Spiders lose game, season; Fighting Saints lose temper

March 10, 2013

With a playoff berth on the line, the Spiders sunk by the Fighting Saints 6–2.

For the last month, the Spiders were sitting pretty, having reclaimed the fourth and final playoff spot from the Sled Dogs, holding on by a thread thanks to the AHA regular season tiebreakers. That thread snapped Sunday thanks to the Sled Dogs/Moose 2–2 tie in Richfield. By getting just that single point, the race to the finish now sits firmly in the Sled Dogs’ favor.

Having already lost twice to the Fighting Saints, the Spiders needed to get at least a point.

Sunday’s game, the second of two in a row at Breck, the lost hour of DST sleep caught up with the Spiders in the second period. After getting out early thanks to a Schuster slide into the net (goal by Freed, from Johnson, Schuster), the Saints got back in the game on a pop fly that came out of McCormick’s outstretched glove and bounced across the goal line.

While the Spiders outshot the Saints 10–6 in the first, the Saints found they had the puck luck on their side, and got another with a minute and a half remaining. 2–1 Fighting Saints after one.

The lone penalty in the second was for unsportsmanlike conduct on Dave Lavigne, behind the play and out of the ref’s view. Said the ref, “I didn’t see what happened, but he yelled at me.”

In less than a minute, the Saints were on the board again, despite the puck being played by a handpass behind the Spider net that led to the goal. Said the same ref, “I was in the corner, there were bodies in the way. I can’t call what I can’t see.” A change of heart for the ref, and a Saints lead of 3–1.

Just two minutes later, the Saints added another, 4–1 and still a half a hockey game to go.

With momentum clearly going the other way, the Spiders finally answered back at 6:53, with Lavigne from Berman and Schroeder, cutting the Saint lead to 2.

Early in the third, a makeup tripping call against the Saints put the Spiders on one last power play. But with turnover after turnover, it looked more like a Saints power play. As usual, the Spiders should’ve declined.

At 2:15 remaining, with a post-icing faceoff in the Saints zone, the Spiders pulled netminder McCormick for the extra attacker. It took less than a minute for #77 C. Rethwisch to get his hat trick on the empty netter. At 5–2, the Spiders elected to stay with the empty net, giving the Saints yet another empty netter at :37 remaining.

For the final half minute, now down 6–2, the Spiders had McCormick back in net, and tried to wait out the final seconds of the game. However, Fighting Saints #19 Scott Hagel apparently didn’t want the fun to end. He also apparently missed the memo:

Minnesota Hockey Rule Change

To AHA Players and Officials,

At this point you may have heard Minnesota Hockey has recently adopted a mid-season rule change affecting playing rules for Boarding and Checking from Behind. The Adult Hockey Association (AHA) will be modifying our Rules Addendum to mirror the actions adopted by Minnesota Hockey.

Effective Wednesday, January 25, 2012, the penalty for Boarding (Rule 603) and Checking from Behind (Rule 608) will be a five (5) minute major penalty. As with all major penalties assessed within AHA, these infractions will result in a game misconduct and a one-game suspension.

AHA Hockey has throughout the years emphasized the importance of safety on the ice. Respect for your opponent and playing under control are crucial to everyone’s safety. Please support our efforts to eliminate Boarding and Checking from Behind to minimize injuries resulting from rough play.

Thank You,

AHA Hockey

Final 6–2.

Lifetime now vs. Fighting Saints 8–3, dating back to 2007, with the Fighting Saints taking the season series 3–0. The Spiders last beat the Fighting Saints exactly one year ago, 6–3, in last year’s DST game.

In the standings

Thanks to the 2–2 tie between the Moose and Sled Dogs, the analstats post-season chances have flipped the Spiders (10–9; 20pts.) and Sled Dogs (9–7–2–1; 21pts.), with the Spiders now having just an 11.8% chance of making the playoffs.

That percentage may be a bit generous, considering the Spiders are now depending on the last-place IceDogs (1–17–1–0; 3pts.) to beat or tie the Sled Dogs in the final game of the regular season. Of course, stranger things have happened. But even with a win next week, the Spiders are likely looking at an early offseason for the first time since 2007–08, having made the playoffs, usually be the skin of their teeth, for the last four seasons.

Catch the Spiders Saturday in the regular season finale, vs. the Diablos, 8 p.m. at New Hope N.