Troopers stop Spiders

Feb. 21, 2022

Despite a comeback to make it close, the game was all Troopers in 3–2 loss.

From the drop of the puck, the Troopers showed they came to play and get some payback for the Spiders’ stealing the earlier matchup in OT.

The Spiders could barely control the puck, suffocated by the Trooper forecheck. And even when they did get possession, the refs saw fit to send a parade of red to the penalty box regardless of which player was infringing on the rule book. Launch yourself into an opponent’s stick? That’s a cross-check. Pull down a player from behind? That’s a high stick. Go water skiing on a 50-50 puck chase? That’s interference. In a 51-minute game, the Spiders spent almost 10 minutes of gametime shorthanded. It wasn’t until late in the third that the Troopers’ extracurriculars were noticed by the refs, giving them the perfect opportunity to ice away the game.

On the scoreboard, the Troopers notched one early after spending the entire shift in the offensive zone, eventually the puck made its way to the left dot and was sent backhand through a screen and snuck in the near post. Their second goal was a snipe in the low slot, right off Kellogg’s goal stick and top corner. And the eventual winner converted on the power play.

Late in the second, Eric Grotbeck did his best to be granted his early departure ticket to get to his second game of the night, first breaking through the Trooper zone and firing on their netminder Jenn Stone, with Johnson cashing in to get the Spiders on the board. On the ensuing faceoff, ran the same play and this time beat the goalie himself.

But that was all the Spiders would get past the net. Despite pulling Kellogg for the extra attacker with a minute and a half to go, the best chance came on two attempts by the Troopers to nail the empty net.

Final score: Troopers 3, Spiders 2.

The loss puts the Spiders (9–5–1–0) fourth-place spot within closing distance of the Mallards (7–6–1–1) and Loons (7–8–0–0) in fifth and sixth place, with five games in the regular season to go. While the Troopers (6–8–0–1), in seventh, will have a tighter path to make the playoff cutoff, AHA math isn’t unheard of in the closing weeks.

The franchise series with the Troopers evens up again at 3–3 going back to the 2019–20 season.

Next up, the Spiders face the mostly unstoppable Spartans (14–1). The previous matchup, even though the Spiders’ bench was full and the Spartans was … spartan, went their way on their road to the almost-perfect season.

Puck drop late Friday night at the Woog.