Author: chucklevine

The Upper Montgomery Lightning began the season on Friday night facing what is expected to be one of their toughest tests of the season. Promoted to the top division in the Montgomery Hockey Conference, Upper Montgomery is going to face a tough gauntlet of opponents over the first month of the season. Against the top ranked Walter Johnson Wildcats, the team showed grit and a complete level that pleased the coaching staff. Missing four student athletes who receive regular playing time, including last season’s leading scorer, Chris Hassett, the game demonstrated not unexpectedly that the program is still a bit away from the top tier in the conference. A wild comeback ended just short as Walter Johnson withstood the Lightning’s furious third period push and then rallied back for a 7-4 victory Friday evening at Skate Frederick.

The game began ominously for the Lightning. Just two minutes into the contest, Lightning forward Olivia Robbins was called for tripping. On the ensuing powerplay, Walter Johnson would jump out to an early lead. Wildcats star forward Ethan Birndorf had possession of the puck in the left circle. He fired a pass cross ice to Patrick Murphy in the right circle. Murphy’s wrist shot went wide of the net short side. The puck caromed off the end boards to the opposite side of the net where Alex Chang was standing alone. Chang had an easy tap in goal before Lightning goaltender Landon Bernard could come across the crease and prevent the easy layup goal. After the early goal, the Lightning settled into the game plan really well and limited Walter Johnson during five on five play. Both teams did not generate much offense with the Lightning only mustering two shots on goal in the first period.

The second period started out as a carbon copy of the first period. An early Lightning penalty, this time to Andrew Gean for roughing, and a Wildcats powerplay goal to extend the lead to 2-0. Murphy finished off a nice passing sequence, Chang to Oliver Curtis, then over to Murphy stationed in the bottom of the left circle (similar to Walter Johnson’s first goal). This time, Murphy’s shot was on net and beat Bernard short side high blocker.

Upper Montgomery would battle back on a powerplay of their own. With Wildcats defender Jon Corwin in the penalty box for roughing, Bradley Cupples would score the Lightning’s first goal of the season. Upper Montgomery entered the offensive zone with possession of the puck. Philip Shkeda and Bradley Cupples worked the puck in the right corner. Cupples came away with the loose puck and circled the net right to left passing the puck into the slot to Olivia Robbins. Robbins sent a spinning pass down low to Shkeda at the right post. Shkeda’s shot was saved by Wildcats senior goalie Isabella Pharr with the puck bounding directly to Cupples alone at the back left post for an easy tap in. For Shkeda it was his first career high school varsity point.

Unfortunately for the Lightning, less than a minute after Upper Montgomery clawed back within one goal, Lightning captain senior defender George Benedick was called for a roughing penalty. Again, the Lightning were forced to try and kill the penalty. A much better penalty kill turned out to be for naught as the Wildcats converted with just three seconds left on their powerplay. Henry Horwell sent the puck back to Adam Greene at the right point. Greene’s shot was going well wide, but was redirected by Cameron Luskin in the high slot. The deflection significantly changed the trajectory of the shot and the puck beat Bernard who was moving to the far post to stop the initial shot. Three Wildcats powerplays and three goals given up by Upper Montgomery.

Upper Montgomery had two additional powerplays over the remainder of the second period but was unable to capitalize on either advantage. The Lightning had done very good job playing five on five hockey versus the Wildcats yet trailed 3-1 entering the third period. Shots on goal in the second period were 14-13 in favor of Walter Johnson, far different from in the initial period of action.

Walter Johnson changed goalies after the second period giving 9th grade AAA goalie Joseph Villatoro his first taste of high school varsity hockey action. The goalie change backfired right away as Upper Montgomery climbed back into the game. Off of a faceoff stalemate in the right offensive zone faceoff circle, sophomore center Ryan Jacobson found the loose puck and riffled a wrist shot high glove side past an unsuspecting Villatoro. Walter Johnson now led only 3-2 with almost the entire third period left to play.

Twenty one seconds later, Jacobson pulled Upper Montgomery even with his second goal of the game. Ninth grade defender Brady Berkhammer rewound the puck in the neutral zone just outside the Lightning blue line. He shoveled the puck up the left wing boards into space. Lightning forward Nathan Cassel swooped in and carried the puck into the offensive zone on a two on one rush with Jacobson. Cassel held the puck and froze Villatoro as he skated down the left wing side of the ice deep into the offensive zone. He slid a perfect backhand pass across the ice to Jacobson who finished into an empty net with a sweeping wrist shot. It was Jacobson’s second goal in twenty seconds, and for Berkhammer it was his first career high school varsity point.

