Elk River (5-3) vs Forest Lake (5-2-3) 12-28-13 7:30pm

[alcloseshaver]

Keeps them away from the locked up #1 seed... Grand Rapids...

[MNhockey29]

5-2 ER with an empty net. Elk River was a better team skill wise but it was a pretty good back and forth game. Both goalies had solid games except FL goalie didn't have much of a chance on a few goals. Should be interesting come sections!

[alcloseshaver]

ER controlled the play for most of this game. On the PK to much including back to back 5 min. majors with 8:37 left in the third. Flake was able to get 1 on the almost 4 min. 5-3. En goal for Jaremko of ER, he was the best player on the ice by far. Played point on the ER power play and they looked much sharper on the PP. ER needs stop taking stupid penalties, playing with fire to much. Forest Lake is a decent team and their goalie played well and was helped by at least 3 pipes from ER. They are just on the edge of top three in 7AA.

[sanryam]

Flake looked pretty stale. Elks were on the PK most of the game including two 5 on 3s (one of which was two 5 min majors on Elks) Best case scenario for Elks is for East to beat Rapids which would neutralize the 3 squads and prob determine by strength of schedule

[Slammer]

Grand Rapids vs. D East might just be the biggest game of the whole regular season.

[alcloseshaver]

Elk River and East appear to have much tougher schedules than Grand Rapids.

[TheHockeyDJ]

Elk River and East appear to have much tougher schedules than Grand Rapids.

"much" tougher? I would say maybe slightly tougher, East probably has the toughest of the 3. Playing at Warroad/Roseau, Moorhead and White Bear Lake at home are no cake walks. Plus you have to remember Grand Rapids doesn't have the same situation as Elk River. Look at all the teams in a 30 mile radius Elk River has compared to Grand Rapids. I think GR does very well with their schedule given their circumstances.

[alcloseshaver]

Decent point, wouldn't, want the Moorhead travel budget.

[MrBoDangles]

It would be saying more if they had won 4-2 on Forest Lake's ice.

[northwoods oldtimer]

Its not like Elk River conference is full of great teams some pretty weak sisters of the poor, still overall schedule is better than Rapids dure to metro proximity. Rapids needs to get out of that IRC it does them no good to play home and home with I-Falls, Virginia and Hibbing. Drop to single A then it makes sense to stay in conference but for no other reason.
Running an independent schedule takes money (travel and lodging cost). Not sure Rapids can sell as many Christmas wreaths as East

[TheHockeyDJ]

Its not like Elk River conference is full of great teams some pretty weak sisters of the poor, still overall schedule is better than Rapids dure to metro proximity. Rapids needs to get out of that IRC it does them no good to play home and home with I-Falls, Virginia and Hibbing. Drop to single A then it makes sense to stay in conference but for no other reason.
Running an independent schedule takes money (travel and lodging cost). Not sure Rapids can sell as many Christmas wreaths as East

I remember Butsy Erickson saying if anyone in Roseau mentioned dropping to single A they'd be run out of town. I think Grand Rapids should have the same policy.

[old goalie85]

We like playing the7AA teams every year. It can be tough on the parents to get to the games Rapids/Cloquet/East sometimes.[weeknight games]. We still do the best we can ta get there. Playing in those Northern venues is great for the kids/parents alike. In FL our Blueline club helps out w/$. I think more metro teams should take advantage of these oppertunitys [sp?].

[alcloseshaver]

NW has 5 good programs but will get further diluted next year with Grace, SLP and Irondale being added. Looks like teams will be playing 19 conference games next year, plus the required crossover with the Lake confence. If you play in a tournament that doesn't leave a lot of room for 7AA regular season games, which will further cloud the seeding process.