AA Championship #1 Lakeville North vs. Duluth East

Slammer · Post by **Slammer** » Fri Mar 06, 2015 10:56 pm

Well here it is. Anyone who knows how much I love the Greyhounds knows how excited I am for this.

Undefeated Lakeville North plays the Minnesota Miracle team. No one saw this coming.

The biggest LN fan on this forum Sats81 said this about Duluth East two weeks ago after their semi final win against Rapids-

"East is bad. They aren't even a top. 15 team. They will have no answer for Jaremko and Lutz. Randolph this Randolph that. Sorry hounds no trip to St. Paul this year. 7AA will be represented well with ER. Tourney will be much better with a legit top 5 team. Could care less if you agree with me. Typical guy who reads a box score or summary on the 'hub' and assumes because the score was close the game was close. According to many East fans it was one of their best played games of the year. They are NOT a good team. And NO, just because they played LN close and they are not good doesn't mean LN is average. Elks are gonna hammer them."

Who do you got?

OGEE OGELTHORPE · Post by **OGEE OGELTHORPE** » Fri Mar 06, 2015 11:17 pm

I have predicted Duluth East to lose in 4 straight games, so I can't quit now.

Lakeville in a laugher 6-1

notTONIGHT · Post by **notTONIGHT** » Fri Mar 06, 2015 11:24 pm

SATS where you at????

Biggest night of the year for you...

Ogie · Post by **Ogie** » Sat Mar 07, 2015 12:00 am

Do those ratty-ass lucky thrift store breezers have one more game in them for the Hounds?

We'll see tomorry night.

sanryam · Post by **sanryam** » Sat Mar 07, 2015 12:39 am

LVN in running time. Edina was without their Mr. Hockey candidate. Panthers should have all 3 of theirs.

East from the North - 1
North from the South - 7

Gov78 · Post by **Gov78** » Sat Mar 07, 2015 12:46 am

Much like OGEE I've picked against DE previously and can't stop myself so LN wins 6-2.

But I'll be cheering for the Hounds.

hockeymannorth · Post by **hockeymannorth** » Sat Mar 07, 2015 2:04 am

No Edina Hill or STA, just good home grown teams got to Love this championship game

hshockeyfan8 · Post by **hshockeyfan8** » Sat Mar 07, 2015 2:11 am

hockeymannorth wrote:No Edina Hill or STA, just good home grown teams got to Love this championship game

You think LVN is homegrown? Good one. Their goalie never played for Lakeville growing up, and have plenty more kids who open enrolled there. Really hope East has one more miracle left in them.

MNHockeyFan · Post by **MNHockeyFan** » Sat Mar 07, 2015 2:51 am

Duluth East reminds me of the USA 1980 "Miracle" story, except this story will not be a happy ending. Their 'chip-outs' and 'ringing it around the boards' will finally catch up to them, and they will go down to the too-skilled, undefeated and No. 1 Lakeville Panthers by a score of 4-1. But like most of the 19,000+ there in attendance I will be pulling for the Greyhounds to somehow spring just one more upset....their fans - by far the best in the tournament - deserve it.

northwoods oldtimer · Post by **northwoods oldtimer** » Sat Mar 07, 2015 3:59 am

Can Lakeville North solve the trap and 20 pesky teenagers doing whatever it takes to win?

RUKidding · Post by **RUKidding** » Sat Mar 07, 2015 7:56 am

Isn't it always funny how people always hate a winner? Having said that, clearly a ton of recruiting has gone on at North. The irony is LV South used to get accused of being the recruiter in youth hockey leaving North dry. Funny how that worked out. Many of South's youth hockey recruits have long since bailed. Having said that East has quite a draw around the northland and DO have 3 million people routing for them. Having said that, those three Poehling kids are a big part of that team and they ARE from North. Having said that, that's all I have to say.

Can't wait for the game tonight. Gonna be a doozy and the end of a great story for someone. My prediction, North by 3 goals.

crw · Post by **crw** » Sat Mar 07, 2015 8:46 am

Rooted against you all year in 7AA to rooting for you all weekend. Take care of business today DE and Get it done. GOod Luck!!

Schotzy · Post by **Schotzy** » Sat Mar 07, 2015 8:56 am

I have been picking against DE since the 7AA Finals. I just have not believed that they could keep on winning. Despite what EVERYONE was thinking, the Hounds were not listening, and fought hard, taking unthinkable victories.

I refuse to admit that East's opponents had snatched defeat from the clutches of victory. They are playing a hard-nosed, disciplined game right now. Randolph has identified their strengths, and has those kids playing to those strengths.

My oldest son has picked East every game to this point (he has friends that he has played with and against on the team). I have picked against. He has enjoyed rubbing that in. For his sake, I am going to predict that Lakeville wins this one, but hoping that my son has a reason to laugh at me again tonight.

GO HOUNDS!!!

Schotzy · Post by **Schotzy** » Sat Mar 07, 2015 8:59 am

hshockeyfan8 wrote:
hockeymannorth wrote:No Edina Hill or STA, just good home grown teams got to Love this championship game
You think LVN is homegrown? Good one. Their goalie never played for Lakeville growing up, and have plenty more kids who open enrolled there. Really hope East has one more miracle left in them.

