AA Semi Final- #1 Hill-Murray vs. #4 Wayzata

[East Side Pioneer Guy]

Any time the Pioneers cause untold amounts of indigestion across the sate of Minnesota by winning a semi final it's a great game.

Now, go take some antacid.

[hockey59]

Not even close to a great game. Maybe the game has changed, but didn't see a lot of end to end play or plays that took you out of your seat or spectacular saves that leave you shaking your head. Didn't really see a player or two that jumps out at you as a special player.

mulefarm..what exactly would it take for a player to jump out at you (as being a special player)...two stood out to me...#8 for HM is a 15 year old and he assisted on both of Hills goals and #21for HM is a senior who (also) stood out...so I think you're standard for "special player" might be a tad high.

[sachishi4]

Can you say WBL boy..... again.

Wayzata is looking tired.

the best was seeing all of the kids and adults in WBL hockey jackets and hats cheering loudly for HM, especially Zarembinkski.

[mulefarm]

Not even close to a great game. Maybe the game has changed, but didn't see a lot of end to end play or plays that took you out of your seat or spectacular saves that leave you shaking your head. Didn't really see a player or two that jumps out at you as a special player.

mulefarm..what exactly would it take for a player to jump out at you (as being a special player)...two stood out to me...#8 for HM is a 15 year old and he assisted on both of Hills goals and #21for HM is a senior who (also) stood out...so I think you're standard for "special player" might be a tad high.

Dave Spehar, George Pelawa, Grant Besse, Matt Hendricks, Paul Martin, Patrick White, Kyke Rau Nick Leddy, Ryan Kraft, Max Gardiner, Jay Bariball, Aaron Ness, Ricky Talbot, Patrick Finnegan, Ken Genander, Gino Guyer. I know I missed a ton, but these are names and not numbers that come to an old mans mind. Glad you found some players that stood out for you and you may be right, but didn't do a lot for me.

[Wallyworld]

Not even close to a great game. Maybe the game has changed, but didn't see a lot of end to end play or plays that took you out of your seat or spectacular saves that leave you shaking your head. Didn't really see a player or two that jumps out at you as a special player.

mulefarm..what exactly would it take for a player to jump out at you (as being a special player)...two stood out to me...#8 for HM is a 15 year old and he assisted on both of Hills goals and #21for HM is a senior who (also) stood out...so I think you're standard for "special player" might be a tad high.

Dave Spehar, George Pelawa, Grant Besse, Matt Hendricks, Paul Martin, Patrick White, Kyke Rau Nick Leddy, Ryan Kraft, Max Gardiner, Jay Bariball, Aaron Ness, Ricky Talbot, Patrick Finnegan, Ken Genander, Gino Guyer. I know I missed a ton, but these are names and not numbers that come to an old mans mind. Glad you found some players that stood out for you and you may be right, but didn't do a lot for me.

Sorry Mulefarm but we are in a different era.. Junior hockey now skims the top off of the talent pool to a degree so we just don't see the stars that we did in the past.. Without losses like that, perhaps Jake Guentzel, Blake Heinrick, or Luke Voltin would have caught your eye for Hill tonight..

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[WBLHockeyfan04]

Can you say WBL boy..... again.

Wayzata is looking tired.

the best was seeing all of the kids and adults in WBL hockey jackets and hats cheering loudly for HM, especially Zarembinkski.

I was NOT one of those people.

[UntouchableFlow]

Not even close to a great game. Maybe the game has changed, but didn't see a lot of end to end play or plays that took you out of your seat or spectacular saves that leave you shaking your head. Didn't really see a player or two that jumps out at you as a special player.

Is that what really defines a great game in your eyes? A spectacular individual effort? Hill's greatest strength as a team is their depth, three very solid lines and a fourth line that can get in the mix as well. The defense is rock solid with two great lines and another line that can eat up minutes. Hill displayed every aspect of a great team win today. Starting with goaltending, moving to strong defense, and solid play on offense. The puck moving that the Pioneers displayed was absolutely phenomenal. They broke the puck out of the zone on command and always found someone breaking through the middle with a full head of steam.

In my opinion, Sam Becker is the best defenseman that I've seen play in the tournament so far. So smooth with the puck, great vision, and never gets caught out of position. I also have to give credit to Mitch Slattery, as he played harder than I've seen him play all year and set up a lot of chances for Hill.

If you want to teach the next generations about good team hockey, bring them to a Hill-Murray game, because that is how you play as a team and win as a team.

[joris016]

Davis may live in white bear but as far as I know he has gone to Catholic school his whole life.

[East Side Pioneer Guy]

Not even close to a great game. Maybe the game has changed, but didn't see a lot of end to end play or plays that took you out of your seat or spectacular saves that leave you shaking your head. Didn't really see a player or two that jumps out at you as a special player.

mulefarm..what exactly would it take for a player to jump out at you (as being a special player)...two stood out to me...#8 for HM is a 15 year old and he assisted on both of Hills goals and #21for HM is a senior who (also) stood out...so I think you're standard for "special player" might be a tad high.

