Stillwater

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Sparlimb
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Stillwater

Post by Sparlimb » Sat Mar 05, 2016 11:47 am

Maybe they might want to schedule someone a little tougher in non-conference next year. Just a suggestion. 1-2 in this year's tournament has to be a disappointment. I hoped to see a team that could win it all, but they have some definite weaknesses. Depth being the biggest one. But their conference was hopelessly awful this year and they just didn't play a good enough non-conference schedule to be ready for this weekend. It will be really interesting to see if it gets better next year. 8 goals over their last 4 games for an offensive juggernaut.

mulefarm
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Post by mulefarm » Sat Mar 05, 2016 11:52 am

Wow, they loose 2 one goal games and played very well, and they get ripped 5 minutes after their final game. Some people are hard to please!

Lazy Scout
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Post by Lazy Scout » Sat Mar 05, 2016 12:07 pm

I would have liked to see them win but after watching them in the section final against Hill, I knew they were not that great. Too weak of a schedule and lack of overall team speed. Benson in goal was best part of the team. Congrats to the ponies for giving it their all.

wbmd
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Joined: Thu Dec 22, 2005 7:51 pm

Post by wbmd » Sat Mar 05, 2016 12:37 pm

mulefarm wrote:Wow, they loose 2 one goal games and played very well, and they get ripped 5 minutes after their final game. Some people are hard to please!
You need to go to spelling school.

mulefarm
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Post by mulefarm » Sat Mar 05, 2016 12:38 pm

Private or public?

wbmd
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Post by wbmd » Sat Mar 05, 2016 12:41 pm

mulefarm wrote:Private or public?
PUBLIC school.

dherman8
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Joined: Wed Jan 24, 2007 4:45 pm

Post by dherman8 » Sat Mar 05, 2016 1:16 pm

mulefarm wrote:Wow, they loose 2 one goal games and played very well, and they get ripped 5 minutes after their final game. Some people are hard to please!
No kidding! And the losses come to two teams that finished in the top three of the state with one having a chance to win it all yet. Come on now people!

Mavs
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Joined: Tue Apr 28, 2015 10:35 am

Post by Mavs » Sat Mar 05, 2016 4:20 pm

dherman8 wrote:
mulefarm wrote:Wow, they loose 2 one goal games and played very well, and they get ripped 5 minutes after their final game. Some people are hard to please!
No kidding! And the losses come to two teams that finished in the top three of the state with one having a chance to win it all yet. Come on now people!
With one of their best players hurt and not playing Friday and Sat

LASERBLUE135
Posts: 146
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Location: Richfield

Post by LASERBLUE135 » Sat Mar 05, 2016 7:34 pm

LASERBLUE135 wrote:Stillwater will not win another game in the tournament. They got lucky playing a Farmington team that didn't seem to have much fight.
Called this after the Farmington game, just saying.

Retired Ref
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Joined: Sat Dec 20, 2014 2:30 pm

Post by Retired Ref » Sun Mar 06, 2016 3:26 am

Can't control their conference. White Bear is usually much better, Flake and Roseville down as well making a mediocre conference even softer this year. But that is out of Stillwater s control.

What you can do is try to upgrade your non-conference schedule. Here is the who the Non-conference schedule included:
Lakeville North
Jefferson
Holy Family x2*
Maple Grove*
Moorhead*
Hill Murray

*Played in the Sports Authority Tourney.

Doesn't really look like they were ducking competition here.

Doc Holliday
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Location: SW Suburbs

Post by Doc Holliday » Sun Mar 06, 2016 3:33 am

They were within a few inches of tying up the semifinal game in the last seconds to the team that won it all.

Would your opinion of them change if they had held on to a 2 goal lead in front of family & friends yesterday afternoon?

But I agree Sparlimb, they should have just gone 2 & Q like Hill-Murray last year instead....

Trout
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Joined: Mon Dec 07, 2009 10:31 pm

Post by Trout » Sun Mar 06, 2016 3:46 am

Ponies non conference schedule:

Lakeville North
Holy Family
Moorhead
Maple Grove
Bloomington Jefferson
Hill Murray
Holy Family

When you look at it they did what they could with the league they are in.
I am sure they were hoping to get better teams out of the tourney but ended with Moorhead and MG (who were both in section final games by the way)...(as did CDH who they beat twice).

