With extremely high anticipation, the Upper Montgomery Lightning junior varsity has been looking forward to once again taking on the Churchill Bulldogs this season. The teams earlier match up back in early October saw the Lightning compete in the game with only seven available skaters. Upper Montgomery’s students valiantly played that game virtually even with the Bulldogs before falling in overtime by a score of 2-1. Playing with such a depleted roster, the Lightning believe they would be able to turn the tables on the Bulldogs if they got a chance to meet in the playoffs. As luck would have it, the Lightning and the Bulldogs will play on Friday night in the quarterfinal round of the Montgomery Hockey Conference playoffs.
The Lightning finished fourth in the junior varsity conference standings with a 4-1-2 conference record. Upper Montgomery will host the fifth place Bulldogs who finished the regular season campaign with a 4-2-1 conference record. Churchill beat up on several of the lower ranked teams to secure their spot in the quarterfinal round of the playoffs. The winner of Friday’s game will advance to play top ranked Wootton in the semifinals of the playoff unless Wootton is somehow felled by eighth seeded Northwest / Quince Orchard who won only three games all season.
In goal for the Lightning junior varsity will be ninth grade netminder Porter Stutsrim-Lyons. Stutsrim-Lyons plays for the Caps Academy 14U Lower A external travel team. He has begun his high school career in excellent style with a 4-2-2 record, a very low 1.98 goals against average, and an eye popping .927 save percentage. Stursrim-Lyons has allowed more than two goals in a game during regulation only twice this season. He also has two shutouts to his credit. Churchill is expected to play ninth grade goalie Cooper Glazer in net. Glazer has been solid this season only allowing nine goals over five games for a 1.80 goals against average. He has a 2-2-1 record due to Churchill’s rather anemic offensive output. Glazer sports a .903 save percentage. In the earlier matchup between the teams, senior Nick Nelson stopped 28 of 29 shots to secure the overtime victory. It is certainly an interesting coaching decision from the Churchill coaching staff to start Glazer.
On defense the Lightning will again play without a full compliment of defenders. Missing this week will be two key defenders, 16U Lower A Miles Wendland (5GP, 3A) and 19U AA Avery Evans (5GP, 2G, 4A). Upper Montgomery will dress three core defenders; senior captain Cole Howerton (6GP, 4G, 3A) who has freedom from the coaching staff to roam up ice to join offensive rushes, stay at home senior defender and alternate captain Patrick Sell (6GP, 1G, 1A), and ninth grade newcomer Matt Rivera (8G, 5A). Max Curtusan, who will be playing in only his third high school game will see regular action on the back line. It would not be shocking to see the Lightning bring back some forwards to play defense during penalty kill situations.
Churchill will be led on the back line by junior Samuel Lifsey. Joining Lifsey on the top defensive pairing is expected to be sophomore Andrew Liu. The Bulldogs second defensive pairing will be sophomores Cyrus Sawyer paired with Gabriel Li. The focus of the Churchill defense will be on stopping the Lightning, as during regular season action the Bulldog defenders contributed next to nothing offensively.
On offense, the Lightning will be looking to see some depth scoring emerge on Friday. Several of the Lightning’s top scorers return after being held out of action against Whitman in the regular season finale. Senior center AJ Marks, who leads the team in scoring with (8GP, 5G, 7A), will center the top line playing along side Max Israfilbek (7GP, 1G, 2A). Israfilbek recently scored his first career high school goal against Annapolis / Arundel. The third forward on that line Jason Woodman returns from a lengthy suspension after getting back into game action last time out versus Whitman. Sophomore Jake Hudson (6GP, 5G, 3A) will center sophomore 16U Lower A Aiden Zheng (6GP, 6G, 1A), and ninth grade 14U Lower A Siddy Bhasin (6GP, 5G, 4A). The third line is likely to feature sophomore Jackson Schickler centering ninth grade forward Decklin Hughes (6GP, 1G, 1A) and sophomore Mason Jagoz (8GP, 1G, 3A). Ninth grade forward Luke Hudson will cycle in and play on the third line. Schickler will be playing in just his second game this season after returning from a long injury absence to rejoin the Lightning forward rotation.
Churchill has one primary offensive threat, sophomore 16U Lower A Elias Elhallou. Elhallou has scored or assisted on more than half of the Bulldogs goals this season (7GP, 12G, 4A). If the Lightning are able to contain Elhallou, the rest of Churchill’s forward group is not likely to seriously threaten Stutsrim-Lyons. The Lightning coaching staff has been working all week to devise a strategy to limit Elhallou’s impact on the game.
It has been two consecutive playoff appearances with a quick ending for the Lightning junior varsity. Both of the past two seasons the team has played its quarterfinal round playoff game without a full roster. In both games Upper Montgomery struggled to score or generate any offensive pressure. Getting on the scoreboard first and playing with a lead will be critical for the Lightning. Being ahead in the game will allow the team to implement its clamp down defensive style. Getting to three goals should be enough to secure a victory on Friday night considering Stutsrim-Lyons’ stingy play this season. This year’s Lightning is poised to go on a long playoff run and challenge for the junior varsity championship. It all starts late Friday night with a 10:00 pm puck drop at Cabin John Ice Rink.
#Advance to Semis, #Revenge, #UML, #Bleed Green, #Go Bolts!