Spiders lose in Spiders-like fashion
March 7, 2017
Spiders at Silverbacks
Tuesday, March 7, 2017,
7:00 p.m. – SPA-Drake
Game 19 (AHA game 10206)
- Spiders final score:
- 3
- Silverbacks final score:
- 4
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spiders | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Silverbacks | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
Another come-from-ahead loss, with the Silverbacks’ comeback completed with 10.6 seconds to go.
On a rare Tuesday night game back at the even more rare SPA-Drake Arena, which now features heaters in the fish house dressing rooms, the latest Spiders loss was all too familiar.
The Spiders could only muster 10 skaters a side, while the Silverbacks would seem to have the advantage with 11 (including John Fleischhacker). But the ice was definitely tilted for the Spiders for the first half of the game. Outshooting the Silverbacks 15–8 after one, and outscoring 3–1 after two, with highlight-reel snipes from Berman twice, and a highlight-reel slot setup from Berman to Fritz to Bredael, the Spiders could’ve only hoped that the 60mph wind conditions outside knocked the power out of the building before the start of the third period. Because the Spiders had their own power outage in the third.
An early goal made it 3–2, as the gassed Spiders did their best to hold off the Silverbacks’ second wind. Doubling up the Spiders in shots in the third, the tying goal went in with just under three minutes to go. And the inevitable dagger with just 10.6 seconds on the clock.
It’s the fourth come-from-ahead loss for the Spiders this season, and second game-changing goal given up in the last 10 seconds.
| Team | GP | W | L | T | OTL | P | GF | GA | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|||||||||
| Les Etoiles du Nord –y | 19 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 31 | 80 | 41 | 52 |
| Arctic Wolves –x | 19 | 12 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 28 | 87 | 52 | 94 |
| Black Ice –x | 19 | 10 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 23 | 61 | 54 | 175 |
| Icedogs –x | 19 | 10 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 23 | 65 | 50 | 132 |
| Shame On Ice | 19 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 20 | 65 | 57 | 106 |
| Silverbacks | 19 | 8 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 20 | 58 | 56 | 78 |
| Blade Runners | 19 | 9 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 64 | 68 | 154 |
| Gold Rush | 19 | 6 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 15 | 49 | 79 | 88 |
| Spiders | 19 | 6 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 14 | 58 | 71 | 138 |
| Scarlet Rebellion | 19 | 1 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 31 | 90 | 90 |
The win gives the Silverbacks still slim hope for playoff qualification, until the IceDogs’ results come in. (Update: The Gold Rush and IceDogs tied, thereby finalizing the C3 West playoff slate, and eliminating the Silverbacks and ShameOnIce.)
Congrats to the Les Etoiles Du Nord on their C3 West title. They will also take first overall at C3, as no other team will be able to reach their 31 points.
The regulation loss knocks the Spiders down a notch, to 9th place behind the Gold Rush, but still ahead of the Scarlet Rebellion, who finally got themselves a victory, beating the Black Ice tonight 3–2 with an extremely shorthanded bench (9 skaters), and an extremely whistle-happy officiating crew (13 minor penalties).
The final game of the 2016–17 winter season for the Spiders takes place Sunday, right in the middle of spring break travel for much of the team. The Spiders face the ShameOnIce for the third time this season, a team also in the running to claim the last playoff spot. The Shame have already won the season series with 6–3 and 4–3 victories earlier this season.
Matinee puck drop at Pleasant at is at 4:50 p.m. on Sunday.
For details, see the box score and game summary.
