2008–09 Season Recap

April 6, 2009

In its fourth full Winter season in the AHA and second at level D1, the Spiders finished the regular season at 16–1–2–1, with 35 points for first place (out of 10) in D1 East, a slight improvement on the previous season, where the Spiders finished at 3–17 in 7th place (out of eight). This was only the team’s second winning season, the first being the 2006–07 season, where the team finished 12–7–1–0, in 5th place (out of 12) in level D2 East.

And, in the post-season, the Spiders went all the way, winning both the D1 A Pool Championship, and the final, the D1 Championship, taking home the D1 trophy.

Regular season standings: 16–1–2–1, with 35 points.
Post-season standings: 4–0–1, with 8 points.
Full season standings: 20–1–3–1, with 44 points.

As with last year’s season recap, here are season notes and statistics:

Note: Although the Spiders saw post-season action (for the first time) this year, this recap covers focuses the regular season, with playoff stats indicated in italics.

Team stat highlights

Goal stats

Most goals for:: 11, vs. Snowmen (3/3/09)
Fewest goals for:: 2 (tied), vs. Lumberjacks (10/26/08 and 3/8/09); and vs. Wingmen (1/17/09). [Playoffs: vs. Fighting Ice Fish (4/4/09)]
Most goals for in loss:: 2 (tied), vs. Lumberjacks (3/8/09); and vs. Wingmen (1/17/09)
Fewest goals for in win:: 3, vs. Snowmen (12/23/08)
Most goals against:: 4, vs. Diablos (11/2/08)
Fewest goals against:: 0 (tied), vs. Wolf Pack (2/22/09); vs. Stars (2/28/09); and vs. Diablos (3/15/09). [Playoffs: vs. Ice Gators (4/4/09; vs. Diablos (4/5/09)]
Most goals for in a period:: 5 (third period), vs. Snowmen (3/3/09)
Most goals against in a period:: 3, vs. Lumberjacks (first period; 3/8/09)
Most Power-Play goals for:: 1 (tied — 9 games) [and one playoff game]
Most Power-Play goals allowed:: 1 (tied — 6 games) [and 2 playoff games]
Most short-handed goals for:: 2, vs. Royals (11/23/08)
Most short-handed goals allowed:: 1, vs. Yellow Jackets (1/25/09)
Number of games where opponent scored first:: 7, vs. Diablos (11/2/08; 3 goals); vs. Wingmen (11/9/08; 1 goal); vs. Royals (11/23/08; 2 goals); vs. Snowmen (12/23/08; 1 goal); vs. Diablos (1/11/2009; 1 goal); vs. Fighting Saints (2/14/09; 1 goal); vs. Lumberjacks (3/8/09; 3 goals). [Playoffs: 1, vs. Ice Gators (4/309)]
Number of games where opponent scored first and Spiders won game:: 5 [plus 1 in playoffs]
Average number of goals allowed before Spiders’ first goal in games where opponent scored first:: 1.7
Quickest first Spiders’ goal:: At 16:53, 7 seconds into first period, vs. Royals (2/8/09)
Latest first Spiders’ goal:: 2:29 remaining in second period, vs. Diablos (11/2/08)
Quickest first opponent goal:: At 16:36, 24 seconds into first period, vs. Royals (11/23/08)
Latest first opponent goal (not including shutouts):: At 1:12, 15:48 into third period, vs. Yellow Jackets (1/25/09)
Highest number of goals allowed before Spiders scored:: 3, vs. Lumberjacks (3/8/09; final: 3–2)
Wins with one-goal margin:: 1
Wins with two-goal margin:: 2
Wins with three-goal margin:: 2
Wins with double-digit margin:: 1
Losses with one-goal margin:: 2

