Four-team 'North-South Classic' tourney debuts next season

[MNHockeyFan]

A little strange that for the inaugural tournament they've chosen two teams (BSM and Brainerd) that are currently unranked...hopefully they'll be more competitive next year. Also puzzling is why they put the top two teams (Eden Prairie and Hermantown) in the same bracket Otherwise I like the concept and hope it becomes the first of many.

http://www.mnhockeyhub.com/news_article ... r_id=32760

[BodyShots]

Wrong year for EP to be playing HT!

[kniven]

A little strange that for the inaugural tournament they've chosen two teams (BSM and Brainerd) that are currently unranked...hopefully they'll be more competitive next year. Also puzzling is why they put the top two teams (Eden Prairie and Hermantown) in the same bracket Otherwise I like the concept and hope it becomes the first of many.

http://www.mnhockeyhub.com/news_article ... r_id=32760

Hermantown chosen over Duluth East? How dare they!!!

[rainier]

Not that it's at all strange for Herm to play AA teams, but I do wonder if this is a signal they are going AA next year.

Or is Duluth Marshall tired of having them win the Hilltopper classic every year, so they booted them out?

[kniven]

Wrong year for EP to be playing HT!

I will bite. Why is that? Hermantown will reload and be Hermantown next year.

[InYourFace09]

Wrong year for EP to be playing HT!

I will bite. Why is that? Hermantown will reload and be Hermantown next year.

Maybe cuz Htown reloads better than EP does?

[Duluthguy]

Wrong year for EP to be playing HT!

I will bite. Why is that? Hermantown will reload and be Hermantown next year.

Maybe cuz Htown reloads better than EP does?

Keep in mind that next year's Hermantown seniors struggled when they were second year bantam AAs. We all know that bantam performance isn't necessarily an indicator of success in high school...sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't. Certainly coaching can be a key difference. But that Hermantown team was sub-.500 at the bantam AA level. The other strong Hermantown teams in recent years were also strong as bantams.

[rainier]

I will bite. Why is that? Hermantown will reload and be Hermantown next year.

Maybe cuz Htown reloads better than EP does?

Keep in mind that next year's Hermantown seniors struggled when they were second year bantam AAs. We all know that bantam performance isn't necessarily an indicator of success in high school...sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't. Certainly coaching can be a key difference. But that Hermantown team was sub-.500 at the bantam AA level. The other strong Hermantown teams in recent years were also strong as bantams.

Sub .500 playing a tough AA schedule. I bet they destroyed the A teams they played.

[pekyman]

I will bite. Why is that? Hermantown will reload and be Hermantown next year.

Maybe cuz Htown reloads better than EP does?

Keep in mind that next year's Hermantown seniors struggled when they were second year bantam AAs. We all know that bantam performance isn't necessarily an indicator of success in high school...sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't. Certainly coaching can be a key difference. But that Hermantown team was sub-.500 at the bantam AA level. The other strong Hermantown teams in recent years were also strong as bantams.

Next year is definitely going to be a down year for HT in addition to probably having a new head coach. Kudos to HT and EP for accepting the game. HT and EP will play anybody unlike some other teams in the state. HT has played EP 3 times. Once on Hockey Day after DE refused to play and then in 2011 and 2012. Hermantown has never won but each game was close with the 2011 game being decided with 5 seconds left in OT by a diving goal by Rau. That year EP went on to win state beating DE in 3OT thriller.

[kniven]

Maybe cuz Htown reloads better than EP does?

Keep in mind that next year's Hermantown seniors struggled when they were second year bantam AAs. We all know that bantam performance isn't necessarily an indicator of success in high school...sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't. Certainly coaching can be a key difference. But that Hermantown team was sub-.500 at the bantam AA level. The other strong Hermantown teams in recent years were also strong as bantams.

