Spiders can’t spoil the party, crushed by Gold Rush 6–3 to finish playoffs

April 6, 2013

Despite a strong start that woke up the huge Bloomington crowd gathered for the Saturday morning festivities, the Spiders ended up getting crushed by the Gold Rush, who thanks to a tie in the later Moose/Wingmen game, head to Sunday’s Championship.

The Spiders have a long history of playing big games in the BIG 1 arena, and this one had the atmosphere of being a championship game. With the stands packed, the TV camera rolling, and the beer garden windows at the far end, and a championship berth potentially on the line for at least one of the teams, the AHA got everything it plans for in meticulously setting up the tournament weekend.

The only aspect the league can’t account for is the quality of product on the ice. Whether it’s the deteriorating ice conditions, the deteriorating offensive and defensive skills succumbing to mental and/or physical exhaustion after back-to-back games, or the deteriorating officiating that can’t decide whether to “let them play” in no-check playoff games, the end result turned into a lopsided affair on the scoreboard.

For reference, per USA Hockey:

A legal body check is one in which a player checks an opponent who is in possession of the puck, by using his hip or body from the front, diagonally from the front or straight from the side. Legitimate body checking must be done for the purpose of separating the opponent from the puck, only with the trunk of the body (hips and shoulders) and must be above the opponent’s knees and at or below the shoulders.

And also for reference, per AHA Hockey:

Rule 640(a) – No Checking: For games played under AHA supervision, NO CHECKING will be allowed. Rule 640(a) will be enforced.

However, the league’s video recording of the game will show those willing to shell out for the souvenir DVD that Rule 640(a) will only be occasionally enforced, as the Gold Rush did sit twice for the rule, along with their three other whistles.

Nonetheless, as the saying goes, anytime a team lets the officials decide the outcome of the game means they didn’t get their game plan done on the ice.

The Spiders’ game plan started out strong, with two quick goals midway through the first period, both by Dave Henke, and both assisted by Cory “Morning Skate” Vandenberghe and up at wing today Dr. Droullard.

But a “good call” on D Litton late in the first gave him a much-needed 22-second rest, as the Gold Rush got on the board with a power play goal at 3:28 remaining.

Next to get a rest was C Johnson, who was whistled for firing a one-timer at the net a fraction of a second after the first-period buzzer. Mike’s rest was at least a minute longer than Litton’s, as it took the Gold Rush 68 seconds to net their second power play goal in as many tries, tying the game at two apiece.

The Gold Rush’s special teams unit took its momentum into their PK, which killed off a brief five-on-three, then potted a short-handed goal to go up by one. As usual, the Spiders should’ve declined the penalty.

The Gold Rush showed at 6:39 they could also score 5-on-5, getting the dreaded two-goal lead. The Spiders closed that gap to one just 19 seconds later, with a stellar zone-holding play, newly at D Farner to RW Schuster to C Johnson. Score 4–3.

The remainder of the second was more Gold Rush whistles, including another brief 5-on-3 late in the second. But the Spiders power play unit spent most of its time chasing instead of passing and shooting. A late penalty to D LaCosse in the Spider zone negated what was left of the power play time, and the Gold Rush instead got a minute-plus of their own early in the third.

After that, the refs put away their whistles and decided to enjoy a good adult hockey game. The third was an even-up affair until just under four minutes remaining, when the Gold Rush’s checking line netted the backbreaker, now up 5–3, off the stick of the Gold Rush’s C3 West-leading goal-scorer (and Gold Rush-leading PIM guy) D. Tovb.

Tovb came close to a double “AHA Gordie Howe Hat Trick” on the day. From the first drop of the puck, Tovb set the tone for the Gold Rush, nailing a Spider defenseman from behind after the whistle (uncalled), and would go on to scoring two goals, get called for two penalties, but only getting one assist.

A neutral zone faceoff at 2 and change remaining gave the Spiders the opportunity to pull their netminder and load up with six attackers. As has been the case all season long, this guarantees an opposition goal. The Spiders get a couple chances, but were unable to hold the zone, and sure enough, by 1:30, the score was 6–3 in favor of the Gold Rush on the empty-netter.

All told this season, the Spiders gave up six empty-net goals, not quite the high-water mark of the 2007–08 season (though of course Spider fans know that one has very large asterisk next to the number, given a full nine of those came in a single game after the Spiders’ goalie was ejected in the second period).

The 6–3 score is where the game — and the Spiders’ season — would end, on the short end of the BASE custom stick, and back where they started Wednesday at the bottom of the playoff standings.

Pool Watch

The Gold Rush, with two wins, and only loss coming to the Moose, would stick around and watch with vested interest the afternoon game between the Moose and Wingmen.

In that potentially lopsided game, the Moose scored just 30 seconds in, and held the slim lead until just 3:45 left in the third. Despite a slew of chances throughout the game, which saw the Moose rack up 30 shots to the Wingmen’s 14, nothing would get by the Wingmen’s Latack, which allowed the Wingmen to tie it up late, forcing the Moose to pull their netminder Chico Resch for the extra attacker, since a tie meant tee times Sunday instead of a championship game. Sure enough, nothing doing on the offense, and the game ended a tie, as well as the Moose’s chance at a C3 trophy repeat.

Instead, the Gold Rush get the invite to the BIG dance Sunday at 12:15, where they will take on the C3 Pool B champion Fighting Saints, who clinched their invite after two games.

This will be the Gold Rush’s second consecutive trip to the Finals, as last year they lost 2–1 in a shootout to the Silverbacks in the D1 trophy game.

And this is the first trip to the final (as well as the playoffs altogether) for the Fighting Saints since 2007–08, where they lost in the D2 title game to the Yellow Jackets 7–4.

Not that the 2012–13 Spiders can be seen as any barometer for the C3 level of parity, but the Fighting Saints were the only team the Spiders did not claim a win against, going 0-fer in three attempts.

And all three games this season were allowed to get out of control by the refs who, as with today’s Spiders/Gold Rush game, seemingly enjoy seeing non-checking classification games turn into body check-fests. Find out Sunday at 12:15 whether the refs “let them play” or review the AHA rulebook before the game.

C1 watch

In C1, the Spiders resurrected their playoff hopes after getting clobbered the first round by the Beavers, and with two consecutive wins, and some help by the Nemesis, return to the Final for their second chance at the trophy, and first at the C1 level. They’ll take on the C1 Fighting Piranhas at 2 p.m. on BIG 2, right after the C3 game.

Come cheer on the Spiders’ brethren, including C3 sub/C1 full-timer Cory “Morning Skate” Vandenberghe, as well as other former D2/D1ers, as they skate for the C1 hardware!

Game media