Perhaps Mulefarm's standard involves A) a game without Hill or B) a game where Hill loses. Just wondering.

[mulefarm]

Not even close to a great game. Maybe the game has changed, but didn't see a lot of end to end play or plays that took you out of your seat or spectacular saves that leave you shaking your head. Didn't really see a player or two that jumps out at you as a special player.

mulefarm..what exactly would it take for a player to jump out at you (as being a special player)...two stood out to me...#8 for HM is a 15 year old and he assisted on both of Hills goals and #21for HM is a senior who (also) stood out...so I think you're standard for "special player" might be a tad high.

Perhaps Mulefarm's standard involves A) a game without Hill or B) a game where Hill loses. Just wondering.

No hate for the Pioneers, in fact a big fan of Lechner. Just didn't see it as a great game. Like I stated, didn't see a lot of end to end rushes and individual efforts that seem to define great tourney games. Teams are well coached and have a lot of depth. Maybe this happens when HS hockey loses many top players. Hill has had many special players through the years and I'm sure that will continue.

[East Side Pioneer Guy]

Muley, I can see your point to some extent.

[East Side Pioneer Guy]

Can you say WBL boy..... again.

Wayzata is looking tired.

the best was seeing all of the kids and adults in WBL hockey jackets and hats cheering loudly for HM, especially Zarembinkski.

I was NOT one of those people.

Glad to hear it. Bears fans giving anything more than grudging respect for Hill is unsettling. Like the sun rising in the west.

[WBLHockeyfan04]

the best was seeing all of the kids and adults in WBL hockey jackets and hats cheering loudly for HM, especially Zarembinkski.

I was NOT one of those people.

Glad to hear it. Bears fans giving anything more than grudging respect for Hill is unsettling. Like the sun rising in the west.

I agree. If there was no Hill Murray, WBL would have, oh, about twenty more state tournament appearances. Probably a quarterfinal win in there somewhere too.

All in all, I do respect Hill Murray, the rivalry, and Bill Lechner and his coaching staff.

[hockey59]

Not even close to a great game. Maybe the game has changed, but didn't see a lot of end to end play or plays that took you out of your seat or spectacular saves that leave you shaking your head. Didn't really see a player or two that jumps out at you as a special player.

mulefarm..what exactly would it take for a player to jump out at you (as being a special player)...two stood out to me...#8 for HM is a 15 year old and he assisted on both of Hills goals and #21for HM is a senior who (also) stood out...so I think you're standard for "special player" might be a tad high.

Dave Spehar, George Pelawa, Grant Besse, Matt Hendricks, Paul Martin, Patrick White, Kyke Rau Nick Leddy, Ryan Kraft, Max Gardiner, Jay Bariball, Aaron Ness, Ricky Talbot, Patrick Finnegan, Ken Genander, Gino Guyer. I know I missed a ton, but these are names and not numbers that come to an old mans mind. Glad you found some players that stood out for you and you may be right, but didn't do a lot for me.

Mulefarm...I do agree...that the specific players you listed above ALL had at least a few magical moment plays while playing at AA State...but the game has evolved...whether we like it or not...

AND what you notice...is how EFFECTIVE all the best coached HS teams are now-days at employing a NEUTRAL ZONE TRAP..as an important element ...of their over-all defensive game plan.

Wayzata did it last night and so did HM (to a lesser extent). DE did it last night and so did Edina (to a lesser extent).

Should be very good puck movement tonight...but you won't see UP and DOWN style HOCKEY vintage early 1980's teams like GR, 1990 teams like BJ or early 2000's like AHA....because unfortuately...the game has changed to more of a defensive style (that along with the expanded size of GOALIE EQUIPMENT)..has resulted in...scoring being down and flashy open ice rushes and plays being much tougher to make now-days.

[BodyShots]

(that along with the expanded size of GOALIE EQUIPMENTin...scoring being )

Is Dugas really that big, or does he have J.S. Giguere's equipment on?

[BodyShots]

Davis may live in white bear but as far as I know he has gone to Catholic school his whole life.

And you point is......?

[East Side Pioneer Guy]

Davis may live in white bear but as far as I know he has gone to Catholic school his whole life.

And you point is......?

He was never a part of the White Bear lake Public School District. He was not recruited away from a program still yearning for a quarterfinal victory. Unlike Tartan. And Roseville.

[East Side Pioneer Guy]

George Pelawa, I know I missed a ton, but these are names and not numbers that come to an old mans mind. Glad you found some players that stood out for you and you may be right, but didn't do a lot for me.[/quote]


George Pelawa, R.I.P