Spiders belatedly celebrate Hockey Day Minnesota with comeback win over Arctic Wolves

Feb. 28, 2021

Another week, another track meet, running up the score to 7–5, Texas + Natural Hat Trick for Campbell.

The Spiders headed to the meadows of Mendota, to take on the Arctic Wolves at Saint Thomas Arena. An actual five fans were in the Saint Thomas stands, meaning the Spiders actually outdrew the premier Hockey Day Minnesota 2021 game at the X. And while that Wild/Kings game certainly had its share of moments, the real hockey action was in Mendota.

It’s the second matchup with the Wolves this month, with the last one being the “strange night at Woog.” While the Spiders were a bit-short-benched, with just 11 skaters, including due to a Gold Rush game at the same time, kid hockey conflicts, etc., the Wolves dressed just nine skaters and were without their goalie Jamison Ottum, who had left the strange night game in the first period, and hasn’t played since. In the meantime, the Wolves put together two consecutive wins, including a 3–1 victory of the first-place Pines to get themselves into position for a tie with the Spiders for second place. So tonight’s game actually puts a possible tie for first place on the line, as the Pines, sit just a game ahead, at 6–2–1 and 13 points, with nine games played, whereas the Wolves only have seven due to what looks like a forfeit or cancellation earlier this month with the Royals.

As the league announced earlier this week, the imbalance in games played will be addressed by applying the tiebreakers in favor of those teams with a game in hand (that is: 14 points in 11 games played > 14 points in 12 games played).

So given the close points currently in the standings, the #3 tiebreaker — head-to-head record — could be the deciding factor.

Onto the game. The Wolves had their legs going in the first, outshooting the Spiders 15–8, but the first penalty of the game put the Spiders on Power Play, which lasted all of 10 seconds, with Pappone, from Berman and Andres getting the Spiders on the board first. Followed on the next shift by Shawn Campbell from Grotbeck.

The Wolves answered back though, with #58 Nevison, pinching in from the point, and their captain tapping it in. Two minutes later, Nevison got the Wolves’ second goal, which looked like a Texas Leaguer as Josh Gesch tried to make play at shortstop and could only get a piece of the puck, which trickled back down and just across the line, and called fair ball by the Wolves’ forecheckers.

Tie game after 1.

In the second, they’d end up outshooting the Spiders this period too, 21 to 11. And it took over 10 minutes of the second of up-n-back for the Wolves to capitalize again. But that was quickly answered by Pappone from the slot on a beautiful setup by Kevin Ronneberg. Tied again! Until the following faceoff ... Arctic Wolves ahead again. The scorekeeper (Ryan Zollman) had a two-minute reprieve, when Harry Long, moved up to center due to the short bench, tied it again, assisted by Grotbeck and Farner.

Heading into the third, tied at four apiece, the stalemate lasted 21 seconds, as #58 Nevison pinched again and sniped to beat Gesch. But finally, the Wolves’ short(er) bench began to show signs of weariness, and finally this period, the Spiders would outshoot the Wolves, 15 to 5 when it was all said and done.

At 9:39, the Spiders took advantage, and Campbell notched his second of the night, from Berman. Tie game again with under 10 to go. Three minutes later, just after the expiration of a Wolves’ penalty, Litton held a Wolves’ clearing attempt at the blue line ,got it to Ronneberg in the corner who fired into the crease, deftly deflected up and over the Wolves’ shoulder for a highlight-reel go-ahead goal and eventual game winner.

The five fans wisely held onto their hats, even though that was Campbell’s Hat Trick, his second this month.

The Wolves (or the refs, who wanted to make a crew switch so one of them could leave for his game), called a timeout with 2 minutes on the clock. Their extra attacker plans were dashed when they got called for yet another Roughing penalty on the Yellow Jersey guy. By this time, veteran ref Michael Bernard was on the ice, just in time to get chirped, to drop the puck in the Spider zone, now playing with an empty net and extra body. A quick faceoff win and shot on goal let them do it again. And this time, they tried to sneak seven skaters into the play.

No faceoff win this time, and getting the puck up to Campbell, who hit a 150′ shot dead on the empty net, to seal the game. That’s when the should’ve hats rained down, as it was both a Natural Hat Trick (three uninterrupted) as well as adding the Texas Hat Trick on the night (four goals)! And gets Shawn entered into the annals of Spider history. A four-goal night was last notched in a Spider sweater 10 seasons ago almost to the day, by Chris Flannery, on 2/13/2011 vs. Maroons. And two Hat Tricks in a season was last set by Dave Schuster in the 2016–17 season.

And yes ... Spiders win yet again! That’s now five in a row, and seven in a row undefeated, dating back to the “Pause,” including the 3–3 tie against the Pines.

Quote of the game, the Wolves’ sub netminder Joel Huerta (who is the captain of the Knights), who was playing in the next game on the Saint Thomas sheet, skated over to the Spider bench, threw his glove at the captain, demanding to know, “Why’d you guys score so many goals?” Yes, the same Joel Huerta who played in the Spiders 7–Knights 6 game last week.

Standings watch

The Spiders improve to 6–2–1, 13 points, enough for a tie for first place with the Pines (also 6–2–1), who play Monday night against the F’ing Loons (Update: Pines win… and keep lone hold on first place). The Wolves drop to 5–2–1, 11 points. They take on the Knights next, who are holding onto the fourth and final playoff spot, while the Royals are still in the hunt, a game back.

The Spiders next take on the Troopers on Thursday. The Troopers sit in sixth, and due to their 6–3 loss to the Huerta and the Knights at the same Saint Thomas sheet after the Spiders’ game, are now mathematically eliminated. The previous meeting with the Spiders was their season-opening 3–2 win way back in November.

Puck drop is at 8:45 p.m. at SLP E.