6AA as of Jan 18, 2015

[OTB987]

Known in recent years as the toughest section in high school hockey and this year appears to have the same makeup as just down right nasty. Still too early to predict how this section will be seeded but here is an attempt to put it together:

Section Records
BSM (2-1-1): L Tonka, W EP, W HF, T HF
EP (0-4): L BSM, L Tonka, L Tonka, L Way, L Tonka
Tonka (4-2): L Armstrong, W BSM, L HF, W EP, W EP, W Hopkins
Wayzata (2-1): W HF, L HF, W EP
Hopkins (1-1): W Arm, L Tonka
HF (2-2-1): T BSM, W Tonka, L Way, L BSM, W Way(OT)
Arm (1-1): W Tonka, L Hop

Seeding
#1 Benilde - quality wins outside of section breaks the tie with Wayzata
#2 Wayzata
#3 Tonka - the loss to Armstrong is a killer and knocks them from #2 spot
#4 Holy Family - strong argument could be made for them at 3 and Tonka at 4
#5 EP - despite being winless they have quality wins outside of section
#6 Hopkins - not proven yet but we will see over the next few weeks if they can make a jump up to 5.
#7 Armstrong - no quality wins outside of Tonka

You definitely want to be either #1 or #2 in this section to avoid a tough quarter final game.

Section Playoffs - Quarters
Benilde gets a Bye
HF vs EP
---------
Tonka vs Hopkins
Way vs Armstrong

Odds to make it out of Section:
Benilde: 30% - first round bye ups their %
Wayzata 20% - qtr final against #7 seed ups their %
Tonka 15%
EP 15%
HF 15%
Hopkins 5%
Arm 0% (1980 does not happen twice, sorry)

[blueblood]

Seeding in 6AA is a mess. As of right now Tonka is the top team. These rankings will change each week now that Lake Conf. play is in full swing.

My current rankings are

1) Tonka - early loss to Wings is offset by win over BSM, tie with Edina and recent surge.
2) BSM - loss to Tonka
3) Wayzata - split with HF keeps them above
4) Holy Family - two losses to class A teams in their conference will be their undoing.
5) Ep - no wins against 6AA teams will cost them
6) Hopkins - could jump up to a #4 or #5 with a +.500 conference finish, and wins over HF and Ep
7) Armstrong

#1 seed gets a bye to section Semi's with phenomenal 3v6 and 4v5 QF games projected no matter who plays

[TheHockeyDJ]

Which two teams in 6AA would be the best matchup in the final at Mariucci in terms of bringing the most fans to the building?

[blueblood]

If you want the most fans at the 6AA final game, then look no further than the 3 schools with the largest enrollment in the state:

1) Wayzata - 3060 students
2) Eden Prairie - 3007 students
3) Minnetonka - 2750 students

[green4]

Which two teams in 6AA would be the best matchup in the final at Mariucci in terms of bringing the most fans to the building?

I would say Wayzata, Tonka or BSM. Despite the large enrollment at EP, their student section does not typically travel well.

[TheHockeyDJ]

Which two teams in 6AA would be the best matchup in the final at Mariucci in terms of bringing the most fans to the building?

I would say Wayzata, Tonka or BSM. Despite the large enrollment at EP, their student section does not typically travel well.

This makes sense, I've been to Mariucci one time for the Finals and it was in 2011 Edina over Burnsville on a goal with 1 min left, and the 3OT game between Wayzata and EP won by Kyle Rau (awesome game). That said the atmosphere was very stale for both games considering it was Section Finals. I remember listening to KFAN that day and they were talking about how big the crowds would be and when I went to the arena around noon there were 300 people in line to get tickets. I had high expectations that weren't close to being met. I hope the crowds will be much better this time around.

[SuperStar]

If you want the most fans at the 6AA final game, then look no further than the 3 schools with the largest enrollment in the state:

1) Wayzata - 3060 students
2) Eden Prairie - 3007 students
3) Minnetonka - 2750 students

EP has big school numbers, but terrible Student game attendance..You can count on maybe 50 coming to a 6AA final, if they make it. Wayzata, Tonka, HF, Benilde, Hopkins would have half the school show up.

[MNHockeyFan]

If you want the most fans at the 6AA final game, then look no further than the 3 schools with the largest enrollment in the state:

1) Wayzata - 3060 students
2) Eden Prairie - 3007 students
3) Minnetonka - 2750 students

EP has big school numbers, but terrible Student game attendance..You can count on maybe 50 coming to a 6AA final, if they make it. Wayzata, Tonka, HF, Benilde, Hopkins would have half the school show up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xcmcKakzKw

[gitter]

Which two teams in 6AA would be the best matchup in the final at Mariucci in terms of bringing the most fans to the building?

I would say Wayzata, Tonka or BSM. Despite the large enrollment at EP, their student section does not typically travel well.

This makes sense, I've been to Mariucci one time for the Finals and it was in 2011 Edina over Burnsville on a goal with 1 min left, and the 3OT game between Wayzata and EP won by Kyle Rau (awesome game). That said the atmosphere was very stale for both games considering it was Section Finals. I remember listening to KFAN that day and they were talking about how big the crowds would be and when I went to the arena around noon there were 300 people in line to get tickets. I had high expectations that weren't close to being met. I hope the crowds will be much better this time around.

I think the clown show in 2008 (or perhaps it was 2009, my memory is fading), where they basically had 2 ticket windows open at Mariucci, combined with a fairly massive turnout, to the point where even though we had purchased tickets in advance at the schools, we could not wade through the crowd to get in the door - we ended up missing the fist period of the first game - may have had an effect on some future attendance. But that could be such a distant memory now that maybe it doesn't affect people's decisions anymore - though I still know a couple folks who haven't been down since that debacle.

Perhaps the perception that Edina has no real contenders to battle with (despite Burnsville handling their own in most years), gives it a lackluster appearance for a doubleheader from the 2AA side nowadays. Also as others have stated, EP is a football school, and the students won't show up at hockey until the state tournament. If Prior Lake were to make the final, it'll be interesting to see what kind of turnout they bring - it's a pretty large school also.

At any rate, despite the crowd, you're usually treated to 2 highly skilled hockey games there.

[elliott70]

Seeding
#1 Benilde - quality wins outside of section breaks the tie with Wayzata
#2 Wayzata
#3 Tonka - the loss to Armstrong is a killer and knocks them from #2 spot
#4 Holy Family - strong argument could be made for them at 3 and Tonka at 4
#5 EP - despite being winless they have quality wins outside of section
#6 Hopkins - not proven yet but we will see over the next few weeks if they can make a jump up to 5.
#7 Armstrong - no quality wins outside of Tonka

Section Playoffs - Quarters
Benilde gets a Bye
HF vs EP
---------
Tonka vs Hopkins
Way vs Armstrong

Looks good from way up here in 'da nort'.
Benilde's to lose.
Wayzata has a shot.
Tonka not tough enough.
EP, its not football, so who cares.
Hopkins not capable of 3 upsets (maybe two).
HF - Gabe in the nets could give them a shot.

So, Benilde the favorite, Wayzata a good shot and HF the dark horse (from this angle).

[elliott70]

So why are there only seven teams in the section?

[gitter]

So why are there only seven teams in the section?

There was 8 during realignment 2 years ago - but this year Robbinsdale Armstrong and Cooper coop-ed, leaving 7 teams.