Upper Midwest High School Girls ELite League

MNHockeyFan · Post by **MNHockeyFan** » Thu Oct 30, 2008 7:24 pm

Oilers08 wrote:There is an interesting match up on friday night at 6:30 at Shattuck. The Minnesota Elite all-stars vs. Throughbreds. I have not seen them play or heard much about them. Does anyone have any thoughts or predictions on this game as I have no idea what the T-bred look like this year.

Haven't seen them play this year either, but my bet is the the Elite All Stars will win, probably by 3+ goals. At least they should because the Thoroughbreds don't get to literally hand-pick an all star team from most of the state's best players. Not to say the T-Breds don't have talent also, but their team is formed in an entirely different way and they don't have as many to choose from.

Melvin44 · Post by **Melvin44** » Thu Oct 30, 2008 7:33 pm

My guess is the Elite will win by 5 (7-2). Elite has a lot of offense and their defenders are also offensive minded. Elite goalies should be able to hold the Tbreds to 2 or 3 as they're very good. A Team has to have a great Power play to give elite trouble. Should be a good game.

hockeyrube7 · Post by **hockeyrube7** » Fri Oct 31, 2008 9:17 am

This league is a great idea, and hope it continues and even grows! It will give many kids a chance to play in a season that had not been there before. Yet and from all I read here, I have to say at this point it all sounds like nothing more than a bragging point for all the parents involved, more so than for the kids to develope even. Glad to see these kids are getting a chance to play at a high level, and I would hope that the league would expand at some point to involve those that were possibly left out.

Nice job to those involved in getting this started in it's first year!

SuperStar · Post by **SuperStar** » Fri Oct 31, 2008 9:56 am

My prediction is: All Stars 6 T-Birds 1

hshockeyfan91 · Post by **hshockeyfan91** » Fri Oct 31, 2008 1:23 pm

The T-breds shouldn't be dismissed so lightly. The "Elite" team has only practiced together once, and not all the kids were able to make it. Hockey is, after all, a team game. Many of the T-Breds players have been playing together for several years, and all of them having been practicing and playing togther for several months (this season).

Also, I think the game will probably mean much more to the T-Breds - as for the "Elite" girls, obviously they want to do well, but they all have their hockey identies in various summer teams, HS teams, the Elite league itself, NDP, etc. - i.e. they are identified only marginally by their relationship to this weekend's team. The T-breds are FULLY identified with this team. If the Elite teams stomps on them, or even beats them, it sends a message to every girl who's thinking of playing for the T-Breds in the future, and it sends messages to college coaches looking to fill their rosters as well.

I think the T-Bred players are underrated - they do have some very fine skills, they have been practicing together, and they will be HIGHLY motivated. If the Elite's win, it will be a close game.

SuperStar · Post by **SuperStar** » Fri Oct 31, 2008 1:49 pm

Predictions aren't fact. They are an opinion.

Not taking the T-birds lightly at all - Just thinking taking the ALL Stars much more heavy...

hockeya1a · Post by **hockeya1a** » Fri Oct 31, 2008 2:05 pm

Some of the tbreds are quite new to the system and have only had about a month or two to practice so who knows.

It will be interesting. Good luck to all.

Bensonmum · Post by **Bensonmum** » Fri Oct 31, 2008 2:57 pm

SuperStar wrote:Predictions aren't fact. They are an opinion.

Not taking the T-birds lightly at all - Just thinking taking the ALL Stars much more heavy...

QUIT CALLING THEM THE T-BIRDS! The name is Thouroughbreds, like the horse! Not Thunderbirds! Geez!

SuperStar · Post by **SuperStar** » Fri Oct 31, 2008 2:59 pm

Benson...Your are correct! Not sure why I called them that...My mistake.

Long Live the EP Eagles!!!!

OntheEdge · Post by **OntheEdge** » Fri Oct 31, 2008 3:12 pm

SuperStar wrote:Benson...Your are correct! Not sure why I called them that...My mistake.

Long Live the EP Eagles!!!!

Maybe its because you've got birds on the brain!

I think the T-breds will win in a close one. I think the HS team has more talent but the T-breds have been playing together for a while now and I think it will make the difference. My prediction is T-Breds 3-2.

MNHockeyFan · Post by **MNHockeyFan** » Fri Oct 31, 2008 3:32 pm

OntheEdge wrote:I think the T-breds will win in a close one. I think the HS team has more talent but the T-breds have been playing together for a while now and I think it will make the difference. My prediction is T-Breds 3-2.

As long as we're picking scores I'll go with MN Elite 4, T-Breds 1.

itsjustasport · Post by **itsjustasport** » Fri Oct 31, 2008 8:48 pm

Elite AllStars 5 Thoroughbreds 1.

Komarek hat trick, Romo & Brausen each one. Cheap penalty by Burman--can't skate with them so tried to hurt them!

joehockey · Post by **joehockey** » Fri Oct 31, 2008 9:00 pm

Who scored for the Thoroughbreds?

Oilers08 · Post by **Oilers08** » Fri Oct 31, 2008 10:30 pm

Burman scored on a deflection with a 1:30 left in the game. Elites went with Billadeau in goal and T-breds went with Schutt for first 2 periods and Smith for the last. Shots on goal were 37-27 in favor of Elite.

