Spiders stage comeback in Hopkins over Diablos

Dec. 9, 2012

Like used sandpaper from the basement drawer the Spiders had just enough grit to get the job done Saturday night. Finding the right tools wasn’t the only challenge of the night; finding a place to change was the first order of business at the we-have-no-locker-rooms-for-you Hopkins Pavilion. Fortunately, the mighty Mites were kind enough to play right up until game time, which allowed the adult Squirts to squat in their locker rooms as well as observe their far superior talent as a mental pre-game warm up.

Once the game finally started, it was a back and forth affair — mostly forth — with the Spiders sustaining possession in the Diablo zone but having a devil of a time getting the biscuit in the basket. The Diablos broke through first, however, from back on their heels on an admittedly pretty scoring play a little over halfway through the first period. This was not the typical we’ll-let-you-score-first-for-motivation Spider goal that usually plagues the arachnids, but a well-placed bouncing-puck-pass from the enemy winger through two well-positioned Spider defensemen to a streaking backside tap-in. 1-0 bad guys. Kudos to them.

That’s all they would get.

The Spiders maintained their slight “dominance” in play, but, more importantly, kept their cool. Despite the Diablos best efforts at goading LaCosse into a career with the Postal Service, it was a relatively penalty-free night. The game’s only power play came on an if-at-first-you-don’t-succeed-try-try-again roughing penalty from the Diablos later in the first. The Spiders could not capitalize, much less spell cohesion, and the back and forth, mostly forth continued well into the second.

Finally, the Diablos served up breakfast by leaving a pancake in the crease. Droullard and Johnson whipped up the batter and Henke flipped it top shelf over the prone and defenseless Diablo tender, who otherwise wasn’t giving the swarming Spiders access to the kitchen.

Later in the second, Lavigne must have made a deal with the Diablos on a look-what-I-found rebound off a pretty backhand serve from Byland on the point. Berman gets credit for finding Byland from his corner office. This would turn out to be the game winner. Later in the third, Berman was caught exchanging business cards with a Diablo (former Spider Dave Schaefer) in the aforementioned corner. Two minutes each for non-hockey-related activities and 5-on-5 play continued.

The only excitement the rest of the way occurred when Schroeder decided to thrill the crowd — which was chanting “Overtime, Overtime…” — by slinging the puck to an opponent in front of the Spider net during the waning seconds. Fortunately for the Spiders — and Schroeder — the Diablo player was so surprised by his good fortune that he was unable to get a shot off.

Once again, McCormick had a solid night in net.

After the game, Sutton was observed peeling a piece of sandpaper off the blade of his right skate.