2006-07 Bantam B1 preview

[EagleGuy91]

A teams practice too much. We have more spare time to kill with banter.

I think it's just a (positive) anomoly of the people who know about this Forum and have something to say. Could be at any level at any given time. This year, just happens to be Bantam B. You may see that shift as parents and players get older and even as coaches take on different levels. And this year, with the tight games and quality of teams, there is much to discuss.

I also think it has been great that we have followed out pact and kept this topic within this topic. I think the HS forum, girls HS forum and some youth topics get fragmented into different threads and lose their flow and impact. Our may be 40 pages long - yes, 40 - but it's your one-stop-shop for Bantam B opinions. We are the Wal-Mart of the Forum world.

[tomASS]

I find it amazing the amount of interest and chat the BB1 level gets compared to any other level including the "A" level. I mean it is not even close.

Are there any opinions or theorys as to why that is? Personally I think it is great, but a bit odd.

We're #2 in the pecking order - We Try Harder

[fbj123]

eagleguy91- you bring up some very good points and i enjoy reading everyones posts. i also believe that when players brwose this forum there is an added inerest to their games. i hope that your players that were hurt in the game are alright as well.

[Turk182]

[sniper20]

Lakeville south played NP last night and tied 3-3. NP had a goal in the first two and was up 2-0 then lakeville scored three in a row to take the lead in the third. After that NP scored with six minutes left to tie it up.

[HockeyGuru#6]

tonka loes yet another 1 point game
ep black 3 tonka 2

[blueblood]

It's deja vu from EP Main tonight, as EP Black knocks off Tonka again 3-2, just like they did in the Midwest Regional tourney.

EP sees their 2-0 lead disappear in the third as Tonka storms back to tie the game 2-2 early into the third period.

EP scores the winner on a carom shot off a Tonka skate and holds on for the win.

Tough loss for Tonka. EP had the advantage in the first, but Tonka outplayed EP in the 2nd and 3rd periods, outshooting the Eagles 34-23 for the game.

[pioneer]

Code: Select all

1         Edina B1 White                83.5      22-3-2
2         Eden Prairie B1 Red           82.2      23-2-3
3         Edina B1 Green                81.8      17-6-2
4         Blaine B1                     78.6      21-6-1
5         Elk River B1                  78.5      22-2-0
6         Eden Prairie B1 Black         77.4      15-10-1
7         Wayzata B1 Blue               77.4      19-5-1
8         Woodbury B1                   77.4      27-4-2
9         Burnsville B1                 76.9      16-4-2
10        Chaska B1                     76.3      16-10-2
11        Centennial B1 Red             74.9      13-7-3
12        Chisago Lakes B1              74.9      19-2-3
13        Jefferson B1                  74.4      19-11-5
14        White Bear Lake B1 Orange     73.0      18-7-3
15        Eagan B1                      72.3      12-7-4
16        Blake                         69.2      10-6-2
17        Maple Grove B1                69.0      12-6-2
18        Princeton B1                  68.6      10-4-2
19        Stillwater B1                 68.2      16-11-4
20        Wayzata B1 Gold               68.2      10-10-2
21        White Bear Lake B1 Black      67.8      13-5-2
22        Minnetonka B1                 67.1      19-12-2
23        Duluth East B1                66.9      11-6-3
24        St. Cloud B1 Red              64.8      9-5-4
25        Hermantown B1                 64.5      20-5-0

[tomASS]

Thank you Pioneer for your statistical analysis proving my earlier post correct. Thank God it doesn't take into account the heart and passion of a team or ............. ah never mind

[Charliedog]

B level hockey is definitely more fun to watch than A hockey. One of the main reasons is that there are no EGOS to get in the way. Because there are no ego trips involved, the kids tend to get along better and play more like a team. Also, the parents tend to get along better. Most B teams have a handful of top kids who at this point in the season could easily play A hockey. Those kids get the chance to be leaders on B and help bring the rest of the team up.

