Spiders dull the axes, beat Lumberjacks 4–2

Jan. 4, 2009

Highlights:

Two goals:: Jay Hilden
Two points:: Chris Pettengill
Two penalties:: Rob Droullard
Most strategic jaw of the night:: “Hack a little more, why don’t ya…” — Mike Armel

By the numbers

Team record?: Most offsetting penalties in a game (both teams): 10
Number of roughing penalties called: 7
Number of minutes the Spiders spent with four skaters on the ice despite not being on the PK: 1

Spiders at Lumberjacks

Sunday, Jan. 4, 2009,
8:30 p.m. – New Hope S

Game 10

Spiders final score:: 4
Lumberjacks final score:: 2

Final – 01/04/2009
Team	1	2	3	F
Spiders	2	1	1	4
Lumberjacks	0	1	1	2

Tonight’s rematch against the Lumberjacks (5–1–3 coming into tonight) meant the Spiders (7–0–2) had worked their way through all the D1 East teams and were starting over, fitting for the first game of 2009.

As with last game, both teams kept it tight, though the crowd chants of “let them play” must’ve sunk in with the refs, who held their whistles for almost five minutes, finally calling the gate 4:38 into the first, for what would be the first pair of a record number (10) of offsetting penalties throughout the night. In this first case, some post-whistle discussion by the (not) guilty parties, Rob Droullard and the Jacks’ Stu Chazin, led to a further pair of offsetting unsportsmanlike calls. In all, the duo warmed the bench until 9:39 into the first, a total of 5:01 until a whistle finally set them free.

In the meantime, the Spiders continued their parade to the cooler, first at 9:59 to Brian Armagost, who’s stick caught a Jack up high, then, 38 seconds later while on the PK, defenseman Jeremy Litton got beat to the outside and tripped a rushing Jack, Jarvey (#13), to give the Lumberjacks an early 5-on-3 opportunity to break the game open.

But the well-oiled Spiders PK was up to the task, and successfully killed it off. The crowd, charged by the successful kill, got New Hope arena into a frenzy, giving the Spiders momentum to score just over a minute later, when Chris Pettengill fed Jay Hilden for the first score of the game.

And just a minute and a half later, latecomer right wing Mike Olson beat Jacks’ All Star netminder Chad Jayasekera, on supposed assist by Jeremy Litton, to put the Spiders up by two to finish out the first frame.

However, the Jacks answered back 4:10 into the second, with the Jacks’ Jarvey again beating defenseman Jeremy Litton to the outside (sensing a pattern here?), and sending it to the back of the Spiders’ net. Spiders still up 2–1. And 45 seconds later, the very first slashing penalty of the night, called, that is, against long-time Spiders’ nemesis Jeff “Chicky” Stimac, giving the Spiders their lone power play opportunity of the game, which was, of course, squandered. But half a minute later, following a delayed penalty against the Jacks, gave the Spiders a 6–5 extra attacker opportunity, and with extended pressure, that even saw two Jack players miss controlling the puck simultaneously to negate the delayed call, Rob Droullard collected the puck and sent it to Nick Ungaro deep behind the goal line, who had the patience of Gretz as he made a beautiful feed to a waiting Chris Pettengill, who banged it home from the hashmarks. Spiders 3–1. A final offsetting roughing pair, this time Chris Pettengill and Stu Chazin (again), closed out the second.

Just a minute into the third, the Jacks’ Stimac capitalized on a turnover and again brought the Jacks to within one. Two more sets of offsetting penalties would follow as the game wound down. But at 5:24, the Spiders bought a little insurance, with Jay Hilden scoring his second of the night on assist from Cory Vandenberghe and Mike Armel. Spiders up 4–2.

A final roughing penalty against the Spiders, this time Mike Armel (who swore he’d never do that again), put the Spiders back on the PK with 2:11 remaining in the game. Prior to the puck drop, the Jacks took a timeout to plot “strategy.”

And plot they did, right into the Spiders. But after pulling the goalkeeper with just over a minute left, their couldn’t maintain consistent possession, and the Spiders were able to run out the clock. Final: Spiders 4, Lumberjacks 2. (And improve their lifetime franchise record against the Lumberjacks to 1–2–1.)

The Spiders continue their streak into 2009, improving to 8–0–2, two points ahead of the Diablos (7–1–2) in the standings, whom the Spiders face off against next week. The Lumberjacks stay tied for the third, at 5–2–3.

For details, see the box score and game summary.