In a blink the game was tied, and Upper Montgomery had all of the momentum. After the Lightning had come back, sophomore defender Andrew Botti was called for interference. After such a tremendous season last year killing penalties (Upper Montgomery was stellar with an 87.9% penalty kill rate), Walter Johnson had gone three for three to start the game. This time, the Lightning were up to the task and held strong. As the penalty to Botti was ending, Wildcats defender Patrick Adams was called for roughing. While Upper Montgomery did not score on the powerplay, the Lightning would take the lead just after the penalty to Adams expired.

Olivia Robbins had the puck just outside the left circle in the offensive zone. She unleashed a wrist shot that went wide of the net short side. The puck circled around the boards to the lower portion of the right corner where Bradley Cupples won possession of the puck. He took one stride forward as if he were going to skate around the net and found Robbins wide open in the slot. Robbins looked to shoot right away, but had to pause and stake around the screen set in front by Stephen Shkeda. In doing so, she froze Villatoro who lost track of his positioning allowing Robbins to fire a wrist shot past his blocker for her first goal of the season. Upper Montgomery now had a 4-3 lead over the top ranked Wildcats with 8:20 left in the game.

The goal sent the Lightning’s spectators into a frenzy. For a brief moment the Wildcats were stunned by Upper Montgomery’s three goal eruption over the first half of the third period. It took just 13 seconds for the Lightning’s bubble to burst. Birndorf collected a bouncing puck at the offensive blue line. He stickhandled around in the offensive zone before unleashing a left handed shot from the high slot. The puck went high stick side top shelf past Bernard. After the shot, Birndorf slashed a Lightning defender on his way to celebrate and drew a penalty putting the Lightning on the powerplay. However, the tying goal along with the effort put forth by the shorthanded Lightning roster to get back into the game seemed to drain all of the energy out of the team.

Upper Montgomery failed to mount much pressure while on the ensuing powerplay with disaster striking at the conclusion of the powerplay. Walter Johnson took the lead one second after Birndorf’s penalty expired. A bad turnover in the Lightning defensive zone led to the Wildcats regaining the lead. From the right wing side wall, a defensive pass toward the middle of the ice went off Horwell’s skate and directly to Chang high in the left circle. Chang’s wrist shot high stick side beat Bernard as he shuffled over to square up to the shot. Walter Johnson was back in front 5-4 with six minutes left in the game.

Energized after re-taking the lead, Walter Johnson picked up the pace and kept threatening. At the same time, it appeared that Upper Montgomery had just run out of steam with the short bench of available skaters. With five minutes remaining, Walter Johnson would increase the lead to 6-4. Murphy bumped the puck forward to Max Epstein at the blue line. Epstein and Liam Mannle broke in on a two on one rush. Epstein passed the puck across the crease. From the bottom of the left circle, Mannle shot high glove side past Bernard to provide the Wildcats with breathing room.

A minute later the competitive portion of the game would end as Epstein scored the final goal of the night. Liam Dorrien kept the puck in at the left point. He pushed the puck ahead to Mannle. Mannle sent the puck into the slot to Epstein. Epstein skated the puck around the net from left to right and came back out in front of the net. His shot beat Bernard short side seven hole between his body and blocker.

It was a valiant effort by the Lightning. They had pushed top ranked Walter Johnson to the limit. The Wildcats were lucky to escape with the season opening win. The game’s outcome will surely open the eyes of the other top programs in the county. The effort is one that Upper Montgomery can build off of for the rest of the season.

Game Notes:

• Upper Montgomery played without last season’s leading scorer, Chris Hassett who was out of town with his external travel team.
• Upper Montgomery was also missing Brandon Bernard, Ethan Hockey, and Josh Nadler against the Wildcats.
• Walter Johnson outshot Upper Montgomery 33-26 for the game, and 9-2 in the first period.
• Upper Montgomery’s penalty kill which was so good last season at 87.9%, was putrid allowing three powerplay goals in four chances.
• Upper Montgomery continues the brutally hard initial part of their schedule on Friday afternoon in a non-conference game against Urbana, the top team in Frederick County. Game time is 5:05 pm at Skate Frederick.

