After not having beaten Wootton in fifteen years, the Upper Montgomery Lightning made sure they did not have to wait long to secure their second ever victory over the Patriots. Just seventeen days separated the game between the two squads this season. In Friday’s game, Wootton had their full roster while Upper Montgomery was missing key student athletes out-of-town with their external travel teams or suspended. Almost the complete opposite of the earlier matchup in December. The result was the same, an Upper Montgomery victory in a hard fought penalty filled contest and quite possibly the beginning of a budding rivalry between the two teams.
The game started off ominously for the Lightning. A minute and a half into the game Lightning forward Hunter Cameron was called for roughing after throwing a late unnecessary check against a Wootton defender as Cameron went in on the forecheck. Wootton would waste no time jumping to the lead on the ensuing powerplay. Off the faceoff a scramble occurred with both teams fighting for possession of the puck. Eventually, Wootton forward Grady Sellman shot wide left from the right faceoff circle. The puck caromed around to Wootton star defender Conor Harris at the left point. Harris passed down the boards to Wootton’s star forward Ilhom Abdulaev, who was just returning from being out for most of the season with a lower body injury. Abdulaev returned the puck to Harris at the mid-point of the blue line. Harris’ shot went wide left but was recovered by Abdulaev once again. Abdulaev sent the puck back to Harris a second time. Harris had now traveled over to the right point. Harris skated back toward the center of the blue line and his second shot attempt went high blocker side past a screened Lightning netminder, Landon Bernard. It was a goal that Wootton needed for confidence after the non-competitive Lightning victory just over two weeks ago.
One minute after their opening goal, Wootton was back on the powerplay once again after Lightning senior defender, Andrew Gean was called for cross checking. This time, Upper Montgomery’s penalty kill came through. Even though it was very early in the contest, it was an important moment in the game to keep the score only 1-0 Wootton. After the expiration of Gean’s penalty, Wootton was called for too many skaters on the ice after a bad line change. Upper Montgomery would take advantage of their first powerplay opportunity to tie up the game.
The Lightning won the ensuing faceoff in the left faceoff circle and worked the puck around the offensive zone. Upper Montgomery defender Andrew Botti shot from the top of the blue line mid point. His shot went wide left of the net and was retrieved by Lightning forward Nathan Cassel along the left wing boards. Cassel cycled the puck back down the boards to Chris Hassett. Hassett returned the puck to Cassel still stationed along the left wing boards. Cassel maneuvered around the Wootton defense and shot on Patriots netminder Will Mellen. Mellen made the save and the puck bounced into the slot. A failed attempt at a clear kept the puck in the offensive zone where Cameron gained possession. Cameron’s shot was blocked by Wootton forward William Rusiecki directly back to Botti standing at the point. Botti’s shot was saved by Mellen who made a nice kick out save with his left leg pad. The puck, however, bounced just out of Mellen’s reach. Hassett made a quick backhand tap pass across the crease over to Cassel. Cassel easily then backhanded the puck into the wide open net.
A minute later, the Lightning would grab the lead. Wootton possessed the puck in their own defensive zone and started a controlled breakout. The initial outlet pass went to the left boards, with the second pass exiting the zone into neutral ice. Lightning senior captain, defender George Benedick gained possession of the puck at the red line along the right wing boards. He skated into the offensive zone and cut to the high slot. Once he reached prime scoring range, Benedick fired a wrist shot high blocker side, top shelf past Mellen for the unassisted goal.
After Upper Montgomery went ahead 2-1, the parade to the penalty box began in earnest. First, Wootton defender Timothy Yun was called for roughing. Then, Hassett was called for hooking. Neither team was able to take advantage of their powerplay chance. The gritty, hard hitting first period would end with the Lightning on top by one goal and having a ten to seven shots on goal advantage.
Wootton would come out hard to start the second period. The effort would be rewarded with the tying goal just over two minutes into the period. On a delayed penalty being called on Benedick for roughing the Patriots worked the puck along the boards. Wootton’s other star defender, Sam Hosier, passed from the left wing boards to Harris at the point. Harris’ shot from the mid point went wide left of the net. The puck bounced off the back end boards and directly to the front of the net over on the right side. Wootton forward Nathan Tai shot the puck near side past Bernard as he was coming over to the right post. The next six minutes of action were back and forth with each team having opportunities to jump to the lead. Bernard and Mellen each made several saves to keep the score tied.
