Spiders drop 2–1 decision in front of season-high Valentine’s Day crowd

Feb. 14, 2009

A season-high crowd of 15 watched as the Spiders took the ice at Wakota for game with playoff implications against the Warriors. The Spiders beat the Warriors 2–1 earlier this season and the Warriors were looking for revenge.

The beginning of the first was dominated by the Warriors but the Spiders rallied back. The period ended scoreless with shots equal at seven as neither team had many good scoring chances.

The Warriors got on the board first five minutes into the 2nd period when the Spiders couldn’t clear a loose puck in front of netminder Brian Dow. The Spiders continued to pressure the Warriors, outshooting them 13–8 in the period but couldn’t find the back of the net. Numerous rebounds squirted off the Spiders’ sticks and Warriors goalie Mike Anlauf turned away numerous scoring opportunities.

Just one minute into the third, Shaun Tromiczak tied the game with a scorching slapper from between the circles, with an assist to Bruce Gustafson. Just three minutes later, the Warriors tallied another goal. A slapshot from the point hit numerous bodies and sticks before being chipped in past a sprawling Dow. A duo of late-game penalties left the Spiders on the kill and unable to mount a comeback.

Even though it was Valentine’s Day, there was no love lost between the teams as they combined for 12 penalties in this poorly officiated contest. Many of the penalties were head-scratchers such as Greg Lindsley being called for a body check for getting his legs taken out by a falling player. Spiders enforcer Jack Delsing had a hat trick of penalties with two questionable calls before really getting his two minutes worth depositing a Warriors player into the boards in front of the Spiders’ bench.

The Spiders fall back to third place in C2 East behind two-time Spider killers the Blizzard and the Diablos, who fell to the Spiders 4-1 three weeks ago. The Spiders have a 13-day break before a weekend double-dip against ShameonIce on Friday, February 27, and against the Renegades on Sunday, March 1.