Spiders come close – by 16 seconds – to upset of first-place Fighting Ice Fish

March 5, 2015

Pre-game Coach Eric session does the “trick,” Spiders dominate for 50:44.

Regardless of playoff implications, or the lack thereof, the Spiders came to play Thursday night, and put in one of their strongest performances of the season. A late healthy/travel scratch on the roster meant some line juggling and breaking up the Freed/Johnson/Schuster line. With Johnson on the right wing, he found his sweet spot in the slot, potting his first hat trick since Feb. 22, 2009. Freed also scored late in the first.

Beyond scoring, the team played a tight possession game, and turned around last week’s shot imbalance to a 38–26 margin.

However, the captain was sent to the box midway through the third after succumbing to usual Fish suspect #43’s usual behind-the-play antics, and gave the short-benched Fish some optimism after they capitalized before #14 could even sit down in the penalty box.

Playing with a one-goal lead, the Spiders continued to press, getting good chances but nothing going. And sure enough, after the Fish pulled their goalie with a minute to go following a timeout, the Spiders saw the lead evaporate with just 16 seconds to go, on pressed Fish in the slot.

In the ensuing overtime, the Spiders actually got a few chances, though the almost-highlight was a scary moment for the Fish’s #15, as he beat both defensemen at the blueline on a turnover and jetted in on a breakaway, only to deke himself out of his skates and crash hard into the end-boards knee first. The scorekeeper actually stopped the runtime clock at 1:47, so after he was helped off the ice (muttering to his teammates that he had the open net), neither team was able to do much, and the game ended tied at 4–4.

Standings

In the increasingly bleak playoff race, the Spiders cling to the micro-hope that at least three of the four teams in front of them will all lose their remaining games, ushering the Spiders into their seventh consecutive winter season playoff appearance. Of course, even if the Blade Runners (5th), Ice Gators (6th) and Royals (7th) tanked, the Spiders still haven’t been able to get back in the win column, instead graciously giving these other teams added points to make their races closer. The last time the Spiders actually won was back in mid-January. Since then, the 0–3–1–1 record has firmly planted the Spiders in a lock for 8th place.

With three games to go, and four points (two games) behind the fifth and final spot, currently held by the Blade Runners, the Spiders could even be passed by the Marauders and Nighthawks, tied for 9th and just a point behind the Spiders.

In all, an incredible six of seven teams will be jockeying for that final spot in these last three weeks. While the analstats.com site isn’t being populated this season, Minneapolis Line oddsmakers give the Spiders a 100:1 chance of making the playoffs.

Next up

Next for the Spiders, it’s punishment for the relatively sleep-friendly schedule the Spiders have enjoyed this season. The Spiders take on the last-place Wolfpack at 10:30 p.m. on Sunday. That’s the only 10:30 start for the Spiders this season, and coincidentally it falls on Daylight Savings day, meaning RealFeel™ will be Monday morning of the following week. Plus, it’s on the Olympic-sized ice sheet at BIG.

Pull an all-nighter with the Spiders at BIG3 Sunday, 10:30 p.m.