WBL/Stillwater-Hill/Moundsview

BodyShots · Post by **BodyShots** » Wed Feb 25, 2015 4:14 pm

Thought I heard Hill was not allowed to use their locker rooms because they have video capabilities that neither of the other locker rooms have.

Unfair advantage....

inthetwine · Post by **inthetwine** » Wed Feb 25, 2015 4:52 pm

BodyShots wrote:Thought I heard Hill was not allowed to use their locker rooms because they have video capabilities that neither of the other locker rooms have.

Unfair advantage....

They are using it.

slacsap · Post by **slacsap** » Wed Feb 25, 2015 5:23 pm

No one has ever won a game because of the banners which might be hanging from the ceiling. Edina played at Braemar on Saturday, did they take the banners down? If the Stillwater girls had reached the section final at St. Croix, would the banners have come down?White Bear and Stillwater are talented enough to win this section on merit, they shouldn't need to lower themselves to this childish nonsense about banners and locker rooms.

meridian90 · Post by **meridian90** » Wed Feb 25, 2015 9:34 pm

slacsap wrote:No one has ever won a game because of the banners which might be hanging from the ceiling. Edina played at Braemar on Saturday, did they take the banners down? If the Stillwater girls had reached the section final at St. Croix, would the banners have come down?White Bear and Stillwater are talented enough to win this section on merit, they shouldn't need to lower themselves to this childish nonsense about banners and locker rooms.

Bears choke again in semis versus stillwater. And fire sager talks can start up again. And I'm moving that way more and more each year.

East Side Pioneer Guy · Wed Feb 25, 2015 10:06 pm

meridian90 wrote:
slacsap wrote:No one has ever won a game because of the banners which might be hanging from the ceiling. Edina played at Braemar on Saturday, did they take the banners down? If the Stillwater girls had reached the section final at St. Croix, would the banners have come down?White Bear and Stillwater are talented enough to win this section on merit, they shouldn't need to lower themselves to this childish nonsense about banners and locker rooms.
Bears choke again in semis versus stillwater. And fire sager talks can start up again. And I'm moving that way more and more each year.

Pioneer fans are starting up keep Sagar talk. Even though he's not making it easy to get the win streak up into double digits again.

BearsSensGophs · Post by **BearsSensGophs** » Wed Feb 25, 2015 10:53 pm

I had that feeling they would find a way to lose this one and once Stillwater scored with like what 3 minutes left? I knew we were going to lose.

Anyway. Anybody know if Newpower is coming back or not? Or if we're losing anyone aside from Seniors.

meridian90 · Post by **meridian90** » Wed Feb 25, 2015 11:11 pm

BearsSensGophs wrote:I had that feeling they would find a way to lose this one and once Stillwater scored with like what 3 minutes left? I knew we were going to lose.

Anyway. Anybody know if Newpower is coming back or not? Or if we're losing anyone aside from Seniors.

Possible gast and new power. If you are a wbl fan be ready for some lean years. Last year bantams caught fire and made state but not as much talent as this senior class.

Next great level is current peewees, which also lost one of its best players when the Lucius family moved to Blaine.

old goalie85 · Post by **old goalie85** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 7:37 am

Stillwater has a great group of sophs. This was WBL's chance.

inthetwine · Post by **inthetwine** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 8:26 am

old goalie85 wrote:Stillwater has a great group of sophs. This was WBL's chance.

No matter how little or how much talent WBL has, they go nowhere with Sager.

Trout · Post by **Trout** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 9:05 am

WBL has a very good Pee Wee AA group (As does Stillwater...both are top 10 type teams at Pee Wee) both WBL and Stillwater have a gap before Pee Wee AA...WBL's gap is just a little longer.Quite frankly neither group has been all that good at bantams.

Stillwater sophmores are very good and very deep, seems in Stillwater they have been watching this group since squirts saying this is their chance. 2 years from now they will probably be playing only Sr's...as many as 15 or more.

Only 5 seniors on this team, Junior group has a few top end (Cates, Sagissor etc...) several good role players but many of the Sophs look to have jumped over the Jr's in playing time. This group also has very good goaltending (Benson is a Jr, other goalies are sophs and jr. as well).

The Pony sophs are not used to losing, expecially to WBL. They beat them 5 times last year I believe,,,the 5th time at the state tournament. They are a gritty group. The JV lost only 1 or 2 games all year.

