Spiders notch first win of season

Nov. 9, 2008

The previously undefeated (though also unwinning) Spiders finally, placed one in the W column tonight, beating the Wingmen 7–3 on the chilly sheet at Biff Adams. The night also saw the season debut of Coach Caron, who took to the bench job this week following his season-ending “Lower Body” injury suffered in last week’s game.

The coach had little to work with to start the game, with a number of Spiders late to the arena. The 12 skaters who started the game got a warmed up in a hurry, facing an unknown Wingmen team that proved they could move the puck and had a lot of speed, testing Spiders’ netminder Amber Obermoller with 11 shots in the first. For the second week in a row, the Spiders’ #14 got the game’s first gate call, this time for playing the puck, which resulted in sending a Wingman on a mid-air 360 at the blue line. But he would only get 38 seconds of rest, as the Wingmen PP found the back of the net, giving them the lead halfway through the first.

But the Spiders would answer back exactly two minutes later, with center Jay Hilden beating sub goalie Sarah Thuriot unassisted to tie the game. Just 15 seconds later, the Wingmen got the gate for hooking the Spiders’ #14, but the Spiders PP unit wasn’t quite warmed up. Though to finish out the first, with just 36 seconds remaining, right wing Chris Pettengill connected with center Aaron Bedessem to give the Spiders the lead.

Early in the second, the persistent Wingmen brought it to a tie again, at 15:04. But just under two minutes later, the Wingmen #5 P. Beauchamp was finally caught working his stick artistry, giving the Spiders PP unit the opportunity add to the lead. Although it took them all but three seconds of the Power Play, a two-line pass from deep in the Spiders’ zone from sub D Bruce Gustafson found left wing Cory Vandenberghe at the blue line right up the lane, who handed it off to center Jay Hilden who sent it home. Spiders 3–2.

Later in the second, at 6:46, newly-up-at-right wing Ryan Herman nailed a beautiful pass from Gretsky’s Office courtesy Aaron Bedessem, doubling the lead to 4–2.

To finish out the second sub D Lee Martini got called for hooking, plus got a bonus demonstration from the ref on the vagaries of how the hooking penalty can be called.

Onto the third, when Brian “Fresh Legs” Armagost, rocking some new Bauers, nailed one from just above the crease, on assist from Chris Flannery and Michael Armel, at 14:18, giving the Spiders a 5–2 lead and some breathing room.

At 12:00 of the third, now-moved-back-to-defense Chris Pettengill drew a tripping call in the Spiders’ zone, though the call was offset by the second mid-air 360 of the night, which is evidently considered checking. Even so, the Spiders played the 5-on-5 like a PK and paid for it, when Beauchamp flung one from the corner at the goal line, and got a lucky deflection off Obermoller’s right skate, and into the net.

Capping the night, the highlight-reel goal of the evening came from Luke Baker, who, while flying forward after being tripped (yes, by #5), snapped one top left from the top of the circle. An unbelievable shot. And finally, defenseman Chris Pettengill, who forgot he was moved back to D, scored unassisted at 5:35. Final score 7–3, and the Spiders’ first win.

Shots on goal against Amber Obermoller were a whopping 29 (11–8–10), giving her all three stars of the game, as picked by Spiders media relations. The Spiders managed 25 shots on goal (8–7–10).

With the win, the Spiders improve to 1–0–2, and at least until the other D1 East scoresheets start flowing in, the Spiders are tied for first place! jump up to third place. The Wingmen sit at 0–2–1.

Next up for the Spiders, a matinee at West Side, vs. the 1–0–1 Yellow Jackets, November 16.