albert lea vs. mankato east

[joshdog]

Come now.Refs lost the game for East?Yea,right. When a net is off it's moorings,a goal is not allowed.Plain and simple. Cry all you want. One penalty against AL? So they didn't have any Drysdale's running around gooning up the most important game these kids ever played. Kudos to AL players and coaches for a first class effort. <p></p><i></i>

[Moose03]

Sounds like mankato is crying about every call again and blaming the game on the refs. It is kinda what i saw through the whole season with them. Specially Wenzal. Always crying to the refs. It seems Mankato can find any reason in the world to blame the lose on someone else. So which one was it Mankato, Windom or the Refs. <p></p><i></i>

[Th0r2412]

This board is for information and opinions about high school hockey. You can read my posts and agree or disagree. You can choose to ignore my posts because you think I'm full of it. You can tell me to shut up and go away.Doesn't matter to me. Because of the Constitution I get to state my take on the games.<br>I haven't in the past blamed reffing for any East losses.<br>The only time I've referenced them is concerning the West<br>games @ ASA. Everyone in Mankato knows East was at a disadvantage in those games because of who West had on their team.<br> Albert Lea is a good team. East was a good team. Both<br>teams hustled their butts off. Reffing was not the sole factor involved in East's loss, but it contributed enough<br>to give the edge to AL in the end. A net being off doesn't<br>automatically mean a goals not counted. It could've come<br>off while the shot was being made. The point is the goal<br>was signalled and none of the refs had a clue the net was<br>even off. When they went to retrieve the puck they saw it<br>was off. Then at the urging of AL huddled to discuss the<br>'possibility' it 'might' have come off before the shot. That's<br>a horrible way to make a call that takes a certain goal off <br>the board in a game like this. That was a huge momentum<br>swing for AL. East had 2 obvious penalties that should've<br>been called. AL had 1 of 4 obvious penalties called. East<br>recieved 3 penalties that should have been coincidental's.<br>Plus a penalty called on great diving tip to save a break-<br>away that was close enough to let go. The result was a<br>6-1 advantage in pp's for AL. East was able to score on their only one, while they stopped AL's vaunted pp all 6<br>times. Further proof that East was the better team. East<br>spent 25% of their energy killing penalties which took<br>away 25% of their scoring opportunities and was a fatigue<br>factor at the end of the game. With Wenzel at 100% none<br>of that would've mattered, as East still would have been able to overcome it and win. The 2nd best team from 1a<br>is going to state, so enjoy it AL. I hope I wrong about the<br>Breck game,but AL is good enough to beat Wadena in next<br>game anyway.Good Luck.<br> <p></p><i></i>

[upucker]

Albert lea was missing Bracker and Hegwood was playing with a separated shoulder he was about 15% If these two would of been playing it wouldn't matter if Wenzel was 80,90 or 100% get over it pal East is history and as for next year I am already buying tickets to the big one. AL will be there again and again and again. <p></p><i></i>

[goldy313]

Thor, is MW that you refered to Mankato West, or the initials of the ref? If it's the ref, i think I know who you are talking about.<br><br>I didn't see the game, but read the little about it in the Star Tribune this morning, it said East only had 18 shots in regulation is that right? If it is, wow, nice job by th AL defense to hold those down.<br><br>I hope AL does well, but boy playing Breck on that big rink could be ugly. It's tough to compare scores but Lourdes lost to Breck by 1 at Parade and AL lost in OT to Lourdes so there is hope it may be closer than some would think.<br><br>I hope Michau stays at East and brings some stability to that program, it's their first time in a section championship game, vs the fifth for AL. Hopefully he and East learned something that will help them the next time they get there. While the season did end disappointingly for East, they did have the best season of any Mankato team ever, that something to be proud of. <p></p><i></i>

[minnwild10]

I'm already making my prediction for the same teams in the same type of game next year for the 1A crown. Friday night was an excellent game! I agree Wenzel being 100% wouldve helped and his muscle was actually tore and wasnt even supposed to be playing. 6-1 penalties in any game doesnt look very good for the officials and there was no way east was "gooning it up" any more than AL was. Congrats to AL on winning a hard faught game and protecting that Fresh. goalie. <p></p><i></i>

[smhockeyfan]

