Losing streak at ONE, Spiders lose to first-place Royals 4–3

Feb. 25, 2016

Spiders dig early hole on VMCC road trip, spend the rest of the game digging out. Season-redeeming winning streak ends at four.

For week 16, it was road trip time to Inver Grove for a Thursday night game at the Vet. Surprisingly, there were more people in the stands — including Mike Johnson’s dad’s second-ever game — than were on the Spider bench (12 skaters). Not present, however, was the second ref, who must’ve misprogrammed his GPS. The first-place Royals (10–2–3) did have their full bench, with 15 skaters, as they did the last time the two teams met (11–14 skaters, 0–3 score).

And that full bench took advantage early, taking over the entire first-period scoresheet — with three unanswered goals, and two unanswered penalties (interference, tripping), one leading to the all-too-often-this season shorthanded goal against the Spiders’ powerless play. That’s the third shortie allowed this season (the first two in consecutive power plays against the Mastodons), while the Spiders’ special teams are just 2 for 20 (12.5%) on the PP coming into tonight, and have given up 7 for 30 (76.7%) on the PK.

Down 3-zip, the Spiders got on the board early in the second, with Rob Droullard’s second in as many games. A coincidental set of penalties was the only other line item on the scoresheet. But the scorekeeper was keeping himself busy tallying the Royals shot totals, as they rang up season-high 18 in the second on McCormick (after a season-high 16 in the first). But the goalie stood on his head for many of them, and was solid for all of them.

At the period break, the lone ref pleaded with the captains to calm the benches down, as he admitted he was missing plenty of extracurricular effort behind the play. After another early goal for the Royals to go up 4–1, the Royals’ #15 was the first to catch the eye of the ref in the third (interference), and the Spiders made them pay, Bredael channeling his inner Cory “CG” Vandenberghe, with a Flying V of his own, and getting the Spiders third PPG of the season, and closing the score to two.

The rest of the period, the Spiders somehow found their legs and were somehow outplaying the Royals, eventually outshooting 17–11, a season high for the Spiders. And with just under three minutes to go, Mike Johnson got the Spiders to within one. “Just trying impress my dad.”

The Spiders then plotted when to call a timeout, hoping for an offensive zone faceoff. The Royals answered the bell, as the ref whistled a “textbook” case of interference (sensing a pattern here?) on the Royals, who had tackled a Spider from behind on a puck chase.

The Spiders called timeout, and plotted their strategy — or at least figured out who still had any gas — for their 6-on-4 advantage.

And then … the “sub” referee, Mark Winters, arrived to the ice with one minute remaining in the game. He immediately announced his presence by whistling a “textbook” case of interference, a nearly identical play as was called against the Royals for interference a minute earlier. Only Winters was sending the interferee to the box, as opposed to the Royal who had tackled the Spider from behind on a puck chase.

Power play negated, Spider goalie back on the ice, and victory essentially sealed for the Royals. Pretty good for 60 seconds of officiating.

Even the Royals player apologized after the game for the check from behind, knowing he got away with the call.

Final score: 4–3. While only the NHL counts moral victories in the standings, the Spiders can feel good about being competitive … for at least two periods … against the top team in C3 South.

In the shot department, it was a barrage on both ends, and both goalies played highlight-reel games. The Spiders totaled 40 (15, 8, 17) on Cavender, a season high for the Spiders, and the Royals put 45 (16, 18, 11) on McCormick, a season high both by period and game. Plus, the Spiders came just two shots away from tying the franchise record for most shots on goal in a loss, which is 42, vs. the Diablos on 4/9/2011, and vs. the ShameOneIce on 3/22/2014.

The Royals sweep the season series 3–0, after the 4–2 loss in November, and 3–0 shutout in December. And lifetime, it’s been mostly Royals too, as the record now stands at a very imbalanced 6–11–2.

While the two points for the Royals (now 11–2–3) solidifies their hold on first place, a game ahead of the Arctic Wolves, the lack of two points brings the Spiders (6–10) within one game of golf season eligibility. The top two wildcard race contenders (Ak Bars and Nighthawks) have 19 and 18 points, respectively. Meaning just a win in the remaining four games locks the Spiders out. While stranger things have happened in the remaining games of seasons’ past, even if it’s not the Ak Bars or Nighthawks, the Spiders are looking up at NINE other teams ahead in the wildcard race. Even closer, the elimination line is just two spots below the Spiders. In other words, chances are slim to less than slim.

Next up for the Spiders, yet another weeknight game, but slightly closer to civilization. It’s the rubber match with the Les Etoiles Du Nord (8–3–3–1; 3rd place), with a game puck on the line. The season series sits at 1–1, the first game being a game puck-worthy 3–0 shutout for McCormick, and the second, a 6–2 drubbing of the streaking Spiders.

Puck drops 7:45 p.m. on Wednesday, March 2, at Breck.