Hammers Revive Wounded Moose, Lose 4-3

The Hammers played their first game on Friday morning at 11:30 am and let their first game of the tournament slip right out of their fingers with a 4-3 loss.

Linemates Paul Carpenter and Ric Novak connected less than a minute into the game when the team President of Shananigans and drinking, Carpenter, threaded an easy tap-in goal to Novak to jump out to a quick 1-0 lead. With that goal, the Hammers looked to be in a great position to walk away with win No. 1 and an easy two points for the tournament’s first game.

OHHHH contraire my friends.

The Wounded Moose came alive and ended the first period with a 2-1 lead. The goals came at unlucky times for the Hammers as both goals eluded netminder Charlie Kunkle with a trickle and a redirection. The Moose, fresh off their AARP meeting, banged in another early in the second and put the Hammers on their heels.

The two teams continued to battle and sure enough, on goals by Chris Mackin and Paul Carpenter, the Hammers notted the game at 3-3. The Moose-Knuckles showed resiliency though and went up by a score of 4-3 by the end of the second period. That would be all they needed for scoring as the Hammers weren’t able to catch a break to tie the game back up four apiece.

The Moose survived a serious on slot of shots at the end of the final stanza when the Hammers pulled Kunkle. Unfortunately, the Moose’s humungous goaltender thwarted their efforts and the Hammers were sent off losers in their first game of the tournament in four years.
Kunkle finished the game with 23 saves on 27 shots, while the Moose’s Monster had 31 saves on 34 shots.

After a beautiful afternoon of barbecuing and drinks by the rolling Mansion of the Novak’s (that’s Motorcoach for us common folk) the Hammers will look to even their record at 1-1 with a game at 9:10 pm. They will take on the Sportplexe 4 Glaces from Pierrefonds, QC.

One thing on our mind? Redemption… and hopes of a gold medal rematch against the Wounded Moose. Here’s hoping to show them exactly how Wounded we can make them.

For the full box score, click here.