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Sparlimb wrote: ↑Sat Mar 07, 2020 11:08 pm And you see tonight what Lechner coaches. The forwards back checking and supporting the defense is really the way to win games. You don't blow everyone out that way, but you win against teams that have more talent. ... But I like teams when I see the forwards skating hard towards the defensive zone. And getting dirty to dive in front of passes and block shots. Lechner is a good coach.

He is a great coach. There are several at this level. I think Minnesota high school is over-coached from a player's and fan's perspective, but I totally understand why it is. Playing defense first is effective. Count on your best player or players to make a play here and there and bank on the power play. In his postgame Eigner talked about the process of getting his team to understand some little things that add up to be very important and by the end of the season they were doing it. Nobody saw them beating Andover, but they did.

Hats off to Lechner, his assistants, and the whole team. Awesome tonight. Threw a perfect game.

Also....

Metro East teams win both state titles. With Hill, STA & Mahtomedi at the top, this really is a premier conference. Which if nothing more at least means these teams are ready for sections and State. Tradition Rich Metro East indeed.

Hill went 7-0-1 against tourney teams this year. Pretty amazing.

wolfman wrote: ↑Sat Mar 07, 2020 9:58 pm I’m having dinner tonight in the great town of Hill Murray...

Let me know if I can point out some places for you.

O-townClown wrote: ↑Sun Mar 08, 2020 12:46 am

Sparlimb wrote: ↑Sat Mar 07, 2020 11:08 pm And you see tonight what Lechner coaches. The forwards back checking and supporting the defense is really the way to win games. You don't blow everyone out that way, but you win against teams that have more talent. ... But I like teams when I see the forwards skating hard towards the defensive zone. And getting dirty to dive in front of passes and block shots. Lechner is a good coach.

He is a great coach. There are several at this level. I think Minnesota high school is over-coached from a player's and fan's perspective, but I totally understand why it is. Playing defense first is effective. Count on your best player or players to make a play here and there and bank on the power play. In his postgame Eigner talked about the process of getting his team to understand some little things that add up to be very important and by the end of the season they were doing it. Nobody saw them beating Andover, but they did.

Hats off to Lechner, his assistants, and the whole team. Awesome tonight. Threw a perfect game.

I completely disagree with the statement that high school is over coached! Most coaches do not coach and let parents run the team, own zone coverages are non existent and everything is about the individual. Hill-Murray could actually breakout of their own end by passing the puck.....a less than novel approach but by and large the only team that could do that. They were the best team, not best collection of individuals.

For the most part high school hockey has become about the individual, not the team.

BlueLineSpecial wrote: ↑Sun Mar 08, 2020 12:53 am Hill went 7-0-1 against tourney teams this year. Pretty amazing.

That's right!

The whole "record against tournament teams" is telling, but only to a point since teams can't control what happens in sections. The Pioneers totally dominated Edina twice, yet weirdly lost two times to Wayzata. So if the Trojans survived out of Section 6AA they have losses and if Edina or Blake makes it their record is better.

An oddity is that Moorhead won the Lake Conference this year. Defeated Wayzata, Buffalo, Minnetonka, Edina, and Eden Prairie and tied St. Michael-Albertville. 5-0-1!

How many state champs did the Lake produce this year? 2 less than the TRME, and Moorhead went 0-2.

Cripes, EP was lucky Hastings got jobbed and they got a horrid South team.

north_bear wrote: ↑Sat Mar 07, 2020 9:30 pm Eden prairie taken to the wood shed tonight.

Congrats Hill!!

Taken to the ol wood shed indeed! Dominating performance by Hill.

Oh man, that felt good. The caravan down Main Street in the City of Hill-Murray last night was a hoot. Talk about knee deep in the hoopla.

That was a very good EP team that was made to look very ordinary. I did not expect the game to unfold that way, not after seeing both games the might before. Congrats to EP for defending their runner-up title, it's no easy task, but we were glad to help out.

Strobel was a beast. He put that team on his back & carried them the whole way. His wrap around goal just threaded the needle, picture perfect. Cool for him to win it like his old man & uncle. This is why we just laugh when people say we're not a community. We're family. If you don't understand that, you probably never will.

The sun is just rising & Pioneers every where are beaming. We're a little groggy this morning, having played in the late game every day (just like 2008), and now I see we lost an hour of sleep, too. We'll savor this over the next several months, while a new banner is ordered. Next November will begin The Drive For Five, or One for the Thumb if you prefer. But we're not dwelling on that now.

It's appropriate that our long time nemesis the Cadets gave us the toughest game over the last 6 contests. Wonks can give us more accurate info, but we've been in the same conference so many years I'll bet we've played them more than any other team.

