Spiders reel in Fighting Piranhas 4–2 to maintain C3 East first place

Feb. 18, 2014

Spiders reel in Fighting Piranhas 4–2 to maintain C3 East first place

Saturday’s duel at Aldrich was for first place, and the Spiders came out on top.

Thanks to the Gold Rush’s 4–0 shutout of the Fighting Piranhas last week, the C3 East standings remained with the Spiders on top of the Piranhas. Leading to a first-place showdown at Aldrich on Saturday.

The last time the Spiders played the Piranhas, on Dec. 7, 2013, the Spiders got out to an early three-goal lead, only to cave in on defense and allow the Piranhas to steal the game. That was the last Spider loss this season. Since then, the Spiders still give up the traditional late goal (or two), but have somehow managed to hold on for the victory. Seven of them, to be exact, since that last loss. Plus the tie last week against the Fighting Saints.

The Spiders set the pace early, with newly-back-at-forward Jon Pappone notching the Spiders’ first goal snapped from the high slot, assist to Freed.

And Paul Berman capitalized on an offensive zone turnover to put the Spiders up 2–0.

The Piranhas finally answered back on a ping-pong shin-pad deflection that otherwise would’ve gone way wide of the net, and instead slipped past McCormick, to close the game to one.

In the third, the first penalty of the game came as soon as the Spiders’ captain mentioned that there hadn’t been any penalties yet. On a 50/50 puck race to the corner, the Piranhas’ forechecker went down hard into the boards trying to get around Sutton. The ref decided to appease the Aldrich crowd of 7, and put Sutton in the box for interference. The Spiders’ PK effectively went to work. And after two, Lavigne sprung Sutton with a stretch pass that Sutton almost put away to put the Spiders back up by two. But the Piranhas’ Alvarez was good for it.

Late in the third, the Spiders regained the dreaded two-goal lead thanks to Tim Byland.

But as soon as the Spiders could say “backcheck,” a multiple-stick turnover at the offensive blueline, from Farner, to Byland, to Sutton, ended up on a cherry-picking Piranha’s stick, who lumbered down for the breakaway with four Spiders on his trail, but he was able to sneak it past McCormick to again close the Piranhas to within one. That came at 2:03 remaining, adding to the Spiders’ season-long habit of goals given up in the final minutes of close games.

The Piranhas pulled Alvarez for the extra attacker on the faceoff. And that was enough for Pappone to win it to Schuster, who picked his corner on the empty netter to regain the two-goal lead for the Spiders. And that’s where it would end, Spiders win 4–2.

McCormick won the game for the Spiders, stopping 26 of 28 shots (9, 9, 10), including some off his defender’s shins and into the facemask, and one that he trapped right on the goalline inside the post. (That was called a goal last week, but this time the ref was in position…)

On the other end, Alvarez stopped 23 of 25, plus the empty netter (6, 9, 11). Plus a pipe or two.

Standings watch

The win returns the Spiders to the ‘W’ column after a one-week hiatus, and solidifies the hold on first place (10–3–1–0; 21 points). The Fighting Piranhas (8–4–2–0; 18pts) stay in a tie for second with the Fighting Loons (9–5; 18pts), though would lose out on the wins tiebreaker.

Next up for the Spiders, it’s those Fighting Loons. After two consecutive losses (vs. the Ak Bars and vs. the IceDogs), they beat the Fighting Saints 6–2 on Saturday night to maintain their place in the C3 East race.

The previous Spiders/Loons game went the Spiders’ way, 4–3, back in December at the Vet.

It’s another Saturday evening game, so bring the family. Puck drops at 7:15 p.m. at New Hope S.