Author: chucklevine

For the third time this season the Upper Montgomery Lightning eased past the Northwest / Quince Orchard Jaguars. The final score of Friday’s game was 8-4, with the game not as competitive as the final score indicated. Northwest / Quince Orchard scored two goals in garbage time at the end of the game to make the score look more respectable. Upper Montgomery charged out to a 6-1 lead after two periods of play outshooting the Jaguars badly in building its insurmountable lead. With the victory, Upper Montgomery advances to the semifinals of the Montgomery Hockey Conference varsity tournament. It was a very good win for the Lightning who played without their leading scorer in senior center Henry Honacki (15GP, 12G, 7A) and their leading defensive scorer junior defender Brady Berkhammer (15GP, 4G, 15A). The Lightning also saw the return of sophomore goalie Ilan Shterenberg who missed last week’s playoff game against BCC with an illness.

Upper Montgomery controlled play right from the beginning of the game. Having the majority of puck possession time the Lightning were easily able to hold down the Jaguars. Northwest / Quince Orchard never threatened in the offensive zone over the opening three and a half minutes of play. The frustrated Jaguars chased play all over the ice. The only scenario that helped Northwest / Quince Orchard was that Upper Montgomery missed the net on multiple high danger scoring opportunities. The Jaguars frustration eventually boiled over when Jaguars forward Omar Ben Younes received a roughing penalty for throwing a body check away from the play.

On the powerplay, the Lightning turned up the pressure even further. Upper Montgomery 18U AA senior forward, Nathan Cassel cut off a Northwest / Quince Orchard shorthanded advance up ice along the right wing boards. The puck was scooped up by Lightning junior 16U AAA defender Owen Robbins. Robbins curled back into his defensive zone where he passed the puck over to Cassel on the left wing. Cassel entered the offensive zone down the left wing progressing to the bottom of the left faceoff circle. He unleashed a wrist shot top shelf short side above Northwest / Quince Orchard senior goalie Joseph Dean’s blocker. It was Cassel’s eighth goal of his condensed senior season as he missed multiple games at the beginning of the year with an upper body injury.

Upper Montgomery continued to dominate play over the next five minutes of action looking to increase their lead. The Jaguars cleared the puck out of their defensive zone down the ice where Shterenberg stopped the puck. The goalie then handed the puck to Robbins in the right defensive corner. Robbins sent an outlet pass to Lightning forward Philip Shkeda in the neutral zone. Shkeda banked a pass off the boards that was intercepted by Northwest / Quince Orchard. Shkeda followed up the play knocking the puck free to Cassel who then took the puck down the right wing boards. He stickhandled with the puck before sending it back to the right point to Upper Montgomery sophomore defender Miles Wendland. Wendland dumped the puck to the right corner with the puck coming around the boards to Lightning sophomore center Jake Hudson stationed in the left corner. Hudson sent a backhand pass to Shkeda. Shkeda received the pass before curling to the middle of the ice. He stickhandled through several defenders then faked out Dean putting a forehand shot past the goalie’s leg pad. Shkeda’s sixth tally on the year increased Upper Montgomery’s lead to 2-0.

Two minutes after Shkeda’s goal, Upper Montgomery faced its first penalty kill situation of the evening. Lightning depth forward Jason Woodman was called for a roughing penalty for an excellent body check on the Jaguars puck carrier. It was a mystifying penalty call. Not only did Upper Montgomery excel during the penalty kill, the Lightning outplayed the Jaguars with one less skater on the ice. A Northwest / Quince Orchard shot from the left point was blocked by Upper Montgomery senior center Josh Nadler. The puck bounced forward directly to Cassel sending him off on a breakaway down the left wing. Cassel’s shot was saved by Dean’s left leg pad. The rebound was collected by Nadler along the right wing boards. After a short puck battle, Nadler emerged with the puck. He turned sending a pass to Cassel in the slot. This time Cassel’s wrist shot went low past Dean’s glove hand for the shorthanded goal. Cassel’s second goal of the night and ninth of the season gave Upper Montgomery a 3-0 lead entering the first intermission. It was one of the better periods that the Lightning had played in several weeks.

After a small blip, the second period mirrored the first. Three minutes into the second period, the Jaguars got on the scoreboard off of a broken play. Northwest / Quince Orchard leading scorer, junior center Ethan Custodio collected the puck along the right wing boards in his defensive zone. He skated the puck up ice all the way into the offensive zone. He was guarded by Wendland and his defensive partner, Lightning senior defender Cole Howerton. With both defenders shadowing the dangerous Custodio who had the puck, he sent the puck to his left into open ice. The puck came close to the slot where Ben Younes slapped at the puck. Somehow, his slow shot along the ice got past the left leg pad of Shterenberg just inside the right goal post. It was Ben Younes’ first goal of the season bringing the Jaguars within two goals at 3-1.

Twenty five seconds later the Lightning’s lead was back to three goals. Upper Montgomery had considerable offensive zone time. A slap pass by Northwest / Quince Orchard was cut off by Wendland at the center point just inside the blue line. He skated two strides to his left and unloaded a wrist shot high to the far side of the net past Dean’s glove hand. Wendland’s unassisted marker was his second goal on the season eliminating any stress a potential Northwest / Quince Orchard comeback would apply.

The next six minutes of game action saw Upper Montgomery continuously press forward offensively. A fifth goal would likely end the competitive portion of the game putting the Lightning up by four goals. With five minutes left in the middle period, the Jaguars cleared the puck to the Upper Montgomery defensive zone. The puck was retrieved by Upper Montgomery ninth grade defender Matt Rivera. He sent a pass up the middle of the ice to Cassel in the neutral zone. Cassel took the puck down the right wing into the Northwest / Quince Orchard defensive zone. He stickhandled to free himself from the Jaguars defense leaving a drop pass for Shkeda. Shkeda was not expecting the pass but was able to secure possession bringing the puck deeper into the offensive zone along the right wing boards down into the right faceoff circle. He stopped and found Robbins unguarded in the slot. Robbins had time and space to send a slinging wrist shot high over Dean’s glove hand for his eighth goal of the season. It was Robbins first tally since the Richard Montgomery game back in early November.

