4–1 defeat by Mastodons extends Spiders loss streak

Jan. 2, 2013

Mastodons vs. Spiders

Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2013,
9:15 p.m. – Richfield 2

Game 10 (AHA game 1976)

Mastodons final score:: 4
Spiders final score:: 1

Final – 1/2/2013
Team	1	2	3	F
Mastodons	0	2	2	4
Spiders	0	1	0	1

The Spiders returned from the short holiday break to take on the second-place Mastodons at Richfield in front of a crowd of three (including Schwinn’s girlfriend).

That fan would get her money’s worth early in the second, as the only Spiders goal came off the stick of Schwinn, who put the Spiders up by 1. And with seemingly all the momentum, on the next shift, Pappone almost made it 2–0 thanks to a perfect pass in the slot from Johnson, but the Mastodons’ netminder Stritmatter had other ideas, with the 5–0 shellacking the Spiders gave him in November still fresh in his mind.

The momentum wouldn’t last long, as Chris Pettengill got tangled in a Mastodon 2-on-1 at the blue line, leading to a delayed penalty possession that ended up converting in the melee in front of the Spiders’ crease.

Late in the second, the Mastodon forecheck wreaked havoc on the Spiders anemic power play, and eventually notched the first shorthanded goal against the Spiders this season. Mastodons 2–1.

It was still a game though, 2–1 to start the final frame. McCormick continued to make unbelievable saves to keep it close and give the Spiders a chance. And he made plenty, as the Mastodons continued to forecheck, backheck and, well, body check, to maintain possession the majority of the game. With just under a minute remaining, after getting McCormick to the bench for the extra skater, a tangled web of Spiders at the far blueline wall was efficiently cleared by a bulldozing Mastodon, who took his 1–0 opportunity the other way for the empty netter to seal the game.

The 16 seconds remaining on the clock instead had Pettengill in net to give McCormick the rest of the night off. But, the officiating crew measured Pettengill’s glove and determined it to be too small to cover the puck in the crease, thus awarding the Mastodons with a penalty shot.

C3 East Standings *(end of 2012)*
Team	GP	W	L	T	P
Moose	9	8	1	0	16
Mastodons	10	8	2	0	16
Fighting Saints	10	7	3	0	14
Sled Dogs	10	5	5	0	10
Spiders	10	4	6	0	8
Ak Bars	9	3	6	0	6
Icedogs	9	1	7	1	3
Diablos	9	1	7	1	3

With all the drama of a mites hockey shootout, the Mastodons added one more to finish the game off with a 4–1 score.

With the fourth loss in a row, the Spiders now sink to 4-6, and will look to get off the schneid on Monday against the struggling Ice Dogs (1–7–1–0). Monday, 9:30 at Breck.

For details, see the box score and game summary.