In its first major test of the 2021 – 2022 regular season, the Upper Montgomery Lightning went toe to toe with the Richard Montgomery Rockets for the better part of two periods, before eventually succumbing in a 4-1 loss Friday night at Rockville Ice Arena. The game against the Rockets was a step up in competition against a division one team in the middle of the conference standings. Upper Montgomery was able to generate several extremely high quality scoring chances including two breakaway opportunities that they were unfortunately unable to convert. The offensive chances were there even without having two of their top five offensive weapons for the game in James Botti and Nathan Cassel. With the loss, the Lightning fall to 4-4-1 on the season in conference play and 5-4-1 overall.
The beginning of the first period was a feeling out process with both teams unable to generate much offense and very few shots on goal. For the Lightning, junior defender George Benedick stood out by blocking three shots in the first seven minutes of the game. He controlled play with his ability to win pucks in the corners and lead strong breakouts. Halfway through the first period Upper Montgomery would jump in front on a goal by Josh Nadler. For Nadler it was the second consecutive game in which he tallied. The play began in the defensive zone. Olivia Robbins took control of the puck in the Lightning defensive zone along the left wing boards. She skated a few strides to the top of the faceoff circle and fired a rink wide pass to Bradley Cupples. Cupples gathered the puck at full speed and rushed into the Rockets defensive zone along the right wing boards. He stopped abruptly and sent a pass into the middle of the ice in the high slot where Nadler fired a quick wrist shot while in stride and beat Rockets netminder Henry Darko five hole for a 1-0 Lightning lead.
The lead would not last long, just three and a half minutes. Mitchell Bobys would dump the puck into the Lightning defensive zone from the red line. Dylan Goetz would win the puck in the left corner. He battled the Lightning defense and came away with the puck. He fed in front from the side of the goal to a wide open Lester Benitez. Benitez had time and space in the lower part of the slot to send a quick shot past Lightning goalie Will Mellen’s glove hand to even the score at one. Just before the end of the first period Upper Montgomery would go on the penalty kill for the first time in the game after a roughing penalty was called on Henry Honacki. The Lightning would kill off the penalty continuing a streak of 23 consecutive penalty kills that would grow to 25 before the end of the game.
Five minutes into the second period, Benedick was called for checking from behind. A checking from behind penalty automatically comes with a ten minute misconduct penalty. Losing Benedick for twelve minutes of game action was a defining moment in the game as it forced the coaching staff to break up the offensive lines to provide additional defensive coverage. It also left the Lightning without a key contributor on the powerplay. The Lightning would kill off the penalty to Benedick. With six minutes left in the second period and the score still tied 1-1, the Lightning would earn their first powerplay of the evening when the Rockets were called for too many skaters on the ice. It was on the powerplay where the absence of Benedick would prove costly.
Luke Gutmann took possession of the puck for the Rockets. He beat a pinching Lightning defender and sent the puck up the right wing boards to Daniel Martella. Martella skated in on a two on one with Goetz. Getting the defender to commit to him, Martella sent a pass to the left finding Goetz in stride and all alone. Goetz fired a wrist shot from the left faceoff circle far side and past Mellen’s catching glove. With the shorthanded goal, Goetz gave the Rockets a 2-1 lead, a lead that they would not relinquish.
With two minutes to go in the second period, Martella would score a goal similar to Goetz’s goal. Martella skated up ice by himself into the bottom of the left wing circle and uncorked a wrist shot, again far side and high past Mellen’s catching glove for an unassisted goal. The goal energized the Rockets faithful providing them a measure of relief that their team had finally separated from the Lightning. Just after Martella’s goal, the Lightning would again go on the penalty kill as Adarsh Nair was called for tripping.
The third period saw the Lightning in scramble mode as the Rockets began to ride the momentum gained at the end of the second period and exert their offensive firepower. In several sequences in the Lightning zone Mellen made multiple saves in close on Rockets’ chances. Mellen would make 19 saves in the period, only allowing a goal mid-way through the period on a shot by Gutmann from the high slot. While the Lightning came up short in this game, playing the game as close as they did without two of their most important skaters; James Botti and Nathan Cassel (who were both out-of-town with their travel teams) gave the team an understanding of both how close they are to competing with the upper division teams and also how much work remains to be done to beat the higher quality upper division teams.
Game Notes:
- The loss was the Lightning’s first defeat since November 5th against the Blair Blazers.
- The loss to Richard Montgomery snapped the Upper Montgomery unbeaten streak at six games, 5-0-1.
- The Lightning were outshot by the Rockets 44-20.
- Will Mellen gave up the most goals he has allowed all season (four). He made 40 saves on the night.
- The Lightning penalty kill smothered all three Rockets’ powerplay opportunities. The Upper Montgomery penalty kill is now 37 of 40 on the season, 92.5%.
- The Lightning gave up a shorthanded goal for the fourth time this season. They have lost all four games in which they have given up a shorthanded goal.
- The Lightning are next in action on Friday, January 21st at 8:45 pm at Rockville Ice Area for a home game against the Sherwood Warriors.
Three Stars of the Game:
First Star—Dylan Goetz—Richard Montgomery Forward—1 Goal, 1 Assist
Second Star—Daniel Martella—Richard Montgomery Center–-1 Goal, 1 Assist
Third Star—George Benedick—Upper Montgomery Defense—4 Blocked Shots