The Upper Montgomery Lightning used their superior skill to defeat the Blair Blazers 5-0 on Monday evening at Wheaton Ice Rink. The game was a lackluster performance for the Lightning who celebrated their nine graduating seniors in the annual senior night send off prior to the game. The celebratory atmosphere and the coaching staff’s decision to play all of the seniors in attendance regular shifts contributed to some line combination changes that impacted the team’s chemistry. Or, it could just have been that the Lightning overlooked an opponent that the student athletes felt was inferior.
All in all, with the win Upper Montgomery advanced their recent record in league play to 4-1-1 over their past six league games. The win also catapulted the Lightning forward in the league standings. Upper Montgomery now sits ranked seventh in the Montgomery Hockey Conference playoff rankings system entering the final week of the regular season. Advancing to the sixth seed would be very helpful as the Lightning would avoid both top ranked Churchill and second ranked Walter Johnson in the quarterfinal round of the Montgomery Hockey Conference playoffs.
Lightning senior netminder Landon Bernard secured his second career shutout in the victory. Bernard was never seriously threatened by the Blazers attack even though Blair played extremely hard and as well as they possible could. Blair’s intensity and effort coupled with Upper Montgomery’s lackluster performance gave the game a bit of messy feel and if the game was a stuck in a quagmire. It also kept the shots on goal totals low as there was a lot of play between the blue lines in the neutral zone and possession of the puck was constantly being lost all around the ice. A slow moving first period ended tied at zero. Blair had received the only powerplay of the period when Lightning defender Brady Berkhammer was called for hooking with just under five minutes remaining in the first period.
A short conversation from the coaching staff during the intermission focused on the team’s lack of intensity during the first period and bemoaning only firing four shots on goal. The candid talk seemed to jump start Upper Montgomery. The team’s play was marginally better in the second period, but on this evening that was all that was needed. A minute into the second period, Blair forward Ari Garnder was called for roughing. The dismal Lightning powerplay failed to convert with several shots fired wide of Blair goalie Lily Bendavid.
Five and a half minutes into the period, the Lightning’s prominent first line and top scoring duo came through. Lightning senior center and co-captain Chris Hassett gained possession of the puck in the neutral zone. He fired a pass to his long-time linemate Nathan Cassel on the left wing. Cassel took the puck down the left wing and into the Lightning offensive zone. From the middle of the left faceoff circle he fired a wrist shot past Bendavid. Upper Montgomery’s first goal would ultimately become the game winner. The assist was another milestone for Hassett as he reached 100 career points scored as a member of the Lightning program.
The game stayed tight with Upper Montgomery holding only its 1-0 lead. The final three and a half minutes of the second period saw the Lightning secure firm control of the game. First, forward Philip Shkeda tallied an unassisted goal to put Upper Montgomery up by two. In the slot area Shkeda found a loose puck and sent a backhander low past Bendavid. Then, two minutes later Lightning forward Henry Honacki also scored an unassisted goal. He dug the puck out of a bunch of skaters’ feet, and fired off a quick shot past Bendavid as she was searching through the maze of skaters trying to find the puck. The second period ended with both team firing six shots on net leaving Upper Montgomery with a low two period total of only ten shots on goal.
Entering the third period with a three goal cushion, the Lightning began to play more free flowing and relaxed hockey. The lead also allowed the coaching staff to continue unrestrictedly to play all of the seniors dressed for game action. Three and a half minutes into the period, Honacki connected for his second goal of the game and all but secured the Lightning’s win. Lightning defender Brady Berkhammer fired a long range shot from the point. Bendavid made a pad save with the rebound shooting out to the vicinity of Honacki. Honacki wasted no time and knocked the puck past Bendavid before she could reset.
Shortly thereafter, Lightning senior forward Bradley Cupples took a cross checking penalty. The Lightning had no difficulty keeping the Blazers to the outside of the penalty kill square. The stout positioning allowed Bernard unimpeded sightlines to the Blazers shots and he easily made each routine save. Just after Cupples’ penalty expired, Upper Montgomery would score its fifth and final goal of the game. Ninth grade forward Aiden Zheng, playing well of late and earning the confidence of the coaching staff leading to more playing time, sent a pass across the ice in the offensive zone. Lightning senior forward Brandon Bernard received the pass and fired a shot short side past Bendavid. The final seven minutes of the game were played with very few whistles as both teams resorted to up and down hockey. The Lightning’s lead provided ample opportunity for the Upper Montgomery coaches to finish the senior night contest playing the seniors in a rotation over the final several minutes of the game.
Game Notes:
- Senior co-captain Chris Hassett continued his climb up the all time Maryland Scholastic Hockey League career scoring list notching his 100th career point. He now has recorded 47 goals and 53 assists for 100 career points.
- Shots on goal for the game were even with Blair firing 24 shots on goal and Upper Montgomery countering with 22. Upper Montgomery only fired four shots on goal during the first period as the team started very slowly offensively.
- Henry Honacki had his first career multi-goal game for the varsity.
- Aiden Zheng’s assist was his first career varsity point.
- Upper Montgomery’s pre-game senior celebration recognized the accomplishments of the program’s nine graduating seniors:
- Senior Co-Captains Center Chris Hassett and Forward/Defender Hunter Cameron.
- Twins, Goalie Landon Bernard and Forward Brandon Bernard.
- Forwards Olivia Robbins, Bradley Cupples, and Adam Levine.
- Defenders Jake Roth and Sean Levine.
- Upper Montgomery’s epic futility on the powerplay continued by failing to convert on the team’s only powerplay of the game. The Lightning’s season long drought on the powerplay has now reached 34 straight unsuccessful powerplays, 0-34 on the season in traditional powerplays, excluding Nathan Cassel’s penalty shot goal which technically counts as a powerplay marker.
- Upper Montgomery returns to action tomorrow, Tuesday, January 23rd when the team travels to Skate Frederick to battle highly talented non-conference opponent Urbana. Game time against the Hawks is an early 3:40 pm start.
Three Stars of the Game:
First Star—Henry Honacki—Upper Montgomery Forward—2 Goals
Second Star—Landon Bernard—Upper Montgomery Goalie—24 Save Shutout Win
Third Star—Andrew Botti—Upper Montgomery Defense