Spiders tame Wild, remain in pole position

Feb. 23, 2017

AP – Feb. 23, 2017 Minneapolis, Minnesota

What a difference a year makes.

Jan. 13, 2016: an already reeling B3 Spiders found themselves on the losing end of a 9-0 shutout against the (eventual 2016 B3 champion) Wild. It would turn out be the worst performance of the season for a squad that had incurred a barrage of injuries, suspensions and defections - and hadn’t won a game in (a franchise record for futility) 61 days and counting.

Feb. 23, 2017: The Spiders out-muscled and out-hustled the defending champion Wild in a 9-4 at Parade Ice Garden to keep themselves planted atop the B3 East standings (9-2-3, 21 points) with one month to go in a season that may be best described in one word: revival.

Brent Murray and Christian Peterson each netted two goals and an assist in a convincing victory that gave the team a new season high in points (eclipsing the 2013-14 squad’s 20-point finish) at the B3 tier. It also secured the Spiders’ first ever season series victory against a Wild (6-5-1-2) team that will have to scratch and claw its way into the playoffs if it hopes to earn a shot at a repeat title.

While Thursday’s nine-goal output was impressive in its own right, that the Spiders held their high-octane opponents to 14 shots over the course of 51 minutes was stunning. Coming into the contest the Wild had led the division in the “shots for” category.

The defensive performance was one off from a Spiders franchise low of 13 shots against (recorded Feb. 16, 2013). Over a four-game stretch the Red & Black have now given up 73 shots, a defensive streak that has veteran goaltender Brian Down simultaneously appreciative, and, well, somewhat bored.

“I’d prefer somewhere along the lines of 25-30 shots a game, otherwise I get sleepy,” said Dow in a post-game interview. The veteran netminder is steadily recording his best season between the pipes at the B3 tier. At the 14-game mark, he has a division best 3.36 GAA.

But while the Spiders controlled nearly every phase of the contest, they actually found themselves down just 33 seconds in as the Wild’s C. Trboyevich found twine on the first shot of the game.

Aaron Bedessem and Murray would have none of that. The Spiders wings scored on consecutive shifts at 15:48 and 14:18 to put the Spiders into control after first period where they outshot the Wild 18-3 and outscored them 4-1.

The Wild then did what they do best - drove the puck in deep on transition plays that netted them two goals early in the second period to make it a 4-3 game.

What happened next was akin to a flawless performance by the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Pure harmony ensued as the Spiders scored five consecutive goals during 20-minute stretch where they executed on seemingly every pass, every battle in the corner and every race to an unclaimed puck.

The Wild scored a meaningless goal with 1:28 remaining, in perhaps the Spiders best total-game performance of the season to date. Defenseman Cody Buckalew also tallied three points (one goal, two assists) in the victory.

Saturday night is a chance for an encore against a struggling Spitfires team and would help the Spiders march one step closer to clinching their first ever playoff spot in the B3 tier.

Quick notes:

Through 14 games the Spiders are not only atop the standings in points, they also have achieved the following:

1st in goals scored: 71

1st in goals against: (tied) 47

1st in goal differential: + 24

1st in shot differential: +122

1st in shots against: 382

2nd in (fewest) penalty minutes: 92