With under a minute remaining in the second period, Upper Montgomery scored its sixth goal of the evening putting the game well out of reach. From a faceoff in the left faceoff circle in the offensive zone, Nadler won the draw to Robbins in the slot. Robbins fired a backhanded shot that Dean saved with his right leg pad. A Jaguars defender attempted to go around the net with the puck from his left to his right. On the way around the net he was met by Robbins who relieved him of the puck. Robbins left the puck along the right wing boards for Shkeda. Shkeda carried the puck further down the right wing boards into the right corner before giving it up to Robbins who was headed in the other direction up the boards toward the right point. With possession, Robbins pivoted back toward the corner coming at the net on the same side. He sent a backhand pass to Nadler standing just outside the goal crease. Nadler fired a quick shot short side over Dean’s leg pad and under his glove. It was goals in back to back games for Nadler after going the entire regular season without scoring.

With a five goal lead and in complete control of the game, the Upper Montgomery coaching staff pulled Shterenberg and inserted ninth grade goalie Porter Stutsrim-Lyons to handle the netminding duties in the third period. It was a reward for Stutsrim-Lyons whose play last week was excellent in both the varsity playoff game against BCC (40 saves on 43 shots on goal, .930 save percentage) and the junior varsity semifinal playoff game directly after the varsity game (39 saves on 42 shots on goal, .928 save percentage).

It seemed that inserting Stutsrim-Lyons into the game signaled to the teams that the competitive portion of the game had ended. Upper Montgomery certainly played the third period similar to a scrimmage with very low intensity. A minute into the final period Lightning sophomore forward Aiden Zheng was called for a tripping penalty for reaching in from behind on a Jaguars skater. It took a minute and a half, but Northwest / Quince Orchard struck while playing with the additional skater. Jaguars senior defender Drew Blurton broke up an Upper Montgomery shorthanded two on one rush. He possessed the puck in his own left defensive corner where he started innocently skating the puck up ice. He wound around the defensive zone then into the neutral zone where he cut left to enter the Upper Montgomery defensive zone. He carried the puck around the net from left to right. As he came around the side of the net heading up into the right faceoff circle, Blurton lifted a backhanded shot toward the goal. The puck clanked off the side of Stutsrim-Lyons helmet backwards into the net for an unassisted powerplay goal, Blurton’s third goal of the season.

A minute later Upper Montgomery stretched the lead back to 7-2. A Northwest / Quince Orchard clear down the ice was retrieved by Wendland. He skated with the puck around his net from right to left. On the right side boards, he swung the puck up the boards to Shkeda in the neutral zone. Shkeda entered the offensive zone down the middle of the ice. With no Jaguars defender converging on him, Shkeda took the puck directly to the net. He faked Dean but the goalie was able to poke check the puck loose from Shkeda’s possession. Robbins collected the puck momentarily but lost possession to the Jaguars defense. The Northwest / Quince Orchard defensive zone clearing attempt was read well by Rivera. He rushed over to stop the puck before it crossed over the defensive blue line. Rivera did what he could with the puck by simply dumping it into open ice on the left side of the offensive zone. Robbins skated hard reaching the puck first due to his effort. He regathered the puck. Once in control of the puck, Robbins spun towards the net and fired a rocket of a wrist shot that beat Dean high to the glove side. The Jaguars’ netminder hardly moved as the puck zoomed past him for Robbins’ second goal of the evening and his ninth on the season.

Five minutes later Nadler scored his second goal of the evening to finish off the Lightning’s goal scoring. It was his third goal in the last two games. From a faceoff in the left faceoff circle in the offensive zone, Nadler won the draw to the right where Robbins stepped forward to grab the puck. Robbins sent a pass over to Cassel at the left point. Cassel’s wrist shot was blocked by the Jaguars defense falling into the slot near Nadler. Nadler fired a quick wrist shot low to the far side of the goal past Dean’s glove hand.

With just over three minutes remaining in the game, Upper Montgomery depth forward Siddy Bhasin was issued an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for mouthing off to the officials in an 8-2 game. Northwest / Quince Orchard wasted no time at all in tallying their second powerplay goal of the period. Five seconds after Bhasin went into the penalty box, the score closed to 8-3. Off of a faceoff in the left faceoff circle in the offensive zone, the referee dropped the puck before Upper Montgomery was aligned to defend. Custudio won the faceoff forward stretching to nudge the puck to his right. Jaguars ninth grade forward Gabriel Carlos was all alone on the right side of the crease to easily tap in the puck past Stutsrim-Lyons. It was Carlos’ fourth goal of the season and third scored against Upper Montgomery.

Thirty seconds later Custudio scored to close the margin to 8-4 which was as close as the Jaguars would get. An Upper Montgomery turnover in the neutral zone went to Custodio. He turned back up ice blazing down the left side of the offensive zone around the Lightning defense. His initial short side shot was saved by Stutsrim-Lyons with the puck deflecting up in the air. Upper Montgomery ninth grade defender Lillian Robbins saved a goal by clearing the puck off of the goal line. Her clearing swat went all the way to the left point where Blurton kept the puck in the offensive zone. Blurton’s shot bounced around on its way toward the net. It finally settled at the side of the goal directly onto Custodio’s stick for an easy tap in goal.

With the victory, Upper Montgomery moves into the semifinal round of the Montgomery Hockey Conference Varsity Tournament. It is the third straight year that the Lightning have made the semifinals. The team will be looking to advance back to the championship game with an opportunity to defend their championship from last season. Last year’s finals victory was the most impactful championship won in the history of the Upper Montgomery program. Becoming back to back champions would continue to cement the program’s climb into the top tier of Montgomery County hockey programs.

Game Notes:

• Upper Montgomery had a distinct advantage in shots on goal. The Lightning fired 39 shots on Northwest / Quince Orchard senior goalie Joseph Dean. The Jaguars fired 23 shots against the Lightning goalie tandem. Upper Montgomery outshot the Jaguars 26-10 over the first two periods of play in building their 6-1 lead.
• Upper Montgomery had three different students score two goals in the game; senior forward Nathan Cassel, senior center Josh Nadler, and junior defender Owen Robbins.
• All three games Owen Robbins scored in were multi-goal efforts. He authored two, three, and four goal games this season.
• Upper Montgomery played without its leading defensive scorer Brady Berkhammer in the game.
• The Lightning were also without their leading overall scorer, senior center Henry Honacki who missed the game serving his one game supplementary disciplinary suspension for receiving a major penalty for boarding in last week’s playoff game against BCC.
• Jaguars center Ethan Custodio tallied eight points in three games against the Lightning; three goals and five assists.
• Lightning sophomore goalie Ilan Shterenberg increased his varsity win total to seven.
• Upper Montgomery advances on to the Montgomery Hockey Conference Varsity Tournament Semifinals. After a two week break, the Lightning will host the Blair Blazers on Friday, February 21st. Game time is 8:10 pm at Rockville Ice Arena.