A tight game in a section final is typical. The ponies have beaten HM 2 of the last 3 section finals...hmmm I remember years when HM had to go OT over .500 pony teams and average WBL teams. That is what section finals are about. Those games tend to be close no matter how separated the teams are in talent.

Wasn't the schedule...as for the state tourney... how many teams can miss a 45 pt guy and give the state champs and game to the very last second?

The better teams next year will want to play them and their 15 key returners. Not sure how flexible the schedules are but hopefully they get a little more depth in the non conf games. The East side has always been weaker in these few age groups with the exception of this Stillwater group.

dherman8
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Post by dherman8 » Sun Mar 06, 2016 5:27 am

It's like some think that Stillwater didn't belong. They were no doubt a top eight team, deserved to be at state, and very well should have been the one seed. Who knows how things would've went then.

Bottom line is they are a solid squad that should be proud of the year they had. We're very close to an undefeated regular season which is an accomplishment no matter what the schedule is.

WestMetro
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Post by WestMetro » Sun Mar 06, 2016 10:03 am

I am proud to say I had Ponies in my preseason top 10 when there were many non believers . Started off watching them at LVN and then 5x after that including 2 at X. They did not disappoint . ( Although I was a bit puzzled when They dominated HM in January, but then had more trouble putting them away in the section final with the spectacular Noah spinorama, Staum being full strength could not account for that difference alone. ). Benson definitely a top 5 goalie this year. Lots of firepower back next year, so told SW fans around me in Section 118 I will see them again at Aldrich final and might see them again at the X

JoltDelivered
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Post by JoltDelivered » Sun Mar 06, 2016 3:58 pm

Retired Ref wrote:Can't control their conference. White Bear is usually much better, Flake and Roseville down as well making a mediocre conference even softer this year. But that is out of Stillwater s control.
They did tie the 11-15-1 Bears this year. In the Stillwater barn no less. Maybe a sign?
"I find tinsel distracting"

BodyShots
Posts: 1921
Joined: Fri Feb 29, 2008 9:44 am

Post by BodyShots » Mon Mar 07, 2016 3:27 am

Nobody would know more about easy schedules than HM in the 80's and 90's. You are a joke! :roll:

Rick O'Shay
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Post by Rick O'Shay » Mon Mar 07, 2016 5:35 am

I'm no hockey genius but is it possible the Ponies came up short at the X because their jerseys were so hideous? What happened to the classic tackle twill? Old time hockey - Eddie Shore. What's next the huge bumper sticker on the forehead!

Sparlimb
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Post by Sparlimb » Mon Mar 07, 2016 2:29 pm

Retired Ref wrote:Can't control their conference. White Bear is usually much better, Flake and Roseville down as well making a mediocre conference even softer this year. But that is out of Stillwater s control.

What you can do is try to upgrade your non-conference schedule. Here is the who the Non-conference schedule included:
Lakeville North
Jefferson
Holy Family x2*
Maple Grove*
Moorhead*
Hill Murray

*Played in the Sports Authority Tourney.

Doesn't really look like they were ducking competition here.
How many Lake teams are in that list? If you want to win the tournament, you'll need to beat a Lake team. It's been 10 years since a non-lake team won the tournament and didn't have to play someone from the lake conference (during the tourney). And that year only happened to have one Lake team who lost in the first round. So work on scheduling EP, Wayzata, Tonka and Edina. That can only help your team come tourney time.

1parent
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Joined: Fri Jan 23, 2009 10:04 pm

Post by 1parent » Mon Mar 07, 2016 2:57 pm

Sparlimb wrote:
Retired Ref wrote:Can't control their conference. White Bear is usually much better, Flake and Roseville down as well making a mediocre conference even softer this year. But that is out of Stillwater s control.

What you can do is try to upgrade your non-conference schedule. Here is the who the Non-conference schedule included:
Lakeville North
Jefferson
Holy Family x2*
Maple Grove*
Moorhead*
Hill Murray

*Played in the Sports Authority Tourney.