This happens everywhere. We live in a world of open enrollment. East is not completely home-grown either. It does not bother me, but I have heard terrible stories about kids in Lakeville who did not even have a chance to compete on their JV team due to the open-enrollment flood that has happened at North.

WestMetro · Post by **WestMetro** » Sat Mar 07, 2015 9:31 am

Im not going to make a prediction on this game. Kind of a copout I guess.

Being from Duluth East and watching them having picked off 3 consecutive of the greatest wins ever. And possibly the greatest high school coach in Minnesota history deserving his final championship.

On the other hand, I have watched the Panthers move towards perfection destiny all year long. And knowing how hungry they have been with 5 kids passing up early departure chances to take care of remaining business.
Now they see it in their sights.

I will note that Eigs showed tremendous coaching skill and courage last night in the 3rd period. ( I am assuming it was his call , and not an injury to Ryan). He broke up the famous Poelhling line, and by the way IT WORKED. ( Unlike Hornets coach who couldnt find the right chemistry adjustment to get a spark without Malmquist.)

East played them close at Lakeville Olympic ice in January. Howg was unflustered there. Hounds D closed large open spaces pretty well. Smaller rink plays to Hounds advantage. On paper the Panthers win tonite. With Duluth East momemtum, Id put the game at 50/50, so I will cop out and not make an official prediction.

Either way, it will be a history making and memorable win.

alcloseshaver · Post by **alcloseshaver** » Sat Mar 07, 2015 9:39 am

It will be hard to score goals on LN with their D and goaltending. Howg will have to keep them in it. Can they pull it off for a fourth time? Would be incredible.

IMHO · Post by **IMHO** » Sat Mar 07, 2015 9:48 am

Gotta tell ya, love him or hate him Randolph is a genius. He always starts slow and peaks right on schedule at the end of the year. Most heard in the interview last night, he has little interest in wins or losses through Christmas. He's working on his analysis of his team, e.g. strengths, weaknesses, chemistry, etc. THEN he puts his game plan together. Even last night starting with a 2-3 forecheck was to play safe, but also to give Edina a false sense of the East plan.

All tell you, this guy almost always ends strong and I wouldn't count the Dogs out of the game tonight. We're going to see a solid game plan executed. Gonna be FUN !!!

nahc · Post by **nahc** » Sat Mar 07, 2015 12:25 pm

LOVE the Hounds........ their whole hockey program!!!!!!!!

Sats81 aint here so its up to me:

4-1 North (Lakeville that is!!!)

Slammer · Post by **Slammer** » Sat Mar 07, 2015 1:44 pm

If East can beat Edina after losing to them 7-1 earlier this season, they can beat Lakeville North who they lost to 2-1.

East wins 4-2 and brings home a championship.

grindiangrad-80 · Post by **grindiangrad-80** » Sat Mar 07, 2015 2:58 pm

I think East finds a way to win one more. If not, it was still a great run.

GPGT · Post by **GPGT** » Sat Mar 07, 2015 6:42 pm

Slammer wrote:If East can beat Edina after losing to them 7-1 earlier this season, they can beat Lakeville North who they lost to 2-1.

East wins 4-2 and brings home a championship.

I was trying to go off that mentality as well, and hope it still works, they lost to rapids 5-1, edina 7-1, STA 4-1, and LN 2-1 during the regular season.. Im hoping that they can redeem that final loss against LN on the big stage! Not taking anything away from LN by any means, but it would be pretty amazing to have a coach like Randolph get one last one in, on a team that has been the Underdog almost all season, But plays their butts off, knowing alot of their schedule is more ( sometimes much more ) talented than they are, and it doesn't slow them down

Go get em Hounds, once again, you have a majority of the X behind you!

GPGT · Post by **GPGT** » Sat Mar 07, 2015 6:46 pm

I keep telling myself sometimes the more talented team does not win.. I think back to 2010-2011 I believe when east was ousted by a Lakeville South team that nobody gave a chance.. That was the best team east had in 10+ years, and they suffered a painful loss to a team that "didn't belong" ..

It doesnt matter at this point.. WE all know if east gets blown out, it was "expected" and LN caught on to the "system" they play. If they win, they still won't get the credit they deserve by anyone other than the East fans...

Post by **karl(east)** » Sat Mar 07, 2015 7:52 pm

Not much prettiness for East in that first period, and one very ugly turnover leading to a goal, but they're hanging in there.

Post by **east hockey** » Sat Mar 07, 2015 8:13 pm

Might be out of steam. Plus, this Lakeville North squad isn't too shabby.

Lee

grindiangrad-80 · Post by **grindiangrad-80** » Sat Mar 07, 2015 9:23 pm

Congrats to Lakeville. Undefeated all the way through.

Pretty hard to do.

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AA Championship #1 Lakeville North vs. Duluth East

Who ya got?

AA Championship #1 Lakeville North vs. Duluth East