Shots stats

Most shots for:: 40, vs. Snowmen (3/3/09)
Fewest shots for:: 21, vs. Stars (2/28/09); [Playoffs: 17, vs. Fighting Ice Fish (4/4/09)]
Most shots for in loss:: 30, vs. Lumberjacks (3/8/09)
Fewest shots for in win:: 21, vs. Stars (2/28/09)
Most shots against:: 29 (tied), vs. Wingmen (11/9/08); vs. Royals (11/23/08)
Fewest shots against:: 6, vs. Snowmen (3/3/09)
Most shots against in win:: 29 (tied), vs. Wingmen (11/9/08); vs. Royals (11/23/08) [Playoffs: 30, vs. Ice Gators (4/3/09)]
Fewest shots against in loss:: 21, vs. Wingmen (1/17/09)
Most shots for in a period:: 15 (tied), vs. Diablos (11/2/08; second period), vs. Wolf Pack (2/22/09; third period) [Playoffs: 16 (first period), vs. Ice Gators (4/4/09)]
Fewest shots for in a period:: 4 (tied), vs. Stars (first period; 12/15/08); vs. Snowmen (first period; 12/23/08) [Playoffs: 4 (third period), vs. Fighting Ice Fish (4/4/09)]
Most shots against in a period:: 15 (third period), vs. Diablos (1/11/09)
Fewest shots against in a period:: 1 (tied), vs. Wolf Pack (third period; 2/22/09); vs. Snowmen (first and second periods; 3/3/09)
Highest shots-to-goals percentage:: 29.03% (9 goals on 31 shots), vs. Wolf Pack (2/22/09)
Lowest shots-to-goals percentage:: 6.67% (2 goal on 30 shots), vs. Lumberjacks (3/8/09)

Penalty stats

Most penalties by Spiders:: 8 (tied), vs. Royals (18 PIM; 11/23/08); vs. Lumberjacks (14 PIM; 1/4/09); vs. Lumberjacks (14 PIM; 3/8/09)
Most PIMs by Spiders:: 20 PIMs, vs. Wingmen (on 6 penalties; 1/17/09) [Playoffs: 22 PIMs, vs. Fighting Ice Fish (on 7 penalties, 4/4/09)]
Most penalties by opponent:: 10, vs. Lumberjacks (20 PIM; 10/26/08)
Most PIMs by opponent:: 20 PIM, vs. Lumberjacks (10 penalties; 10/26/08)
Most penalties in game (both teams combined):: 15, vs. Lumberjacks (30 PIM; 10/26/08)
Most PIMs in game (both teams combined):: 30 PIM, vs. Lumberjacks (15 penalties; 10/26/08) [Playoffs: 38 PIM, vs. Fighting Ice Fish (on 11 penalties; 4/4/09)]
Number of games where Spiders had no penalties:: 3, vs. Yellow Jackets (11/16/08); vs. Stars (2/28/09); vs. Snowmen (3/3/09)
Number of games where opponent had no penalties:: 1, vs. Snowmen (12/23/08)
Number of games where Spiders had more penalties than opponent:: 7 [plus 2 in playoffs]
Number of games where Spiders had fewer penalties than opponent:: 9 [plus 2 in playoffs]
Number of games where Spiders and opponent had equal penalties:: 4 [plus 1 in playoffs]
Most frequently called penalty (including opponent penalties):: Tripping (called 29 times); [Plus 9 times for tripping in the playoffs]
Most frequently called penalty (on Spiders):: 12 times, for tripping; [Plus 6 times for tripping in the playoffs]

Roster stats

Largest roster:: 15 skaters (tied); vs. Wingmen (11/9/08); vs. Royals (11/23/08); vs. Wolf Pack (12/7/08)
Shortest roster:: 11 skaters, vs. Fighting Saints (2/14/09)
Shortest roster (at end of game):: [Playoffs: 10 skaters, vs. Fighting Ice Fish (4/4/09)]
Largest opponent roster:: 17, vs. Diablos (3/15/09). [Playoffs: 18 skaters, vs. Diablos (4/5/09)]
Shortest opponent roster:: 10 (tied), vs. Snowmen (12/23/08 and 3/3/09)
Average Spiders roster:: 13.4 skaters [Playoffs: 12.8 skaters]
Average opponent roster:: 13.8 skaters [Playoffs: 15.2 skaters]
Largest negative roster differential:: -4, vs. Diablos (1/11/09; 16 skaters–12 skaters) [Playoffs: -5,vs. Diablos (4/5/09); 18 skaters–13 skaters)]
Largest positive roster differential:: +4, vs. Snowmen (12/23/08; 14 skaters–10 skaters)
Average roster differential:: -0.35 skaters [Playoffs: -2.4 skaters]

Etc.

