Spider swoon sinks 12th season

In the Spiders’ 12th season of AHA hockey, the team strung together eight consecutive losses, tying the club losing streak record, yet somehow recovered to find the middle of the pack by season’s end.

After a 2014–15 season where the Spiders couldn’t find the W column in the final months of the season (going 0–3–2–1, from Jan. 24–March 5, 2015), the largely unchanged 2015–16 edition of the Spiders bested the previous season’s streak, by going a franchise record-tying 0–8 from Nov. 22 to Jan. 16, in what was affectionally called the Nov./Dec./Jan. Swoon. Yet, the spring thaw began early, on Jan. 23, with the then last-place Spiders suddenly finding the back of the net — and the W column, to go on a 6–2–1 run, including beating all but the eventual C3 South divsion winner and C3 champion (Royals, 13–3–4, and the only team to reach 30 points in all of C3) in salvaging the season.

With only three available playoff berths for C3 South, plus two wildcard spots spread across three C3 divisions (and 25 teams, 26 including a free ticket for a parity-busting D1 team), the Spiders never quite got back into the playoff picture (though the goalie got a taste). But with an 8–11–1 record (17 points, 6th place) on the season, the team actually ever-so-slightly improved upon 2014–15’s 7–10–2–1 (also 17 points, 9th place), if going by ROWs.

Missing the AHA playoffs for the second consecutive season, the Spiders now have missed the playoffs a total of five seasons out of 12, having made the post-season seven consecutive years from the 2008–09 championship run to 2013–14’s playoff drubbing.

The Spiders finished the regular season in sixth place in C3 South out of eight teams, with an 8–11–1–0 record and 17 points.

This was the team’s fifth losing season, with the Beginner School, 2005–06 inaugural winter season, the 2007–08 first season at D1, and last season representing the others.

As with last season’s recap, an abbreviated (and unaudited) look at the Spiders season, by the numbers:

Team stat highlights

Result stats

Longest winning streak:

4 (Jan. 23–Feb. 20, 2016)

Longest losing streak:

8 (Nov. 22, 2015–Jan. 16, 2016)

One-goal losses this season:

3

One-goal games this season:

5

Come-from-ahead losses this season:

3

Bench stats

Longest bench:

15 (7 times; record: 2–5)

Shortest bench:

11 (3 times; record: 2–1)

Average roster differential:

+.25

Number of non-sub player-games missed/scratched:

74

Largest dressing room:

Minnetonka B

Coziest dressing room:

VMCC W

Coldest ice (and dressing room):

Breck

Lousiest ice:

Too many to choose from

Number of games played on Olympic ice (200′x100′):

1

Number of wins in games played on Olympic ice:

0

Goal stats

Fastest goal for:

2 minutes, 5 seconds in: 14:55, 1st period (1/2/2016 vs. Les Étoiles Du Nord, by Mike Schroeder)

Fastest goal against:

30 seconds in: 16:30, 1st period (1/16/2016 vs. Mastodons)

Latest first goal for:

4:14, 3rd period (12/6/2015 vs. Arctic Wolves, by Eric Grotbeck)

Latest first opponent goal:

11:02, 3rd period (3/13/2016 vs. Fighting Loons)

Most goals for:

8 (11/1/2015 vs. Northern Horde)

Most goals against:

8 (1/16/2016 vs. Mastodons)

Most goals (both teams combined):

12 (1/16/2016 vs. Mastodons)

Shot stats

Most shots for:

40 (2/25/2016 vs. Royals)

Fewest shots for:

13 (12/14/2015 vs. Ak Bars)

Most shots against:

45 (2/25/2016 vs. Royals)

Fewest shots against:

21 (1/23/2016 vs. Fighting Loons)

Most shots (both teams combined):

85 (2/25/2016 vs. Royals)

Fewest shots (both teams combined):

37 (3/13/2016 vs. Fighting Loons)

Penalty stats

Most Spider penalties:

6 (12/14/2015 vs. Ak Bars)

Most opponent penalties:

5 (2/25/2016 vs. Royals)

Most combined penalties:

10 (12/14/2015 vs. Ak Bars)

Number of games with no penalties by Spiders:

2

Number of games with no opponent penalties:

4

Number of games with no penalties by either team:

1 (12/20/2015 vs. Northern Horde)

Most frequently called penalty on Spiders:

Three-way tie: Hooking (7 times), Interference (7 times), Tripping (7 times)

Most frequently called penalty on opponents:

Tripping (8 times)

Most frequently called penalty (both teams combined):

Tripping (14 times)

Player stats

Most goals per game:

3, Dave Henke (11/1/2015)

Most assists per game:

3 (tied), Jon Pappone (11/29/2015) and Brad Sutton (2/20/2016)

Most points per game:

5 (3G+2A), Dave Henke (11/1/2015)

Most PIM per game:

4 (tied), Brad Sutton (11/15/2015), Rick Fritz (2/12/2016), Eric Grotbeck (2/20/2016)

Most power play goals:

1 (4-way tie), Tim Byland, Scott Bredael, Dave Henke, Kevin Noreen

Most shorthanded goals:

0

Most game-winning goals:

1 (8-way tie), Paul Berman, George Farner, Jason Freed, Eric Grotbeck, Dave Henke, Mike Johnson, Mike Schroeder, Brad Sutton.

Most PIM:

10, Brad Sutton

Fewest PIM:

0 (6-way tie), Tim Byland, George Farner, Jason “Lady Byng” Freed, Dave Henke, Mike Johnson, Kevin Noreen

Most penalties leading to opponent goal:

2 (tied), Brad Sutton, Eric Grotbeck

Number of goals scored via the “Flying ‘V’™”:

2, Cory Vandenberghe (2/12/2016), Scott Bredael (2/25/2016)

Number of goals scored from Schuster’s Office™:

2, Mike Schroeder (11/15/2015), Jon Pappone (3/19/2016)

Goaltending

Most saves per game:

41 (2/25/2016 vs. Royals)

Fewest saves per game:

20 (twice)

Fewest saves per game in a win:

20 (1/23/2016 vs. Fighting Loons)

Most saves per game in a win:

31 (11/15/2015 vs. Les Étoiles Du Nord)

Most saves per game in a loss:

41 (2/25/2016 vs. Royals)

Most shutouts:

1 (11/15/2015 vs. Les Étoiles Du Nord)

Attendance:

Most games played:

Bill McCormick (20)

Most scratches (non-sub):

9 (David Lavigne and Cory Vandenberghe)

Most on-ice season-ending injuries:

1 (Paul Berman)

Number of on-ice non-season-ending-but-sending-to-IR injuries:

Too many...

Officiating

Number of games with fewer than two refs:

.991 (2/25/2016 vs. Royals)

Number of games with fewer than one scorekeeper:

1 (1/2/2016 vs. Les Étoiles Du Nord)

Ref with most Spider games this season:

Scott Johnson

Ref with most curious penalty call(s):

Mark Winters

Spiders Stat leader board

C3 South leader board — regular season (Spiders)

Opponent leader board

Who had the Spiders’ number — to rack up their own numbers — this season?

Game-by-game stats

View game-by-game team statistics for the 2015–16 season.