With five and a half minutes left in the second period, the tie would be broken. Wootton entered the offensive zone on the right wing. Lightning defender senior Ethan Hockey swiped a poke check to free up the puck. Lightning forward Philip Shkeda skated in to retrieve the puck. Shkeda sent the puck up ice to Hassett in the neutral zone. The pass was a little behind Hassett and he needed to reach back to gain full possession of the puck. Once he had control of the puck, Hassett skated down the right wing boards. With Mellen committing to Hassett for a likely shot attempt, Hassett instead passed back to Shkeda who was sprinting toward the back post. The pass was on target giving Shkeda an easy tap in goal, backdoor at the far side of the net.
With three minutes left in the period, Lightning center Bradley Cupples and Wootton’s Tai were called for coincidental penalties after a skirmish to the side of the Wootton cage. Both Cupples and Tai were assessed minors for head contact and ten minute misconduct penalties, keeping both skaters off the ice for twelve minutes of game action. Tai was the aggressor and Cupples should never have been penalized. Then, directly after, Patriots defender Michael Murphy was called for cross checking. It was a questionable penalty and likely a make up call for the poor officiating decision just prior. Upper Montgomery was unable to stretch the lead while on the powerplay. The second period ended with the Lightning holding a 3-2 lead. Shots on goal in the second period were Upper Montgomery with eleven and Wootton with eight.
The third period began with an ugly incident as Wootton’s Yun was ejected from the game and issued a major penalty for head contact for an attempt to injure Lightning forward Henry Honacki. Yun cross checked Honacki in the side of the head as he was laying on the ice behind the Wootton net well behind the play. A dirty play that will result in additional supplemental discipline from the Montgomery Hockey Conference. With the resulting five minute powerplay, Upper Montgomery failed to score to open up a larger lead.
At the tail end of the Lightning powerplay, Benedick was called for a head contact penalty. Another questionable call that resulted in a minor penalty putting Wootton on the powerplay with a chance to even the score. The call also removed Benedick from the remainder of the game as there was just less than ten minutes remaining in the game. All head contact penalties come with an automatic ten minute misconduct penalty. Upper Montgomery held firm and killed off the dangerous Wootton powerplay. The flow of the game had changed as the Lightning were content to play defense and prevent Wootton from scoring to tie up the game. With the Upper Montgomery commitment to defense, Wootton had trouble generating much offense without Harris, Hosier, and Abdulaev all on the ice at the same time.
With two minutes remaining in the game, Upper Montgomery would score to provide a bit of breathing room. With an offensive zone faceoff in the right faceoff circle, Hassett won the draw back to Brady Berkhammer at the right point. Berkhammer’s shot went wide of the net far side. Cassel raced over to win possession of the puck at the half wall on the left wing sending the puck back to Hockey at the left point. Hockey’s high wrist shot with Hassett waiving his stick at the puck was saved by Mellen’s glove hand. Hassett’s stick waive may have distracted Mellen as he dropped the routine wrist shot with the puck falling to the ice in the crease. Hassett got a stick on the puck first and backhanded it into the open net.
Upper Montgomery continued to defend over the last minutes of the game and kept Wootton off the scoreboard once Mellen was pulled for an extra skater with 1:22 left to play. The victory has now propelled the Lightning to a winning record at 5-4-1, with all four losses to teams in the top eight in the Maryland high school hockey state rankings. It has been quite the turnaround since the team’s 1-4-1 start to the season. Upper Montgomery may be the hottest team in the Montgomery Hockey Conference at the moment. The Lightning will take a four game winning streak, with wins in five of their past six games, into a huge game against second ranked Quince Orchard next Friday night. A Lightning win would send shock waves throughout the county.
Game Notes:
- Shots on goal for the game were Upper Montgomery with 31 and Wootton with 21.
- Different from ten days ago, this game was a penalty filled affair. In the team’s game prior to winter break, there was only one penalty called during the game. In Friday’s game, there were fifteen penalties assessed, including four misconduct penalties, and one game misconduct.
- With his three point game, Chris Hassett had eight points in the two games versus Wootton.
- Upper Montgomery will bring a four game winning streak into next Friday’s marque matchup against second ranked Quince Orchard. Game time is 8:15 pm at Cabin John Ice Rink. A victory against Quince Orchard would be the highest ranked opponent that Upper Montgomery would ever have beaten.
Three Stars of the Game:
First Star—Chris Hassett—Upper Montgomery Forward—1 Goal, 2 Assists
Second Star—Conor Harris—Wootton Defense—1 Goal, 1 Assist
Third Star—George Benedick—Upper Montgomery Defense–-1 Goal