Spiders off the schneid in time for Thanksgiving

Nov. 20, 2023

It took almost a quarter of the regular season, but the Spiders finally have their first win.

Facing a new-to-C3 squad that also had yet to find the W column, the Spiders and Bold North faced off for the third time in two months, as the teams had also played in the Duluth Tourney in October, where the Spiders came out on top then. And came out on top in this game at Breck.

The Spiders started off the scoring early, first by Grotbeck, and again shorthanded by Grotbeck to make it a quick 2-zip lead, with the first period capped by Berman from Grotbeck.

The penalty box parade continued apace in the second, with a pair of two-minute sits for each team, but the PK units were up to the task, with the Spiders allowing just four shots on goal in the period, as nothing was getting through the Spiders’ sticks, hands, legs, or faces (on one unfortunate shot attempt). Until a high-slot shot deflection in the crease trickled its way through Tejeda’s five hole. The refs had even whistled the play dead, but called the goal upon further inspection.

But early in the third, Vandenberge from Farner, both skating in their first Spider games of the season, put a ribbon on the scoreboard. Giving Ricky Tejeda his well deserved first W as a Spider.

Final: 4–1 Spiders.

The Spiders improve to 1–2–1, sitting in the Thanksgiving traffic jam of C3 West standings. And after a lengthy rust-gathering Thanksgiving two-week break, the Spiders will return in December to face off against the Troopers. The Spiders last faced the Troopers in the 2021–22 season, in a 3–2 loss.

The franchise series with the Troopers is even at 3–3 going back to the 2019–20 season.

Puck drop Monday, Dec. 4, 9:10 p.m. at the House that Snoopy skated at (Highland).