Streak preserved

Jan. 2, 2016

The Spiders rolled into 2016 staying consistent.

Despite a custom Les Etoiles Du Norde game puck on the line, the Spiders sank again, losing 6–2 and maintaining the non-winning streak that started in November, the week after the previous Du Norde game.

Thanks to an AHA holiday schedule that had two games during peak travel season, even the AHA’s scorekeeper was AWOL and the refs were forced to switch to a runtime clock, featuring 25-minute periods, score notating via iPhone, 3-minute minor penalties and, if needed, 8-minute major penalties. Incidentally, video review services in Toronto were also unavailable.

While having to shuffle lines to start the game due to an Ice Sages overtime game at SLP, all started in the Spiders’ favor, with the Rhine Line scoring 10 minutes into the game. The Spiders held that lead another 10 minutes, keeping the Du Norde at bay.

But the Du Norde’s leading scorer #23 Blum got them on the board with 4:50 (or so) to go in the 25-minute-long first period.

The 25-minute-long second period was all Du Norde, scoring at a four-minute pace, capped by a power play goal after the Spiders played for a solid 30 seconds with six skaters on the ice. After 50 minutes, it was 4–1 Du Norde.

Early in the 25-minute-long third period, the Spiders answered back, on Dave Schuster’s second attempt on Cory Vandenberghe’s left circle faceoff draw. But the Du Norde controlled the play the remaining 19 minutes of the period, scoring a couple additional nails in the Spiders’ coffin. After 75 minutes, it was 6–2. And over.

While shots were not officially recorded, both teams estimated them to be around 35 to 17 in favor of the Du Norde. AHA math applied some rounding to make it a nice equal 36 (12, 12, 12) to 21 (7, 7, 7).

The loss now puts the Spiders in the unenviable position of having lost to every team in the division at the halfway point of the season. It’s also the seventh consecutive loss. One more, and the 2015–16 C3 Spiders get to join the 2004–05 Beginner Spiders and 2005–06 D2 Spiders in the record book.

The Spiders along with most of C3 South have a bye week, curiously in the week after the holidays. The Spiders return to action with their 2–8–0–0 record on Saturday, Jan. 16, against the 3–5–2–0 Mastodons. The previous game was a 5–2 loss for the Spiders.

Puck drop is at 6 p.m. for Family Fun Night at Breck.