The Upper Montgomery Lightning exploded out to a giant lead for the second consecutive week. Unfortunately, unlike in the team’s season opening victory over the DC Stars, a horrendous third period handed the Silver Spring Blazers an implausible 8-7 win Friday night at the Rockville Ice Arena. Six third period goals including four over the final four minutes of regulation enabled Silver Spring to grab a win it did not deserve to earn. The Lightning student athletes must learn to finish games understanding that a high school hockey game is never over until the teams are being ushered off the ice. The Blazers huge comeback cements their team as the top squad in Division Two of the Montgomery Hockey Conference.
Not having senior team captain, top line center Owen Robbins for the game hurt the Lightning. Robbins is an excellent two way skater who reads the ice extremely well. He is a top notch back checker who interchanges with the defense very well. In his place, ninth grade center Wyatt Ostrander had to take a big step up, filling in admirably.
The game got off to a bit of a slow start with both teams missing out on some nice opportunities. Early on, Upper Montgomery realized areas that they could exploit against the Blazers. Six and a half minutes into the game, out of nowhere, Silver Spring jumped in front 1-0. From the left point in the offensive zone, Upper Montgomery’s defense fired a shot wide of the far side of the net. Silver Spring defender Simon Holland picked up the puck along the left wing boards in his defensive zone. He carried the puck out to center ice on the left side. He continued down ice into the Upper Montgomery defensive zone. Holland avoided an attempted stick check from a backchecking Upper Montgomery forward. From the left faceoff circle he fired a wrist shot high glove side on Upper Montgomery netminder, Porter Stutsrim-Lyons, starting in place of Ilan Shterenberg. The unassisted goal was his first of the season. It was also the first goal given up by the Lightning this year.
Upper Montgomery did not let the opening goal affect them. Indeed, only twenty seconds later the score was tied, the Lightning’s early deficit quickly erased. Lightning senior defender Brady Berkhammer had the puck in his own defensive zone on the left side. He fired a cross ice pass into the neutral zone looking for Upper Montgomery ninth grade forward Miles Gleason on the right wing. The pass was a little behind Gleason who made a nifty deflection of the puck to glance it forward in front of where he was skating. He streaked down the right side of the ice past the left Silver Spring defender into the offensive zone. Gleason unleashed a wrist shot from the bottom of the right faceoff circle which was saved by Blazers goalie Myle Amirthalingam. That sequence set up a faceoff in the right faceoff circle in the Blazers defensive zone. Ostrander won the draw to the right wing boards to Gleason. Gleason sent the puck cross ice to the left point for Berkhammer. Berkhammer took the puck down the left wing boards to the bottom of the left faceoff circle. From below the goal line, he sent the puck back into the slot where Gleason was cutting towards the net. From the right side of the slot, Gleason one touch shot the puck high over Amirthalingam’s glove hand into the top right corner of the net. Gleason’s first goal of the night, fifth of the season quickly took care of Silver Spring’s early advantage. For Ostrander, the assist was his first career high school point in either junior varsity or varsity competition.
Gleason’s goal seemed to unleash the Lightning. Thirty seconds later on the next shift, Upper Montgomery took the lead. A Blazers forward skated toward the blue line in their offensive zone. At the blue line he attempted to make a play. Upper Montgomery senior forward, Philip Shkeda blocked the play with his skates. With both Blazers defenders split wide along the blue line, Shkeda rocketed up ice straight down the middle. With two Silver Spring defenders chasing after him applying heavy back pressure, Shkeda entered the offensive zone. While being pushed wide of the left goal post, he shoveled a backhanded shot at the net. The puck glided along the ice going under the left leg pad of Amirthalingam. Shkeda’s fourth goal of the season had Upper Montgomery in front.
A minute later Upper Montgomery senior forward Jason Woodman was called for roughing on a play where the Silver Spring defender turned just prior to Woodman making contact. Before Woodman could return to the ice, Blazers defender Tobias Lin was called for an interference penalty while trying to slow down Gleason. With both teams having a skater in the penalty box, the teams skated four on four with Upper Montgomery to have a short powerplay in thirty seconds. Except, while at four on four, Berkhammer saw daylight open up as he skated down the left wing. He went all the way around the Blazers defender then cut toward the net. As he approached the goal crease, Amirthalingam attempted a poke check, but missed tripping up Berkhammer. The goalie’s penalty gave the Lightning a brief four on three powerplay for six seconds before Woodman returned to the ice making the Upper Montgomery powerplay a five on three advantage.
