Nordeasters stump Spiders 1-zip

Jan. 29, 2023

Second consecutive shutout, but this time the Spiders ate the donut.

It was an epic goaltender’s duel at Richfield late Sunday night. The Spiders were backed by the Gold Rush’s Robert Benson, subbing in for late-scratch Tucker.

An early first-period defensive breakdown led to a back-door tapper for the Nordeasters. And that’s the only number that would make it on the scoreboard. At least in the goals column. The Spiders were back to their usual PIM practices, heading to the bin four times to catch back up in the anti-Lady Byng chase, keeping lone ref John Fleishhacker plenty busy.

And while the brief stay in second place in C3 West was impressive, the Spiders have now reached second place league-wide, eclipsing the B2 Chiefs for 135 PIM, trailing only the Sharks, led by their captain, one-time Spider Jim Tuttle, who seem determined to defend their lead, at 143 PIM thanks to a six-penalty campaign Sunday night.

In the C3 West standings, the loss knocks the Spiders down a few notches, from last week’s second place position, to a tie for fourth with the Mallards (though the Spiders would take the head-to-head tiebreaker).

And the six-game winning streak comes to a screeching halt. It wasn’t the longest winning streak (that goes to the 2010–11 season and its 18-game run. The Spiders last put together a (winning) streak in the shortened 2020–21 campaign, with 7 W’s. Incidentally, that was the last time Andy Moses skated with the Spiders. And Andy made his redebut with the squad Sunday, a roster deadline signing (with signing bonus signed over to Farner). Welcome back, Andy!

The Nordeasters thus take the season series with both games. And the Spiders fall even further to 1–4–1 overall against the Nordeasters dating back to the 2019–20 season.

Next up for the Spiders, a chance to catch the Sharks, as the Spiders take on the Nords in a rare Monday night game. The previous matchup wen the Nords’ way 5–4. Puck drops 8:35 on Feb. 6 at Braemar.