Is Minnetonka Jinxed?

[Doglover]

You guys are splitting hairs. Tonka relies heavily on their senior defensemen and goalie, while EP relies heavily on their juniors and their junior goalie.

Curious what is happening with Tonka and if they can maintain it through sections and State. The toughest part of their season has now arrived and they have to really want it. They've never won before. I don't think EP can contend with them but Wayzata certainly can (and Edina). They will definitely have to tighten up their game and I think Krueger is playing very well.

[Trojanhorse]

I thought Frawley and Schutt were seniors, which they are not.




Just because you are a homer, doesn't mean you are right!

[cheese]

with all that has gone on this year and seeing all of the teams in this section play, i think that it all comes down to who can put together 3 solid games. if wayzata, edina, and minnetonka all play their best hockey during the next week, minnetonka should win. but it all comes down to who shows up with their A game on a nightly basis. i am a big fan of upsets and underdogs, but i would really like to see minnetonka represent this section at the X this year.

[Roseauverrated]

with all that has gone on this year and seeing all of the teams in this section play, i think that it all comes down to who can put together 3 solid games. if wayzata, edina, and minnetonka all play their best hockey during the next week, minnetonka should win. but it all comes down to who shows up with their A game on a nightly basis. i am a big fan of upsets and underdogs, but i would really like to see minnetonka represent this section at the X this year.

More like two solid games. Tonka, Wayzata, and EP pretty much have first round byes. And really can't this be said about every section and every tournament in general? It's not exactly a bold statement saying the team that puts together solid games will win.

[Slap Shot]

Not saying that the Tonka D and F don't need to tighten up the ship a bit. They haven't been too challenged all season and I thought they were sloppy against Wayzata in the third period second game...

Tonka was tested against Edina, Blaine, EP, the first Hopkins game, the first Wayzata game (and perhaps 1 or 2 others without looking at the schedule) - so they're no stranger to close games. My problem with them is that ability to play with a killer instinct and I don't know if that comes from the coaching or not, but they've given up big 3rd period leads for three straight years (BSM, EHS, EHS) and they need to shore that up if they plan to make it out of sections. For the consensus #1 nearly all year it would be a shame if they don't figure that out.

[cheese]

Roseauverrated- i see your point in that they wont be tested in the first round, but you still want to be on top of your game in the playoffs no matter who you are playing. also i should have made it more clear that 3 solid periods need to be played bc if any of the top 4 teams play in the finals and one team comes out flat or takes a period off, it wont be good.

Slap Shot- you mentioning that minnetonka tends to let up in the end is something they cannot afford. if they get the lead, there is no reason they shouldnt close out with one of the best defenses in the state. cant let up in the playoffs, i look for the third to be one of their best periods this year in sections.

[wingmaster]

tonka is scrimmaging Jefferson at BIG right now. FYI.

[Papa Bergundy]

I think Mtka needs to tighten up the ship, so to speak. The forwards need to help more in the D zone against the stiffer competition. The big d man need to play physical and beat the other team to loose pucks in the defensive zone and also the Neutral from what i have seen. Krueger has played well and kept them in the 2 Wayzata games, and that may be the section final.

Not saying that the Tonka D and F don't need to tighten up the ship a bit. They haven't been too challenged all season and I thought they were sloppy against Wayzata in the third period second game... but you can't really say with a straight face that Krueger kept them in the game when Tonka outshot Wayzata 44-32. I think that may have been true for first game but Wayzata was lucky to get the draw in the second game... tell me we don't have another homer...

BTW, Tonka only has 8 SR according to the Hub...

By that logic it would be hard to say they played a sloppy third period, since they outshot Wayzata 20-6 in it. However, the Pagel staff looked more like they were counting shot attempts in the third than actual shots. So I don't think the shot count is a fair meter stick of who dominated. Two very even games in my book.

[Trojanhorse]

I am really excited about section playoff hockey.

If we win Thursday, then Saturday will be wild. Then the section finals. Then the State tournament.

6AA has too many good teams, but the kids on the team that wins the section are going to have two weeks of hockey to remember forever.

Amazing!

[Doglover]

Love an update on the Tonka-Jags scrimmage!!!

[eastside hockey]

They lost the marathon 'overnight game" to Apple Valley
.

Duluth East lost that game.

That overnight game he referred to was to Jefferson in '85 when they had to stop the game and finish it the next morning.

Lee

Sorry guy's, the only game I remember watching that night was against Hibbing. The game resumed the next morning and Hibbing won with in the first two minutes. I still think they should have kept playing that night until somebody won.

[wingmaster]

Love an update on the Tonka-Jags scrimmage!!!

I heard 5-5, sounded like it was a pretty good scrimmage. About 20 scouts in the building for a scrimmage. Again i wasnt there but heard this from someone who was.