Three Stars of the Game:

First Star—Alex Chang—Walter Johnson Forward—2 Goals, 1 Assist
Second Star—Patrick Murphy—Walter Johnson Defense—1 Goal, 3 Assists
Third Star—Ryan Jacobson—Upper Montgomery Center–2 Goals

The Upper Montgomery Lightning did everything possible to complete against the Whitman Vikings in the quarterfinal round of the Montgomery Hockey Conference junior varsity playoffs. Playing without two key student athletes, center Josh Nadler and defender Sean Levine, both serving supplemental discipline suspensions for their actions in the team’s final regular season game against the Carroll County Bears, the young and inexperienced Upper Montgomery squad just did not have enough to keep up with Whitman. The Lightning’s tenacious effort and Landon Bernard’s goaltending kept the game very tight until Whitman pulled away late.

Nadler’s and Levine’s absences left two sizeable holes for the Lightning to try and fill. Centers Henry Honacki and Stephen Shkeda were forced to play every other shift. With Levine out, the team rotated four primary defenders. The game plan was to stifle the Vikings and keep the game close providing Upper Montgomery with a chance late to come away with the upset victory.

For the most part the Lightning followed the game plan outside of a breakdown four minutes into the first period. An Upper Montgomery attempt to clear the defensive zone was kept in at the left point. The puck was circled down low in the left wing corner. A scramble for the puck ensued and the Lightning had another opportunity to again clear the defensive zone. Ben Luo intercepted the puck and passed it over to Hugh Golub. The puck bounced past Golub who was well defended to Drew Kaplan. Kaplan, unguarded, let loose with a wrist shot from the bottom of the left circle that went past Lightning goaltender Landon Bernard who had no chance on the play. After the early Whitman strike, the game settled in. Whitman would press forward looking to increase their lead and Upper Montgomery chased all over the ice with a hustle and tenacity to do everything possible to prevent Whitman from widening the lead. Shots on goal in the first period were low, Whitman with four while Upper Montgomery managed three.

The second period saw Bernard steal the show. He made twelve saves, many of them on high danger chances, to keep the Lightning afloat and in the game. Upper Montgomery still trailed by just the one goal with under a minute remaining in the second period. Then, an unfortunate possession in the Upper Montgomery defensive zone would prove costly. A Lightning defender lost his stick battling in the left wing corner for the puck. Whitman forward Trevor Fay came away with the puck and skated along the goal line. He centered the puck to Ben Lammers cutting down the slot. Lammers used a one time push shot from four feet in front of Bernard to wedge the puck into the net and provide the Vikings with a little breathing room. Whitman had started to take control of the game in the second period finishing with a thirteen to two shots on goal advantage.

The Lightning kept battling and trying to find a way to solve Whitman sophomore netminder Ryan Graf. Facing a stiff Vikings defense and with the core forward group tiring, Upper Montgomery faced an uphill battle. With the Lightning pressing to find a way to generate offense, the Upper Montgomery defense began to take chances and push forward. On one such sequence, Kaplan caused a turnover and passed the puck to SheungChak Wu. Wu skated past the Lightning defense and beat Bernard to open up what would be an insurmountable three goal lead with five minutes remaining in the game. Thomas Rouxel finished the scoring with two and a half minutes to go in the game as Bernard was trying to get to the bench so the Lightning could add an extra skater in a last gasp attempt to spark an offensive threat. The Vikings had control of the game and outshot Upper Montgomery ten to two in the third period. With the victory Whitman advances to the semifinal round of the junior varsity playoffs.

Game Notes:

• Upper Montgomery was shut out for the first time this season.
• Whitman outshot Upper Montgomery 27-7 for the game.
• For the second consecutive game, Upper Montgomery did not have a single powerplay opportunity.
• Both Josh Nadler and Sean Levine missed the game while serving supplemental discipline suspensions for their actions in the final junior varsity regular season game versus the Carroll County Bears.

Three Stars of the Game:

First Star—Drew Kaplan—Whitman Forward—1 Goal, 1 Assist
Second Star—Landon Bernard—Upper Montgomery Goalie—23 Saves, .852 Save Percentage
Third Star—Trevor Fay—Whitman Forward–1 Assist

Upper Montgomery sophomore center Henry Honacki single handedly stole the show Tuesday evening in the Lightning’s 7-6 victory over the Carroll County Bears. In what was anticipated to be a friendly winter break non-conference contest against Bears, the game was marred by several ejections and game misconduct penalties. Ultimately, the Lightning had just enough to hold on for the victory and finish the regular season with a 4-4-2 record. The team now looks ahead to the first round of the Montgomery Hockey Conference junior varsity playoffs. The Lightning’s opponent will be determined after the final regular season games conclude in the first week of January.

