Spiders get second playoff win, beat Ice Gators 4–2

April 3, 2009

The near-capacity BIG 3 crowd (likely there only for the AHA complimentary beer) saw a close half game of hockey tonight, as the D1 East Spiders met the D1 West Ice Gators, both teams coming off a win in the first round-robin game.

The Spiders unfortunately were without the blue line service of Paul LaCosse, who suffered a concussion in Tuesday’s game against the Lumberjacks, and will be out for the remainder of the season.

The first period was absolutely even, with both teams putting 10 shots each on goal. However, just like the first game, the Spiders had a goal waved off due to the ref being out of position. Ryan Herman, playing with visual impairment tonight, banged a loose puck into the net, but had it negated by the ref. Spiders fans have duly requested that all refs please get in position to see the net, or at least start using the available video review from Toronto.

The second period went even up as well, for the first four and a half minutes, until the long reach of center Chris Pettengill got him a gate call for hooking. And it only took the Ice Gators 27 seconds to solve the Spiders’ collapsed PK unit, grabbing a 1–0 lead at the 5-minute mark of the second.

The Spiders regrouped, and it was Luke Baker, fresh off an east coast flight, who lobbed a change-up at Ice Gators sub goalie Eric Kellenberger, and tied the game at one apiece just half a minute later. Assist to Brian Armagost.

Then, playing the two-minute drill, Chris Pettengill snapped his trademark forehand into the top right corner, giving the Spiders the lead for the first time, at 9:28. Assists to Nick Ungaro and Armagost, again.

Following that, however, the Spiders got the gate again, as defenseman Jay Hilden also got called for hooking. Fortunately, an offsetting call came half a minute into the PK, allowing the Spiders to play some 4-on-4 hockey. After a brief, but uneventful power play, both teams returned to full strength with 6:24 remaining, and seven more seconds was all it took for right wing Nick Ungaro to find the back of the net, putting the Spiders up by two, 3–1.

Hilden drew a Bedessem-style tripping call in the corner to close out the second back on the power play, which would carry over to the third frame.

It was another uneventful man advantage, as it seems the Spiders prefer to score their goals at full strength. And 3:25 into the third, Pettengill again snapped another rocket that beat Kellenberger, assist (again) to Ungaro, and Eric Ackermann. With 13:35 remaining in the third, the Spiders had a commanding three-goal lead.

But with 13:35 remaining, that meant the Spiders would have to be on the ice. And when the Spiders are on the ice, they tend to get called for penalties. Unlike Tuesday’s one-penalty session, the Spiders racked up two more, Bedessem at 10:10 for playing the puck on a breakaway (tripping; can he help it if the guy went into the net?), which almost drew a retaliation call against the Ice Gators, and Litton at 6:46, also for playing the puck at the blue line (tripping; can he help it if the forechecker was in the way of his stick?). But the PK unit had found its legs, and were able to keep the Ice Gators off the scoreboard.

With tired legs, the Spiders ate up the remaining 4:46 with dump-and-change, until the pressing Ice Gators mounted a final attack in the waning seconds, and notched a second goal with just 14 seconds on the clock. Spiders 4–2. The Ice Gators pulled their goalie for the following faceoff, but could never gain control, as the seconds ticked away until the final buzzer went off, signaling the Spiders’ 4–2 victory.

The Spiders were outshot this game, with the Ice Gators putting 30 shots on Amber (10, 8, 12). The Spiders put 28 shots the other way (10, 13 and a measly 5).

Following the AHA’s refreshment offerings, the Spiders all hustled off to their beds, as they have an early-morning matchup scheduled with the D1 West Fighting Ice Fish, who lost to the Ice Gators on Tuesday, and were facing off against the Lumberjacks at BIG at press time. The Saturday morning game will be the final round-robin game, with the best two teams in the pool moving onto the semi-final, to play for the Pool Championship.

Catch all the action bright and early Saturday, at 10:30 a.m. at New Hope South. And if the Spiders are still in it after round-robin play (based on record or the tie-breakers), they’ll be eating their Wheaties® and heading back to BIG for the Pool Championship Saturday night, 8 p.m.

Game media

Vandenberghe (82) eyes Flannery (12) and Bedessem (13).

The Spiders bench.

The Pettengill-Ungaro-Ackermann line awaits the faceoff.

Armagost (77), Herman (4) and Armel (3), apply the neutral-zone lock.

Yet another casualty.

For all game photos, see the Spiders Photo Gallery.