Schlitz Open Summer 08 with a Win!

Schlitz (1) vs. Inglewood Jacks
Tuesday May 20th
Quincy 10:10pm



4-1 Win.




The Beercans opened the summer season at our summer "home" rink Quincy Youth Arena with a nice matchup against the Inglewood Jacks. Sounded like a good game with some luck going the 'cans way and then some going against them, but not enough to keep the team from its winning ways.
Here are a bevvy of Guest Bloggers to tell you all about it.
First off a nice summary from frequent GB... iJosh.

"A win and a loss.
A pretty good way to start the season on the ice and a disappointment off it. The Schlitz would come into this game still high off its Winter Season Championship. Early on a little rust showed as the Beer Cans were not yet in mid summer form. A chippy trip from Hammitt behind the Good Guy's net would give the Jacks a power play opportunity. About a minute into the advantage the Jacks would get the puck at the left corner of their offensive zone. The winger would skate in toward iJosh who was playing D on this PK. He would send a relatively weak pass under iJosh's stick through the rest of the defense and off the pad of Brian. It then found the smallest of gaps to make its way into the net.
However the Cans would not just sit back and take it. A shift or so later, the line of Reynolds, Capraro with Matvey at center would capitalize on their chance. After a shot went wide and landed behind the net, Capraro would collect the puck and somehow tuck it in to tie up the score. The period would end at a 1-1 tie.
In the second a ton of chances for the Gold and Maroon. This time rookie Mark Reynolds would net his first goal with Schlidaveur Incorporated and Schlitz would go up 2-1.
***Warning Artistic License***
Before the game Hammitt was thinking to himself that he was still upset that he was beaten out for the semi-annual Mike Campbell Award. He made the promise to himself that he would once again reclaim the Award that seemingly is named for him or at least will be renamed for him sometime in the future. ***End of Artistic Licensing***
So Hammitt, with an opponent nearby with the puck, gave him a little shove and as is the equation P=MV where the V for both players is equal and the M for the opponent is...well....less than Hammitt's. You can certainly see where this is going. So with the play obviously about to end with a PK for the Gold, Hammitt decides to cement his early lead on the MCA and shove the guy again. The end result: A double minor and an early exit from the game.
This would juggle the line-up a bit and would take some time for the team to find its rhythm again. But before that would happen things would get a little better for the Cans. The best player on the Jacks tried to take a pass from deep in the defensive zone to the blue line. As the puck flew towards him he would try to stop it with one of his skates.
That would result in an explosion of plastic as parts of his skate flew over the ice. He would hobble to the bench and register a DNP for the rest of the game due to his equipment malfunction.
Heading into the final frame Schlitz seemed confident that they could take this team. There had already been tons of opportunities and at least a little success. So the belief was that it was just a matter of time before the floodgates opened. Now all they had to do was finish the plays. And that is just was the Beer Cans would do. After netting the 3rd goal, Schlitz still tried to take it to the Jacks and finished with a nice goal by rookie Mark Reynolds for his 2nd goal and 3rd point of the night. That would end the scoring, but not before more pressure was put on the opposing goalie.
In the end everyone looked good. 1st star and newcomer Mark Reynolds looked great. That is one in the books and hopefully many more wins to come.
Now the disappointment off the ice. The Jacks, unfortunately kicked our ass in the 4th Period with more participants and a grill going. There is just no excuse for being beat in the 4th.
Preliminary Stats report.
Scoring:
1: Capraro from Mark Reynolds and Matvey
2: Mark Reynolds from Capraro
3: I forget [ Roman... ]
4: Mark Reynolds from iJosh and Mitch
Penalties:
1:30 Hammitt - Tripping
3:00 Hammitt - Interference and Roughing
1:30 Matvey - Roughing (though it should have been Interference)
Very nice recap as always Josh. We'll get a handle on those official stats after tomorrow.

Now here is another recap from a star of the "Vodka" line Matvey Nikhamik...
We won 4-1. The other team scored first. However Schlitz fought back led by our rookie Mark Reynolds. Mark at least had 1 assist and 2 goals (I think).
Our 1st goal - I took a shot a little wide of the net and the puck bounced off the boards back to the goalie. However goalie didn't completely cover it and Mark kept battling (there was no whistle) and knocked the puck out right in front for Peter to put it in.

