Hill Murray at St. Thomas Academy 12/15 7:30 PM

[Wallyworld]

So Wally, for two years all I read on this forum is that Lechner is the best and now he is a bum? Hey they lost it happens!

Not 'best' - great coach but I was told long ago his personality and interactions with people are an issue.. Showed tonight.. Sure they're gonna lose, it happens but when you're the one putting the fuel on the fire, it's a shame..Sit the kid Tues against NSP or whoever, not suddenly, in 3rd period of 1-0 game against STA.. He puts himself above the game sometimes, that's all I'm saying - in a long, twisted nutshell.

[HShockeywatcher]

But conversely, what kind of message does it send to the team/players if you don't take action in a situation like this? Historically, Lechner has shown that he is willing to make tough choices, despite the potential sacrifice on the scoreboard.

There were plenty of other things to worry about in Hill's performance than a line adjustment in the third. They were flat. Offense has been stagnant recently, and STA outplayed them the whole game. The better team won tonight.

Must not have seen game in the same way. Hill started slowly but completely outplayed STA once it got going and in 2nd until the major. Would have done the same in 3rd without Lechner's changes. 'Quicker to puck all night' and that was a statement made to me by the STA fan sitting next to me. She said Hill was smothering their offense and getting to pucks quicker - 'like they had more kids on ice' - which ended heading up ice. All they had to do was keep doing that..

I saw the puck in the Hill zone most of the night, when it got to the STA zone it was generally taken out quickly; they had their moments, but their offense really seemed flat. The defense played well all night, even in the third.

You seem to be overly critical of Lechner for some reason; it must have been he that allowed those goals, not the players on the ice, right? I thought tonight was a really good game; didn't think there was any way St Thomas would score two goals against that defense, they never let down all game...

Sit the kid Tues against NSP or whoever, not suddenly, in 3rd period of 1-0 game against STA.. He puts himself above the game sometimes, that's all I'm saying - in a long, twisted nutshell.

Not saying I know anything about what you are referring to, but if the point is to teach a lesson, what lesson are you sending when you sit a [assuming] key player against an opponent the JV should likely play against?

[Pioneerprideguy]

Going into the season, the biggest question was where will the scoring come from. This will be a struggle for most of the year. Hill is solid, but not explosive. They will win the majority of their games, but few will be blowouts. Many people were singing their praises after the BSM game and maybe a few of the players believed the hype. Seeing what Blaine did to BSM only minimizes Hill's accomplishment. BSM will be a factor in March, but right now they are not playing their best hockey.

Hill will have to grind out goals until the younger guys feel more comfortable to start contributing on a consistant basis. Lex will continue tinkering with things, as the regular season is merely a dress rehersal for sections. Pioneers have good goaltending, solid D, and some talented forwards. The ingrediants are there but it will take some time for seasoning to settle in. Good luck Pioneers.

[thorhockey]

Fill in your favorite public or select team, and coach name . Private school spelling fixed

MY TEAM will have to grind out goals until the younger guys feel more comfortable to start contributing on a consistEnt basis. MY COACH will continue tinkering with things, as the regular season is merely a dress reheArsal for sections. MY TEAM have good goaltending, solid D, and some talented forwards. The ingrediEnts are there but it will take some time for seasoning to settle in. Good luck MY TEAM.

[Pioneerprideguy]

Thor,

Nice to hear from ya again & I'm flattered that follow my posts each year.

I see that your Titans are off to a great start this year. I believe 4 shutouts so far? Should be interesting next weekend. Hill lacks scoring & Tartan's strength is defense. Jackson is a legit goal scorer as well. Wouldn't be shocked to see a Tartan W.

[puckster15]

One says Hill dominated the entire game and another says STA dominated the whole game. I was not at the game but it sounds like it was a good game with both teams potentially showing fans they have some talent.

I find it intriguing that again STA defense and goaltending shut down another potent offense. No points from Lavalle, Brown, and Slattery. Is STA defense and goaltending that good? Gersich, Peterson, Coatta, Lavalle, Brown, Slattery combined put up one point on this team.

[thorhockey]

Glad to be back PPG
Hoping for a repeat of 2009 with Hill losing back to back games against Tartan and Richfield
Tartan will surprise again this year. Even though Tartan could rightfully earn the number one seed again, I wont go into Section predictions however at this point

[BodyShots]

So, who had to sit out the 3rd period? And we all know that the de coach is the best in the state and could make any head coach look good, even Lech.

[UntouchableFlow]

Unfortunate outcome to this one for the Pioneers, but it's just another regular season game. Whether you agree with Lex's tactics or not, he's one of the best, and there is probably a good reason he sat the kid. I found this kid's Twitter account and of course he had some immature things to say about it. It sounds to me like the kid that got sat has an ego problem and needs to learn how to play for the team and not just himself.