Three Stars of the Game:

First Star—Nathan Cassel—Upper Montgomery Forward—2 Goals, 2 Assists
Second Star—Owen Robbins—Upper Montgomery Defense—2 Goals, 3 Assists
Third Star—Josh Nadler—Upper Montgomery Center—2 Goals, 1 Assist

The Upper Montgomery Lightning junior varsity played an outstanding game late Friday night against top seeded Wootton in the semifinals of the Montgomery Hockey Conference junior varsity playoffs. It was an excellent high school hockey game between the top two junior varsity squads in the county. Upper Montgomery controlled the flow and pace of the game against the high flying Patriots holding a 1-0 lead entering the third period. At that point, the effects of playing back to back games became too large of an impediment for Upper Montgomery. Wootton stormed back aided by two early third period powerplay goals to defeat the Lightning 3-1 advancing to the junior varsity championship game against BCC. Wootton is expected to prevail easily against the Barons and take home their first junior varsity title. The loss ends the season for Upper Montgomery completing the year with a 5-3-2 record.

Entering the contest Upper Montgomery knew that the best way to stifle the Patriots was to play a smothering defensive system that prevented Wootton from getting into their preferred skating game. At times, the Lightning created a ring around the interior of the defensive zone content to let Wootton keep possession of the puck on the exterior. The Patriots were forced to fire long range shots on Upper Montgomery ninth grade goalie Porter Stutsrim-Lyons. When Upper Montgomery did possess the puck, the team sent the puck out to neutral ice or deep into the Patriots defensive zone with multiple students scrambling to the bench for a line change. Upper Montgomery’s plan was to frustrate the Patriots while capitalizing on counter attack rushes up ice. The Lightning skaters blocked shot after shot. The defense cleared rebounds out of harm’s way. Upper Montgomery goaltender Stutsrim-Lyons came through with an outstanding performance after being unexpectedly thrust into playing in back to back games. He had to start the varsity playoff game when the Lightning’s starting varsity goalie, sophomore Ilan Shterenberg came down ill forcing Stutsrim-Lyons into playing both games.

The beginning of the game was unsettling. After the Upper Montgomery varsity game ran late due to a zamboni malfunction, the student athletes that were also playing in the junior varsity game hustled from Rockville Ice Arena over to Cabin John Ice Rink. The Lightning were forced to use their time out at the beginning of the game to allow Stutsrim-Lyons time to complete gearing up. Once game action commenced, the Lightning executed the game plan to a T. Defense, defense, defense, more defense, and then even more defense. Wootton was unable to solve Stutsrim-Lyons. The Lightning rolled forward lines and defensive pairings in an attempt to keep the students playing in their second game of the night as fresh and rested as possible.

Six minutes into the game, Upper Montgomery earned the first powerplay of the night when Wootton’s top line center sophomore Nathan Geeng was called for an interference penalty. While Upper Montgomery did not score or even threaten offensively, it was two more minutes of denying Wootton the ability to play to their core strength, transition offense. After Upper Montgomery’s powerplay fizzled, Lightning sophomore forward Jake Hudson took his first penalty of the season. He was whistled for a minor penalty for hooking. Wootton pressured the entire two minutes in the offensive zone, but could not penetrate Upper Montgomery’s packed in penalty kill. When shots did get through, Stutsrim-Lyons was there to shut the door.

As Wootton’s extra skater advantage concluded unsuccessfully, the Lightning began to exude confidence at keeping Wootton off the scoreboard for more than ten minutes. Upper Montgomery had a burst offensively which ultimately gave the Lightning a 1-0 lead. Upper Montgomery sophomore defender Miles Wendland had the puck at his own defensive blue line along the left wing boards. He sent a diagonal pass which Hudson received at the right wing boards standing at the center red line. Hudson skated the puck into the Wootton defensive zone. He was immediately pressured by the Wootton defense. While falling down, Hudson swept the puck around the net into the left corner. The puck hit the net and was gathered in by the Wootton defense.

The clearing attempt was kept in at the left point by Wendland. His shot on goal was an easy pad save for Wootton’s sophomore goalie Kevin Yu, with the puck directed into the left corner. Lightning ninth grade forward, Luke Hudson, Jake’s brother, retrieved the puck and sent it our front to fellow ninth grade forward Siddy Bhasin. Bhasin’s first shot attempt was blocked by the Wootton defense. His second shot was saved by Yu with the puck bouncing back to Bhasin. The Upper Montgomery forward then took the puck around the back of the net. Moving from left to right he pivoted out from behind the goal line extended and stuffed a backhand wraparound shot between Yu’s left skate and the near goal post. Upper Montgomery had all three of its first period shots in quick succession concluding with Bhasin’s sixth goal of the season.

With two minutes remaining in the opening period Upper Montgomery now had a lead to protect. Then came more penalties. First, Luke Hudson took an interference penalty inside of a minute remaining in the first period. Twenty seconds later Wendland was called for a roughing penalty for a great check in the corner. Definitely not a penalty. The Lightning were down two skaters for a minute and forty seconds bridging the first and second periods. Upper Montgomery’s penalty killers, Jake Hudson, Aiden Zheng, AJ Marks, Patrick Sell, and Cole Howerton did an amazing job getting through both the end of the opening period and the beginning of the second period without giving up a goal. Stutsrim-Lyons did a heck of a job as well maintaining his focus and fighting off shot after shot.

