Fresh off their first win of the season over third ranked Walter Johnson, the Upper Montgomery Lightning finish the first half of the season schedule against perennial state champion Churchill on Monday evening at Cabin John Ice Rink. Puck drop is at 6:30 pm. The Bulldogs have won eight of the last ten Maryland high school ice hockey state championships. The two years that Churchill did not win the state title were last season when they lost in the championship game, and during the COVID health crisis when the Bulldogs were prevented from competing in the state playoffs. Monday’s game will be the first time that the teams have played since their epic Montgomery Hockey Conference quarterfinal matchup last winter. With the winner advancing to the state playoffs, Churchill outlasted the Lightning in a five round shootout by a three to two margin after a one all tie through regulation and overtime.
This year is no different for Churchill. The Bulldogs enter the contest ranked first in the county standings with a 6-0-1 conference record. The Churchill roster is stacked with high-end talent. The Bulldogs trot out a variety of AAA and AA external travel team level skaters. While Upper Montgomery will have very close to its full lineup for the game, keeping up in the game will still be a challenge. Unlike in last year’s playoff game, Churchill will not be overlooking the Lightning this season.
In this game, Upper Montgomery’s success will be defined by how well the team defends and clears the puck out of high danger zones. To be competitive, the Lightning will need to muck up the game and prevent Churchill’s speed from overpowering Upper Montgomery’s inexperienced defenders. Although Andrew Botti is close to returning for the Lightning, he is not yet cleared for participation. The lower scoring the game, and the uglier that the game looks visually, the more of an opportunity Upper Montgomery will have to pull off the massive upset. Last year’s tie in the playoff game before succumbing in the shootout was the first ever points Upper Montgomery has earned against Churchill. In fifteen seasons, the Lightning have never beaten the Bulldogs. The Lightning have also never beaten a team ranked number one. Last year’s victory over second ranked Quince Orchard is the team with the highest ranking that the Lightning have ever beaten.
On offense, the Lightning seem to have progressed from the beginning of the season. When close to the full team is in attendance, the Lightning have scored seven, five, and eight goals in their most recent three games. This is a far cry from the start of the season when goals were non-existent. Nathan Cassel continues to lead the team in points with 7GP, 4G, 10A. He is coming off of a three assist effort versus Walter Johnson. Chris Hassett’s production has ramped up over his last couple of games and he is now second on the team in scoring with 6GP, 5G, 8A. He is also coming off of a multi-point effort over the Wildcats with two goals and four assists. Hassett’s next assist will be a milestone, his 50th career varsity assist. Philip Shkeda is heating up having scored in four straight games. His two goals against the Wildcats helped propel the Lightning to victory. He is tied with Hassett for the team lead in goals with five.
Ryan Jacobson has scored four goals in five games, bouncing back and forth between centering the second line and playing defense. Henry Honacki has begun to get into the heavy traffic areas and his point totals have increased as a result. Honacki now has 7GP, 3G, 3A. Bradley Cupples chipped in with two goals against Walter Johnson and is clustered with Hunter Cameron and Brandon Bernard with two goals and several assists each. The depth scoring from the second and third lines which had been missing early in the season has really helped the Lightning’s offensive production improve. One area that has not improved has been the Lightning’s powerplay. It has been simply putrid. The stink has now reached 18 extra skater advantages to begin the season with no powerplay goals. The streak includes three different five on three extended powerplay chances. The team’s only ‘powerplay’ goal was a penalty shot converted by Cassel against Mount St. Joseph.
Defensively, and in goal, the team must be significantly better. Yes, the team has had to patch together the defensive pairings while working through the injury to Botti, but the defensive blunders have been plentiful and massive. Most of the miscues have led directly to key opposition goals against. The forwards need to do a better job on the backcheck and with breakouts, controlling the game with puck possession and management. The defense must be more physical and not allow the opposing forwards down low beneath them and the goal.
Churchill’s offensive output is led by 18U AA forward, Zachary Silver. Silver has tallied over and over this season. He has 8GP, 12G, 4A. Not too far behind has been Joshua Wong, with 8GP, 6G, 3A and 18U AAA forward Joshua Potenti, 5GP, 6G, 2A. Daniel McNelis has four goals in five games. He plays 16U AAA. Asher Wang, 18U AA leads the Bulldogs in assists. He has 8GP, 2G, 7A. On defense, Churchill has 9th grade 14U AA Alexander Bazyluk with six assists in eight games. Dalton Esko-Himmelfarb has 5GP, 1G, 3A. He plays with the Lightning’s Hunter Cameron on the Little Caps 18U AAA team.
In net for Upper Montgomery is expected to be Ilan Shterenberg. Shterenberg battled to his first career high school varsity victory last time out making enough saves to hold off Walter Johnson. As the team’s goaltending has been spotty this season, the coaching staff is looking for either Shterenberg or senior Landon Bernard to grab the reins on the top goaltender spot. Shterenberg has been lights out at the junior varsity level with six wins, two by shutout, a 1.36 goals against average, and a .941 save percentage. The step up in competition at the varsity level has impact his statistics. Not unexpected for a 9th grade student athlete. Landon Bernard played fantastic last year against Churchill in the playoffs. He stopped 34 of 35 shots and was critical to almost pulling off the greatest upset in the history of Maryland high school hockey. He was also outstanding last year in the opening round playoff game against St. Johns. This year has been a struggle. There have been stretches of nice play sprinkled in with goals that he wishes he had back. In net for Churchill is expected to be 16U AA Macallister Glazer. Glazer splits time with senior Cameron Shure, but receives the starts in goal when Churchill faces stronger competition. Glazer is 3-0-1 on the season with a 3.00 goals against average and a .867 save percentage.
Upper Montgomery desperately needs a good showing to begin moving back up the conference standings and rankings. The team started the season ranked with its highest ranking ever, fifth spot, and then promptly plummeted down the rankings to where it is currently, tenth. Finishing seventh or tenth is preferred rather than landing in eight or ninth spot and having to likely once again face Churchill in the quarterfinal round of the Montgomery Hockey Conference playoffs. The win over Walter Johnson was a step forward. Now the team needs to continue to ascend with a very good performance against a very tough opponent.
#UML, #Bleed Green, #Go Bolts!