Spiders out-shot but pick up win to close out 2012

Dec. 28, 2012

When the Spiders arrived in Bloomington to face down the new-to-C1 Puck Hounds for the first time, they were greeted with more fans than expected. It was the night before the night before Christmas and half the team was already sleeping but the Christmas crowd was immense and nearly every seat filled.

The short bench merited the call-up of Jack Delsing as well as the addition of Cody Buckalew to the team.

The Spiders, wearing their festive holiday red sweaters, dominated early. Just five minutes into the game, the fan favorites put in their first goal. Aaron Bedessem’s wrister rebounded and Cody Yard (3) hammered it home past the sprawling Puck Hound goalie.

Even with the short bench and the team’s top scorer out, the Spiders turned on the faucet of scoring again. By the end of the second period, two goals were added by Dave Schliesman (6, 7) and lone goals from Mark Bortnem (3) and Jim Maietta (5). Without some of the great saves that were made by the Puck Hound goalie, the Spiders would have been on pace to post another double-digit scoring onslaught.

The second period was about to end peacefully with the Spiders leading 5-1 when a scrum broke out in front of the opposing team goal. When all the equipment was picked up, Maietta had vaulted right past Delsing (even with his own 6 minutes added to his total) to grab a hold of the team-leader in penalty minutes and the bench got shorter. One could argue that each team should have had other players shown the gate but only Maietta was advised that he should be in the dressing room. (Rumors were that Jim ended up going out to dinner with the Puck Hounds afterward but team spokesman Josh Cagle has denied the rumors.)

The major highlight of the night was the addition of Cody Buckalew to the team and his contributions. With Brad Butalla and Bob Harnett on season-ending DL, the Spiders had been combing the waiver wire and been in negotiations with the league to fill out their roster.

In the third period, Buckalew took the puck up the left side and, with the Spiders leading 5-2 but the Puck hounds pressing, rifled a shot between the glove and the leg pad of the Puck Hound netminder. Welcome to town and to the team!

When the dust settled and Dow stopped waiving to his family in the stands, the team posted their last W in 2012.

The Spiders face the Aces for their next contest prior to their mid-season bye week. So far, the only player out will be Maietta while he sits somewhere and feels some shame.