From the opening faceoff, it looked like Upper Montgomery would run away with this contest. The Lightning would tally three quick goals to jump out to a 3-0 lead. Two of the early goals were scored while Upper Montgomery was shorthanded. It started just two minutes into the game. Lightning center Josh Nadler took a retaliatory roughing penalty behind the action. Off the defensive zone faceoff, Honacki won the draw back to the corner where Jake Roth and a Carroll County forward battled for control of the puck. Roth gained possession and pushed the puck forward to Honacki. Honacki skated the length of the ice weaving around the Bears’ defenders. At the top of the right faceoff circle he avoided the last defender and finished off the end-to-end rush with a backhand shot that beat Carroll County backup netminder Anthony Coronel five hole.

Three minutes later the lead would grow. Honacki dumped the puck from the neutral zone into the Bears defensive zone to the left of the net. TJ Gottesman hustled into the zone and retrieved the puck. He passed the puck back to Honacki in the left circle. Honacki’s wrist shot hit traffic in front and bounced behind the net. Gottesman once again retrieved the puck and this time centered a pass to Callum Hughes at the right post. Hughes whacked the puck past Coronel for his first career high school goal.

Two minutes later tempers flared. After an innocent play behind the net, Carroll County forward Jack Blackford sucker punched Honacki. The referees were all over the play racing in to stop any further fighting. In an attempt to protect Honacki, Upper Montgomery defender Sean Levine skated over to the fracas. Blackford was ejected for fighting for the sucker punch. Levine was ejected for entering the commotion as the third skater involved, and Honacki was assessed a two minute minor for roughing. The outcome of the penalties was that Upper Montgomery was left killing a penalty because Honacki was sucker punched. Levine’s ejection also comes with an automatic one game suspension via the league’s supplemental discipline policy, and he will miss the junior varsity’s first round playoff game.

With Honacki serving his roughing penalty for getting sucker punched, Upper Montgomery would increase their lead. On the penalty kill, the puck was dumped down ice into the Bears defensive zone. Nadler pressured the play and caused a turnover in the Carroll County defensive zone along the left wing boards. The puck squirted into the neutral zone where James Hyman bumped the puck up to Nadler as he was circling out of the offensive zone into neutral ice. Nadler took the puck and circled right back into the offensive zone along the right wing boards. He skated around the left defender at the top of the right wing circle and launched a forehand chip shot up over Coronel’s blocker for the Lightning’s second shorthanded goal of the period.

With Upper Montgomery leading 3-0 with four minutes remaining in the first period, Carroll County bounced back into the game with three quick goals of their own. First, off of a recoil in the neutral zone with Honacki still in the penalty box, Mason Davie passed the puck to Reese Thorne. Thorne skated down the right wing boards and fired a wrist shot from low in the right circle that beat Lightning netminder Chris Hassett wide to the stick side. Then, one minute later, the Bears would be back within one goal. An Upper Montgomery turnover in the defensive zone went directly to Carroll County forward Larry Marks at the top of the right circle. Marks’ wrist shot was blocked. However, the puck went directly to Logan Dandorf alone in the slot. Dandorf lifted a backhand shot over the blocker of a diving Hassett who was changing direction due to the blocked shot. The Bears third goal was the result of another Lightning turnover. Nadler was stripped of the puck in the neutral zone by Dandorf. With the Upper Montgomery skaters heading up ice, Marks took possession of the puck heading in the opposite direction. He scored off the breakaway chance shooting low glove side to tie the game.

A wild first period with six goals, a three goal comeback by the Bears, and two ejections was not complete. As the period wound down, it would become Honacki time. With 32 seconds remaining in the first period, Lightning defender Cole Howerton intercepted a pass in the Lightning defensive zone. He skated up the right wing boards into the Carroll County defensive zone and then around the net. Howerton centered the puck in front to Honacki. Honacki flipped a wrist shot short side above Coronel’s catching glove. The puck landed in the middle of the net for his second goal of the game.

