Ice Arena.
Three Stars of the Game:
First Star—Emory Mager—Mount St. Joseph’s Forward—1 Goal, 3 Assists
Second Star—Nathan Cassel—Upper Montgomery Forward—2 Goals, 1 Assist
Third Star—Ryan Currie—Mount St. Joseph’s Forward—2 Goals, 1 Assist