Doesn't really look like they were ducking competition here.
How many Lake teams are in that list? If you want to win the tournament, you'll need to beat a Lake team. It's been 10 years since a non-lake team won the tournament and didn't have to play someone from the lake conference (during the tourney). And that year only happened to have one Lake team who lost in the first round. So work on scheduling EP, Wayzata, Tonka and Edina. That can only help your team come tourney time.
Sparlimb - Not saying their schedule was the toughest out there by any means. But you can't honestly believe their schedule is what caused them not to win the tourney. I've seen someone bring up the fact that they lost 1 of their top forwards (40+ points) in the 1st game. Do you think their schedule or the fact that one of their top forwards was lost played a bigger role?

Retired Ref
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Joined: Sat Dec 20, 2014 2:30 pm

Post by Retired Ref » Mon Mar 07, 2016 4:14 pm

1parent wrote:
Sparlimb wrote:
Retired Ref wrote:Can't control their conference. White Bear is usually much better, Flake and Roseville down as well making a mediocre conference even softer this year. But that is out of Stillwater s control.

What you can do is try to upgrade your non-conference schedule. Here is the who the Non-conference schedule included:
Lakeville North
Jefferson
Holy Family x2*
Maple Grove*
Moorhead*
Hill Murray

*Played in the Sports Authority Tourney.

Doesn't really look like they were ducking competition here.
How many Lake teams are in that list? If you want to win the tournament, you'll need to beat a Lake team. It's been 10 years since a non-lake team won the tournament and didn't have to play someone from the lake conference (during the tourney). And that year only happened to have one Lake team who lost in the first round. So work on scheduling EP, Wayzata, Tonka and Edina. That can only help your team come tourney time.
Sparlimb - Not saying their schedule was the toughest out there by any means. But you can't honestly believe their schedule is what caused them not to win the tourney. I've seen someone bring up the fact that they lost 1 of their top forwards (40+ points) in the 1st game. Do you think their schedule or the fact that one of their top forwards was lost played a bigger role?
Upgraded from Orono to Lakeville North (defending undefeated state champs)
Upgraded from North St. Paul to Hill Murray
Upgraded from Schwan Silver to Sport's Authority Tourney (couldn't get in to Schwan Gold)
I see that they had played Jefferson and Holy Family the year before so they were probably in 2nd year of contracts to play those schools.

For all we know they did contact Lake schools for games and couldn't find a taker. Setting up a HS schedule isn't as easy as it is in youth hockey. You are hamstrung by conference schedules and only 25 total games. There can also be lack of open dates with available ice time. Remember it takes a 4 1/2 to 5 hour chunk of ice, usually in prime hours, to schedule a JV/Varsity game. Not as easy as squeezing a peewee game into an hour on a Sunday morning at a Ramsey County rink.

If they had been able to dump Jefferson, and schedule Minnetonka in mid-December Do we really think that would have made the difference in helping the Stillwater kid get the puck up over the Wayzata goalie's pad with 1 second left? Because that's how close they came to going to overtime with the eventual state champs.

I agree with 1parent. Not having a 40 point player in the lineup probably hurt their chances more than the fact that they played Hill instead of Edina in January.

Mavs
Posts: 448
Joined: Tue Apr 28, 2015 10:35 am

Post by Mavs » Tue Mar 08, 2016 1:24 am

1parent wrote:
Sparlimb wrote:
Retired Ref wrote:Can't control their conference. White Bear is usually much better, Flake and Roseville down as well making a mediocre conference even softer this year. But that is out of Stillwater s control.

What you can do is try to upgrade your non-conference schedule. Here is the who the Non-conference schedule included:
Lakeville North
Jefferson
Holy Family x2*
Maple Grove*
Moorhead*
Hill Murray

*Played in the Sports Authority Tourney.

