Looking to bounce back from last week’s loss to Richard Montgomery, its first loss since early November, the Upper Montgomery Lightning came out flat Friday night. A talented Sherwood Warriors team took advantage scoring three goals in the first ten minutes of the game on their way to a 6-4 victory in the cross division matchup. With the loss the Lightning drop to 5-5-1 on the season with a tough contest looming on Monday night at the Washington County Northstars.
Jeremy Isaacs got the Warriors off to a quick start scoring an unassisted goal just 1:11 into the contest. A turnover in the defensive zone squirted over to Isaacs unguarded in the lower right circle. He made no mistake quickly firing a shot past Lightning netminder Will Mellen to put Sherwood out in front early. Exactly five minutes later the Lightning were caught up ice. Thomas Russell made a save on a shot from the high slot. Riley Shearer outraced the Lightning forwards to the puck in the right corner. His stretch pass up the left wing boards found Jarden Reed in the neutral zone. Coming down the left wing on a two on one break, Reed pulled up at the top of the left faceoff circle and ripped a snapshot high, short side above Mellen’s blocker and into the net for a 2-0 Sherwood lead.
Three minutes later, Christian Winckler finished off a nice passing sequence. Ryan Warner started the scoring play in the neutral zone along the right wing boards. His pass was on the money for Grayson Winckler who skated into the offensive zone and found his brother in the slot with a nifty pass. Christian Winckler’s shot beat Mellen glove side and the Warriors were threatening to turn the game into a rout.
Just before the end of the first period, the Lightning got on the board to cut the lead to 3-1 at intermission. Nathan Cassel passed the puck into the slot area for Chris Hassett. Hassett’s shot attempt was blocked in front with several bodies crowded in the crease area. The puck bounced loose to the right side of the net where Ryan Jacobson was waiting. His quick wrist shot, low and to the glove side of Russell, found the back of the net. Right after Jacobson’s shot went in the goal, he was leveled by Warriors defender Payton Mages. George Benedick took exception. Both Mages and Benedick were sent to the penalty box for coincidental roughing minors. Upper Montgomery had some hope heading into the second period. Shots on goal in the first period were Sherwood 18 and Upper Montgomery 16.
The Lightning went on the powerplay very early in the second period after a slashing penalty was assessed to Christian Winckler. With an opportunity to cut into the Warriors lead, Upper Montgomery was instead caught pinching to keep the puck in the offensive zone. Isaacs collected the puck and skated up ice with Reed on another two on one break. Isaacs slid the puck over to Reed who easily converted past Mellen and the Warriors had reclaimed their three goal lead.
After giving up the shorthanded goal, the Lightning carried play for the next ten minutes of game action clawing their way back into the contest. Off of an offensive zone faceoff from in left faceoff circle, Chris Hassett won the draw into the slot, directly to Jacobson. He wasted no time and fired the puck low, glove side past Russell for his second goal of the game. A minute later the Lightning went on an important penalty kill as Bradley Cupples was called for roughing. The outstanding Lightning penalty kill was up to the task, keeping the Warriors at bay and the team seemed to gain momentum from the shorthanded effort.
With five minutes remaining in the second period, the Lightning would strike to pull within one goal at 4-3. James Botti kept the puck in the offensive one at the left point. He was able to swipe the puck forward a few feet to Nathan Cassel. Cassel collected the bouncing puck along the right wing boards and fired a shot wide of the net on the short side. The puck caromed around back to James Botti at his left point position. He shoveled the puck down low into the left corner finding Hassett. Hassett stick handled along the boards and pushed the puck over to Cassel behind the net. Cassel tried a stuff attempt that was blocked off and the puck flipped high in the air through the slot toward Ethan Hockey at the right point. Hockey judged the arc of the puck. Just as the puck bounced off the ice he unloaded a booming slap shot from the right faceoff dot that went flying past Russell high, glove side for his second goal of the season. While still trailing by one goal, the Lightning had all the momentum.
With two minutes remaining in the second period a defensive zone coverage breakdown doomed Upper Montgomery. The Warriors gained possession of the puck in the Lightning defensive zone, working the puck down low in the right corner. The puck was then centered into the slot where it eluded two Lightning skaters and found Christian Winkler alone in front. Mellen made a terrific save on Winckler’s quick shot from the low slot. The puck bounced up and off the back end boards where Aidan Sachs fired a quick wrist shot past Mellen low, glove side as he scrambled back into position. The failed clear deflated the Lightning who had fought so hard to get back in the game. The Lightning outshot Sherwood by a wide margin, 19 to 8 in the second period.
Four minutes into the third period Noi Jonasson ended the competitive portion of the game scoring a “Michigan Goal”, lacrosse style to add insult to Upper Montgomery. Warriors’ defender Timothy Rocca retrieved the puck in the neutral zone along the right wing boards. He passed the puck up ice to Jonasson at the attacking blue line. Jonasson skated past three Lightning defenders and curled around the net on his backhand from left to right. He collected the puck, then scooped and spun, flinging the puck past Mellen’s left shoulder into the net making the score 6-3.
Upper Montgomery would score a power play goal with 29 seconds remaining to close out the scoring. Hassett scored on a wrist shot from just right of the slot off assists from James Botti and Benedick. But, by then, it was just a matter of the final score in a game in which the Lightning started slowly and could never quite get over the hump.
Game Notes:
- The loss was the Lightning’s second straight defeat since a five game winning streak ended.
- The Lightning outshot Sherwood 46-34 for the game.
- Will Mellen gave up the most goals he has allowed all season (six). He made 28 saves on the night.
- The Lightning penalty kill was excellent once again smothering all three Warriors’ powerplay opportunities. The Upper Montgomery penalty kill is now 40 of 43 on the season, 93.0%.
- The Lightning powerplay finished the game 1-4, but the powerplay tally came with 29 seconds remaining in the game after the outcome had been decided.
- The Lightning gave up their fifth shorthanded goal of the season in the second period. Upper Montgomery has lost all five games in which they have allowed a shorthanded goal.
- The Lightning are next in action on Monday, January 24th at 7:00 pm when they travel to Hagerstown to take on the Washington County Northstars.
Three Stars of the Game:
First Star—Jarden Reed—Sherwood Forward—2 Goals
Second Star—Ryan Jacobson—Upper Montgomery Forward–-2 Goals
Third Star—Thomas Russell—Sherwood Goalie—Win, 42 Saves, .913 Save%, 1 Assist