Just don't forget, if the section final were not at Aldrich, we'd have been at home last night watching the Bears beat EP.

I'm tickled that my moniker Tradition Rich Metro East has caught on. It seems to have inspired Hastings & the 3 tournament teams to greatness.

Great post. Thank you.

Bill Lechner can now go up on the Mount Rushmore of MN HS Hockey coaches.

Mahtomedi is welcome to join the big Parade on Monday down Century Ave. It's a great day in St Paul's Metro East.

I am that wonk. STA and HM have played 24 times in the last 10 years. HM is 12-10-2 in those games. A certain poster predicted many years ago when STA built their new arena that they would indeed become HM's top rival.

Hey Spar and East Side Pio Guy

Can a guy from the West Metro come to the parade? I DO venture over to the Tradition Rich East Metro many times every year to see the Pios , in good times and bad , and I DO remember 1983!

An added reference : I DID spend time last nite between periods talking to a HM board member and wife , some of our closest rink buddies ! Seemingly they have accepted us as OK people ,even though from the wrong side of the river. Does that help me get into the gated parade area?

WestMetro wrote: ↑Sun Mar 08, 2020 9:57 am Hey Spar and East Side Pio Guy

Can a guy from the West Metro come to the parade? I DO venture over to the Tradition Rich East Metro many times every year to see the Pios , in good times and bad , and I DO remember 1983!

An added reference : I DID spend time last nite between periods talking to a HM board member and wife , some of our closest rink buddies ! Seemingly they have accepted us as OK people ,even though from the wrong side of the river. Does that help me get into the gated parade area?

You are in man. Just tell 'em Spar sent you. When I make my trip back to Minnesota next January, which I'm not sure why I do, I'll see if you have time to take in a game with ChrisK and I as well...

WestMetro wrote: ↑Sun Mar 08, 2020 9:57 am Hey Spar and East Side Pio Guy

Can a guy from the West Metro come to the parade? I DO venture over to the Tradition Rich East Metro many times every year to see the Pios , in good times and bad , and I DO remember 1983!

An added reference : I DID spend time last nite between periods talking to a HM board member and wife , some of our closest rink buddies ! Seemingly they have accepted us as OK people ,even though from the wrong side of the river. Does that help me get into the gated parade area?

The VIP seating area will be at Larpenteur and Century. Be there at noon. Wear appropriate Zephyr or Pioneer gear.

stpaul wrote: ↑Sun Mar 08, 2020 9:16 am Great post. Thank you.

Bill Lechner can now go up on the Mount Rushmore of MN HS Hockey coaches.

Mahtomedi is welcome to join the big Parade on Monday down Century Ave. It's a great day in St Paul's Metro East.

I am that wonk. STA and HM have played 24 times in the last 10 years. HM is 12-10-2 in those games. A certain poster predicted many years ago when STA built their new arena that they would indeed become HM's top rival.

Yes, Lex is the first HM coach to win two titles; up on Rushmore he goes.

Per HMPioneers.net, STA is our most frequent opponent. I'm not certain if Friday's game is included (I think so), but we've faced them 100 times, 73-25-2. The series is evening out.

WestMetro wrote: ↑Sun Mar 08, 2020 9:57 am Hey Spar and East Side Pio Guy

Can a guy from the West Metro come to the parade? I DO venture over to the Tradition Rich East Metro many times every year to see the Pios , in good times and bad , and I DO remember 1983!

An added reference : I DID spend time last nite between periods talking to a HM board member and wife , some of our closest rink buddies ! Seemingly they have accepted us as OK people ,even though from the wrong side of the river. Does that help me get into the gated parade area?

All are welcome.

When we go on the road for the White Bear game, we'll laugh at how their Consolation banners are as big if not bigger than our Championship banners. Westie welcome to that too.

Couple of observations about the game:

I felt EP actually had good several good scoring opportunities. There were at least of couple of pucks that slid right through the crease. But EP had almost no second chances. There weren’t any juicy rebounds at all. That’s big. I don’t really recall seeing a single deflected shot by EP either. That’s a credit to Hill for keeping EP from setting up shop in front of Keopple. The D gave Keopple a perfect defensive scheme. Blocked a lot of shots, kept EP from getting in front of the net, and gave Keopple good sight lines to see the puck. Then he did the rest. Really a fantastic defensive game plan, and especially so considering one of their best (if not their best) d-man was out sick. If EP scores early, and they had a couple of good looks, maybe that changes the game. Guess we’ll never know.

