Spiders melt Fighting Ice Fish, sneak into post-season

April 1, 2010

The Spiders headed back to the usually well-groomed Breck ice — only to find it rutted up worse than Lake Minnetonka at the end of ice-fishing season. But that’s what the Spiders would do tonight, go ice fishing. And they caught a big one.

Tonight’s regular-season finale represented a win-or-go-home matchup for both teams. The Fighting Ice Fish, sitting in fourth, needed just a point to lock their spot in the standings and send the Spiders out into the golf season. However, the Spiders, in fifth, needed two points in regulation to knock off the Ice Fish.

The Spiders hit the ice with the longest bench of the season. In fact, it was the longest bench since March 18, 2007. All available 18 skaters suited up, with the Spiders coaching staff planning to make up for their usual short-benched exhaustion with long-benched idleness.

C Mike Johnson opened the scoring just under three minutes in, on a hard-work goal with assist to LW Brad Caron, two seconds after the Ice Fish’s hooking penalty expired. Baker also opened the Spider penalty gate first, for tripping at 10:17. At 4:00, RW Chris Flannery connected with C Aaron Bedessem to put the Spiders up 2–0, and an excuse to sit back. Just over a minute later, the Ice Fish took advantage of that sitting back and cut the lead to one. But a minute and a half later, a breakout from D Litton to Bedessem, who fed it up to Flannery who picked his corner from the high slot and got the Spiders back to a two-goal lead to close out the first frame.

It was the Spiders again to open the second, at 14:21, a D Baker shot landed at the far side of the crease, a gift to the waiting Bedessem, who put the Spiders up 3–1. A roughing call on LW Armel earned him a 14-second rest, as the Ice Fish converted their power play opportunity to again move within one. The rest of the second featured long shifts with backcheckers getting caught, ill-advised D-zone passing, shallow clears, and any variety of odd-man rushes by the Ice Fish, including the occasional 2-on-0 and 3-on-1. But Amber was on all of them, even if the refs weren’t. And Patronksi, he of the early line change, was getting his number mentioned by the Breck radio announcers more than often, as he made the Spiders aware he was on the ice.

A pep talk before the third got the Spiders to actually set some strategy, and try to hold on for the win, knowing the Ice Fish would give it everything they had. But it was the Spiders who came out and capitalized first, at 13:56, getting up by an improbable three-goal advantage, thanks to C Ackermann’s first goal of the season, assist to Pellicci. The Spiders came close to calling a time out to allow Ackermann to complete his celly.

The celebrating quieted down as the Spiders began their customary parade to the box. First up, D LaCosse for getting skated into at the blue line trying to hold the puck in the zone (interference, 10:02). Next up, D Tuttle, who had turned up ice toward the play, had his stick catch the player behind him (hooking, 6:59). Finally, LW Pettengill, for getting friendly in the corner (interference, 4:41). The well-oiled Spider PK was solid, with Amber shutting down all chances. Back at full strength with 2:41 remaining, the Ice Fish pressed like their season was on the line, but were denied time and again in the slot, thanks to Amber. However, at 2:05, a pass behind got kicked out off the wall by an ill-placed ref’s skate to just left of the goal, an easy cleanup by the waiting Ice Fish forward.

Now within two and two minutes remaining on their season, the Ice Fish called a time out. The Fish won the ensuing center-ice faceoff and as soon as they pressed toward the Spider zone, pulled their goalie. And on their first scoring chance, banged it clear off the right post and into the corner. The Ice Fish will be seeing that one in their sleep. It turned out to be their best chance, as the Spiders put on full lockdown mode, and kept the puck in the neutral zone and beyond. And that’s where it would end, with the Ice Fish on the short end of the Koho.

Final: 5–3.

With this latest win, the Spiders build on their post-new year resurgence, going 8–2–2 in 2010. Moreover, they close out the regular season in fourth place courtesy the AHA regular season tiebreaker #3 — head-to-head record between teams. With both the Fighting Ice Fish and Spiders at 22 points, equal records (10–8–2), the tiebreaker falls to the head-to-head record, which, thanks to tonight’s victory, goes to the Spiders, who earlier in the season skated to a 6–1 win over the Ice Fish. So with the 2–0 season result, the nod goes to the Spiders for the playoff berth. Thankfully, it doesn’t fall to the fourth tiebreaker (Fewest total penalty minutes in the regular season).

Thus, the season starts anew. And just like the regular season started, the Spiders will face the Chaos to open the post-season. In the first game of the season, the Chaos easily skated to a 4–1 win over the hapless and penalty-prone Spiders. In the second matchup, the Spiders had the Chaos on the ropes, almost pulling out an upset, but again got into penalty trouble and went down 4–3.

After going much of the season undefeated, the Chaos, last year’s D2 champs, finished the 2009–10 regular season on top of D1 West, 17–2–1 and 35 points. They are the odds-on favorite to go all the way. Last year’s D1 champs, who had gone 16–1–2–1 in the regular season, stand in their way on Tuesday.

Catch all the playoff hockey action at Eden Prairie on Tuesday, April 6, 9:30 p.m.