Spiders start season with 3-0 win over Aces

Oct. 28, 2012

On opening night of the 2012–13 season, the Spiders hung tough through some sloppy moments to take a 3–0 win.

The Spiders controlled play early but strong goaltending from the Aces keeper and some unlucky bounces kept the score at 0–0. Tim Forcelle finally broke the seal late in the period. With the Spiders on the power play, Forcelle picked up a rebound and put it past the helpless goalie.

The second period got ugly as the chewed up ice, tired early-season legs, commitment to defense and activist officiating made for unattractive hockey, even by AHA standards. Tim Stalpes helped keep the Spider lead as he sacrificed his body by laying out in front of a shot off a dangerous rebound.

Jay Hilden provided some breathing room early in the third period. Hilden picked up a loose puck near the left circle and wristed it into the corner to beat the goalie cleanly. Later in the period, an angry Matt Adelmann went coast-to-coast to make the score 3–0. After beating a couple Aces in the neutral zone and blowing by a defenseman, Adelmann was all alone against the goalie. After patiently waiting for the goalie to go down, Adelmann went to the backhand and scored into the gaping net. Goaltender Brian Dow picked up his first assist since March 26, 2011, on Adelmann’s goal to celebrate his recently announced captaincy.

The Spiders have to be happy with a dominant 3–0 win but there definitely were some goals left on the ice. With new line combinations and the long layoff, a slow start is to be expected. But with a tough game against the Royals on the horizon, the Spiders need to get to speed quickly. The game against the Royals will be on Saturday, November 10, against the Royals. Game time is 7:30 p.m. at Richfield 2.

A stick tap goes out to Derk Jacobson, longtime Spider friend and skater for the C2 Shameonice. Spider goalie Brian Dow had a conflict as he was reffing a playoff football game. Jacobson backstopped the Spiders through warm-ups and the opening minutes the game before Dow took the ice.