Largest dressing rooom:: Wakota Rink 2
Coziest dressing “room”:: Saint Paul Academy – Drake Arena
Best ice:: (tied) Biff Adams (11/9/08), New Hope S (12/7/08)
Lousiest ice:: (tied) Highland South (11/2/08), BIG 2 (4/4/09)
Best beer:: (tied) Sunshine Factory (end of regular season; 3/15/09); BIG (Summit … on the house; 4/3/09); Joe Senser’s (D1 Championship celebration; 4/5/09)

Player stat highlights:

Scoring

Most goals:: 20, Jay Hilden [plus 3 in playoffs; total: 23]
Most assists:: 12 (tied), Rob Droullard and Aaron Bedessem [plus 2 in playoffs]
Most first assists:: 9 (tied), Rob Droullard and Aaron Bedessem
Most second assists:: 6, Jeremy Litton [plus 1 in playoffs]
Most points:: 23, Jay Hilden [plus 3 in playoffs; total: 26 points]
Most goals per game:: 3, Mike Johnson (2/22/09 vs. Wolf Pack)
Highest average goals per game played:: .947, Jay Hilden (18 goals in 19 games) [including playoffs: .847 (21 goals in 26 games)]
Most assists per game:: 3 (tied), Rob Droullard (2/22/09), Ryan Herman (3/3/09)
Highest average assists per game played:: .71, Aaron Bedessem (12 assists in 17 games) [including playoffs: .64 (14 assists in 22 games)]
Most points per game:: 5, Mike Johnson, vs. Wolf Pack (2/22/09)
Highest average points per game played:: 1.4, Bruce Gustafson (7 points in 5 games) [including playoffs: 1.33 (8 points in 6 games)]
Highest average points per game played (for non-sub):: 1.27 (tied), Chris Pettengill and Mike Johnson (19 points in 15 games). [including playoffs: Chris Pettengill, 1.21 (23 points in 19 games)]
Most power-play goals (season):: 3, Jay Hilden
Most short-handed goals (season):: 2, Aaron Bedessem
Most game-winning goals:: 3 (tied), Ryan Herman (second year running); Jay Hilden. [including playoffs: 4, Ryan Herman]
Most assisted goals:: 13, Jay Hilden
Most unassisted goals:: 5, Jay “Puck Hog” Hilden [plus 1 in playoffs]
Most frequent scoring combo:: 7 goals, the line of Chris Pettengill, Nick Ungaro and Rob Droullard

Penalties

Most PIM:: 20, Paul LaCosse (on 10 penalties) [including playoffs: 26, Mike Armel (on 8 penalties)]
Most penalties (quantity):: 20, Paul LaCosse (10 PIM)
Most PIM per game:: 10, Ryan Herman (1/17/09) [in playoffs: 12, Mike Armel (4/4/09)]
Most penalties per game:: 3, Ryan Herman (11/23/08) (second year running)
Highest average PIM per game played:: 1.25 per game, Ryan Herman (closely followed by Paul LaCosse, 1.11; and Brad Caron, 1.00); [including playoffs: 1.23, Mike Armel (closely followed by Paul LaCosse, 1.05)]
Most misconducts:: 1, Ryan Herman; [in playoffs: 1, Mike Armel]
Most retroactively assessed (i.e., post-game) misconducts:: 1, Ryan Herman
Most penalties leading to opponent goals (season):: 1 (tied), Paul LaCosse, Luke Baker, Mike Armel [in playoffs: Chris Pettengill, Chris Flannery]
Fewest penalties:: 0 (tied), Eric Ackermann, Amber Obermoller, Bruce Gustafson [including playoffs: 0 (tied) Eric Ackermann, ~~Amber Obermoller,~~ Bruce Gustafson]
Most PIM served (on bench minors):: At least 4 PIM, Cory Vandenberghe

Goaltending

Most saves per game:: 26 (three times), Amber Obermoller ; [in playoffs: 28 (4/3/09, vs. Ice Gators)]
Fewest saves per game:: 5, Amber Obermoller (vs. Snowmen, 3/3/09)
Most saves per game in loss:: 20, Amber Obermoller (3/8/09, vs. Lumberjacks)
Fewest saves per game in win:: 5, Amber Obermoller (3/3/09, vs. Snowmen)
Most saves per game in win:: 26 (three times), Amber Obermoller; [in playoffs: 28 (4/3/09, vs. Ice Gators)]
Fewest saves per game in loss (in full game played):: 18, Amber Obermoller (1/17/09, vs. Wingmen)
Most shutouts in season:: 3, Amber Obermoller [plus 2 in playoffs; total: 5]

Attendance

Most games played:: 20, Amber Obermoller [plus 5 in playoffs; total: 25]
Most games played (in one day):: 4 (parts thereof), Eric Ackermann (4/4/09) (two Spiders games, two Maroons D2 games)
Fewest games played (by non-sub):: 2, Brad Caron
Most on-ice season-ending injuries:: 1, Brad Caron [in playoffs: Paul LaCosse, Chris Pettengill]
Number of games (GP per player, per game) missed due to suspension:: 1, Ryan Herman