Nor’easters Blow Spiders Out of Playoff Contention
April 13, 2025
Spiders at Nordeasters
Sunday, Apr. 13, 2025,
3:30 p.m. – Highland N
Game 23 (AHA game 26283)
- Spiders final score:
- 1
- Nordeasters final score:
- 4
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spiders | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Nordeasters | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
It was an early afternoon derby at Charles Schultz Arena when the Nor’easters blew in and took down the plucky underdog Spiders. Both teams needed a win to have a shot at the playoff semifinals.
The game kicked off with an impressive offensive rush from the Spiders. Mara ripped a shot that nearly found the net but instead spat out an extra puck — apparently smuggled into the game in the Nor’easters goalie’s pads. Just a shift later, the Nor’easters returned the favor by sneaking the puck past the defenders and EBUG Kyle “McHockey” Braveheart. The sloppy but effective goal gave the Nor’easters a 1–0 lead after the first period. Despite trailing, the Spiders outshot their opponents 10–8 in the opening frame.
The Spiders regrouped and came out strong in the second. Early in the period, H. Long fired a shot from the point that rattled in front of the net. Olk poked the puck to M. Johnson, who buried it to tie the game at 1–1.
| Team | GP | W | L | T | OTL | P | GF | GA | PIM | DIFF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marauders (4) | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 18 | 7 | 8 | +11 |
| Pines (2) | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 15 | 6 | 14 | +9 |
| Fighting Loons Black (1) | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 12 | 5 | 12 | +7 |
| Nordeasters (3) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 10 | 6 | 18 | +4 |
| Kan Jammers (5) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 11 | 9 | 14 | +2 |
| Wood Knocks (6) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 10 | 10 | 36 | ±0 |
| Spiders (10) | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 10 | 18 | −4 |
| Wildcats (7) | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 11 | 20 | −5 |
| Spartans (8) | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 18 | 10 | −12 |
| Bold North (9) | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 18 | 20 | −12 |
The Nor’easters responded by using icing to slow the pace and keep the Spiders’ offense at bay. Tempers flared when Nor’easters defender #44, Schulte, lost control and sent Ronnenberg crashing into the boards — an obvious penalty that went uncalled. Instead, the ref bizarrely shouted, “Number 12, what are you looking at? The puck is over there. You need to watch the play, #12!”
The period remained uneventful until the final 30 seconds, when a failed breakout led to the Nor’easters’ second goal. End of the second: 2–1 Nor’easters. Shots on goal favored the Spiders again, 27–20.
In the third period, the Spiders came out with ferocious forechecking, forcing the Nor’easters to ice the puck repeatedly. H. Long was hit with a questionable slashing penalty, and though the Spiders killed it off, the effort seemed to wear them down. The Nor’easters capitalized, scoring two more goals midway through the third to put the game out of reach.
The Spiders kept pushing and earned a few power plays late in the game. The “A” captain Olk even tried to pull Kyle for a 6-on-4 advantage, but the Nor’easters held firm.
The goal differential proved crucial for the Nor’easters, who edged out the Kan Jammers to snag the final semifinal playoff spot. They’ll face the undefeated Marauders in the next round. The other semifinal matchup features the Loons and the Pines.
As the 10th seed, the Spiders had the chance to go head-to-head with the best of the C3 division. They wrapped up the postseason tournament in the middle of the pack, delivering a season filled with grit, growth, and plenty of memorable moments.
I tried to capture the spirit of the thing
For details, see the box score and game summary.