Wootton controlled the territorial advantage throughout the second period as well. Although shots were more even, fourteen for Wootton and nine for Upper Montgomery, several of the Lightning’s shots were defensive zone clears or red line dump ins that happened to be on goal forcing Yu to push the puck aside. Stutsrim-Lyons continued making saves. Upper Montgomery continued defending all over the ice. Wootton kept pressing all while the score remained 1-0 Upper Montgomery as the time passed eleven o’clock in the evening. With just over a minute remaining in the second period, Lightning senior defender and team captain Cole Howerton received a minor penalty for high sticking.

Back to the penalty kill for Upper Montgomery. The team’s passive approach seemed to confuse the Patriots. Rather than work into the interior of the defense, Wootton settled for long range shots or tried to force opportunities that were not available. This allowed Stutsrim-Lyons to swallow shots with no rebounds, Upper Montgomery penalty killers to block shots, Wootton shots flew past the net wide, and the Lightning kept clearing the defensive zone. At the end of two periods of play the Lightning were ahead needing to just hold on for the final fifteen minutes of action. Shots on goal through two periods of play favored Wootton 26-12.

The game was about to enter the danger zone for the Lightning. Could the team keep playing with the same pace and intensity with so many of the students already having played five periods of hockey in the past three hours with travel in between the games. Upper Montgomery was able to make it through the last forty five seconds of Wootton’s fourth powerplay. Fourteen minutes remained…

On the next shift after Howerton returned to the ice surface, Bhasin was issued a slashing penalty for hacking an onrushing Wootton forward. The Lightning admirably killed off the first minute and forty five seconds of the extra attacker advantage. Twelve minutes remained… As Bhasin was getting ready to return from the penalty box, Wootton struck to even the game at one. From a faceoff in the left faceoff circle in the offensive zone, Wootton won the draw and maintained puck possession. Patriots Defender Isaac Greene took the puck to the left corner continuing on around the net from left to right. His shot from the lower right faceoff circle was blocked. The puck ricocheted to the left wing boards. Wootton forward Brendan Lau sent the puck deep into the left corner for Geeng. Geeng sent the puck back to the left point to Greene who had returned to his regular defensive position. Greene’s wrist shot along the ice was saved by Stutsrim-Lyons’s right leg pad. Stutsrim-Lyons steered the rebound back into the left corner. The puck was gathered in by Geeng who skated towards the net drawing the Lightning defensive coverage. Geeng sent a cross ice pass to Wootton forward Drew Kronforst. With Upper Montgomery’s far side forward out of position, Kronforst had time to stop the puck before he lifted a wrist shot high over the Lightning netminder as Stutsrim-Lyons was coming over to face up to the shot. It was Kronforst’s third goal of the season tying up the game with twelve minutes remaining.

The Lightning made it through only twenty seconds before Luke Hudson was called for a roughing penalty. After an initial penalty call made against Wootton, Hudson’s penalty was the sixth consecutive call against Upper Montgomery. The Upper Montgomery coaching staff let the referees hear about the discrepancy in penalties and their thoughts on how weak some of the calls were. Even so, the Lightning were back on the penalty kill yet again. As the second minute of the powerplay got underway, Wootton scored its second powerplay goal in succession to jump into the lead.

A Wootton zone entry dump in was stopped by Stutsrim-Lyons in the left faceoff circle. Kronforst picked up the puck dropping it off the left wing boards back to Geeng who was just entering the offensive zone. Geeng skated to the interior of the left faceoff circle where his snap shot was blocked. The puck caromed over to Lau now covering at the left point. Lau moved around the Upper Montgomery forward coming out to meet him at the point. With inside positioning, Lau traveled to the left faceoff circle where he sent a heavy wrist shot short side high over Stutsrim-Lyons’s right shoulder. With ten minutes left in regulation time, Lau’s seventh goal of the season had put the Patriots on top. Curiously and magically, the stern discussion by the Upper Montgomery coaching staff resulted in no more penalties called against Upper Montgomery for the rest of the game. Humph!

Upper Montgomery had ten minutes to find the equalizer. The team responded by becoming much more offensive. The defenders were instructed to join the rush to try and outnumber the Patriots getting back on defense. The change in strategy once again caught the Patriots by surprise as Upper Montgomery had ten shots on goal in the third period alone. The Wootton powerplays combined with Upper Montgomery taking risks offensively late in the third period resulted in sixteen shot on goal fired against Stutsrim-Lyons. The Lightning were able to generate several good offensive chances over the final ten minutes of the game. Several quality looks were fired wide of the net. A couple hit Yu directly in the center of his chest protector. The tired Lightning gave everything they had with sophomore forward Jackson Schickler firing himself head first diving across the ice to block shots when Wootton countered the Lightning’s offensive push.

With three and a half minutes left in regulation Wootton tallied an insurance goal to put the Lightning behind the eight ball. Wootton entered the Upper Montgomery defensive zone down the left side of the ice. Lau left a drop pass for Geeng at the left faceoff circle. Geeng stepped into a slap shot that sizzled wide of the net to the far side. Lau briefly retrieved the puck in the right corner before he was relieved of the puck by Wendland. Wendland flipped the puck to an Upper Montgomery forward on the right wing boards. Unfortunately, that Upper Montgomery forward fanned on the defensive zone clearing attempt. Geeng shoveled the puck forward to Wootton forward Jayden Ahn. From the low slot, Ahn sent a spinning backhand shot that nestled just inside the left post past Stutsrim-Lyons’s extended right leg for his fifth goal of the season.

With a two goal lead and three and a half minutes remaining, Wootton sat back in a defensive shell. The Patriots were content to flip the puck back to center ice and make the Lightning fight just to gain entry into the offensive zone. The exhausted Upper Montgomery student athletes made a strong effort to try and find another goal, but just simply ran out of gas and time. Upper Montgomery played valiantly. For the first 33 minutes of the game the young Lightning executed the game plan flawlessly. In the later rounds of the playoffs all of the teams are talented. The Lightning gave everything they had pushing Wootton close to the edge before coming up a smidge short of returning to the junior varsity championship game for the first time since 2021 – 2022.

