Season ends with 9–1 loss to first-place Royals

March 25, 2006

Highlights:

Team records set tonight:

Most shots on goal against per game (47)
Most shots on goal against in a period (20; second period)

Spiders at Royals

Saturday, March 25, 2006,
5:20 p.m. – Wakota 2

Game 20

Spiders final score:: 1
Royals final score:: 9

Final – 3/25/2006
Team	1	2	3	F
Spiders	0	1	0	1
Royals	3	3	3	9

The Spiders wrapped up the 2005–06 season with a loss to the dominating first-place Royals, setting season records for penalties (5) and shots against (47).

In our third matchup with the high-caliber Royals this season, the Royals exhibited why they are in first place in D2 by controlling the puck, sniping goals and shutting down the Spiders’ offense.

The scoring for the Royals started early with a shorthanded goal with 12:46 remaining during the Spiders’ first power play, one of two first-period tripping calls drawn by defenseman Jeremy Litton (who seems to have found his niche in drawing tripping calls the last two weeks). The Royals would go on to get two more in the first, including a power play goal with 7:31 remaining after center Doug Thorson got called for playing the puck (er… slashing).

The second period started out with questionable calls against center Ted Samsel for high-sticking, and against defenseman Mike Montgomery for interference. Mike’s penalty, however, led to a Spiders goal — short-handed! — by left wing Lee Martini, who capitalized on the Royals’ goalie trying play the puck on their power play. The Royals got one back 32 seconds later in their power play, bringing the score to 4–1.

From that point on, the Royals shut down the Spiders, getting five more even-strength goals, though Spiders — Mad Dog Rajes in particular — were called for two more penalties in the third. One for waxing philosophic with the opposing team at 1:18 (unsportsmanlike conduct), and another at 4:45 for playing with a broken stick. The Spiders well-oiled penalty-killing unit successfully held of the Royals. Those two penalties brought the Spiders’ game total to five, and the Royals’ total made it to five as well, both new season highs for the Spiders in penalties for and against.

In all, the Royals got a total of 47 shots (11, 20, 26) — a season high in shots against — on goalkeeper Jeff Keacher, who held off 38 of them. The Spiders had 19 shots (8, 5, 6).

For details, see the game summary.

Again, official team photographer Julie Berris captured all the action:

For details, see the box score and game summary.