Mojo Powers Past Laser in 5-3 Rink Showdown

If you were looking for a masterclass in how to stay employed as a hockey forward, you didn’t need to look further than Andrew Armendariz on Tuesday night. While the rest of the league was still shaking off the Tuesday blues, Armendariz decided that the Laser defense was merely a suggestion, fueling a 5-3 victory for Mojo at the local rink.

Coming into the contest, the Laser were looking to shake an 0-3-1 start that would make even the most optimistic beer-league captain consider early retirement. Instead, they found themselves staring down a hat-trick performance from Armendariz before the first intermission had even fully settled.

Armendariz struck twice early in the first, putting the Laser in a hole they spent the better part of the evening trying to climb out of. Though Triston Wilson managed to breathe some life into the Laser bench with a goal assisted by Robert Verity and Christopher Fleming, Armendariz wasn’t finished. He answered back late in the frame to secure the hat trick, sending Mojo into the break with a comfortable cushion.

“We were chasing shadows out there,” one Laser player lamented near the locker room, likely wishing the ice had been just a little slicker. To their credit, the Laser didn’t fold. Ronald Herwig kept the pressure on with a goal late in the first, pulling the score to 3-2 and proving that the Laser weren’t just here to fill space.

The second period turned into a chippy, stop-and-start affair, which is usually code for “nobody is actually playing hockey anymore.” Austin Lowry extended the Mojo lead to 4-2, but the officials were busy balancing the scales, handing out roughing and cross-checking penalties that turned the game into a disjointed parade to the box.

The third period saw a brief glimmer of hope for the Laser faithful when Triston Wilson notched his second of the night off another Verity helper, cutting the lead to a single goal. But in this league, momentum is about as reliable as the Zamboni’s heater in mid-January. Pete Fleming effectively slammed the door shut for Mojo with an unassisted tally, neutralizing any hope of a Laser comeback and sealing the 5-3 final.

For Mojo, the win is a much-needed shot in the arm as they hover in the middle of the pack. They played the kind of opportunistic hockey that wins games when the legs get heavy, relying on Armendariz to do the heavy lifting.

As for the Laser, they remain winless on the season, firmly anchored at the bottom of the standings. They showed flashes of chemistry—specifically between Wilson and Verity, who continues to look like he’s playing a different sport than everyone else—but until they stop the bleeding in their own zone, they’re going to be spending a lot of long nights packing up the gear in disappointment.

Back to the drawing board for the Laser, while Mojo heads home knowing they finally found the offensive rhythm that had been missing for the better part of the last month.