Spiders domesticate IceDogs 8–1

March 2, 2013

Offensive showcase at Breck, including Schwinn Hat Trick, gives Spiders decisive win.

In the second half of the Spiders doubleheader at Breck Saturday, the C3 squad redeemed the good Spider name in front of the family-friendly crowd for the two early starts. Though the C1 game at 4:15 had a bigger crowd than the Spiders had skaters. The eight bodies ended up losing 6–2 to the Puck Hounds.

In the “late” game (6 p.m. start), the C3 team had a short bench too, 12 skaters, the second shortest of the season, with a laundry list of players out, travel, IR, etc.

The scoring started early for the Spiders, going up 3-zip before the first period was halfway done. The first goal was C Grotbeck from RW Lavigne, the second, LW Freed from the left circle, from D LaCosse. And the third, a RW Sutton pass from the corner to the point D Litton, who sent it to LW Farner camped in front who deflected it perfectly past the pressing netminder.

The goals continued in the second, with a C Schwinn (barely to Litton), back to C Schwinn, who went to the other coast for his first of the night. A minute later, D LaCosse found RW Lavigne, and the Spiders were up 5–0, with more than half a game remaining.

Though the Spiders didn’t settle back, the IceDogs offense did get some hope, scoring with just over two minutes left in the period. A scrum in the final seconds caused the scorekeeper to buzz the period horn twice, just to make sure the two teams knew they could take a break.

The refs finally found their whistles for something other than icing and goals early in the third, despite plenty of opportunity throughout the game, considering the C3 PIM-leading IceDogs were on the ice. First in the bin, RW Lavigne for hooking, then D LaCosse for interference, giving the centers some much-needed sit time while the Spiders ran winger/D pairs for the successful kills.

Halfway through the third, the scoring whistles began again, LW Freed getting his second of the night, from RW Sutton. And just over a minute, C Schwinn scored his second of the night, from LW Berman. And it took just another minute and a half for the hats to rain onto the Breck ice, as C Schwinn notched his third, unassisted.

With the six-goal lead, the game officials asked the IceDog bench if they would like to beg for the mercy rule (i.e., run-time clock), to which they said, no, we need more penalties. Or something along those lines. But that’s all that would go on the scoresheet besides the loss, as usual suspect #25 John McDonald got the gate for a check to put the Spiders on the power play for the remaining minute and a half. Yes, the same #25 John McDonald formerly of the Nighthawks, who has gotten a penalty (or two) in most every game played against the Spiders.

The final buzzer closed out the game at 8–1.

In the shots department, the IceDogs were not without chances, putting 26 (10–8–8) on McCormick, who was seeing the puck through bodies and sticks. The Spiders didn’t get anywhere the 51 shots they put on net in the first meeting of the season. But were far more “efficient” than the first two games. With 28 shots (7, 14, 7), and eight in, the IceDog netminder ended with a 71.43% save percentage.

Standings Watch

With the Spiders playing the earliest game of the C3 East schedule this week, it’ll be a day or two until we know how the rest of the games shake out. What we do know is the Sled Dogs (9–7–1–1; 20 pts.), with whom the Spiders (now 10–8; 20 pts.) are tied in points but have the head-to-head tiebreaker, beat the Ak Bars 7–2 this evening. And so while that eliminates the Ak Bars, the remaining two middle-of-the-pack teams, the Spiders and Sled Dogs, will continue the playoff hunt to next week, the second-to-last game of the season.

The Spiders take on the Fighting Saints, who have won both games this season, and are sitting in third (12–5; 24 pts.) with their first playoff berth in five years. And the Sled Dogs face the first-place Moose (14–2–1), who are sitting just a game ahead of the Mastodons and will likely be looking to ensure their first-place finish.

Puck drops Sunday, March 10, another 6 p.m. start, and another at Breck.