Then, as the first period was ending, Honacki would tally his hat-trick goal to push the Upper Montgomery lead to 5-3 at the conclusion of the first period. Off of a faceoff to the left of Coronel in the Bears defensive zone, Honacki pushed the puck forward off the draw, he then stepped around the Carroll County center and defender. Honacki curled and dragged the puck and pushed a backhand shot into the feet of Coronel. The puck just squirted inside the near goal post with ten seconds remaining on the clock concluding a back and forth wildly entertaining first period of hockey.

The second period was more subdued than the first period. Once again, the Bears fought back to tie the game at five. With 8:30 left in the period, Marks won a faceoff in the right circle in the Lightning defensive zone. The puck was won back to Dandorf at the right point. His wrist shot short side beat Hassett’s glove hand. Then, a minute later, yet another Upper Montgomery turnover led to the tying goal. A misplay at the left point in the Lightning offensive zone led to a Dandorf breakaway from the far blue line. Dandorf skated in all alone and deposited a shot from six feet in front of Hassett blocker side for his hat-trick.

With four minutes remaining in the second period, Honacki would push Upper Montgomery back in front. He skated down the left wing boards into the offensive zone and shot the puck wide of the net. The puck was held in at the right point by Roth. Roth’s shot attempt was blocked and came to Honacki in the slot. Honacki’s backhand shot was saved by Coronel. The rebound went to Hyman low in the right circle. Hyman’s shot was also blocked and went behind the net. Honacki was first to the puck and passed the puck into the slot to Hughes. Hughes’s spinning backhand shot went wide of the net but right to Honacki who shoveled a backhand shot over Coronel’s leg pads and below his blocker for the 6-5 lead. At the conclusion of the second period, Upper Montgomery had thirteen shots on goal and had scored on nearly half their shots.

Upper Montgomery successfully killed off a late second period penalty to Nadler for cross checking and an early third period penalty to Howerton for roughing. A minute after the penalty to Howerton ended, the Bears would strike again to once again tie the game, this time at six. Dandorf recovered the puck in the Bears defensive zone. He skated through two Lightning defenders passing the puck to the left over to Marks. Marks entered the Upper Montgomery defensive zone and jump stopped just to the left of the slot area. He fired a wrist shot low glove side across the grain from the direction he had entered the offensive zone into the wide side of the net.

One minute later it was Honacki time for goal number five on the evening. Off a faceoff to the left of Coronel, Carroll County won possession of the puck deep in the corner. Honacki won a puck battle and shot towards the net from a bad angle behind the goal line to Coronel’s right. The puck went into Coronel’s skates and trickled over the goal line before Gottesman swatted the puck deeper into the net for good measure.

One final penalty kill was needed when Jason Woodman was whistled for tripping with five minutes remaining in the game. Then, after the successful kill, Upper Montgomery navigated the six on five extra skater advantage with Coronel pulled for the extra attacker.

With 23 seconds remaining in the game after an innocent bump to the side of Hassett’s net as the Bears pushed to tie the game Nadler and Marks began throwing punches. Both were given five minute majors for fighting and game misconducts sending both skaters to their locker rooms early. Nadler and Marks play together on their outside club ice hockey team so the fight between them was unexpected. Because of their penalties, expect supplemental discipline for both Marks and Nadler which will impact both teams’ playoff chances.

Game Notes:

• Honacki’s five goals and six points are Lightning junior varsity program records.
• Carroll County outshot Upper Montgomery 27-21 for the game.
• Power play opportunities were uneven, five for Carroll County and Upper Montgomery did not have a single powerplay opportunity.
• Henry Honacki upped his goal total on the season to twelve and he scored for the fourth game in a row.
• Callum Hughes contributed his first career goal and multi-point game by also adding an assist.
• Both Josh Nadler and Sean Levine will face supplemental discipline for their actions against the Bears and will likely both miss the opening round junior varsity playoff game.
• The Upper Montgomery junior varsity begins defense of their 2021 – 2022 Montgomery Hockey Conference junior varsity championship on Monday, January 16th against an opponent to be determined.

Three Stars of the Game:

First Star—Henry Honacki—Upper Montgomery Center—5 Goals, 1 Assist
Second Star—Lucas Dandorff—Carroll County Defense—3 Goals, 2 Assists
Third Star—Henry Marks—Carroll County Forward–2 Goals, 2 Assists