Short-benched Spiders strand Maroons 6–1, Flannery nets four

Feb. 13, 2011

Superstitious Spiders fans could be forgiven if they thought this was the day of the “first loss.” The stars had aligned and the unlucky numbers stacked against the Spiders claiming an improbable 13th win of the season.

A look at the numbers for win 13:

• 13 players (12 skaters) suiting up for the Spiders
• 13-day hiatus due to the Super Bowl National Holiday AHA break
• 13th day of February
• Game 13 of the season
• 13 months since last loss to the Maroons (12/28/2009; OK, just over 13)
• Number of games Spiders lost in 2007–08 with 13 or fewer players: 13
• Franchise record with 13 or fewer players: 7–13–1

But the short-benched Spiders threw all that superstition to the wind gusting across the Mendota plains, and instead showed up to beat the third-place Maroons.

On the scoresheet, it was the Flannery Show, who potted four goals, an assist, all while suffering a brutal blow along the boards between the second and third period. “Don’t mind me,” said Chris. The production ties a five-year-old record held by now-C2er Jim Maietta, who scored four against the Knights in 2007, as well as John Pellicci’s, who scored four against that same Knights squad last season.

Besides Flannery’s highlight reel, the rest of the goal-scoring highlights featured the game winner on a blast from Freed (assisted by Flannery and Schroeder). And late in the second, as the Spiders had drawn a 5-on-3 thanks to the Maroons’ Baird opting to take an early shower after sharing a piece of his mind (and hand) with the pedigreed officiating crew, Cison sent the most beautiful saucer you’ll ever see at D1 to Schroeder, who sent a rocket home from the right point.

Despite the four-skater advantage on the bench, the Maroons couldn’t scratch the surface in the Spider zone, getting one goal midway through the first to cut the Spiders then lead to one. But that was it. They totaled only 15 shots on net, mostly thanks to the crew of Zanons out front of Fransen, with the Spider blueliners blocking shots left, right, high and low (Grotbeck: 3; LaCosse: 2; Schroeder: 2; Litton: 1). And those that did get through, Fransen was all over them, earning bows from the St. Thomas crowd of one.

On the other end, the Maroons’ Filter was busy all night as the Spiders put 44 pucks his direction.

The Spiders continue their roll, 13 games, 13 wins. Next up, it’s the Chaos, who sit in 5th in D1 West, 5–5–2–1, who will look to redeem themselves after their previous loss to the Spiders, which incidentally totaled 13 goals in the game (only 2 for the Chaos though).

The Maroons retain third place, at 7–5–1–1.