The Upper Montgomery Lightning return to game action on Friday evening October 28th for a non-league contest versus the Urbana Hawks. Game time is 5:05 pm at Skate Frederick. For Urbana, the game is their season opener. For Upper Montgomery, the game will be an opportunity to see live game action before Monday’s highly anticipated MHC league game against a top ranked BCC squad.
Once again this week the Lightning will be shorthanded. As with last week’s game against Walter Johnson, several of the Upper Montgomery varsity student athletes will miss the Urbana game for various reasons. The Lightning’s depth will be tested against the Hawks, one of the top teams in the Monocacy Valley Hockey Conference.
Landon Bernard will be looking to continue his strong play from this week’s junior varsity game in which he posted a 15-save shutout, his first career high school shutout. It was also Bernard’s seventh straight win at the junior varsity level going back to last year. Bernard is looking to consistently win at the varsity level.
On defense, expect Andrew Botti to log significant minutes against Urbana and could play over half the game. He will be joined by senior defender Ethan Hockey who will be making his season debut. Expect Hockey to also receive significant playing time. Andrew Gean and Owen Robbins will be paired with either Botti or Hockey for most of the game. Both Gean and Robbins will have to play a steady defensive game with quick puck movement and defensive zone break out passes to contend with the Hawks talented forward group. Cole Howerton will dress for the game to provide depth on defense. Howerton is coming off of a strong performance in the junior varsity game mid-week where he rushed the puck up ice very well.
On offense, the Lightning will see the return of last year’s leading scorer center Chris Hassett who missed last week’s game while out-of-town with his external travel team. Hassett, paired with Ryan Jacobson (two goals versus Walter Johnson) down the middle, gives Upper Montgomery a great one-two punch at center. On the wing, there will be a carousel of forwards paired with Hassett and Jacobson. Olivia Robbins and Philip Shkeda will likely play every other shift. Stephen Shkeda, Henry Honacki, and Adam Levine will also see significant time against Urbana. Both Honacki and Levine played well in the junior varsity game with Honacki having multiple grade A scoring chances and Levine scoring.
Senior Ethan Truszkowski is likely to get the season opening start in net for the Hawks. Truszkowski was 3-1 last season with a 3.00 gaa and an .897 save percentage backing up last season’s primary starter Joseph Zibrogas. Truszkowski is a big, tall netminder who covers a lot of the net. The Lightning will need to make him move side to side in the crease and take away his vision to be successful Friday night.
On defense, the Hawks look to be stacked this season. Seamus McGee, a junior AA level travel student athlete will be providing guidance and leadership to a young, but super talented defensive corps. Robert Radtke, a 9th grade AAA level defender, and Hayden Grapes a sophomore AAA level defender, will be joined by Tommy Alexander. The Lightning will need to take advantage of the highly skilled but young Hawks defense.
On offense, Urbana should be able to stack up with the top teams in the MHC including Upper Montgomery. Juniors Max Dabruzzo (4 goals, 10 assists), Cody Keegan (AA level travel forward) (8 goals, 4 assists), Nathaniel Browning-Elam (8 goals, 3 assists) and Liam Grapes (AA level travel forward), and senior Gavin McKay (5 goals, 4 assists), all return to provide Urbana with a high powered offensive attack.
The Lightning are going to need to play a spirited and smart game to counter the Hawks talent and come out on top. Playing top teams across the MSHL is a strategic decision by the Upper Montgomery program to aid in the development of the student athletes and to prepare them for the end of season playoff tournaments.