Game Notes:

• Shots on goal were heavily weighted in favor of Wootton 42-22. The Patriots outshot Upper Montgomery twelve to three in the first period in which they were trailing 1-0.
• Lightning ninth grade goalie Porter Stutsrim-Lyons stopped 39 of 42 shots directly after stopping 40 of 43 shots in the Upper Montgomery varsity playoff game played prior to the junior varsity playoff game. It was a combined .929 save percentage with four of the six goals scored against on the opposition’s powerplays.
• Upper Montgomery ninth grade forward Max Israfilbek missed the Wootton game serving his supplemental discipline for receiving four penalties in a game against Churchill in last week’s junior varsity quarterfinal matchup.
• Lightning Head Coach Todd Hassett missed the Wootton game serving his supplemental discipline suspension for receiving three unsportsmanlike conduct penalties in a season.

Three Stars of the Game:

First Star—Porter Stutsrim-Lyons—Upper Montgomery Goalie—39 saves, .928 Save Percentage
Second Star—Nathan Geeng—Wootton Center—3 Assists
Third Star—Drew Kronforst—Wootton Forward—1 Goal, 1 Assist

Friday, January 31, 2025, will go down in the annals of the Upper Montgomery Lightning hockey program as one of the weirdest days in program history. The day resulted in two games with undesirable outcomes. The Upper Montgomery varsity squad was scheduled to face off against the BCC Barons at 8:10 pm in an opening round game of the Montgomery Hockey Conference playoff tournament. Two hours before the drop of the puck Lightning varsity goalie, sophomore 16U AA Ilan Shterenberg became ill. Upper Montgomery’s junior varsity goalie Porter Stutsrim-Lyons would have to step in and make his first ever varsity start in net. Stutsrim-Lyons, a ninth grade 14U Lower A goalie, was already scheduled to play in the Lightning junior varsity’s semifinal playoff game across town at Cabin John Ice Rink at 10:00 pm later in the evening. It is never optimal to have a goaltender play two games in one day and certainly not back-to-back with travel across town in a driving rain storm in between.

Then, as both teams were looking to have the varsity game start as soon as possible (both teams had junior varsity playoff semifinal games directly after the varsity game), the Rockville Ice Arena zamboni driver caused the zamboni to malfunction taking a chunk out of the ice while simultaneously dropping a mound of snow in the far corner of the ice surface. So, rather than beginning the varsity game at 8:10 pm, the game did not begin until 8:35 pm. The twenty-five minute delay wrecking havoc for later in the evening for the student athletes traveling and playing in both games.

Once the game finally began, over the first seven minutes Upper Montgomery adhered to the game plan of defense first, protecting the zone around Stutsrim-Lyons’s net, and getting the puck back to neutral ice at any cost. This style of play best suits Upper Montgomery contributing to a well played first fifteen minutes by the green and gold. At the eight minute mark of the opening period, Upper Montgomery jumped to the lead just after an amazing diving save by Stustrim-Lyons on BCC defender Jacob Reitz.

From an offensive zone faceoff from the right faceoff circle, Upper Montgomery senior center Josh Nadler won the faceoff back to the right point to ninth grade defender Lillian Robbins. Robbins sent the puck to her left along the blue line to her defensive partner, junior Brady Berkhammer. Berkhammer stickhandled around the approaching BCC forward and fired a wrist shot through traffic at the net. This is something that the coaching staff had been working on with Berkhammer all season long, getting more pucks to the front of the net. Berkhammer’s shot was saved by Boyle. The rebound fell to her feet with Nadler standing right where the puck fell. He calmly sent a backhander past Boyle along the ice near post. For Nadler it was his first point on the season which certainly came as a relief. Berkhammer’s primary assist was his fifteenth of the year extended his team lead in helpers. It was necessary depth scoring that the Lightning had been missing for a majority of the season.

A minute after Nadler’s goal, Lightning senior defender Cole Howerton was called for a roughing penalty for standing up an oncoming BCC forward at the blue line. It was a great play by Howerton to thwart the Barons rush up ice. A horrible penalty call by the referees, beginning a theme of the evening. Thankfully, the terrible penalty call did not impact Upper Montgomery as the Lightning penalty killers did an excellent job of clearing out the front of the net to allow Stutsrim-Lyons to see shots clearly. His solid positioning allowed the puck to hit him in the crest of the Lightning logo making several long range stops look easy with no rebounds.

Howerton returned to the ice with five minutes remaining in the first period. A minute later, Upper Montgomery’s active career goals and points leader, senior forward Nathan Cassel increased the Lightning’s lead to 2-0. The Barons dumped the puck down ice into the Upper Montgomery defensive zone. Robbins and BCC forward Ramin Jacobs tied each other up in the corner to Stutsrim-Lyons’s left. Jacobs got loose and passed the puck up the right wing boards to no one. Lightning junior forward Philip Shkeda took possession of the puck skating out of the defensive end of the ice up the right wing toward the BCC goal. Noticing the play developing, Cassel fired up ice to create a two on one rush with Shkeda. Shkeda fired a hard wrist shot from the inner edge of the right faceoff circle. Boyle made the initial save with both her glove and blocker positioned in front of her body. Cassel was there to knock the rebound between her legs five hole to collect his seventh goal of his shortened senior season and his fortieth career tally.

After the goal was scored, at the very beginning of the next shift, Upper Montgomery senior forward TJ Gottesman was called for a charging penalty for boarding a BCC skater along the far wing boards. The Lightning were immediately back on the penalty kill. Gottesman would miss twelve minutes of game action because of the automatic ten minute misconduct penalty that is assessed along with his two minute minor penalty for charging. Upper Montgomery received a bit of a reprieve after only fifty seconds of penalty kill time when BCC’s top defender junior Grady Jiggens was called for tripping in the neutral zone tying to stop a developing two on one rush. Both the Barons and then the Lightning failed to convert on their abbreviated powerplay time.

With under two minutes remaining in the opening period, Nadler was whistled for a hooking penalty. Upper Montgomery led by Stutsrim-Lyons shut the door on BCC to take a 2-0 lead into the first intermission. Nadler’s penalty would carry over into the beginning of the second period by seventeen seconds. Shots on goal in the opening fifteen minutes of action were BCC with twelve and Upper Montgomery with nine. The nine shots on goal were equal to the Lightning’s total for the game against Whitman in their recent regular season conference finale. It was also one more shot on goal than the team’s total earlier in the week against Oakdale in the final regular season contest.

