Elite league

Discussion of Minnesota Girls High School Hockey

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ShakestheClown
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Joined: Tue Mar 03, 2009 4:11 pm

Re: Elite league

Post by ShakestheClown » Mon Sep 30, 2019 10:29 am

What are people's opinions of what's happening on the ice to this point?

j4241
Posts: 533
Joined: Fri Feb 20, 2015 2:38 pm

Re: Elite league

Post by j4241 » Mon Sep 30, 2019 10:33 pm

19 white and black both played the Chinese National team - dominated them, and style of play was very defensive and a little clutch-and-grabby, but China was a bit better than I expected.

Those two teams (19 white and black) are very good. Blake, Andover and Edina will be very good. Minnetonka has two terrific D, though it’s unclear to me which is the better of the two, which I intend as a very positive statement about the play of one and not a slam on the other. I don’t think the best D on 19 teams is either of the two most people would think of.

16 grey isn’t playing any other 16 teams, which seems odd - I think the other 16 teams would benefit from playing the best in their age group.

The 9th grade team (Gemini) has a padded win total from 3 games against a bad Wisconsin 16 team, but I think their 8 wins so far is pretty impressive. Some 9th graders are poised to make noise this year (Blake, in particular, but also Andover, breck and holy family).

Shattuck has a very different experience in this than Minnesota teams - practicing every day, set systems and line combinations with unequal ice time - I expected them to be better. The 16 team is ok. The talent on the 19 team is less impressive than I expected, particularly after their amazing top two forwards. Depth is... ok. Will be interesting to see how far off things fall for them next year.

Iceburg
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Location: Maplewood

Re: Elite league

Post by Iceburg » Tue Oct 01, 2019 12:20 am

j4241 wrote:
Mon Sep 30, 2019 10:33 pm
19 white and black both played the Chinese National team - dominated them, and style of play was very defensive and a little clutch-and-grabby, but China was a bit better than I expected.
Are those the games that show up on the schedule as CIHC?

j4241
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Re: Elite league

Post by j4241 » Tue Oct 01, 2019 4:25 am

I believe so.

ShakestheClown
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Re: Elite league

Post by ShakestheClown » Tue Oct 01, 2019 6:45 am

Wow, that's pretty cool that there are Chinese teams participating!

j4241
Posts: 533
Joined: Fri Feb 20, 2015 2:38 pm

Re: Elite league

Post by j4241 » Tue Oct 01, 2019 7:57 am

My understanding is the Chinese National team has effectively hired OS to lead their training for the next year. And I agree! I think it is very cool!

Mnnstar
Posts: 192
Joined: Mon Jun 27, 2016 8:11 am

Re: Elite league

Post by Mnnstar » Tue Oct 01, 2019 10:49 am

Talking to a friend of mine who has a girl on the HM team. I guess one of the Chinese goalies is going to HM and is playing for them this winter. I don't know if it is true or not just something I heard.

massalsa
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Re: Elite league

Post by massalsa » Tue Oct 01, 2019 11:11 am

Great update j4241. Thank you!

I was VERY impressed also with the play this late summer and fall of the younger Skipper D. Huge strides (pun intended) from last year.

19 Red has a similar problem to last year. WAY too many D and not enough horsepower up front (numbers or skill wise). Many games have had more than 8 D and less than 8 F's. When the right combo of D & F both numbers & skill wise they can compete with everyone but 19 Black & White. Regular Goalies vs subs can also make a big difference in the outcome of the game.

Northern Elite is a nice team and way better than I remember them last year. They are a formidable challenge to all as they are solid throughout their lineup and they skate hard. They beat 19 Black 4-0 but that was ACT saturday am. Black had 2 lines of D & F and several subs including Goalie. They withstood a couple of great offensive attacks from Black and shut them down. I hope that NE gets a chance to play SSM u19. I think that they should be able to give them a pretty good game.

Grey is legit again this year. They can beat anyone on any day...U19 Black and white are better but a couple of games ago Grey > u19 Black 8-6.

Burton is no longer coaching Gentry and has been on the bench for some fall games for OS. The coaching that is done on the bench by him is remarkable from my perspective. I LOVE rink 2 at BIG. I love being on top of the benches and hearing the coaches coach (both at Prospects and Elite League). Burton was excellent and I get excited every time my kid gets to be on the bench with him as she will be encouraged and coached up. China take note!!!

j4241
Posts: 533
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Re: Elite league

Post by j4241 » Tue Oct 01, 2019 11:27 am

I agree on the northern teams. I haven't seen the 19 team play, but the 16 team has also given the metro 16 teams everything they can handle.

j4241
Posts: 533
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Re: Elite league

Post by j4241 » Tue Oct 01, 2019 12:32 pm

I'm curious about the Chinese goalie, too. I'd heard she was going to Hill Murray, but she was also supposed to play for the OS Black team at NAHA 14s but had a visa issue. I have no idea if that was just a short-term issue, and she will be in Minnesota this winter, or not. She played Futures for at least one weekend this summer, and was very good.

