Spiders make it 2 in a row!

Nov. 6, 2015

Richfield 2 arena has been a good place for the Spiders franchise. In the last 17 trips, dating back to 2009, the Spiders have gained at least a point in 13 of those trips. Tonight would be no different in the contest against the Wild.

First period started with the Wild putting pressure early on. The home team tried on a few occasions to give the momentum away with ill-advised breakout passes across the middle of the defensive zone. Dow came up big on the first few shots while the team got their legs underneath them.

The second period began with that same tilt against the Spiders. The penalty box door was well oiled and minors by Long and Benson put the Wild on a 5 on 3 for a full minute but it was astutely killed off. But later the major penalty by Long appeared to squash any anticipated momentum change. That is until Cagle notched his first of year with a nifty toe-drag, snap shot between the defender’s legs and beat the goalie five-hole. Fifteen seconds later, Adleman took a pass from Staples, looked off the goalie and fired it home glove high.

At the end of the period, the bench was shorter but the score was 2-0.

The third period the Spiders discovered a new rule for 2015 in USA hockey after nearly ten whistles for being in the crease. The new rule states: “A face-off shall be conducted at the nearest neutral zone face-off spot anytime an attacking player stands, holds his stick, or skates through the goal crease provided the puck is in the attacking zone, the attacking team has possession of the puck and the goalkeeper is in contact with the crease…”

As the frustration mounted, the penalty box got plenty of occupants. Killing penalties while remaining calm was the game plan. The third period included a tape-to-tape pass from Jacobson to rookie Stone to mark his goal. You could see that after killing off the second 5 on 3 and the goal from Bedessem midway through the third was the back breaker.

Wild snuck one through the wickets of Dow with less than a minute to go to spoil the shut out.

Game notes: Drew Snodgrass and the Spiders have mutually parted ways after only two games. The Spiders will also be without Hank Long for an undisclosed time while Hank processes through the ponderous, opaque, and glacially slow AHA appeals process.