2nd (I think goal) was also similar in having Mark battling for the puck (puck was in the vicinity of the goalie again) until the whistle, he got it free and put it in the net - don't remember the assists.
3rd goal was from Roman - We had a very good pressure in the opponents zone that ended with Roman taking a good low wrist shot through the screen. Again, at some point the puck landed on the back of the net in their zone, but Roman didn't stop playing (not waiting for a whistle) and knocked the puck off the netting and we kept the play inside the zone.
And Mark scored the last goal as well...
Some highlights:
Early leader for Campbell awards - Mike Hammit - taking a minor and then a double minor in the first game.
Roman checking me on offside call...
I was called for penalty while back checking and trying to prevent a breakaway (ref said I clothe lined the guy - for that we had a nice little chat with a ref while I was in the sin bin - it was absolutely friendly conversation - I tried to reach around the guy to knock the puck away, but the ref made a call on it...the worst part was my momentum still carrying me into Brian and me flipping over him in the goals while the other team was trying to score. Somehow Brian was able
to make a save on that though...)
The other team's best player, wearing something resembling hockey pants, had to leave the game when his skate blade or holder was shattered by a puck.
All in all, all our goals were due to good hard work and playing until the whistle.
Good start for defending Champs and Welcome Mark!

Sweet! Great in-game recollection Matvey. Nice to have someone recount where everyone was during a given play. But wait... there's more! Another veteran has tapped in his tale and we have yet another account of the game from old friend Dr. Scott Pounds!
New guy Mark Reynolds tried to give us low expectations during the pregame laceup, then proceeded to score two goals and assist on another. (My recollection without the score sheet.) He has officially passed the physical and cleared waivers and will be in uniform for his first
Schlidaveur.
The Gold started strong, but the Jacks scored first on a goal that looked to the bench like it slipped under the side of the net. Allegedly it went in through a crack between Brian's pad and the pipe - according to Campbell, who admitted he had a way too good view of it. Shortly after that, Captain George politely requested that the goal be tallied on the scoreboard because we like to know, you know, the score. The official reacted as if George had insulted his mother. No penalty was called.
The Gold found their legs and began to skate and pass quite remarkably, leading to a grudging compliment from the Captain again that the game was at times remarkably similar to hockey. We scored several more, they did not.
Rookie Mark figured out how to eliminate the opponent's best player without drawing time in the box. He wristed a puck square into the guy's blade holder, shattering it beyond immediate repair. Clever trick, but it doesn't get him any closer to the Campbell Trophy.
Speaking of which, Hammitt was called for a single minor early followed later by a double minor and game ejection. The second penalty was for breaking up the opposition's three-on-one by launching himself elbow-first into the puck carrier. The double was for following the player after he had gotten back up and abusing him further. The Jacks have not yet learned that when Hammitt knocks you down, for God's sake, stay down.
The only other penalty I recall was on a hustling Matvey, who backchecked in support of the defense - who were both caught up, lollygagging. Matvey used a move that I have seen many times in the rodeo but rarely in ice hockey, then sat in the box telling the ref (not arguing, as he later pointed out, but giving constructive feedback) that it was only the ref's bad viewing angle that made it appear to be a penalty.
And the rain held off long enough for a relaxing fourth period, thanks to Campbell for the Bud Light.

Holy Crap! Excellent Game story Scott! Some nice commentary work there, and humor to boot!
The Blogger is impressed with the quality of the GBs this week. Keep up the good work.
One more voice heard from before I wrap this one up... It's Goalie Brian Carey...

Great game by everyone. Outstanding fore-checking to the point that the other team couldn't get the puck pasted the red-line too many times. They score early in the first period that literally squeezed under my right pad. This is probably the best game that I have seen Campbell play on both sides of the puck.
Brian (1-0-0)
I don't know about anyone else... but is there nothing better than a goalie that signs his email with his record after his name? I think not. I like your style Brian... I think we'll keep you. Here's hoping that the middle number stays a zero for quite some time.

Thanks again to everyone who chimed in. The more voices the better... The Cads open up tonight in Brockton against RT138 Autobody... whoever they are... if you are skating then I'll see you tonight.

According to Mike Campbell the "Jacks" even had arm patches with Jules from Pulp Fiction on them... that is about 7 shades of Awesome... as far as the Blogger is concerned...