Spiders buy a can of raid

Nov. 5, 2011

The 2-0 start to the 2011-12 hockey season has been the best start since the 2007-08 season. Spiders have come out scoring early and held on in the end to retain the win. Both games equaled 4-1 with two different goaltenders. Dow was benched for the first time since February 2009 and he returned with a vengeance.

Season after season, Coach Schliesman has been imploring his team to start fast. Saturday, the Spiders did just that for the second consecutive game. Hilden(3) drove to the net and redirected the precision pass from Bedessem past the sprawling Yellow Jackets’ goalie. The Jackets turned up the pressure attempting to even the score but the Spiders defense was up to the task. Diving plays, timely stick lifts, and aggressive back-checking kept the lead. The goal that proved to be the game winner occurred when Tim Stalpes found Hilden during a Jackets line change. Hilden(4) went the distance and popped it in right corner make it 2-0 at the end of the first.

The second period brought more pressure from the Jackets and that pressure paid off at the 14:44 mark. With one too many rebounds of the leg pads of Dow, along with one more offensive player than defensive and the lead was cut in half. But that score would only remain for a mere 36 seconds. Schliesman (1) slipped in his first of the season and near the end of the period, Hilden(5) added one more just to get the hat-trick.

The third period was a defensive battle with Delsing spending the majority of it watching from the sin bin. Dow came up with a few key saves to finish with 26 saves and 1 goal against. Throughout the third period it was evident that the team’s off-season training program is ineffective and the front office may need to consider finding a new strength and conditioning trainer. In the end, the team endured the steady pressure and held on for a 4-1 win.

Two games into the season, the Spiders have proven two things offensively. First, the team can score in the opening minutes. With two goals in the first two minutes, they have come out early and set the tone. Second, they need work on the power-play. The team has had 11 power-plays with only one goal to show for it.

The Spiders will face the Zephyrs on Saturday at New Hope North. The Zephyrs are also 2-0 and Spiders will need to be on their game to keep atop the division.