The Upper Montgomery Lightning junior varsity saw it season come to a close in the semifinal round of the Montgomery Hockey Conference junior varsity playoffs. The squad played outstanding team based hockey this season. Positive development is ahead for many of the junior varsity student athletes as they continue on with their high school careers next fall. It is anticipated that many of the students will have a large role on the varsity team. The junior varsity finished the season with a 5-3-2 record advancing to the Montgomery Hockey Conference junior varsity playoff semifinals for the first time in three seasons. The Lightning gave top seeded Wootton everything and more before tiring late in the third period. Many of the junior varsity student athletes had also played just prior to the Wootton game in the varsity playoff game. The team then had to travel across town from Rockville Ice Arena to Cabin John Ice Rink through a driving rain storm to play at 10:15 pm in the junior varsity semifinal game.
Although the team finished fourth in the conference standings, many in the county believe that Upper Montgomery was the second best junior varsity team this season trailing only the Wootton Patriots. It made for a massive playoff game with the two teams showing why they were the two best junior varsity teams in the county. Unfortunately, the Lightning could not protect a 1-0 lead heading into the third period falling to the eventual county champions by a score of 3-1. The Lightning played with guts and determination putting forth an outstanding defensive effort coming up just short. Upper Montgomery netminder Porter Stutsrim-Lyons was excellent in goal stopping 39 of 42 shots. His play was outstanding considering he had been thrust into an unexpected starting role in the earlier varsity game. He played back to back games stopping 79 out of 85 shots on goal for a .929 save percentage.
The Upper Montgomery varsity finished conference play with a winning record (and best record) since the 2018 – 2019 season at 6-5-1. The varsity secured the seventh seed in the Montgomery Hockey Conference playoff tournament. After defeating the BCC Barons twice during the regular season, the team gave up a 2-0 first intermission lead eventually falling to the Barons by a score of 3-2. BCC advanced to play Walter Johnson which the Upper Montgomery coaching staff thought would be a winnable game. Proving again just how even the county teams are, Walter Johnson needed a very late third period goal to sneak past the Barons into the Maryland Student Hockey League state playoffs.
Another season in which the Lightning’s state playoff aspirations have passed. Now the team must 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. 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.
#More Hockey, #Repeat, #UML, #Bleed Green, #Go Bolts!