BSM/Tonka

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

BSM/Tonka

Post by j4241 » Sat Feb 13, 2021 4:33 pm

Sure looked to me like BSM was the better team. Built similarly - with strong goaltending and D. Tonka’s young flashy points leaders up front didn’t get much done against the BSM D. And BSM was methodical up front - not a lot of flash, but consistent and effective on the forecheck. Very curious to hear our intrepid BSM expert’s take. Mr Hoen? Any Tonka dads - were your girls just off? Or is BSM a legit #3?

Thoen88
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Re: BSM/Tonka

Post by Thoen88 » Sat Feb 13, 2021 7:46 pm

Tremendous game all around. Officials let the athletes play and the intensity was pretty high from the opening faceoff. Through two periods BSM didn't allow a thing. Skippers had 11 shots on the scoreboard but that seemed pretty generous, not that it matters. Just an opinion but it seemed as though many of the Tonka forwards were hell bent on scoring an unassisted goal today. Seemed like a lot of solo rushes into a lot of traffic. PPG in the 2nd was all BSM was going to need. Tonka made its push in the 3rd period, which was expected, but BSM senior goalie Carley Greene was solid all day, especially in the 3rd. Incredibly strong game for the senior. Emma's been in the BSM program since 7th grade and this was by far the best all-around game the program has played against a top team, in those five years. These two teams could play a 7-game series and it would no doubt go at least 6 games. Won't have to wait long for the rematch as they see each other next Saturday at the Rec. Very entertaining game to type the least.

If nothing else, you can't accuse BSM of going the way of Gopher football in its scheduling of non-conference games.

5-game stretch in 13 days:
Minnetonka
Edina
Minnetonka
Breck
Edina

MNHockeyFan
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Re: BSM/Tonka

Post by MNHockeyFan » Sun Feb 14, 2021 12:29 am

Thoen88 wrote:
Sat Feb 13, 2021 7:46 pm
If nothing else, you can't accuse BSM of going the way of Gopher football in its scheduling of non-conference games.

5-game stretch in 13 days:
Minnetonka
Edina
Minnetonka
Breck
Edina
What, no Andover? :lol: :wink:
Seriously, if they were to go 3-2 (or better) in those five games it would be super impressive.

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

Re: BSM/Tonka

Post by j4241 » Sun Feb 14, 2021 9:57 am

Iron sharpens iron. Your kids are going to improve more than most this year with the challenging schedule. Emma also played a terrific game!

MNHockeyFan
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Re: BSM/Tonka

Post by MNHockeyFan » Wed Feb 17, 2021 8:53 am

j4241 wrote:
Sun Feb 14, 2021 9:57 am
Iron sharpens iron. Your kids are going to improve more than most this year with the challenging schedule. Emma also played a terrific game!
I see that the Red Knights came very close to knocking off No. 2 Edina last night. It was scoreless going into the 3rd and it remained that way until Edina's Lauren Zawoyski scored with less than 5 minutes to go. She then added an empty netter with a minute left to make it a 2-0 final. For the game BSM did outshoot the Hornets 32-28, which included a 12-9 margin in the 3rd.

bodyup88
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Re: BSM/Tonka

Post by bodyup88 » Wed Feb 17, 2021 3:45 pm

Sounds like a very good game. Thoen88 do you have one of your excellent game reports?

massalsa
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Re: BSM/Tonka

Post by massalsa » Wed Feb 17, 2021 5:00 pm

Would be great to hear about the Tonka/EP game too. I was surprised that it ended in a 1-1 tie.

At least on paper it looks like a bad outcome for Tonka and a great one for EP.

j4241
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Re: BSM/Tonka

Post by j4241 » Wed Feb 17, 2021 5:47 pm

EP is a low scoring team, but the two lopsided losses at the beginning of the season increasingly look like outliers - they are tough to score against, and Tonka’s offense is struggling to score against better defensive teams. Both goals were on hard follows to the net and pucks banged in on rebounds - hard nosed hockey, not high skill. There were a fair number of penalties, but the power plays weren’t much help for either team beyond possession and accumulating perimeter shots.

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

Re: BSM/Tonka

Post by j4241 » Wed Feb 17, 2021 5:52 pm

Tonka did look like the better team, though - no question.

The BSM Edina game was slightly more balanced. Edina is pretty dependent on Conner to create offense against good defensive teams. She had several good chances in the game, but couldn’t finish. Benilde had several grade A chances, but just didn’t have the finish they needed. Peschel looked great - I thought she was the best D on the ice - blew by Jungels on the rush at one point. The game winner was a nice but slightly flukey play - puck thrown from the half wall on the rush and a swipe/tip that found an upper corner. The empty netter would have been an icing - I have a feeling the scorer feels lucky it went in - I doubt a coach would have been happy with a glory-seeking icing in a 1-0 game.

Thoen88
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Re: BSM/Tonka

Post by Thoen88 » Wed Feb 17, 2021 6:42 pm

Edina/BSM was a pretty even game. Took BSM a handful of shifts to get up to speed, but once they did, they had as many if not more great scoring chances. Shots, for what it’s worth, favored BSM 28-27. Carly and Uma were both outstanding. The GWG came on somewhat of a busted play but credit to Z for going to the net. Connor is filthy good. Don’t know how the rotation has been for the season, but she and Hannah were paired up last night and they were doubled quite a bit. Always on the ice, while BSM rolled 3 lines the entire game. BSM did a nice job of getting sticks on pucks through the neutral zone and Edina is relentless in on their forecheck. Red Knights having a tough time finding the back of the net of late, but some of it is schedule. Lose to Hill Murray, 3-1, beat Tonka 1-0, lose to Edina 2-0. Doesn’t get easier. Tonka on Saturday, Breck on Tuesday, Edina again next Thursday. A lot can happen in the next 4 weeks and the likes of Wayzata, Cretin and Blake will no doubt have their say, but I wont be surprised if BSM is playing Edina at Braemar March 20 for the 6AA title.

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

Re: BSM/Tonka

Post by j4241 » Wed Feb 17, 2021 8:15 pm

I am partial to Blake, but I'd certainly bet that way, too. I do think BSM needs to figure out how to generate more offense. Everyone can score against weaker teams - the challenge is scoring against good teams with good defenders. The recent competition for you guys has been the tippy top, but that's who you'll have to score on to climb the mountain, and 1 goal in 2 games won't be enough (even though you easily could have shut-out Edina).

Blake would need to play much better defense than it did against you in the last game but they could knock you off. They are proving that their offense is elite - capable of scoring against the best. They have scored almost half of the non-ENGs scored against you guys this year (I think 5 of 11?), scored half the goals Edina has surrendered (3 of 6), and have good defenders and a good goalie that could steal a section game. And Wayzata beat Blake, and CDH has had a great season and will have a gaudy record at year-end. I think the 4-5 game and both section semi-finals in 6AA will be very good hockey games - probably the best games throughout any of the playoffs in Minnesota other than the state final (and maybe the 3rd place game). I'd bet on Edina emerging from a BSM-Edina final, but I don't think an upset in any of those games is out of the question, including the 1-4 game. If forced to I'd bet on them, but Edina's recent play does not look invincible to me.

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