Next year is definitely going to be a down year for HT in addition to probably having a new head coach. Kudos to HT and EP for accepting the game. HT and EP will play anybody unlike some other teams in the state. HT has played EP 3 times. Once on Hockey Day after DE refused to play and then in 2011 and 2012. Hermantown has never won but each game was close with the 2011 game being decided with 5 seconds left in OT by a diving goal by Rau. That year EP went on to win state beating DE in 3OT thriller.

Disagree. Hermantown haters been saying 'oh, they be down next year' and it doesn't happen. The Hawks are the 'newer' 'hip' 'suburban' 'private but public' school in the Duluth area. Sure Duluth East still gets all the big toys, but Hermantown gets lots of toys too. I'm in Hermantown a lot for work and many good friends there. It's as 'Brady Bunch" " leave it to Beaver" anywhere. And they are crazy about their high school hockey. And when they go AA, talk about it. A runaway freight train with a Hawk on skates!! Duluth Marshall will gladly head back down to A.

[pekyman]

Keep in mind that next year's Hermantown seniors struggled when they were second year bantam AAs. We all know that bantam performance isn't necessarily an indicator of success in high school...sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't. Certainly coaching can be a key difference. But that Hermantown team was sub-.500 at the bantam AA level. The other strong Hermantown teams in recent years were also strong as bantams.

Next year is definitely going to be a down year for HT in addition to probably having a new head coach. Kudos to HT and EP for accepting the game. HT and EP will play anybody unlike some other teams in the state. HT has played EP 3 times. Once on Hockey Day after DE refused to play and then in 2011 and 2012. Hermantown has never won but each game was close with the 2011 game being decided with 5 seconds left in OT by a diving goal by Rau. That year EP went on to win state beating DE in 3OT thriller.

Disagree. Hermantown haters been saying 'oh, they be down next year' and it doesn't happen. The Hawks are the 'newer' 'hip' 'suburban' 'private but public' school in the Duluth area. Sure Duluth East still gets all the big toys, but Hermantown gets lots of toys too. I'm in Hermantown a lot for work and many good friends there. It's as 'Brady Bunch" " leave it to Beaver" anywhere. And they are crazy about their high school hockey. And when they go AA, talk about it. A runaway freight train with a Hawk on skates!! Duluth Marshall will gladly head back down to A.

[inthetwine]

A little strange that for the inaugural tournament they've chosen two teams (BSM and Brainerd) that are currently unranked...hopefully they'll be more competitive next year. Also puzzling is why they put the top two teams (Eden Prairie and Hermantown) in the same bracket Otherwise I like the concept and hope it becomes the first of many.

http://www.mnhockeyhub.com/news_article ... r_id=32760

Does not appear to be brackets, more of a round robin.

[InYourFace09]

A little strange that for the inaugural tournament they've chosen two teams (BSM and Brainerd) that are currently unranked...hopefully they'll be more competitive next year. Also puzzling is why they put the top two teams (Eden Prairie and Hermantown) in the same bracket Otherwise I like the concept and hope it becomes the first of many.

http://www.mnhockeyhub.com/news_article ... r_id=32760

Does not appear to be brackets, more of a round robin.

Correct, both "North" teams play both "South" teams.

[kniven]

A little strange that for the inaugural tournament they've chosen two teams (BSM and Brainerd) that are currently unranked...hopefully they'll be more competitive next year. Also puzzling is why they put the top two teams (Eden Prairie and Hermantown) in the same bracket Otherwise I like the concept and hope it becomes the first of many.

http://www.mnhockeyhub.com/news_article ... r_id=32760

Does not appear to be brackets, more of a round robin.

Correct, both "North" teams play both "South" teams.

Disagree. North teams playing Metro teams. Don't confuse Metro and South teams. Perception is everything. 4000 enrollment and metro private vs. 1200 enrollment and Duluth area private/public.

[MNHockeyFan]

Disagree. North teams playing Metro teams. Don't confuse Metro and South teams. Perception is everything. 4000 enrollment and metro private vs. 1200 enrollment and Duluth area private/public.

Last I checked EP's enrollment was around 3,000, not 4,000. Still huge, I'll grant you that.