Spiders Edge Sled Dogs 2-1

Jan. 31, 2011

Same old story… Spiders outshoot the Sled Dogs by a wide margin but it doesn’t translate to the scoreboard. Exhibit A. Exhibit B. Exhibit C.

Monday night at Hopkins started much the same with the Spiders forecheck controlling the puck in the Sled Dogs zone. The Spiders got on the board midway through the first period as Doug Thorson got a stick on a loose puck after the goalie made a save on a shot from Tim Stalpes. The period ended with the Spiders outshooting the Sled Dogs 13–3 but strong goaltending by Charlie Beattie and alert play by the Sled Dog defensemen kept the score at 1-0.

The second period was more of the same as the Spiders had several chances. The Spiders apparently scored a second goal midway through the second frame but it was waved off as one of the referees lost sight of the puck. Netminder Brian Dow hadn’t seen much action but was sharp when called upon. The biggest save came on a point-blank shot late in the second period. With the puck deep behind the Spider net, a blind backhand pass to the front of the slot found the stick of a Sled Dog forward. Dow’s instincts, positioning, and a quick left foot combined to preserve the Spider lead.

Seven minutes into the third period the puck squirted out of a crowd on the boards to Sled Dog forward Todd Sanford at the right circle. Sanford didn’t hesitate and picked the corner to tie the game at 1-1. At that point the Sled Dogs decided to get physical. A cross-checking call and a hooking penalty put the Spiders on a 5-on-3 power play. Just after the first penalty ended, Mark Bortnem put the Spiders up 2-1 with a second, third, and fourth effort after the Sled Dogs goalie made a save.

Sled Dog lead goon Dan Johnson then decided to punch Matt Adelmann in the side of the head, behind the play, with Adelmann on his knees, to earn a roughing penalty. Not happy to go quietly, Johnson insisted he, “Never even touched him,” and eventually earned himself a 10-minute penalty and the responsibility for warming up the showers.

Rather than gratefully sit on a lead and enjoy a power play, Brian Armagost and Brian Dow decided the Spiders needed to test their 5-on-3 penalty killing ability. Luckily, the Spiders were up to the task and a late hooking call on the Sled Dogs allowed the Spiders to coast home with the 2-1 win. A minor post-whistle shoving match led to matching penalties and a fitting end to a game that got ugly late.

For the game, the Spiders outshot the Sled Dogs 33-18 but couldn’t break the game open. The Sled Dogs were whistled for 10 penalties for 28 minutes — both records in the four-year history of the C2 Spiders franchise. The Spiders will play the Sled Dogs twice in the last three games of the season so there will be no coasting into the playoffs for either team.

The Spiders will take Super Bowl weekend off before returning to the ice on February 13 to face off against the Jets.

Attendance: 2