Look for the Pony's be much better next year and the year after. Sure looks like they went young looking to the next few years.

I am sure Stillwater is happy they have not lost few if any key players to hill in quite a while...unlike the Housley years. Looks like the kids are staying to play together or play for Doman...it will be interesting to see if that continues.

BodyShots · Post by **BodyShots** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 9:26 am

Some coaches coach to win, and some coach to not lose. Sager fits the second role to a "T".

Bears played aggressive for the first two periods and controlled play. Had a 2-0 lead until 30 seconds left in the period when the Ponies scored just after a PP ended.

Third period starts and you could just see the Bears changed their game. They played passive and stopped forechecking. Then Dumbo decides to go with only 2 lines and everyone in my section knew what was coming. It was just a matter of time before Stillwater scores to tie it up. Sag's continues rolling two lines through the 3rd period and first OT. Guys are gassed and just trying to survive. 2nd OT starts and he goes back to 3 lines. They look better, but the Ponies have too much momentum on their side and finish the Bears off. If it were not for a quick whistle, this game should have ended in the 1st OT.

Oh well, I guess I don't have to worry about getting a ticket for Friday's game now.

Elliott, is there any room on the Bemidji bandwagon? Go Jacks!

Trout · Post by **Trout** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 9:49 am

Looked to me like both teams were basically rolling 2 after the 2nd ... Stillwater was going about 2 1/2 lines switching a few players not quite as rigid with their lines as bears but looked like both teams were gassed.

2nd period was definately bears until last 5 min. After that Ponies carried more of the play with the exception of the bears trying to take advantage of them pushing too hard and get odd man rushes...

Bears had a few very good chances on those rushes but didn't capitalize.

[quote="BodyShots"]Some coaches coach to win, and some coach to not lose. Sager fits the second role to a "T".

Bears played aggressive for the first two periods and controlled play. Had a 2-0 lead until 30 seconds left in the period when the Ponies scored just after a PP ended.

Third period starts and you could just see the Bears changed their game. They played passive and stopped forechecking. Then Dumbo decides to go with only 2 lines and everyone in my section knew what was coming. It was just a matter of time before Stillwater scores to tie it up. Sag's continues rolling two lines through the 3rd period and first OT. Guys are gassed and just trying to survive. 2nd OT starts and he goes back to 3 lines. They look better, but the Ponies have too much momentum on their side and finish the Bears off. If it were not for a quick whistle, this game should have ended in the 1st OT.

Oh well, I guess I don't have to worry about getting a ticket for Friday's game now.

Elliott, is there any room on the Bemidji bandwagon? Go Jacks![/quote]

inthetwine · Post by **inthetwine** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 12:04 pm

old goalie85 wrote:Stillwater has a great group of sophs. This was WBL's chance.

No matter how little or how much talent WBL has, they go nowhere with Sager.

MedleyWR · Post by **MedleyWR** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 4:02 pm

BodyShots wrote:Some coaches coach to win, and some coach to not lose. Sager fits the second role to a "T".

Bears played aggressive for the first two periods and controlled play. Had a 2-0 lead until 30 seconds left in the period when the Ponies scored just after a PP ended.

Third period starts and you could just see the Bears changed their game. They played passive and stopped forechecking. Then Dumbo decides to go with only 2 lines and everyone in my section knew what was coming. It was just a matter of time before Stillwater scores to tie it up. Sag's continues rolling two lines through the 3rd period and first OT. Guys are gassed and just trying to survive. 2nd OT starts and he goes back to 3 lines. They look better, but the Ponies have too much momentum on their side and finish the Bears off. If it were not for a quick whistle, this game should have ended in the 1st OT.

Oh well, I guess I don't have to worry about getting a ticket for Friday's game now.

Elliott, is there any room on the Bemidji bandwagon? Go Jacks!

Hey Body!
I haven't posted here in a few years. My hockey son moved on to college and my next son plays hoops. We watched WB lose to Mahtomedi last night in hoops. At least the arenas are warmer. Anyway, it sounds like nothing has changed. Get a lead, neutral zone trap with a short bench, players get gassed, lose the lead. Lather, rinse, repeat. Is that pretty much the story?

meridian90 · Post by **meridian90** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 5:51 pm

MedleyWR wrote:
BodyShots wrote:Some coaches coach to win, and some coach to not lose. Sager fits the second role to a "T".