Woodman went straight to the front of the net which is his role on the powerplay. With Woodman causing all kinds of commotion in front of the net, getting outright tackled then getting back up and continuing to be pounded on, the Upper Montgomery shooters could not put the puck on net or they passed up shots looking for one great pretty play. As the second Blazers penalty was set to expire Upper Montgomery junior center Aiden Zheng won a faceoff in the defensive zone to Berkhammer in the left corner. Berkhammer slung the puck up ice out to the neutral zone. Gleason was able collect the puck after a fast charging Blazers defender missed it while rushing forward. Gleason was off to the races on a clear breakaway from inside the red line. Gleason came in directly at Amirthalingam, made a forehand fake shifting to his backhand. He deposited the puck over Amirthalingam outstretched right leg pad for a powerplay goal. Gleason’s second goal of the night, sixth of the season extended Upper Montgomery’s lead to 3-1. Although getting outshot by the Blazers eleven to eight during the first period, it was Silver Spring who were clearly dazed as they did not know who was sprinting past them up ice each shift.
The beginning of the second period was a carbon copy of the end of the first period. More high flying offense from the Lightning. A minute into the second period, Gleason was back at it. Goal number seven of the season, his hat-trick goal. The Blazers lost possession of the puck in the Lightning defensive zone. Berkhammer got to the puck first sending a pass up to Shkeda across the defensive blue line at center ice. Shkeda sent the puck wide to Gleason who entered the offensive zone along the right side of the ice. Coming with speed he again went around the Silver Spring defense reaching the bottom of the right faceoff circle. Gleason cut to the goal mouth where he faked an in close forehand shot. Amirthalingam was completely fooled by the fake. Gleason pulled the puck back, took a step to his left, before depositing a backhand shot into the wide open net left side of the net.
Three minutes later, Upper Montgomery extended the advantage to a 5-1 lead. A faceoff started from the right faceoff circle in the Upper Montgomery defensive zone. The Blazers controlled the draw. Berkhammer stole the puck behind the Lightning net. He skated out the left side of the defensive zone all the way up through the neutral zone. He was in with Gleason on a two on one rush. Berkhammer took the puck around the Blazers defense yet again. With Amirthalingam playing shot, Berkhammer laid a perfect pass across the slot to Gleason. With Amirthalingam honoring Berkhammer’s shot, the young goalie had no chance when Gleason’s wrist shot entered the goal just inside the near side right goal post. Gleason had exploded for four goals in back to back games bringing his total on the young season to eight.
The next eight minutes of the game saw Upper Montgomery continue to pressure Silver Spring. While the Blazers did generate shots, many of the shots were from distance or bad angles which Stutsrim-Lyons was able to easily shove aside. With under three minutes remaining in the second period, Silver Spring had possession of the puck behind the Lightning net. A stick check by Berkhammer jostled the puck loose. Berkhammer gained possession of the puck, reversing direction back into the right corner. Under pressure he pushed the puck forward to Gleason along the right wing boards. Gleason sent an outlet pass to Shkeda breaking behind the Blazers defense at center ice. Shkeda had to track down the aerial pass along the left wing boards in the Silver Spring defensive zone. At the bottom of the left wing faceoff circle he jump cut around the Blazers defender while stick handling past. He recovered the puck just outside the crease and shot to the near side of the net while being buried. The puck went low past Amirthalingam’s right leg pad for Shkeda’s second goal of the game, fifth on the season.
