2-9 - Duluth East at Cloquet

[Lucia4President]

I can't believe no topic has been started for this yet.

The game is tomorrow night, 7:30 in Cloquet. Who wins and why?

[wblhockeyfan8]

Home ice could help CEC out, but their team is pretty dreadful this year.

DE 4 CEC 0

DE will out play them by a great deal, but they have issues scoring goals.

Shots DE 43 CEC 19

Jenetta with the SO.


EDIT: I hadn't noticed their win over Hermantown and 2-1 loss to Andover.
How did they fair against Anoka?

As for the other two games, was it poor play by H-Town and Dover? Or CEC starting to pick it up?

[karl(east)]

Sad that this game doesn't have a few pages of arguing back and forth yet. Of course that's mostly a sign of the times; Cloquet fans are harder to find these days. Even the East people have been pretty quiet this year.

Cloquet beat Anoka 5-3. As for their recent improvement, an excuse for the Andover game might be that Andover had an OT game with East the night before, and that they're a thin team to begin with. But in my opinion, the real reason has to do with what Dave Esse does with his teams late in the season. His record in section tournaments is a perfect example of this.

In Esse's 9 full seasons at Cloquet, they have upset a higher seeded team SIX times (twice in one year--08) in Sections. In three of the other years, they were the top seed, so no upsets could have occurred. That leaves ONE year in which Cloquet could have upset a team in sections but failed to do so. That is incredible.

Four of those upset victims have been East teams (01, 02, 06, 08).

But with all of that said, the talent gap between these two teams is huge. If East can match the intensity they brought to the first meeting between these two, it won't be close. If not...look out. The longer it stays close, the odds will shift towards Cloquet.

[Northhcky]

As for the other two games, was it poor play by H-Town and Dover? Or CEC starting to pick it up?[/quote]

Hermantown outshot them 52-28 All the bounces on both ends went cloquet's way. Thats hockey. Should be an easy win for East.

[mnhockeynemn]

Its sad to say Duluth East almost always has a better team but somehow Cloquet sneaks by especially in playoffs.

[northwoods oldtimer]

Esse always wants a piece of Randolph but this year is tough sledding for the Lumberjacks. Hermantown game is an 'eye opener' that just might have the Hounds wondering. East should be 2 to 3 goals better in the rivalry matchup.

[DuluthHockeyBoy]

I don't think any coach in the north prepares a team better for the sectionals than Esse, and his record shows it. Rarely has as much depth and overall talent as other teams, but those kids know it takes more than that to win come tournament time. Its the same recipe every year: Esse lets his upperclassmen know its their team, and its up to them to make it happen; he lets em know what they need to do- they respond: blocking shots, taking away time and space from "better" players, and trusting each other to do their job. A kid or 2 or 3 always seem to emerge and have the game of their life. In the third period the higher seed is thinking they should be up by 3 goals- but they are in a one goal game and they know all the Jacks need is a bounce or a turnover. Awesome to watch- even if the outcome is painful for your team. Great high school hockey. You have to respect this team and program.

But, I'm not sure they have quite enough this year to get it done. They'll be back though.

Wouldn't want to play them in the sections though..........

[east hockey]

4-3 East is the final.

Whew!

Lee

[mnhockeynemn]

4-3 East is the final.

Whew!

Lee

I don't know where Cloquet gets it, But glad East won it, they are a much better team.

[east hockey]

Cloquet is playing much better lately. Hopefully East won't get them in the quarterfinals...but it's at the Heritage if that's how the seeds play out.

Lee