GO EAGLES!!

[O-townClown]

Boys' hockey: Edina boys not afraid to take on all comers
The top-ranked Hornets hockey team believes in playing top-notch competition during the regular season, including Burnsville on Friday night.

Last update: December 7, 2007 - 10:10 PM

In another era it was known as "barnstorming," with a talented team traveling the land with an open invitation to those interested in lining up against them for a little friendly competition.

The Edina boys hockey team, the top-ranked team in the Metro, lives up to the tag of talented team. As for the Eagles' willingness to take on all comers, it's simply the best way coach Curt Giles knows of bringing the best out of his players.

Grand Rapids, Elk River, Eden Prairie, Benilde-St. Margaret's, Centennial, Cretin-Derham Hall and Duluth East are among the nonconference opponents on the Eagles' schedule. Friday night they were at highly-regarded Burnsville, and it was clear hockey fans south of the river had been looking forward to Edina's appearance.

Finding a parking place an hour before game time called for one to rely on his or her creative instincts. A request at the front gate for a program brought this response: "We ran out about 500 people ago.''

The overflow crowd, estimated at 2,000, was believed to be the biggest Burnsville has had in the past eight years. It's doubtful anyone asked for a refund.

Edina opened up a 2-0 lead in the first period, but Burnsville roared back to take a 3-2 lead in the closing minutes of the third period. The Eagles tied the score with less than two minutes to play and won 4-3 in overtime on a goal by Zach Budish.

The speed of the Blaze and the enthusiasm of the Burnsville fans gave Edina all it could handle. But handled things it did.

"The best thing for the kids is to challenge them,'' Giles said. "We've always thought the strength of our schedule during the regular season gets them prepared for the end of the season, for section play and hopefully into tournament play.

"It's important for us to play the best teams in the state if we possibly can.''

Budish, one of the state's top juniors, said Friday's atmosphere was electric.

"Their fans are wild,'' he said. "They were right on top of us [behind the bench] It's amazing to have a crowd like that five games into the season.''

The Eagles better get used to it, and know that there will be more games where the outcome could go the other way.

"The big thing is, if you play a good team and get beat you learn from your mistakes,'' Giles said. "You learn from other teams' strengths, and hopefully you can point that out to your kids.

"[You tell them] this is how you got beat and why you got beat. So you have to do these things a little better.''

Giles said last year's team joins this one as two of the best teams he has ever had. The Hornets reached the quarterfinals last season with a 25-2-1 record before being eliminated by Grand Rapids.

Anything short of a return trip to the state tournament would be considered a disappointment. Minnesota high school hockey fans will be watching their efforts

[Neutron 14]

Ummm.... Eagles?

[east hockey]

I wasn't sure whether to just delete this on general principle for getting the team's nickname wrong.

Instead, well.....there's already a topic for that game.

http://www.ushsho.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=13434

Lee