Thoen88
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Re: Elite league

Post by Thoen88 » Tue Oct 01, 2019 1:33 pm

Not life critical, but the U16 Grey team has played other 16 teams this Fall. They played U16 Black on Sunday and beat them 5-2. Not sure how the game flow was as Emma wasn't there due to other commitments, so i didn't see the game. Grey only has three sophomores on its roster and Black only has 1 junior, so i would suspect Grey controlled much of the game. U16 Black has been good all Fall from the goalies on out, however. Lost their first game of the Fall Sunday morning 5-4 to U16 North, but Black was missing 5 of its forwards and a blueliner.

j4241
Posts: 533
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Re: Elite league

Post by j4241 » Tue Oct 01, 2019 2:03 pm

I think that game was their only one scheduled against the other MSP teams, though. And I agree - Black is very good in that group.

ShakestheClown
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Re: Elite league

Post by ShakestheClown » Tue Oct 01, 2019 4:03 pm

Grey plays U16 North in a couple of weeks as well.

Mnnstar
Posts: 192
Joined: Mon Jun 27, 2016 8:11 am

Re: Elite league

Post by Mnnstar » Wed Oct 02, 2019 10:06 am

Games to watch this weekend:
Tradition WHITE U19vsTradition BLACK U19 11:20AM
NSC Super Rink Rink 5
SSM U16 vs MSP BLACK U16 Sat Oct 5 12:00PM @SSM

Sunday
SSM U16 vs MSP GREY Sun Oct 6 11:00 AM @SSM
Tradition BLACK U19 vs CIHC 2019 Girls Fall Elite League Sun Oct 6 2:40PM
Fogerty Ice Arena

j4241
Posts: 533
Joined: Fri Feb 20, 2015 2:38 pm

Re: Elite league

Post by j4241 » Wed Oct 02, 2019 11:24 am

Black vs White should be a great tilt. I'm not sure the other will be as good. If 16 black shows up with the bulk of their team, the game with SSM 16 might be an okay one but if black loses it would be surprising. SSM vs grey will not be a good game.

Black vs China will also not be a good game, but it will be an interesting one to watch.

Mnnstar
Posts: 192
Joined: Mon Jun 27, 2016 8:11 am

Re: Elite league

Post by Mnnstar » Wed Oct 02, 2019 12:58 pm

So from what I am reading could both SSM teams be shut out of the National championships in Blaine this year?

Thoen88
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Joined: Tue Jun 18, 2019 11:53 am

Re: Elite league

Post by Thoen88 » Wed Oct 02, 2019 2:51 pm

U16 Black is going to missing a good handful of their players Saturday at SSM, especially on the back end.

j4241
Posts: 533
Joined: Fri Feb 20, 2015 2:38 pm

Re: Elite league

Post by j4241 » Sun Oct 06, 2019 7:44 am

Yikes - I guess! 0-4?

Mnnstar
Posts: 192
Joined: Mon Jun 27, 2016 8:11 am

Re: Elite league

Post by Mnnstar » Mon Oct 07, 2019 6:45 am

Games to monitor this week
MSP WHITE U16vsTradition RED U19 2019 Girls Fall Elite League Thu Oct 10 7:10PM Fogerty Ice Arena South Rink

MSP BLACK U16vsNorthern Elite U16 2019 Girls Fall Elite League Fri Oct 11 8:00PM Richfield Ice Arena Rink 1

Tradition WHITE U19vsNorthern Elite U19 2019 Girls Fall Elite League Sat Oct 12 9:20AM NSC Super Rink Rink 1

MSP GREY U16vsNorthern Elite U16 2019 Girls Fall Elite League Sat Oct 12 9:20AM NSC Super Rink Rink 6

SSM U19vsTradition BLACK U19 2019 Girls Fall Elite League Sat Oct 1212:00PM @SSM

MSP GREY U16vsTradition WHITE U19 2019 Girls Fall Elite League Sat Oct 126:40PM Fogerty Ice Arena North Rink

SSM U19vsTradition WHITE U19 2019 Girls Fall Elite League Sun Oct 1312:00PM @SSM

massalsa
Posts: 588
Joined: Tue Dec 17, 2013 6:37 pm

Re: Elite league

Post by massalsa » Mon Oct 07, 2019 12:02 pm

Mnnstar wrote:
Wed Oct 02, 2019 10:06 am
Games to watch this weekend:
Tradition WHITE U19vsTradition BLACK U19 Sat 11:20AM


Sunday
Tradition BLACK U19 vs CIHC 2019 Girls Fall Elite League Sun Oct 6 2:40PM
I was able to see these 2 games. These are my best recollections of scores and a few notes:

WHITE v BLACK was a 3-3 tie. Here is my best recollection and a few thoughts:
*Black scored :20 into first period and then another within the first 10 minutes of the period.
*White scored 2 in the 3rd period to secure the tie.
*Rosters were not full for either with several girls gone...(Mankato official visits?)