Big win for St. Thomas though, I'm glad that they can show that they're just as good as the top teams in AA, which everyone has thought for a few years here now. Should make the Hill-STA rivalry that much more fun.

[youwish22]

[quote="thorhockey"]Glad to be back PPG
Hoping for a repeat of 2009 with Hill losing back to back games against Tartan and Richfield :lol:
Tartan will surprise again this year. Even though Tartan could rightfully earn the number one seed again, I wont go into Section predictions however at this point :oops:[/quote]

Tartan will not beat Hill-Murray, or St. Thomas this year. I am also predicting WBL and Mounds View to get a higher seed. Sorry Thor...anbody (Tartan) can be 6-0 when you play a cupcake schedule.

[hondo98]

Thought both teams had good chances to score. But both teams D were up for a the task. The JV game was way more psychical. LaValle has an awesome drag down low across the crease and had 2 chances to finish but STA D stopped it. Sitting a kid in Dec is to send a message and make him a better team player later in the year. Anyone who has coached HS or above would know that this game was a good measuring stick as to where their team is and not a play-off game. Still can't figure how stupid a player has to be to run a kid from behind. Its a game changer. Even though STA didn't score on the 5 min pp it took the wind out of H-M sails.

Nobody has mentioned that STA is without their Sr first-line wing (Captain) who is out with a concussion. The line of Novak-Virsich-Johnson has very good chemistry and has been filled-in with a 3rd line checker. Bottom-line is that with both teams healthy the rematch at Aldrich will be a another great game.

[East Side Pioneer Guy]

How early does one have to get to St. Thomas arena to get a seat for this game?

I was at last years game between these two team, and there were seats available throughout the game. A typical Private vs Private occurance.

Last night, like the previous two years, featured a packed house. Same as the BSM-HM game the previous week.

Maybe you're confusing the smaller STA rink to Aldrich.

[Reg7]

[quote="UntouchableFlow"]Unfortunate outcome to this one for the Pioneers, but it's just another regular season game. Whether you agree with Lex's tactics or not, he's one of the best, and there is probably a good reason he sat the kid. I found this kid's Twitter account and of course he had some immature things to say about it. It sounds to me like the kid that got sat has an ego problem and needs to learn how to play for the team and not just himself.

Must not be talking about the same player because the one in refference is a team first player and does what he is asked to do and every kid has an ego...problem or not, no player wants to sit out a game or period for that matter... Flow...When your up 1-0 going into the third period and you switch things up and end up losing the game 2-1, who's at fault?...Hill was going to lose a game sooner or later but this should not have been that game. I feel sorry for the Hill goalie who played so well and deserved the shut-out.
Please don't assume (or go on-line) until you get the facts. Thank you

[Granttenn]

We all post online without complete facts, but through the collective posts we get a clearer picture.. That's the beauty of the Forum...

As for this situation, someone commented about the player being benched as a kid playing for himself not the team, which is as far from truth as you can get.. This is a pass first kid and a great talent that should have been in the game in the 3rd.. Lechner blew this one plain and simple.. When you have a one goal total after 2 periods and you are clinging to the lead, you generally don't sit a top kid for no specific act (i.e. stupid major penalty etc), especially if it results in changing other lines as well. Actually Lechner put him back out there as the extra man when they pulled Dugas, so what kind of message does that send.

Lex can do what he wants but might want to remember that people pay money to watch the entertainment product that his school is putting out there. Sitting one of you best players to try to snap him out of his scoring slump is not a bad thing but, as others have stated, I just think that the timing was bad. The other kids, especially Dugas, who was incredible, and the fans deserved better than this knee-jerk reaction from an otherwise great coach..


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[thestickler07]

Hahahaha the drama from the Hill side from this loss is ridiculous.

[Granttenn]

Hahahaha the drama from the Hill side from this loss is ridiculous.

It's called discussion, which as long as people keep posting, is serving it's purpose..Easy to chime in when you have nothing to play for in Hermantown other than a possible trip to the consolation State Tournament.. Go cut down some more trees or whatever you do up there...

[HShockeywatcher]

Lex can do what he wants but might want to remember that people pay money to watch the entertainment product that his school is putting out there. Sitting one of you best players to try to snap him out of his scoring slump is not a bad thing but, as others have stated, I just think that the timing was bad. The other kids, especially Dugas, who was incredible, and the fans deserved better than this knee-jerk reaction from an otherwise great coach..

This isn't the NBA now; what's next, you going to suggest the team be fined too?

