I wouldn't read too much into it. It's a pretty common reaction for a senior losing his last HS game in OT in a section final.hermantown2000 wrote:Just watched a video that was taken after the game winning goal. Minnetonka looked pretty stunned (the one player near the goalie on the ground on his knees dejectedly says it all). The Skippers were probably thinking with the three EP players out that they were going to breeze through this game. Even I did not like EPs chances in this game.After the ot goal Tonka was like"What in the world just happen?". As far as EP goes talk about resilience, guts and determination.
It was a fantastic game, and more than made up for the dud in the opener. Plenty of chances both ways, great defense and goaltending, and a handful of fluky chances that very nearly ended it in stunning fashion. That weird carom that ended up behind Durocher with 2:00 to go in the 3rd must have come within centimeters of ending it.
Tonka was a fun group to watch. No real stars at this point, but they were nice and deep, really took care of business in their own end, and once they started finding those stretch passes in the 2nd period, they became dangerous. Those long passes may have been part of their downfall, though--by OT, with fatigue setting in, they were missing on a lot of them for icings. You can't give EP's top unit that much free time in your own zone and expect to get away with it.
I know Lee Smith isn't universally adored, but give him this: when they have the talent, they deliver. Every time they've been the top seed in 6AA in recent memory, they've won. That's not easy. They're the first 6AA team to repeat since Edina did it in the late 90s. EP always seems to get the most out of their stars, and Mittelstadt gave them that tonight. Unlike Tonka, they gambled and shortened an already thin bench late, and it paid off. Credit to Boldenow too, who played very well after being pressed into an emergency top 4 D role.
Congrats to Tonka on a fine season. Unless STA or LVN go down, I assume we'll see the Eagles in the nightcap at the X next Thursday. They may not have won many fans after the incident in the Benilde game, but it does make for a pretty juicy storyline...