Spiders come out on top of Yellow Jackets 5–4

Feb. 11, 2007

The big ice at Bloomington Ice Gardens saw the Spiders edge out the Yellow Jackets in a close match tonight that came down to the last 30 seconds, giving the Spiders PK unit a final test of its mettle.

Despite the Spiders long bench tonight, the Yellow Jackets stayed in the game, and put the Spiders PK back on its heels, netting two of four Power Play goals. It was a close game, with the Yellow Jackets on the doorstep at every turn, especially when it counted: the third period.

The Olympic-sized rink proved a challenge as the game wore on, with the Yellow Jackets cutting a three-goal Spiders lead down to 1 with just over 6 minutes to go.

What would prove to the be the game-winning goal came from Jim Maietta at 4:51 in the third. But the Yellow Jackets weren’t done yet. Defenseman Mike Armel got called for checking at 2:31 (innocent, of course), giving the Yellow Jackets the man advantage. And despite Defenseman/Captain Carlos Eberhardt’s 32-second-one-man-corner-grind-penalty kill, the Yellow Jackets would find the net at 1:28, coming to within one goal again.

With a minute remaining, the Yellow Jackets pulled their goalie (Enken Bears regular Mike Anlauf) to gain the man advantage. Winning the face off, they controlled the puck, and with just 31 seconds to go, Dave Schliesman, who was clearing the net of an unwelcome visitor to Jeff Keacher’s crease, got called for roughing (innocent, of course). With a two-man advantage, the six-on-four matchup came to a halt when the puck was cleared by Lee Martini to the far corner, dashing any hopes of a Yellow Jackets comeback.

Scoring summary:

• First period:
  • Bob Jensen, from Doug Thorson
• Second period:
  • Dave Schliesman (sporting a new magic stick), from Lee Martini
  • Dave Schliesman, unassisted
• Third period
  • Ben Tesch, from Dave Schaefer — the game’s most beautiful setup and shot
  • Jim Maietta, unassisted — the game-winner

Penalties (innocent, of course)

• Second period:
  • Paul LaCosse (of course), for interference
  • Ryan Herman, for tripping
• Third period:
  • Mike Armel, for checking
  • Dave Schliesman, for housecleaning (roughing)

Goalkeeper Jeff Keacher made some highlight-reel saves on the ever-pressing Yellow Jackets, who outshot the Spiders 29 (6,8,15) to 24 (9,6,9), and kept us in it to win it.