Spiders win first of the year, 6–3

Nov. 3, 2017

The Spiders rattled off highlight-reel goals, and (mostly) stayed out of the penalty box, to get the first win of the season.

With Minnesota hunting season starting and a rare AHA Friday night game, the lineup was altered from last week, with the Spider debut of #19 Rick Fritz (Dave Kuhnly).

The scoring started early, with Grotbeck cleaning up from Schuster, and a perfect offensive zone setup by Bullock to Noreen and back to Bullock.

In the second, the Warriors got on the board, and then got the lone power play of the game, in Brad Sutton’s seasonal PIM debut. Following the PK, was Grotbeck’s second of the night, from D. Elling (and McCormick). The Warriors put another in on the following shift, but that was soon answered by a coast-to-coast Schroeder run set up the trailing Berman who reclaimed the Spiders’ elusive two-goal lead. Another by Berman, from Droullard (the Spiders’ leading scorers on the season) to close out the second period and put the Spiders up by three.

The Spiders opened the third with a goal by Noreen, but the out-of-position officiating crew didn’t see the Warrior defense stuff the puck back out under their goalie. On the ensuing faceoff, however, “karma” struck back, with Elling banging the draw straight up and over the goalie, in what has to be the most-highlightiest highlight goal in Spider history.

The Warriors had one more goal counted by the refs (net off, and the ref assured the Spiders that he would’ve awarded a penalty shot for the net being knocked off … despite the goalie dislodging the net making a save), to bring the final to 6–3.

Spiders get their first win of the season, and three points in the standings, a level the 2016–17 Spiders did not reach until after Thanksgiving last season.

In the standings, the Spiders sit in third for the time being, behind the undefeated Blade Runners and Fighting Loons, and ahead of the … Les Etoiles du Nord, next week’s opponent.

The Nords have had the Spiders’ number (and game pucks) since their C3 debut, with the Spiders’ record of 1–3–1 since 2015–16, 2–4–1 including this summer, where they (the Bassets) won it all in September.

The Nord lost to the Fighting Loons this week 4–2, and are 1–1, tied for fifth place.

It’s another late weeknight game, 9:15 next Thursday at Drake. In the traditionally Sunday night league … it’s the second of seven weeknight games this season.

Spider #mobros once again grow for #Movember to support men’s health

Once again, Spider “Mo Bros” are celebrating the month of Movember. With the facial growth spurred by David Schuster, in his eighth year of changing the face of men’s health, the Spiders encourage you to check out his Movember Mo Space before the end of the month to support men’s health.