Spiders outgun Wild 5-4 to advance to B3 title game

April 7, 2018

With matchup between the Wild and Spiders was a de-facto semi-final game with both teams entering at 2-0 in pool play.

The first period was scoreless but each team had good chances as the olympic ice at BIG 3 allowed plenty of room for the offenses to operate. Christian Peterson gave the Spiders the lead early in the second before the Wild answered back almost immediately.

The Spiders had a four minute power play late in the second period thanks to a reckless cheap shot by Wild goon E. Peterson on Aaron Bedessem. Bedessem left the game with an upper body injury but returned for the third period. Peterson got a double minor and a misconduct but the Spiders weren't able to capitalize. Spider sub goalie Mike Speakman also took a knock as hig leg got pinned underneath him as a Spider and Wild player got tangled up and fell on him while making a save. Speakman shook it off but was noticeblay hobbled for th remainder of the game.

Joe Long and Christian Peterson scored just a minute apart to give the Spiders a 3-1 lead. The Wild answered right back to tie the game at 3-3.

The first tiebreaker if the game ended as a tie is goal differential, which the Wild would win as they entered at +9 compared to the Spiders at +5.

Hank Long scored the eventual game winner with just over five minutes left with Christian Peterson adding an insurance goal. The goal was needed as the Wild clawed a goal back with just over two minutes left. The Wild couldn't get the tying goal and the Spiders advanced to the championship game with a back-and-forth 5-4 win.

The Spitfires Green advanced to the title game from the other pool as they thrashed the ocmpetition, going 3-0 with a +16 goal differential.