WHITE v CIHC was a 4-1 win for WHITE.
*CIHC scored first, goal in 1st...White had several subs and was doing some creative lines for the first period.
*More girls in their regular positions for 2nd & 3rd and dominated play more in those periods.
*China is going to get much better by playing here this fall (& winter?) Was impressed with several of their players and they will get better and better. I expect them to be relevant after the US & Canada in February of 2022.
* Sometimes awkward plays or moves both offensively and defensively but CIHC definitely has some upside. All of them are government employees (correct?). I am guessing that their pay and benefits package is pretty solid and being able to train a bunch together and individually over the next 27 months will help them get to a point where they could make it to the medal round.

How cool for all of the MN HS girls to get to play them.

ShakestheClown
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Joined: Tue Mar 03, 2009 4:11 pm

Re: Elite league

Post by ShakestheClown » Mon Oct 07, 2019 12:40 pm

I agree, it's an amazing opportunity.

j4241
Posts: 533
Joined: Fri Feb 20, 2015 2:38 pm

Re: Elite league

Post by j4241 » Mon Oct 14, 2019 2:19 pm

China reached double digits in goals this weekend for the first time against elite league competition (a 4-3 loss to Grey). Good to see them having success and making progress!

It is interesting to watch progression. Some (many?) of the girls seem to be burned out, or at least not taking it as seriously as others.

Team progeress also varies a lot - elite league teams not practicing, not getting much coaching, lines are a hodge-podge, no accountability for effort or execution... While the tier 1 teams - practicing as a group every day, set lines, power play, playing to win - it's a different experience. The Shattuck teams are good, but for 19s, outside of Webster, O'Brien and Eden, they're not overwhelming, especially given that team advantage. 16s are okay, but not terribly impressive in skill.

One very notable thing for SSM 16 - they have a 5'10" 2006 birth year 8th grader leading their team in scoring (with 6 according to their website - and no one else has more than 1). That is a very young kid (who is huge) producing against the best 03 and 04s in Minnesota.

Gentry and Mira's Ice Cougars teams are okay - both would probably be... top 15? Maybe top 10?.. AA teams in Minnesota. Many of the kids on those teams left teams that are... top 20? Top 15?... AA teams in Minnesota. I am glad there are options for kids who want to play and are in a situation their families' judge as not the right ones for them, but purely from a hockey standpoint, I'm not sure they're doing much but diluting an already shallow talent pool.

massalsa
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Joined: Tue Dec 17, 2013 6:37 pm

Re: Elite league

Post by massalsa » Fri Oct 18, 2019 10:51 am

Black handled Grey pretty easily Tuesday night. Should set Grey up to be ready to kick some tail this weekend.

I am excited to see how all of the colors do against all of those teams that are traveling in for this weekend. I see teams from Cali, Dallas, Canada, and other places have games scheduled.

massalsa
Posts: 588
Joined: Tue Dec 17, 2013 6:37 pm

Re: Elite league

Post by massalsa » Tue Oct 22, 2019 10:48 pm

Black beats White tonight 2-0. Shots pretty even when all said and done.

Opinion alert...Black was the better team with better chances in the 1st and 2nd period and White gave a big push and had better chances in the 3rd until a couple of penalties with under 4 minutes to go. I believe goal #1 was scored by Mobley in a scrum in front of the net after a bad giveaway in the defensive zone in the 1st period. Goal #2 was a shot on the ice to the net from the point by Vivian Jungles that made it thru traffic without anyone touching it.

Any other thoughts on the 19 game? What about the battle for 16's?

Mnnstar
Posts: 192
Joined: Mon Jun 27, 2016 8:11 am

Re: Elite league

Post by Mnnstar » Wed Oct 23, 2019 6:31 am

I went and watched Black VS White. A couple of observations.
1. There was very little time and space for anyone. Every possession was hard fought.
2. I thought in the first and until the penalty white had the better of the play.
3. The Gophers have a superstar in Payton Hemp all night she was whites best player when she is on the ice everyone is better.
4. Both of Blacks goalies were playing in another world. Both La Rose and Bothun Made some unbelievable saves. That being said the White goalie was very good also.
5. The compete level was very high talking to parents these girls are all friends but there was some chirping going on.
6. Mobley, Delinides, Golnitz, Guilday, Mashuga, and Burton are physical beasts.
7. I don't know what USA hockey was thinking last year but they swung and missed on a few of these players.
In the end the game could have went either way I think the HS season will be a letdown for some of these kids after this game.

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