He didn't "blow it." He's a coach, he was coaching. It's amazing how many people think they know what's best from the stands

[Wallyworld]

Lex can do what he wants but might want to remember that people pay money to watch the entertainment product that his school is putting out there. Sitting one of you best players to try to snap him out of his scoring slump is not a bad thing but, as others have stated, I just think that the timing was bad. The other kids, especially Dugas, who was incredible, and the fans deserved better than this knee-jerk reaction from an otherwise great coach..

This isn't the NBA now; what's next, you going to suggest the team be fined too? :lol:

He didn't "blow it." He's a coach, he was coaching. It's amazing how many people think they know what's best from the stands :roll:

He didn't "blow it."...It's amazing how many people think they know what's best from the stands ...

And where are you commenting from? The bench??

[warriors41]

Lex can do what he wants but might want to remember that people pay money to watch the entertainment product that his school is putting out there.

It's high school. No high school coach owes anything to the fans in the stands, not even the parents. It's still December. It is a million times better he makes this point now instead of during playoff time. It does not matter what the player did do make the coach mad. It is his call 100%. Also, there doesn't seem to be a consensus as to who the better team was. For all we know, STA could have tied the game or taken a lead. Ten minutes is a long time in hockey.

[warriors41]

Hahahaha the drama from the Hill side from this loss is ridiculous.

It's called discussion, which as long as people keep posting, is serving it's purpose..Easy to chime in when you have nothing to play for in Hermantown other than a possible trip to the consolation State Tournament.. Go cut down some more trees or whatever you do up there...

Not sure if you saw the score the Hill Murray just lost to the team that has the best chance to win the "consolation state tournament."

[Wallyworld]

Hahahaha the drama from the Hill side from this loss is ridiculous.

It's called discussion, which as long as people keep posting, is serving it's purpose..Easy to chime in when you have nothing to play for in Hermantown other than a possible trip to the consolation State Tournament.. Go cut down some more trees or whatever you do up there...

Not sure if you saw the score the Hill Murray just lost to the team that has the best chance to win the "consolation state tournament."

Which is why STA is moving up to AA. They have enough consolation championship ribbons.. Or gold stars, not sure which they get.. I'll ask my sons kindergarten teacher, I think they get them at the sam store..

[Granttenn]

Lex can do what he wants but might want to remember that people pay money to watch the entertainment product that his school is putting out there.

It's high school. No high school coach owes anything to the fans in the stands, not even the parents. It's still December. It is a million times better he makes this point now instead of during playoff time. It does not matter what the player did do make the coach mad. It is his call 100%. Also, there doesn't seem to be a consensus as to who the better team was. For all we know, STA could have tied the game or taken a lead. Ten minutes is a long time in hockey.

On the contrary about owing anything to fans. I give thousands of $$ a year to Hill and I'm pretty sure the fundraising people cashing the check know that I don't do that to see them piss away games with a stupid move..

[warriors41]

Lex can do what he wants but might want to remember that people pay money to watch the entertainment product that his school is putting out there.

It's high school. No high school coach owes anything to the fans in the stands, not even the parents. It's still December. It is a million times better he makes this point now instead of during playoff time. It does not matter what the player did do make the coach mad. It is his call 100%. Also, there doesn't seem to be a consensus as to who the better team was. For all we know, STA could have tied the game or taken a lead. Ten minutes is a long time in hockey.

On the contrary about owing anything to fans. I give thousands of $$ a year to Hill and I'm pretty sure the fundraising people cashing the check know that I don't do that to see them piss away games with a stupid move..

Once you sign the check it's their money. That's what happens when you give money for something intangible. Don't like, quit donating.

[Granttenn]

It's called discussion, which as long as people keep posting, is serving it's purpose..Easy to chime in when you have nothing to play for in Hermantown other than a possible trip to the consolation State Tournament.. Go cut down some more trees or whatever you do up there...

Not sure if you saw the score the Hill Murray just lost to the team that has the best chance to win the "consolation state tournament."

Which is why STA is moving up to AA. They have enough consolation championship ribbons.. Or gold stars, not sure which they get.. I'll ask my sons kindergarten teacher, I think they get them at the same store..

[warriors41]

It's called discussion, which as long as people keep posting, is serving it's purpose..Easy to chime in when you have nothing to play for in Hermantown other than a possible trip to the consolation State Tournament.. Go cut down some more trees or whatever you do up there...

Not sure if you saw the score the Hill Murray just lost to the team that has the best chance to win the "consolation state tournament."

Which is why STA is moving up to AA. They have enough consolation championship ribbons.. Or gold stars, not sure which they get.. I'll ask my sons kindergarten teacher, I think they get them at the sam store..

No they are moving up because whiners like you kept on complaining and refuse to see any talented individuals or teams that come out of class A. Even if they wouldn't have made the announcement about moving up yet he would have made the consolation state tournament comment. It's just juvenile and unoriginal at this point. Get over it.