Spiders road trip nets key victory

Jan. 28, 2013

The Spiders traveled to the far reaches of Inver Grove Heights to take on the Ak Bars in a battle for fifth place and playoff hopes.

Team physician Dr. Droullard advised against taking the team bus, however, due to the rampant flu bug that had already claimed RW Schuster, scratched from the lineup.

The two points up for grabs had significant post-season implications for both teams. The Ak Bars, though pegged with a 13.5%* chance at the playoffs, were statistically tied with the Spiders at 12 points, 6–7, and coming off a 4–1 run including shutting out the Fighting Saints last week. The Spiders, clinging to a 29.1% chance thanks to Saturday’s 9–3 win over the Diablos, also at 6–7 and 12 points. Both squads have been looking up at the Sled Dogs all season, 12 points, 5–5–1–1, but a game in hand. All three are hoping for that fourth and final spot, since the Moose (100%), Mastodons (100%) and Fighting Saints (96.1%) have all but locked up the top three berths.

The previous meeting of the Spiders and Ak Bars, much like most of the Spiders losses this year, tilted the other way due to a late goal against, and the inevitable empty netter to lock up the defeat. Could the Spiders turn this tide?

With John Fleischhacker subbing in the Ak Bar net, the Spiders lit the lamp early thanks to a gorgeous passing play down low between Freed and Pappone, who snapped it in from the right goal line just under two minutes in.

Down 1–0, the Ak Bar forecheck got in full gear, hemming the Spiders in at every chance. Halfway through the first, a scramble after the puck flipped in the air in front of McCormick’s net was gloved down and resulted in all Ak Bar and not enough Spider, and the puck found its way across the goal line. Tie game, and the traditional Ak Bar cowbell came out from the surprisingly partially filled VMCC bleachers.

Before the first was over though, the Spiders climbed back on top, with a highlight-reel play of Schroeder to Berman, and put away by Schwinn, and Spiders up 2–1 to close out the first period.

In the second, the Ak Bar pressure never stopped, though McCormick was good for all the quality chances, turning away eight shots, including cleaning up some epic defensive gaffes in front of him that had the puck right at his doorstep numerous times. On the other end, Fleishhacker was good for 7 of the 8 shots that he saw as well, but Mike Johnson, who had been snakebitten by the open net on Saturday, and was also snakebitten by the open net earlier in the period, finally found the twine at 7:07, assist to Freed, and Spiders staking the dreaded two-goal lead with half a hockey game left.

The remaining 24 minutes was mostly Ak Bar forecheck and Spider dump and chase, and standout goaltending on both ends. The Spiders had a few chances, putting up four shots on net in the third. But it was mostly Ak Bars who controlled, putting up 10 shots on net, including 1:52 of empty net 6-on-5 to close out the third after calling a much-needed timeout. Coach Grotbeck rallied the troops at every chance, and the Spiders were able to withstand the onslaught.

By the time the final cowbell rang, the Spiders emerged victorious with the 3–1 victory.

With only 18 shots on goal (6, 8, 4), a season-low for the Spiders, the Ak Bars, thanks to their third-period pressure, outshot the Spiders by 3, for 21 (3, 8, 10), the first time this season the Spiders have been outshot but won the game. The last time was Jan 7, 2012, against the Puck Hounds.

The ref’s whistles were surprisingly quiet tonight, not even putting C3-leading PIM king Zakharov in for a two-minute rest for good measure. The Spiders haven’t been in a penalty-free game since March 3, 2012, against the Maroons.

Standings watch

Thanks to the win, the Spiders improve to .500 for the first time since Dec. 21, and keep their playoff hopes alive by staking their sole claim on fifth place, just one spot out of a playoff slot. The Ak Bars’ chances drop precipitously to just 3.4% despite being just a game out. The Spiders improve 11.8% to 36.5%. Those pesky regular season tiebreakers may help (or hurt) their chances. Stranger things have happened.

In the Spiders’ way, the fourth-place Sled Dogs. At 6–5–1–1, 14 points but a game in hand, the Sled Dogs’ chances are pegged at 64.8%. Despite it being only January, the Spiders have just six games left on the Winter regular season schedule, and chances are this upcoming final meeting between the Spiders and Sled Dogs — which comes after yet another two-week All Star Break for the Spiders — will determine the final seeding.

A Spiders’ win, and the tiebreaker for head-to-head falls to the Spiders. But, a Sled Dogs’ win, and that 64.8 likely shoots up close to 100%. And the only 100% chance the Spiders will have is golf season starting in early April.

The idle Spiders will have 13 days off to prepare for the most significant game of the season, and will likely consist of sitting around and watching the Super Bowl, though they will watch some hockey, supporting the C1 Spiders’ upcoming Family Night & Food Drive vs. the Beavers on Feb. 2 at SLP.

* All playoff chance stats courtesy Sports Club Stats and the C3 Moose.