Pierre with two pipes in this game. Just couldn’t get one to go. I really wish he’d stick around. He would be really fun to watch for another year (or two )

Lechner rolled 4 lines. I’d have to go back and see how many shifts they got; the 3rd line played a ton too. Can’t tell you how important that is in a game like this, and in a tourney where you’ve got to play 3 grueling games in 3 nights (including OT for Hill the night before). Kudos to him for having the guts to do it. Some coaches don’t. See WBL coach who consistently shortens his bench in big games. Wrong move. You have to get your two top lines breathers.

Hill was lethal on the power play all tourney. Something like 3 for 5? That unit stepped up big time and made a huge difference. The first two goals against STA were PP goals I believe. And the first goal against EP was too. To get off to leads early in the game like that is so important. Everyone settles in. The nerves go away a little.

Anyway, fun game. Great tourney. Great season for the Pioneers. Just like 2008, I’ll have so many lasting memories of this title run.

East Side Pioneer Guy wrote: ↑Sun Mar 08, 2020 11:01 am

WestMetro wrote: ↑Sun Mar 08, 2020 9:57 am Hey Spar and East Side Pio Guy

Can a guy from the West Metro come to the parade? I DO venture over to the Tradition Rich East Metro many times every year to see the Pios , in good times and bad , and I DO remember 1983!

An added reference : I DID spend time last nite between periods talking to a HM board member and wife , some of our closest rink buddies ! Seemingly they have accepted us as OK people ,even though from the wrong side of the river. Does that help me get into the gated parade area?

All are welcome.

When we go on the road for the White Bear game, we'll laugh at how their Consolation banners are as big if not bigger than our Championship banners. Westie welcome to that too.

My favorite still is St. Louis Park that has like 3rd in section banners. Makes me laugh every time.

Can someone provide a link to the post game press conference?

Congrats to Hill-Murray! More than anyone in this field they peaked at the right time and were the deserving champs; outside of a bit of a let-up as they looked to lock down St. Thomas in the 3rd period of the semis, they were the class of the field all weekend. They had the perfect combination of team speed and flashy moments out of their stars, lockdown defense (even sans Palodichuk in the final), and elite goaltending, and looked like a seamless unit. Their second period was maybe the most complete I saw out of any team all season. In some ways this final reminded me of last season's in that the lower-seeded team surprised us by taking it to the favorite for most of the first two periods. The difference was that Hill found a way to keep its foot on EP's throat and kept adding to the lead, while EP couldn't do that a season ago and it slipped away from them.

On the Eagle side, do we start calling this the Mittelstadt curse? They've made three finals in five years but have come up empty each time. For all the talent, Hill's D moved the puck out better than theirs and also got more out of their depth players. The top line had occasional threats but didn't look like the dominant force it had been on Thursday and Friday, and I thought the EP second line really disappeared in this one, too. Hill always built from the back reliably, while EP seemed to get knocked off its game from the start and never really recovered to look like the methodical machine it had been in the first two rounds.

Unfortunately, YHH didn't video the presser, as the keeper of the camera was elsewhere editing a video involving hair. Not sure if anyone else did, which would be a shame, since Lechner is consistently among the most articulate and interesting interviews in MN HS hockey, and Schafhauser and the players were good as well. If I ever were tasked with building a hockey program, Lechner would be my model for how to comport myself. The word class is overused, but he epitomizes it.

Karl- Great take. I’ll take one issue saying it’s a mittlestadt curse. They didn’t lose because of their talent. I mean the top end talent coming out of that school for the past 5 years has been unprecedented, since Jefferson? Call it for what it is.

goldy313 wrote: ↑Sun Mar 08, 2020 1:09 am How many state champs did the Lake produce this year? 2 less than the TRME, and Moorhead went 0-2.

Cripes, EP was lucky Hastings got jobbed and they got a horrid South team.

Yes we know how much it pleases a grown man of your age to root against an entire area of the state every year.

Nice 13 minute recap...

https://kstp.com/minnesota-prep-sports/ ... ?cat=10564

Not sure how long this article will exist...

Congrats to Hill, they definitely deserved to win the tourney, played terrific hockey. They should be a force again next year..

Posted by goldy313 » Sun Mar 08, 2020 1:09 am

"How many state champs did the Lake produce this year? 2 less than the TRME, and Moorhead went 0-2."

The Lake Conference is just fine. They've won 8 of the last 12 'AA' State Championships. Do us all a favor and let us know when the 'AA' TRME schools have caught up to that total.

blueblood wrote: ↑Mon Mar 09, 2020 5:26 pm Posted by goldy313 » Sun Mar 08, 2020 1:09 am

"How many state champs did the Lake produce this year? 2 less than the TRME, and Moorhead went 0-2."

The Lake Conference is just fine. They've won 8 of the last 12 'AA' State Championships. Do us all a favor and let us know when the 'AA' TRME schools have caught up to that total.

Help! What does TRME stand for? I’m not from the cities.