BCC exploded with energy to begin the second period. With the remainder of their powerplay, the Barons pressured in the offensive zone. Stutsrim-Lyons made another key save as Nadler returned to game action. Directly after the Lightning returned to even strength they advanced the puck into the BCC defensive zone. Shkeda sent a pass toward Cassel in the slot that was a fraction behind him. The Barons took possession heading up ice. BCC sophomore forward Brady Page sent the puck to the right wing for Lightning nemesis senior forward Evan Williams. Williams skated into the Upper Montgomery defensive zone where he cut toward the middle of the ice. Williams fired a wrist shot from the high slot that was easily blockered away by Stutsrim-Lyons. Stutsrim-Lyons directed the puck into the left corner out of harm’s way. Page was first in to gather the puck. He sent it back to the left point to Jiggens at the blue line. Jiggens sent the puck over to Williams standing alone in the right faceoff circle. With time and space, Williams unloaded another high wrist shot. This shot went to the far goal post over Stutsrim-Lyons’ blocker into the top left corner of the net. The Barons were back in the game down only 2-1. For Williams it was his thirteenth goal of his final high school season. It was also his seventh and final goal all-time tormenting Upper Montgomery.

BCC carried play for the next several minutes attempting to tally the equalizer. A roughing penalty to Lightning senior center and leading scorer Henry Honacki provided the Barons a prime opportunity. From a faceoff in the right faceoff circle in the offensive zone, Page won the faceoff to the right wing boards. BCC’s leading scorer Leo Alley-Strocher dropped the puck back to Jiggens at the right point. Jiggens sent the puck to his left along the blue line to BCC junior defender Benjamin Lyons. Upper Montgomery’s penalty killers sagged toward the goal allowing Lyons to skate down the slot. As he got closer to the net, he fired a wrist shot past Stutsrim-Lyons to the stick side. Ten seconds into the BCC’s fourth powerplay of the evening the game was tied at two. It was just Lyons’s third goal of the season. With still eleven and a half minutes remaining in the second period the game was tied. BCC had already been awarded four powerplays on the evening. The Lightning had wasted a very well played first period in under four minutes of the second period.

The Upper Montgomery penalties were not done. Ninth grade defender Matt Rivera was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct for going to the net and stopping near Boyle. No whistle had blown and Rivera was headed in looking for a loose rebound. A penalty never should have been called on the play. Rivera should have been issued at most a warning. It was a terrible officiating decision. Luckily, the fifth BCC powerplay was stymied. The Lightning penalty killers did an excellent job keeping BCC to the exterior. Long range shots were snuffed out by Stutsrim-Lyons with the game remained tied. Seeming to understand their terrible officiating call the referees evened up play with a mysterious hooking call on Page halfway through the BCC extra skater advantage.

With neither team scoring on their condensed powerplays, the teams returned to full strength with six minutes remaining in the middle frame. Both teams played the remainder of the period penalty free, a welcome respite for Upper Montgomery which had been whistled for five minor penalties over the first half of the game. In return, the Lightning had been granted only two truncated very short fragments with the extra skater advantage. The lack of penalties over the balance of the period allowed both teams to find their skating legs. The up and down the ice rushes had fans on the edge of their seats with each team having glorious scoring chances stonewalled by the netminders, BCC’s Boyle and Upper Montgomery’s Stutsrim-Lyons. BCC fired twelve more shots on the Lightning’s goalie bringing their two period total to 24. Upper Montgomery countered with only six shots on Boyle to sit at a two period total of fifteen. Filling in for Shterenberg, Stutsrim-Lyons’s play had been excellent through two periods of playing giving the Lightning everything they could have hoped for.

The teams went toe to toe to begin the third period. Upper Montgomery had made the mistake of allowing BCC to hang around in the game. After trailing by two goals, the Barons were feeling good being tied at two with ten minutes remaining in the game. A BCC rush into the Upper Montgomery offensive zone ended with Lightning sophomore defender Miles Wendland being called for a tripping penalty. A marginal call at best since there was no real scoring threat on the play. It was a call which should never have been made in the third period of a tied playoff game after having already called so many penalties on the Lightning.

As Wendland’s penalty was expiring, BCC took their first lead of the game. From his own defensive zone, Lyons sent an outlet pass to Alley-Strocher to the Upper Montgomery defensive blue line. Alley-Strocher dumped the puck diagonally from the right wing at the blue line high into the left wing corner. The puck was collected and then skated by BCC junior forward Peter Lanpher up the boards towards the left point. Abruptly, he reversed direction and headed back into the left corner. His shot from along the goal line was blocked by the Upper Montgomery defense with the puck moving through the slot all the way to the right corner. Upper Montgomery was able to gain possession of the puck with Robbins stationed behind the Lightning net. In an unlucky situation, while being forechecked by Page, the puck hit a patch of bad ice. Robbins did not fully connect with the puck on her intended outlet pass. The puck was immediately stolen by Alley-Strocher near the Upper Montgomery goal. Alley-Strocher was stonewalled by Stutsrim-Lyons on his first shot, a stuff attempt. The puck settled right back to Alley-Strocher. This time he was patient, taking a step to his right changing the angle of his next shot attempt which went just past an outstretched Stutsrim-Lyons into the open far side of the net. It was Alley-Strocher’s eighteenth goal of the season, none more important than the lead marker with eight minutes remaining in regulation time.

Upper Montgomery had eight minutes to find the equalizer or their goal of qualifying for the state playoffs would end one round earlier than last year. The task became tougher forty-five seconds later when Shkeda was called for Upper Montgomery’s seventh penalty of the game, a cross checking minor. Fifteen seconds later, the task became nearly impossible as Honacki was called for a boarding major for a crushing and dangerous hit in the Upper Montgomery defensive zone. The BCC forward’s head being driven right into the side dasher board separating the boards from the glass. The major penalty dismissed Honacki from the game and will result in Upper Montgomery’s leading scorer missing the Lightning’s next contest.

Showing fight and desperation, Upper Montgomery killed off the five on three disadvantage preventing the Barons from salting away the game. When Shkeda stepped out of the penalty box onto the ice to make BCC’s powerplay a traditional five on four extra skater advantage, the Lightning still had over three more minutes of penalty kill time remaining. With time dwindling away, Upper Montgomery rushed up ice while shorthanded. Several long range stretch passes were tried in an attempt to pot a shorthanded goal to even up the game. Upper Montgomery’s aggressiveness while playing shorthanded did prevent BCC from fully looking to be offensive on their powerplay.