Thor, I agree with your postings after watching the game. I found it weird that the refs didn't go ask the goal judge his opinion of what happened instead of listening to the ref that was at the red line at the time of the goal. I'm guessing thats not the very best angle to see that the net was off before the shot took place. Albert lea should feel very lucky to be playing in the state tourney since east had many chances to put the game away. i hope Albert lea at least keeps it close so the cities people will have a little respect for us in southern minnesota. <p></p><i></i>

[Th0r2412]

Goldy-- it's an inside Mankato deal. AL made a great effort<br>especially defensively.East made a great effort. It was a <br>great game. Only one better I've seen was NU/Lourdes<br>2 yrs. ago. What a gutty performance by NU! An overmatched NU team against one of the top teams in the state and they took them to double OT with an NHL<br>prospect in street clothes. If he's in the game NU pulls<br>the upset.<br>The 18 shots on goal were just as much to do with East<br>being on the pk as AL's defense. I've always admitted <br>East was hurt during the season by stupid penalties taken<br>too often and at the wrong times. Friday they had 2 of <br>those which was a season low for them.<br> Give AL --Long, a healthy Bracker and Hegwood--give<br>East a healthy Wenzel and Reibel (he would've been the<br>best defenseman on the ice for either team) and East<br>wins that game despite the desparity in the calls.<br> The reason my argument holds up is try turning it around. If Wenzel's healthy and Breuer's hurt, while East gets 6 pp<br>and AL only 1 and get a goal taken away by a committee<br>decision could AL still have won? The answer is no. It <br>would've been a comfortable win by East. AL is going to<br>state and that's a fact. It's also a fact East was the best<br>team in 1a. Everyone here is very proud them. They've<br>put East hockey on the map. I hope the exposure helps <br>Mankato hockey down the road. <p></p><i></i>

[I35hockey]

Thor,<br><br>You're reaching, and I'm sick of the whining. Every team deals with adversity during a season, it's part of the game. Apparently Wenzel was banged up, you didn't agree with the officials, and by the way, the net WAS off before the puck went into the net. The correct call was made. Back to my point, you say East is the best team from 1A, clearly that is not the case, they took home the second place trophy. Both teams play with the same refs, both teams are going to have some injuries, this is why they play the games.....who can rise above, who can fight through the adversity.<br><br>I think this game was about composure, or, lack there of. Albert Lea battled Lourdes last season in the section finals 5-2 eng, and the shots were even. That said, experience in front of an inexperienced goalie was the difference.<br><br>Your excuses are noted. I would also like to point out that the run and gun scoring machine, only could put 4 legitimate goals into the net on a 14 year old goalie that is suppose to be a second year bantam.<br><br>You think the better team lost, I saw the game, I KNOW the better team won.<br><br>Albert Lea showed composure and a will to win as a team. East turned the puck over in terrible situations, and took some flagrant penalties at inopportune times and couldn't put the puck away in the clutch. Albert Lea did not retaliate, protected the puck and finished when they had the opportunity to. <br><br>Just accept the fact that Albert Lea is better, going to state this year and most likely next year as well. Remember they beat East and want to represent section 1 well......you should be applauding them instead of chastizing them.<br><br>Good luck to Albert Lea at the X!<br><br> <p></p><i></i>

[Th0r2412]

that's what great about this message board, everyone has the opportunity to state their opinions and make their cases. Albert Lea has a good young team that played <br>their guts out Friday. Nystrom has had enough <br>disappointments in his 30 yrs. there he certainly deserves<br>the trip. I'll be pulling for AL to represent 1a well, it'll only<br>make East look that much better. <p></p><i></i>

[whatsup333]

i dont understand how anyone can say that AL is the better team. however i am not saying that east is the better team either. But these teams played eachother twice this year, and the first time east won and by 4 goals not 1. So that would make the teams equal. If the games were flipped would you still be saying that AL was the better team just because they won the first game? probably not. And for those of you AL ppl, dont criticize east ppl for complaining about bad calls and stuff because if east would have won you would be doing the same thing and you know it. Also, keep in mind that east has never gone that far before, they've never played in the championship game so they were scared and from watching from the stands you could tell. Not one person on that team was playing 100%. But theres nothing you can do about it so i guess, way to go AL you better represent 1A well and be ready for next year, east will have a solid team even with losing all of their seniors and they will be ready for you. <p></p><i></i>

[upucker]

The reason East put 9 goals in the net during the first game. Long was out drinking at a party the night before. So now you know the rest of the story. <p></p><i></i>

[John1Deer2]

AL will be at it next year. Thats fr f u ck in sure. I'll be there <p></p><i></i>