Championship rematch ends in 5–2 loss for Spiders

Dec. 6, 2009

This would be the first time the Spiders and Diablos have faced each other (other than scrimmages) since last year’s D1 final. This year though, both teams are in the middle of the pack, with the Spiders coming into tonight 1–3, and the Diablos 2–3. Always a solid team, the Spiders would have their work cut out for them.

The on-again-off-again schedule has etched its inconsistency on the Spiders’ play, and this week, following yet another week off, resulted in yet another game where it took the Spiders a while to get into game mode. Gameday decisions on a number of players (Armel with the flu; Ungaro with the wiggly shoulder) and the absence of star netminder Amber Obermoller meant the Spiders would look considerably different in their newly arrived new sweaters. In for Obermoller was Spider D-man Chris Pettengill, donning the pads and blocker. And Chris would get a workout from the porous backcheck the Spiders featured all night.

Quickly down 2–0 in the first, a late tripping call on Baker for giving the breakaway Diablo a free ride to the net, led to a 3-goal deficit to close out the period.

The Spiders got some life — and energy — in the second, starting off with a draw by center Chris Flannery, picked up by winger Jim Tuttle, who got it to winger John Pellicci for the goal, 2:15 into the second. A body check call against the Diablos just over a minute later, continued the Spiders’ energy, who mounted numerous chances on the power play. But Latterner was good for all of them. However, he couldn’t stop the tic-tac-toe of Litton to Caron to Droullard to five-hole at 8:33 remaining, and pulling the Spiders to within one.

A late snipe by the Diablos reclaimed the two-goal lead to close out the second. The ref’s lament to Chris that it was quite a snipe toward didn’t change his mind though.

Into the third, the Diablos bought some more insurance, at 14:06, putting the score to 5–2. Four seconds later, off the faceoff, a Diablo launched over Pellicci and drew a trip. But it was evened out at 12:33 as LaCosse drew a trip. The Spiders squandered their minute and a half of power play, but still kept the game tight, trying to press, highlighted by defenseman Luke Baker’s almost goal. He’ll be seeing that one for a while.

A late hooking penalty and extracurricular trading of recipes with the ref by LaCosse got him an early shower, with 7 minutes remaining. He didn’t miss much, as the clock wound down to the final score of 5–2 for the Diablos.

Despite his disbelief, Chris faced a whopping 33 shots, stopping 28. The Spiders managed a respectable 20 shots on goal.

The Spiders continue their skid, with their 1–4 record facing the 3–12 (loss to Chaos now in books) Wingmen next Saturday at St. Louis Park.