When the penalty kill ended, just over two minutes remained in the game. Having expended so much energy killing off the eight BCC powerplays on the night, the Lightning’s top offensive skaters were tiring. With the teams back at even strength, Upper Montgomery had difficulty getting puck possession in the offensive zone. BCC was fully packed back playing a prevent defense. It took until 27 seconds remained in the game before the Lightning were able to pull Stutsrim-Lyons for the extra attacker. A couple of poor zone entries later and the Barons surrounded Boyle in a large group celebratory hug. BCC will be moving on to face the Walter Johnson Wildcats in a winnable game to advance to the state playoffs.

Upper Montgomery must now shift focus to the quarterfinal round of the Montgomery Hockey Conference Varsity Tournament. This is a playoff bracket for all of the teams that did not make it to the Maryland Student Hockey League state playoffs. The consolation tournament is akin to the NIT college basketball tournament compared with the NCAA college basketball tournament that crowns the national champion. The seedings for the varsity tournament are due to be released next week after the quarterfinal round of the Montgomery Hockey Conference playoffs conclude. The Lightning will have to wipe away the disappointment of the loss to BCC. The team must refocus to snap out of the current five game losing streak to defend their varsity tournament championship from last year.

Game Notes:

• Upper Montgomery was once gain badly outshot. BCC fired 43 shots on Lightning goalie Porter-Stutsrim Lyons while Upper Montgomery countered with 20 shots on Barons goalie Vivienne Boyle.
• Stutsrim-Lyons was making his first varsity start after Upper Montgomery starting varsity goalie Ilan Shterenberg missed the game unexpectedly with an illness.
• Lightning leading scorer, senior center Henry Honacki will miss the Lightning’s next upcoming game serving the automatic one game supplementary discipline suspension for the boarding major penalty and game misconduct he received in the third period.
• Powerplays awarded during the game were eight for BCC and two shortened extra skater advantages for Upper Montgomery.
• Upper Montgomery will now await the release of the seedings for the Montgomery Hockey Conference Varsity Tournament. The Varsity Tournament is for all teams that do not quality for the Maryland Student Hockey League state playoffs. Quarterfinal round games are anticipated to be played on Friday, February 7 or Friday, February 14th.

Three Stars of the Game:

First Star—Porter Stutsrim Lyons—Upper Montgomery Goalie—40 Saves, .930 Save Percentage
Second Star—Leo Alley-Strocher—BCC Center—Game Winning Goal, 1 Assist
Third Star—Grady Jiggens—BCC Defense—2 Assists

The Upper Montgomery Lightning came into Wednesday’s regular season finale in need of a good effort. After falling to Whitman, the second ranked team in the state, 8-0 last Friday night, the team needed a better performance to prepare for Friday’s opening round Montgomery Hockey Conference playoff game against the BCC Barons. Although the score was the same against Oakdale, the state’s top ranked team, and the shot totals were almost identical 47-8, the Lightning offered a much better effort for most of the game. The score notwithstanding, the Lightning competed harder versus the Bears rarely straying from the defensive game plan. It was just several self inflicted failed defensive zone clears that doomed Upper Montgomery.

Facing a team with a more talented roster, the Lightning were going to have to rely on sophomore goalie Ilan Shterenberg as well as a style of play that would frustrate the Bears. Last season, Upper Montgomery took the Bears down to the wire leading 1-0 with under five minutes remaining in regulation. That was before the Bears scored back to back powerplay goals on a five on three skater advantage and then on the remainder of the five on four powerplay to squeak past Upper Montgomery. Oakdale then went on to win the state championship weeks later.

Even though Oakdale was more prepared for this game, the Lightning’s path to remaining competitive was the same, strong defensive play and continue to pester the Bears into making mistakes. Right from the beginning of the game Upper Montgomery competed harder against Oakdale than the team did in its previous game against Whitman. Even when Oakdale took an early 1-0 lead one minute into the game, the Lightning continued to defend with spirited play. Oakdale’s opening goal was the result of a failed Upper Montgomery defensive zone clear along the right wing boards. The puck was kept in at the left point by Oakdale forward Christian Swanson. Swanson passed the puck down low to Oakdale center Tyler Yuhas in the left corner. Yuhas sent the puck out front to Oakdale forward Mason Macera who quickly fired a one time snap shot high far side over Shterenberg’s blocker. For Macera it was his fifth goal of the season on yet another instance of the Lightning’s season long difficulty in not getting the puck out of their defensive zone.

The balance of the first period settled into a repetitious pattern of Oakdale attacking the Upper Montgomery defensive zone. Upper Montgomery defended and cleared the defensive zone. Or, Shterenberg was there to make a big save and freeze the puck. With six minutes remaining in the opening period, Oakdale forward Gavin Timberlake was called for a slashing minor. Upper Montgomery struggled to gain zone entry on the powerplay while Oakdale was content to wrestle control of the puck and send it down ice making Upper Montgomery rewind and try again to enter the offensive zone. If nothing else, Timberlake’s penalty gave Shterenberg a chance to catch his breath. After the Lightning’s unsuccessful powerplay ended, the teams both reverted to their previous style of play. The first period concluded with the Bears in front 1-0 having held the Lightning to just one shot on goal during the opening fifteen minutes of action. Shterenberg faced eight shots in the opening period.

The first six minutes of the second period resembled the first period. Upper Montgomery continued to do an excellent job defending all over the ice, Shterenberg made save after save, the score remained only 1-0 Oakdale. Then, the Lightning got the break they were looking for. While coming into the offensive zone alone, Upper Montgomery’s active points leader, senior forward Nathan Cassel was slashed from behind by Oakdale’s leading defender senior Timothy Farley. The referees awarded Cassel a penalty shot. Adding to the intrigue, Cassel and the Bears senior goaltender Charles Forino play on the same 18U AA external travel team, as does Farley. Kyle Metzler, Oakdale’s leader scorer who missed this game is also a member of the same 18U AA external travel team. Thus, Cassel would be coming in on his teammate, looking to tie up the game with a successful penalty shot. Cassel came in wide down the right wing. He cut to the net looking to draw Forino across the net from right to left before he shot. Unfortunately, Cassel did not get the shot up high enough as he attempted to beat Forino near side. The goalie made a glove save deflecting the puck out in front of the net.