Upper Montgomery had what the students thought was an insurmountable lead, up 6-1 with under three minutes remaining in the second period. A minute later Silver Spring would get one back. Upper Montgomery dumped the puck deep into the Silver Spring defensive end. Blazers defender Ethan Hedberg collected the puck in his left defensive corner. He swung the puck to his defensive partner Joseph Killebrew in the right defensive corner. Killebrew absorbed a big hit from Upper Montgomery ninth grade forward Tima Zamaray. Zamaray took the brunt of the contact falling to the ice while Killebrew retained control of the puck. Killebrew found Blazers forward Alexander Azcarate in the neutral zone with his outlet pass. Azcarate was joined by fellow forward Victor Dvorson on a two on two rush into the Upper Montgomery defensive zone. The Lightning were in good position defensively. Dvorson skated wide around the Upper Montgomery right defender along the outside of the left faceoff circle. Once clear of the defense Dvorson sent a laser of a wrist shot near side high over Stutsrim-Lyons right shoulder to notch his third goal of the season. While being outshot 25-16 through two periods of play, Upper Montgomery maintained a large four goal lead entering the third period.
The third period saw Silver Spring come out with more passion and enthusiasm. Upper Montgomery was able to weather the storm chewing through the first five minutes of the period. An extremely questionable high sticking penalty on Berkhammer put the Blazers on the powerplay. Halfway through the penalty kill Upper Montgomery dumped the puck down ice and was putting pressure on the Blazers in their own defensive zone. Dvorson skated the puck out of the Silver Spring defensive zone. Reaching the neutral zone he sent a pass to the right wing boards for Holland. Holland entered the Upper Montgomery defensive zone on the right side. He curled up, drifting to the bottom of the right faceoff circle. Looking to pass he drew Stutsrim-Lyons off the angle before firing a wrist shot far side into the net past the Lightning goalie’s stick and blocker for his second tally of the evening and of the season. Silver Spring was now energized having scored the last two goals.
Twenty seconds later the Upper Montgomery let down was clearly evident. A Lightning turnover at center ice was picked up by Silver Spring forward Michael Poresky. The hulking forward entered the Lightning defensive zone along the left. Surrounded by three Upper Montgomery skaters who all swiped at the puck rather than playing the body, he was able to get free firing a wrist shot at the net. From the left faceoff circle, the shot went past a partially screened Stutsrim-Lyons and his glove to the right side of the net. With nine minutes remaining in regulation, Silver Spring was only down by two goals 6-4.
Upper Montgomery struggled through the next five minutes retaining its two goal cushion. With four minutes left in the game, a faceoff draw in the left faceoff circle in Upper Montgomery’s defensive zone was won by Shkeda. The puck went back to Upper Montgomery junior defender Max Curtusan. Curtusan fired the puck around the Lightning goal up the left wing boards to Gleason. Gleason received the puck along the right wing boards in the defensive zone. He shot up ice down into the Silver Spring defensive zone. Gleason curled up interchanging passes with Shkeda. Shkeda placed a pass to Ostrander in the high slot. Ostrander’s shot toward the net hit Gleason’s body in front. The puck dropped to the ice a foot from the goal crease where Gleason knocked it in for his fifth goal of the game, ninth of the season. The nine goals are the top total in the Montgomery Hockey Conference through two weeks of play.
With a three goal lead reestablished and just four minutes to play, Upper Montgomery’s students thought that the game was over even though the coaching staff was preaching in vain that the team still needed to play hard. The game was far from over. On the next shift, a mere twenty seconds after Upper Montgomery reclaimed their three goal lead, the score became 7-5. Holland’s hat-trick and third of the season kept the Blazers alive. Upper Montgomery shot the puck wide in the offensive zone. Inexplicably, with the Blazers headed out of their defensive zone, a Lightning defender pinched in at the blue line when all the team was supposed to do was play defense. Blazers defender Rakshay Narayanan sent a backhand pass up the boards to Dvorson. Dvorson got past the blue line pinch and gave the puck to Holland. He skated all the way into the Upper Montgomery defensive zone. Holland shot low to the far side from the left faceoff circle past Stutsrim-Lyons low glove hand. It was nearly an identical shot that Poresky scored on earlier in the period. With three and a half minutes left in regulation, the Lightning held a two goal lead.
On the next shift, Lin backhand lobbed the puck out of his defensive zone to the left wing in the neutral zone. Upper Montgomery dumped the puck back into the Silver Spring defensive zone. Narayanan passed to Holland in the neutral zone. Entering the offensive zone once again down the left side, he fired a shot from the side boards. Stutsrim-Lyons made a paddle save with his stick but did not control the rebound. The puck shot to the slot where Blazers forward Liam Redding chopped the puck back toward him. With Stutsrim-Lyons covering the left side of the net, Redding had a lot of space over to the right where the chop shot went. Redding’s second goal of the season brought Silver Spring back to within one goal at 7-6 with 2:45 minutes remaining.