Bears played aggressive for the first two periods and controlled play. Had a 2-0 lead until 30 seconds left in the period when the Ponies scored just after a PP ended.

Third period starts and you could just see the Bears changed their game. They played passive and stopped forechecking. Then Dumbo decides to go with only 2 lines and everyone in my section knew what was coming. It was just a matter of time before Stillwater scores to tie it up. Sag's continues rolling two lines through the 3rd period and first OT. Guys are gassed and just trying to survive. 2nd OT starts and he goes back to 3 lines. They look better, but the Ponies have too much momentum on their side and finish the Bears off. If it were not for a quick whistle, this game should have ended in the 1st OT.

Oh well, I guess I don't have to worry about getting a ticket for Friday's game now.

Elliott, is there any room on the Bemidji bandwagon? Go Jacks!
Hey Body!
I haven't posted here in a few years. My hockey son moved on to college and my next son plays hoops. We watched WB lose to Mahtomedi last night in hoops. At least the arenas are warmer. Anyway, it sounds like nothing has changed. Get a lead, neutral zone trap with a short bench, players get gassed, lose the lead. Lather, rinse, repeat. Is that pretty much the story?

The only reason this one feels different is you could make a small argument that in the 2008-2012 range that WBL was only 2 lines deep. The state group from a few years ago willed itself to state on two great lines.

This year (and last) they had 3 lines of depth and 3 pairs of defense. There was no reason to shorten the bench. But as was stated above, Sager panics in pressure situations/tight games and his only go to moves are neutral zone trap or playing not to lose, and shorten the bench, even if not necessary.

All the games they won/competed against elite competition, they didn't run a trap at all. Good examples were Edina and Hill Murray. Since they were playing from behind, they couldn't sit in the trap and had to actually play hockey. Because of this, they largely outplayed both those teams in 5on5, and just came up short on getting pucks past the goalie.

MedleyWR · Post by **MedleyWR** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 6:30 pm

meridian90 wrote:
MedleyWR wrote:
BodyShots wrote:Some coaches coach to win, and some coach to not lose. Sager fits the second role to a "T".

Bears played aggressive for the first two periods and controlled play. Had a 2-0 lead until 30 seconds left in the period when the Ponies scored just after a PP ended.

Third period starts and you could just see the Bears changed their game. They played passive and stopped forechecking. Then Dumbo decides to go with only 2 lines and everyone in my section knew what was coming. It was just a matter of time before Stillwater scores to tie it up. Sag's continues rolling two lines through the 3rd period and first OT. Guys are gassed and just trying to survive. 2nd OT starts and he goes back to 3 lines. They look better, but the Ponies have too much momentum on their side and finish the Bears off. If it were not for a quick whistle, this game should have ended in the 1st OT.

Oh well, I guess I don't have to worry about getting a ticket for Friday's game now.

Elliott, is there any room on the Bemidji bandwagon? Go Jacks!
Hey Body!
I haven't posted here in a few years. My hockey son moved on to college and my next son plays hoops. We watched WB lose to Mahtomedi last night in hoops. At least the arenas are warmer. Anyway, it sounds like nothing has changed. Get a lead, neutral zone trap with a short bench, players get gassed, lose the lead. Lather, rinse, repeat. Is that pretty much the story?
The only reason this one feels different is you could make a small argument that in the 2008-2012 range that WBL was only 2 lines deep. The state group from a few years ago willed itself to state on two great lines.

This year (and last) they had 3 lines of depth and 3 pairs of defense. There was no reason to shorten the bench. But as was stated above, Sager panics in pressure situations/tight games and his only go to moves are neutral zone trap or playing not to lose, and shorten the bench, even if not necessary.

All the games they won/competed against elite competition, they didn't run a trap at all. Good examples were Edina and Hill Murray. Since they were playing from behind, they couldn't sit in the trap and had to actually play hockey. Because of this, they largely outplayed both those teams in 5on5, and just came up short on getting pucks past the goalie.

This affirms my experience, with one exception, The 2011 team had a pretty good 3rd line. They didn't score a lot, but they played good hard defense and checked well. It wasn't until section finals vs Hill that Sager shortened the bench. This let Hill back into the game in the 3rd period and almost cost WB the game. But we pulled out a miracle 2 OT win. It didn't work at state vs East. The defense was gassed and broke down in OT. In the consolation game vs a good Blaine team with Bjugstad, we went with 3 lines and won. As I said, lather, rinse, repeat.