The penalty shot save energized the Bears. A minute later Oakdale forward Chase Layer scored to put Oakdale up 2-0 unleashing the barrage of goals that would shortly follow. An Upper Montgomery pass from behind Shterenberg did not make it out of the defensive zone. Bears forward Charles Overeem stepped around the Upper Montgomery defender who made the original pass and sent the puck behind the net to Macera. Macera wasted no time centering the puck to Layer who chipped the puck over Shterenberg’s glove hand for his third tally on the season. A second Oakdale goal scored against the Lightning as a direct result of an Upper Montgomery defensive zone turnover.

Upper Montgomery recovered well from the defensive miscue and followed by playing six more minutes of sound defensive hockey. Then, the wheels came off as the close game turning into a one sided affair. Upper Montgomery put the puck into the Oakdale defensive zone. Timberlake sent the puck to the right wing boards for fellow forward, Micah Venezie. Venezie curled back while sending an outlet pass to Farley who was in the neutral zone along the right wing boards. Farley skated into the offensive zone, waited, before sending the puck back to the high slot area to an unguarded Timberlake. Timberlake took a few steps forward toward the net before firing a low wrist shot past Shterenberg’s glove hand. With two and a half minutes remaining in the second period, Timberlake’s sixth goal of the season gave Oakdale a 3-0 lead.

A minute later Timberlake tallied again. The game was no longer in doubt. An Upper Montgomery clear down the ice was stopped by Forino who came out of his net to keep the play going ahead of a fast charging Cassel. The puck bounced around neutral ice while Upper Montgomery was in the midst of a poorly timed line change. Farley reached the puck first sending it over to Timberlake at the Upper Montgomery defensive blue line. Timberlake took possession with no Lightning defender near him. He came down the slot on a breakaway. With a forehand shot he beat Shterenberg five hole for his seventh goal of the season. As the second period came to a close shortly thereafter, Oakdale had turned up the shot volume firing 21 shots on Shterenberg. Forino had his most extensive action of the game making six saves including the huge one on Cassel on the penalty shot.

The first six minutes of the third period were dominated by Oakdale which contributed to their eighteen to one shot advantage in the final period. A minute into the period, Upper Montgomery senior center and leading scorer Henry Honacki was called for a slashing penalty. The Bears had excellent puck movement with the extra skater advantage but were unable to score as Shterenberg made several impressive saves to keep the score at 4-0. Then, with nine and a half minutes remaining in the game, the swarm of Oakdale goals arrived.

First, was a shift where Oakdale had extended time in the Upper Montgomery defensive zone. An Upper Montgomery failed clear up the left wing boards was intercepted by Farley at the right point. Farley sent a diagonal pass across the ice to Venezie in the lower left faceoff circle. Venezie sent a shot low along the ice inside of the left goal post near Sheterenberg’s right leg pad. For Venezie it was goal number three on the season.

Then, a minute later the score would bulge to 6-0 bringing the final eight and a half minutes of the game into running clock. Macera banged home his second goal of the game and sixth on the year. Another shift with extended offensive zone time for the Bears after Upper Montgomery failed to clear the zone. This time the puck was kept in the offensive zone at the right point by Swanson. He sent the puck over to Farley in the slot. Farley fired a backhand shot on net that was saved by Shterenberg. The puck caromed near the left corner. Farley reached the puck first setting up Macera out in front of the goal. Macera had slipped behind the Lightning defense where he banged home a short shot into the empty side of the net.

As the game went into running clock, both coaching staff’s began playing students that had not see a lot of ice time during the game. With two and a half minutes remaining, Venezie scored his second goal of the game and fourth of the season to put the Bears in front 7-0. Oakdale entered the offensive zone on the left side of the ice before firing several shots that Shterenberg fended off. Finally, Venezie sent a backhand shot far side from the lower portion of the slot to put the puck over the goal line. Ayden Rowe and Tristan Dockens were credited with assists on Venezie’s goal. Then, with fifty second left, the final Oakdale goal was scored by Overeem. Farley set him up with a cross ice pass at the back right goal post for an easy tap in goal.

Upper Montgomery must now quickly focus on the opening round of the Montgomery Hockey Conference playoffs. The Lightning face the BCC Barons on Friday night. Upper Montgomery won both of the regular season contests with the Barons by one goal. Until this season, Upper Montgomery had never beaten BCC. Beating a team three times in a season is a tough challenge. BCC is sure to come into the game angry having been the squad that lost to Upper Montgomery for the first time. If the Lightning want to again play for an opportunity to make the Maryland Student Hockey League state playoffs, they will need to bring it against the Barons for a full 45 minutes. BCC will not back down. Each team will be looking to advance and face the second seeded Walter Johnson Wildcats with the state playoff birth on the line.

Game Notes:

• Upper Montgomery was once gain badly outshot. Oakdale had the advantage 47-8. It was the second game in a row that the Lightning mustered less than ten shots on goal. Oakdale topped Upper Montgomery 8-1 in the first period, 21-6 in the second period, and 18-1 in the third period.
• It was the third time this season the Lightning have been shutout, and the second game in a row.
• It was the second straight game that the Lightning were awarded a penalty shot. Both attempts were saved.
• Oakdale defender Timothy Farley, Oakdale center Kyle Metzler, Oakdale goalie Charles Forino, and Upper Montgomery forward Nathan Cassel all play together on the same 18U AA external travel team.
• Upper Montgomery next plays their opening round playoff game on Friday night against BCC. This will be the third time that the teams will face each other this year with Upper Montgomery winning one goal decisions in both games during the regular season. Game time is 8:00 pm at Rockville Ice Arena. The winner will play Walter Johnson in the quarterfinals of the Montgomery Hockey Conference playoffs with a chance to advance to the Maryland Student Hockey League state playoffs.

Three Stars of the Game:

First Star—Timothy Farley—Oakdale Defense—5 Assists
Second Star—Mason Macera—Oakdale Forward—2 Goals, 1 Assist
Third Star—Gavin Timberlake—Oakdale Forward—2 Goals