Doesn't really look like they were ducking competition here.
How many Lake teams are in that list? If you want to win the tournament, you'll need to beat a Lake team. It's been 10 years since a non-lake team won the tournament and didn't have to play someone from the lake conference (during the tourney). And that year only happened to have one Lake team who lost in the first round. So work on scheduling EP, Wayzata, Tonka and Edina. That can only help your team come tourney time.
Sparlimb - Not saying their schedule was the toughest out there by any means. But you can't honestly believe their schedule is what caused them not to win the tourney. I've seen someone bring up the fact that they lost 1 of their top forwards (40+ points) in the 1st game. Do you think their schedule or the fact that one of their top forwards was lost played a bigger role?
They also lost a 2nd top 6 forward (20 goal scorer) to injury on Thurs but was a game time decision Fri so maybe he played...not sure. If he played, he was likely not even close to 100%. Imagine EP losing their #2 guy? Not CM but just their #2 guy...vs a top team like Wayzata with great depth it hurts big time and it was a 1 goal game.

nahc
Posts: 578
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2008 7:10 pm

Post by nahc » Tue Mar 08, 2016 6:07 am

Some very good posts. Bottom line is that the Ponies went 1-2 in the State Tourney. Benilde goes undefeated in the regular season but doesn't even make the tourney. The State tournament doesn't DEFINE a teams season in most cases........ if you believe that, I have a bridge to sell you......

BodyShots
Posts: 1921
Joined: Fri Feb 29, 2008 9:44 am

Post by BodyShots » Tue Mar 08, 2016 10:44 am

nahc wrote:Some very good posts. Bottom line is that the Ponies went 1-2 in the State Tourney. Benilde goes undefeated in the regular season but doesn't even make the tourney. The State tournament doesn't DEFINE a teams season in most cases........ if you believe that, I have a bridge to sell you......
Timing of injuries sure does play a factor. BSM lost their top player just before sections. Do you think that played in their losing in the section semi-final?

Sparlimb
Posts: 2491
Joined: Tue Feb 05, 2002 7:11 am

Post by Sparlimb » Wed Mar 09, 2016 2:02 pm

Mavs wrote:
1parent wrote:
Sparlimb wrote:
Retired Ref wrote:Can't control their conference. White Bear is usually much better, Flake and Roseville down as well making a mediocre conference even softer this year. But that is out of Stillwater s control.

What you can do is try to upgrade your non-conference schedule. Here is the who the Non-conference schedule included:
Lakeville North
Jefferson
Holy Family x2*
Maple Grove*
Moorhead*
Hill Murray

*Played in the Sports Authority Tourney.

Doesn't really look like they were ducking competition here.
How many Lake teams are in that list? If you want to win the tournament, you'll need to beat a Lake team. It's been 10 years since a non-lake team won the tournament and didn't have to play someone from the lake conference (during the tourney). And that year only happened to have one Lake team who lost in the first round. So work on scheduling EP, Wayzata, Tonka and Edina. That can only help your team come tourney time.
Sparlimb - Not saying their schedule was the toughest out there by any means. But you can't honestly believe their schedule is what caused them not to win the tourney. I've seen someone bring up the fact that they lost 1 of their top forwards (40+ points) in the 1st game. Do you think their schedule or the fact that one of their top forwards was lost played a bigger role?
They also lost a 2nd top 6 forward (20 goal scorer) to injury on Thurs but was a game time decision Fri so maybe he played...not sure. If he played, he was likely not even close to 100%. Imagine EP losing their #2 guy? Not CM but just their #2 guy...vs a top team like Wayzata with great depth it hurts big time and it was a 1 goal game.
Well injuries happen and lots of teams have to deal with them. Yeah, it hurt Stillwater. Just like it hurt BSM. I have no clue how much because I don't know Stillwater enough to know if he was any good. 20 goal scorer doesn't mean much with how epically bad the SEC was this year. Just like claiming it kills Luverne to lose a 40 goal scorer. My only point is it can only help to play Lake teams. I have no idea why a big school like Stillwater with a ton of state titles in every other sport has never been terribly good at hockey. I'm glad it is finally coming around, but if they want to stay there, they better learn to play the big boys. Even their Christmas tournament ended up being a joke other than the loss to HF. It certainly didn't help the Ponies that the HM team they beat twice was as bad as they've been in quite some time. Not sure anyone but HF readied them for the teams they saw at the tourney. Losing to Wayzata isn't horrible. Losing to Grand Rapids, who got ripped by EP twice, was more eye opening. I liked that GR team, but I thought Stillwater was more in the EP/Wayzata league. But what I saw was they were in the GR/Bemidji league. Which was a step behind.

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