Off the center ice faceoff, Blazers center William Campbell won the draw forward. Poresky grabbed the puck heading forward into the Upper Montgomery defensive zone. He split in between both Lightning defenders in alone on Stutsrim-Lyons. He elected to shoot from about ten feet in front of the goal. Stutsrim-Lyons made a very good right leg pad save. With both Lightning defenders converging on Poresky, Campbell was all alone in interior of the left faceoff circle. He fired the rebound past the Lightning goalie’s glove hand to tie the game. For Campbell it was his second goal on the season.
With the game tied and 2:30 left to go in regulation, both teams had multiple skaters back focusing on defense. It helped Upper Montgomery because Silver Spring changed their go forward at all costs strategy to play for the tie and overtime after coming back from being down by five goals. A shell shocked Upper Montgomery squad could not believe that the five goal led had slipped away. With twenty seconds to go in regulation time Silver Spring iced the puck. Upper Montgomery had a late chance with a faceoff in the right faceoff circle in the offensive zone. While Upper Montgomery won the offensive zone draw, they were outraced to the loose puck by Poresky. Poresky carried the puck forward into the neutral zone then into the Upper Montgomery defensive zone. The Lightning were able to stop Poresky’s offensive rush with the puck popping back out to neutral ice.
Holland then collected the puck entering the Upper Montgomery defensive zone again on the left. His shot from the familiar left faceoff circle was wide of the net with the puck tumbling up the right wing boards to Poresky. Poresky swung the puck deep into right corner with the puck sliding all the way around the net. The puck traveled all the way up the opposite wing boards to near the left point. Holland stepped in to grab the puck then curled back once his path was cut off. From the boards just inside the blue line he sent a desperation shot toward the goal. Partially screened, Stutsrim-Lyons picked up the puck late as it flew past his right shoulder on his stick side and into the back of the twine. With under four seconds left, Silver Spring’s dramatic comeback had concluded. The Blazers had overcome a five goal deficit near the end of the second period. They had survived being down by three goals with four minutes remaining and had pulled out an improbable victory.
For Upper Montgomery it was a crushing defeat after having the game sewn up. While the coaching staff will spin the outcome as a teaching lesson, it is inexcusable to have such a large lead not come out with the victory. The loss was all due to lack of playing within the Lightning’s structure of play. The students collectively let each other down by deviating from the style of play that had given the the team a huge lead. What was also concerning was that the team reverted back to playing pretty hockey where offense was the focus. The lack of physicality over the back half of the game. The lack of focus on defense, first, second, and always were the root cause of the team’s demise. Hopefully, with a week off before their next game, Upper Montgomery can forget the collapse and move past this debacle.
Game Notes:
- Upper Montgomery was outshot by Silver Spring 38-24 for the game.
- Upper Montgomery gave up six goals in the third period, four in the last four minutes of regulation.
- Upper Montgomery senior defender Brady Berkhammer set a personal career high with five assists in the game. The five points were also a career high.
- Berkhammer leads the Montgomery Hockey Conference in assists with nine over two games.
- Lightning ninth grade forward Miles Gleason outscored his opening night performance with five goals. He now has nine goals on the season leading the Montgomery Hockey Conference in goals with nine and in points with twelve, six in each game.
- Lightning ninth grade center Wyatt Ostrander notched his first two career high school points with assists.
- Lightning junior center Aiden Zheng added an assist for his first point of the season.
- Upper Montgomery returns to action next Friday evening against the Northwest / Quince Orchard Jaguars. Game time is 6:40 pm at the Rockville Ice Arena.
Three Stars of the Game:
First Star—Simon Holland—Silver Spring Defense—4 Goals, 1 Assist, GWG with Four Seconds Remaining
Second Star—Miles Gleason—Upper Montgomery Forward—5 Goals, 1 Assist
Third Star—Brady Berkhammer—Upper Montgomery Defense—5 Assists