Bensonmum · Post by **Bensonmum** » Fri Oct 31, 2008 10:43 pm

SuperStar wrote:Benson...Your are correct! Not sure why I called them that...My mistake.

Long Live the EP Eagles!!!!

Sorry I yelled. I have unpleasant memories of that name from the roller derby 'team' named the Thunderbirds from when I was a little kid. I hated roller derby and my grandma thought it was a real sport.

hockey1518 · Post by **hockey1518** » Sat Nov 01, 2008 12:39 am

Come on. Can't play with them so try and hurt them. Where you at the game???? If you were, you obviously are way too biased. Give all the girls a break. The Elite team is a very good team with lots of talent but it is amazing how quick some are to criticize. The Thoroughbred's are a group a girls who love to play hockey just like all the rest. Why is it so many want to bash the Thoroughbred's?? Because they choose a different route then high school??? These girls are just like your daughters. They want to be the best they can be.....There are many cheap players out there and believe it or not, they aren't all on the Thoroughtbreds. If you were at the game, did you see that after many of the girls were hugging each other from the other team. Does this tell you anything????

hockeymaven · Post by **hockeymaven** » Sat Nov 01, 2008 6:50 am

Hockey 1518:

I was at the game and it was a cheap penalty--that is why the ref gave the player 2 and 10. It appears the comment about skating was directed to the individual player who took the penalty and not the entire team. I do not think it was a shot at the entire team.

It was a good up and down game and the refs called a fair number of penalties but (at least in my view) the Elite were clearly the superior team. I agree with you that many of the Elite have friends on the Thoroughbreds and vice versa and yes a number were talking and hugging afterwards but that does not detract from the fact that one of the 'breds was given a 2 and 10 for what the ref determined was a major infraction.

hockeya1a · Post by **hockeya1a** » Sat Nov 01, 2008 8:38 am

Bensonmum wrote:
SuperStar wrote:Benson...Your are correct! Not sure why I called them that...My mistake.

Long Live the EP Eagles!!!!
Sorry I yelled. I have unpleasant memories of that name from the roller derby 'team' named the Thunderbirds from when I was a little kid. I hated roller derby and my grandma thought it was a real sport.

Here I thought it was a type of car.

MNHockeyFan · Post by **MNHockeyFan** » Sat Nov 01, 2008 3:11 pm

In today's first game it was:

MN Elite All Stars 13, MN Crunch 0

hockeygroupie · Post by **hockeygroupie** » Sat Nov 01, 2008 3:18 pm

Does anyone know how the Blades did?
Also is it true that this is the last year of the Thoroughbreds?

hockeyheaven · Post by **hockeyheaven** » Sat Nov 01, 2008 4:34 pm

The Blades are 2-0. They beat the two Wisconsin teams 4-1 and 5-1. Setting up the likely match up with the SSM U16 team on Sunday.

joehockey · Post by **joehockey** » Sat Nov 01, 2008 4:49 pm

MNHockeyFan wrote:In today's first game it was:

MN Elite All Stars 13, MN Crunch 0

OUCH!!! Will Crunch keep being in these top tournaments - they appear to be having trouble competing?

Melvin44 · Post by **Melvin44** » Sat Nov 01, 2008 5:46 pm

Hmmmmmmmm.

Looks like the Elite girls are better than an High School team? It would have been nice to see all 3 Elite teams compete. I'm sure the scores would have been similar as a lot of great players didn't get the opportunity. And that's ok! as there's alway's the next game/year.

Remember all. When players play at a higher level it will always seem a little mucky not as pretty as all players are playing faster and seeing the game one play ahead and learning to play 2-3 plays ahead. Great prep for college hockey.

Thanks again Winny, Chris Peterson, Eric Johnson and everyone else involved for putting this league together. It was great hockey and will only get better.

MNHockeyFan · Post by **MNHockeyFan** » Sat Nov 01, 2008 7:00 pm

joehockey wrote:OUCH!!! Will Crunch keep being in these top tournaments - they appear to be having trouble competing?

Good question.

I think most realized they would have a tough time competing against the best U19 teams in their first year. I think the basic problem (besides this being their first year) is that being an "after high school" team they inevitably draw from a very limited pool of players. Let's face it, most girls who don't get a D1 offer when they're attending high school still want to go straight to college and either play D3 hockey right away or just give up competitive hockey and move on. This could change at some point, but for the forseeable future probably not.

I still think the Crunch is a great option for girls who for whatever reason don't go to college right after their senior year. They are certainly getting great competition, but as this score indicates maybe too much given their talent level at this stage.

Again I give them all the credit in the world for being able to launch the team and give these girls the opportunity to continue playing competitive hockey.

Melvin44 · Post by **Melvin44** » Sat Nov 01, 2008 7:48 pm

My daughter and were at diner in the same restaurant with the Crunch girls and they seemed like a great group of girls who get along well with each other. It is their first year and there will be growing pains and it will only get better.

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Upper Midwest High School Girls ELite League

Maybe not so much of a gap...

Elite v. Thoroughbreds