Spiders neuter IceDogs 3–0

Jan. 19, 2014

The roll continues, as Spiders notch 7th consecutive win in front of Bill Mac’s second consecutive shutout.

Strategically scheduled for the day after Hockey Day Minnesota 2014 (to avoid the impression that Sunday night old-guy hockey should actually be considered the same sport), the Spiders continued their streak against the struggling IceDogs. The previous matchup back in November was close. Tonight’s wasn’t. The Spiders shut down the kennel from the first drop of the puck, as Bill McCormick came up with an impossible save on a 3-on-2 breakaway resulting from the opening faceoff, to stun both IceDogs’ leading scorer B. Kraus, and the admittedly impressable ref, officiating just his third game ever.

Kraus would go on to get a half dozen more solid chances, but McCormick was on his game, and kept everything safely out of the net.

On the other end, the Spiders racked up another high-shot game, controlling play throughout, forcing turnovers on the forecheck when they didn’t.

Scoring first, late in the first, a blast from the right point by Fritz found its way onto Farner’s freshly taped and waxed stick for his second of the season.

In the second, a play created entirely by Sutton on the power play, who held it in the zone, then was able to sneak down and put it away, assists to Berman and Lavigne (who paid dearly in the corner by #20 Baker’s stick), for the Spiders’ second of the night, and Sutton’s first of the season.

And the nightcap, another Fritz right-point blast, this time had eyes, as the puck pinballed its way through, apparently deflecting off Henke and Johnson to find the back of the net.

In the penalty department, the SLP late-night crowd of 11 was wowed by an “elbow” from Schroeder in the first, got to see Dog usual suspect McDonald sit for tripping in the second, and scratched their heads in unison in the third as Fritz was called for tripping after an entire series of very obvious non-calls up and down the ice made a convincing argument that the refs had lost their whistles. Which ref Scott sheepishly admitted after the game. (Incidentally, his first game officiating in the AHA was also for the Spiders, when his infamous “My Bad” was uttered.)

Back to the shots, the Spiders topped last week’s ratio, putting 39 on the IceDogs’ net, with their goaltender, and their goaltender’s post, coming up with 36 saves. McCormick stopped all 16 that got through, for the shutout win, his second this season. That improves on last week’s 37–17 differential, though still not besting the 51–19 in shot flurry against the IceDogs last season.

The Spiders’ (8–3; 16pts.) seventh win in a row is still likely only good for the second-place tie with the Fighting Loons in C3 East. The first-place Fighting Piranhas faced the last-place Buccaneers, so it can be assumed the fish prevailed, keeping their one-game pace for first (though stranger things have happened).

Next up, the Spiders have a date with the Gold Rush. The last game was a double disappointment, as the Spiders not only lost the game after building a lead, they lost their goaltender for four games thanks to the Gold Rush’s captain.

The Gold Rush (6–4–1; 13 pts., in fifth place), last season’s and this summer’s champs, have gone 3–2–1 since their goaltender was suspended for the season due to a matching set of attempt-to-injure majors, only to have him reinstated via the AHA disciplinary committee after two games out.

Puck drops at the palatial Saint Thomas arena in Mendota Heights, Sunday, Jan. 26 at 7:40 p.m.

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