[canttouchthis]

I am pretty positive I heard it was 4-2 in favor of Jefferson. Heard this from a scout that was at the game from buzzer to buzzer. This has to help Jefferson gain some confidence after some questions came up the last couple games of the year. On the other end this has to worry the Tonka nation as they have simmered a bit towards the end of the year. Not to say they arn't a good team, but confidence is a big part of playoff hockey. One and done boys...and I am guessing both teams played their normal line ups to get reved up for playoffs.

[Slap Shot]

Duluth East lost that game.

That overnight game he referred to was to Jefferson in '85 when they had to stop the game and finish it the next morning.

Lee

Sorry guy's, the only game I remember watching that night was against Hibbing. The game resumed the next morning and Hibbing won with in the first two minutes. I still think they should have kept playing that night until somebody won.

You must be referring to another game. In '85 Tonka played Jefferson in the 7 game on Thu night - the game was suspended after 3 OT so Burnsville and Bemidi could start. The game was resumed the next morning and Jefferson won very early into the 4th OT. Tonka then blanked Bemidji 3-0 and then lost to Hibbing in 2 OT in the Consolation final.

[mulefarm]

A scrimmage doesn't mean a thing!

[Factsmatter1]

I am pretty positive I heard it was 4-2 in favor of Jefferson. Heard this from a scout that was at the game from buzzer to buzzer. This has to help Jefferson gain some confidence after some questions came up the last couple games of the year. On the other end this has to worry the Tonka nation as they have simmered a bit towards the end of the year. Not to say they arn't a good team, but confidence is a big part of playoff hockey. One and done boys...and I am guessing both teams played their normal line ups to get reved up for playoffs.

Cantouch, if you are going to try and draw conclusions from a scrimmage then you better do some homework. Here are some clues... four lines not three, incomplete rosters... The scrimmage was done to work on certain aspects of the game for each coach with the goal of not hurting anyone... Mule's got it the scrimmage tells you nothing...

[canttouchthis]

yea it doesnt mean anything to the record of each team but it does something to the minds of the players. has to put some doubt in the heads and also not being able to finish out the trojans in the final minutes must worry the skippers as they will most likely face eachother in the playoffs

[canttouchthis]

and its hard to believe they didnt dress their typical roster. probably have a couple more guys because of tournament team but I would have to assume they set this scrimmage up to get prepared for playoffs. I agree with you that scrimmages are to work on system things and power play/PK. Saying that it would be hard to imagine the head coaches of these teams telling their kids "lets have fun today!!!...just go out and play." They do this to play their game and get better for playoffs.

[Slap Shot]

Get prepared for the playoffs? You mean the 12-15 games they already played against top teams from the state weren't sufficient preparation? You mean that in a scrimmage days before the real games start they were willing to risk injury and play all out because they didn't get enough of that all year long? You mean a scrimmage is going to be enough to erase the confidence gained during a one loss season? Talk about wishful thinking.

[canttouchthis]

then why even play the scrimmage??? why didnt they just practice that day? good season to them but if i can remember the last few games were edina coming back on them from 4-0 down and wayzeta scoring in the last minute to tie them again.

[Slap Shot]

then why even play the scrimmage???

So your theory is that they scrambled to schedule a scrimmage to erase all the supposed doubt that creeped into their head during a one loss season?

... i can remember the last few games were edina coming back on them from 4-0 down and wayzeta scoring in the last minute to tie them again.

Aanyone that watched the Edina game can see they went to sleep after the 4-0 lead and the tie was to the 2nd best team in state. If anything the Edina game will serve as a reminder than they can't take their foot off of an opponent's throat but rather must bury them. But you're right, the only thing that could possibly come from all of that is doubt.

[Trojanhorse]

You are both right. I was not there, but if history serves:

The scrimmage was probably not played "all out" but was played with contact and all players were instructed not to be cheap or run anybody.

They probably played all four lines. PP and PK were set up at designated times for each team.

The purpose was, of course, to help prepare the teams for playoffs. Not because either team has "doubt" but because both teams had a full week off between games. Niether team will be challenged much this Thursday, but both will play a good team on Saturday. So you throw in a high-pace scrimmage on Tuesday to remind the boys what game-speed is.

Who scored more goals on Tuesday means nothing to either coach.

[canttouchthis]

that a boy trojan man...not trying to stir anything up here both are good teams and a scrimmage is a scrimmage. But it is a game and all i was saying is losing this scrimmage and losing in the fashion they did to edina and being a minute away from beating the only team that has been able to play with this team for 6 periods this year has to worry some. Both teams have some good semifinal games this saturday should be fun.

[smw1111]

Tonka jinxed, maybe.

But not as much as WBL.....

Yeah right......WBL gets to section finals because they are easy sections until they get the HILL.......

[MNHockeyFan]

Is Minnetonka Jinxed?

Sure hope so.