I think B hockey has gotten a bad rap. A couple of years ago someone on this board cited a statistic that high school hockey teams are made up of 60% "A" players and 40% "B" players. If 40% or even 20 or 30% of high schools players come out of B Bantams, then these teams definitely deserve to be noticed. I would be willing to bet that in most associations the A Bantam coach would be more than willing to trade a couple of his A's for a couple of B's.

A's feel like they have varsity hockey "locked up", B's keep trying and never give up.

Thanks for keeping the topic going.

[ShootPassScore]

It is a great thing that interest has evolved into Bantam B1 competition. Associations are so big now days that the B teams have a great deal of talent and are more fun to watch. It has to be hard for associations like Edina, EP, Wayzata, WBL and Centennial to pick the last 5 kids on the A team.

If you couple this higher competition with the fact that you have some really passionate coaches that take their jobs seriously (see EagleGuy, Hanse for Wayzata, Roadfelt for Blake, Bohn for Stillwater, Marshall for Blaine, etc.) the quality of game increases and interest increases.

Maybe the most important thing to this is the fact that there is a state tournament at this level. That gives everyone a sense of finality on the season and also allows the best to be decided.

The EP Edina rematch is on tomorrow night. Any of you rubes going?

[ConcernedDad]

Where and at what time is the EP Vs Edina game tomorrow? Is it EP red Vs. Edina White?

This should be another great game...isn't the series tied at 1 win for each squad?

[LesHabs]

There are two big EP vs Edina battles at Braemar tomorrow night. EP Red plays Edina White at 6:45 and EP Black plays Edina Green after that game.

[EagleGuy91]

From the Statement of the Obvious Department . . .

I'm planning on going.

[ConcernedDad]

Anyone placing any bets? Will it be another clean sweep for EP or will Edina be able to pull off the double win this time?

My prediction (but i have not seen any of the teams since the Edina Tourny so I could be way off)

EP Red 1 Edina White 2
EP BLK 3 Edina Green 2

[ice00breaker]

Does anyone know how Green did against Rochester Black on Sunday?

[LesHabs]

I think tomorrow night's festivities at Braemar is exactly why there is so much interest in Bantam B1 hockey. There are so many highly competitive B1 games going on all the time, you just don't find that at all at the "A" level. In addition, the quality of play is extremely high, less smashmouth and more flow.

[DAbears25]

level of play is high? more flow? that makes no sense....pretty sure A is a high level play becuz its i dont know....like..."A"? which is the highest level in youth hockey? and how would the B level have more flow than the A level when its not as good as A and isnt the top kids? hmm

[rayfinkel]

duluth b1 bantams are 15-5-4 not 11-6-3

[blueblood]

daBears:

Take a look at D6, at the Bantam B1 level there are 8 good teams (out of 10), which make up good competition just about every night when a league game is played.

At the D6 Bantam A level, there is a huge separation of talent because the associations are forced to field an A level team, when they don't have the talent to support it. The competition against those below average teams just doesn't exist.

[ice00breaker]

ray finkel, if you are concerned with Duluth having the wrong record, then just post them. That way Pioneer can adjust the scores of them and get it more accurate. Post all the wins and especially the losses (if you can) since teams outside the Metro Area like Duluth tend not to post their scores. Also, if some of you guys are on a team that is hard to get scores from then try to post those too.

[Turk182]

[DAbears25]

yea i know i never said the games arent good....the guy who said its a high level and stuff was makin the level of play sound better then A which obviously isnt true. ya i played b1 last year and i know what its like and i agree that theres alot of good teams and u never know whats gona happen

[northwoods oldtimer]

What is the story on Grand Rapids combing their B1 into one large team? Anybody know anything about this?

[HShockey2180]

Green killed Rochester Black, although it was a very loose scrimmage. Scrimmaged for a hour, and then had a split ice practice. Both teams switched their goalies at the midpoint of the second period. Rochester's first goalie saw the majority of shots, and when he switched out the score was 2-1 Green. Anyway, Rochester just played sloppy and Green passed right around them. Final score 6-1 Green. Again, inconsistency from Roch Black.