7AA 2018-2019

[TheHockeyDJ]

Current QRF

1. Andover (76.0)
2. Duluth East (69.9)
3. Elk River/Zimmerman (49.5)
4. Grand Rapids (31.0)
5. Duluth Marshall (30.
6. St. Francis (29.0)
7. C-E-C (21.5)
8. Forest Lake (20.7)
9. Cambridge-Isanti (8.6)

[alcloseshaver]

Not the same feel tonight for the GR v ER game. Playing for the 3 seed doesn't quite feel right for these 2 programs. Pre QRF days an ER win would have guaranteed a higher seed for the Indians. Tongue in cheek...

[kniven]

Not the same feel tonight for the GR v ER game. Playing for the 3 seed doesn't quite feel right for these 2 programs. Pre QRF days an ER win would have guaranteed a higher seed for the Indians. Tongue in cheek...

Agreed.

[northwoods oldtimer]

Not the same feel tonight for the GR v ER game. Playing for the 3 seed doesn't quite feel right for these 2 programs. Pre QRF days an ER win would have guaranteed a higher seed for the Indians. Tongue in cheek...

Good cal out alcloseshaver. It has been a barn burner pivotal game for so many years I can't recall it not being edge of your seat intense. Feels like a consolation round game

[northwoods oldtimer]

Not the same feel tonight for the GR v ER game. Playing for the 3 seed doesn't quite feel right for these 2 programs. Pre QRF days an ER win would have guaranteed a higher seed for the Indians. Tongue in cheek...

Good call alcloseshaver. It has been a barn burner pivotal game for so many years I can't recall it not being edge of your seat intense. Feels like a consolation round game

[alcloseshaver]

Well alrighty then... I saw it go in on my phone for sure.

[alcloseshaver]

What time is the varsity game? JK
Thought it would be a funny line.
2 proud programs that will be back.

[northwoods oldtimer]

Looks like Elk River takes the early inside heat for the 3 seed in 7AA. Good showing by orange and black and Elks in the 7AA battle.
CEC can start winning out right and have the most talent on paper to contest and make semi Saturday somewhat interesting in 2019.
Expecting a very quiet barn this year for the Saturday double header.

[TheHockeyDJ]

The QRF is gonna make this a mess. Right now St. Francis is the 4 seed in the latest edition. Makes seeding conversation completely useless. Just hope your team is healthy and hitting their peak mid-February, because it is nearly as bad as a random draw for the bracket.

[alcloseshaver]

DJ, Franny was up there last year at this time also. By the end of the year it worked out to be spot on, just need more games to be played and limit playing class A teams.

[TheHockeyDJ]

At what point in the QRF does a tie-breaker come into play? What is the point gap where that matters?

[northwoods oldtimer]

Don't book those St. Paul hotels just yet.
With Kozol standing on his head, Randover had to squeek past the Elks with a 3-2 win.
Perhaps semi Saturday can offer more intrigue than earlier anticipated in 2019.
Are the Elkoholics, CEC or Rapidly Declining pesky enough to
spoil the party?
Will Randover cupcake schedule hurt them in a winner takes all playoff?
Will Hounds lack of scoring knock em out early?
Stay tuned..............................

[TheHockeyDJ]

Hoping for this schedule for Semi-Final Saturday

Noon Grand Rapids vs Andover
2:00 Cloquet vs Duluth East
6:00 Eveleth vs Hermantown
8:00 Denfeld vs Greenway

[That guy for that thing]

Hoping for this schedule for Semi-Final Saturday

Noon Grand Rapids vs Andover
2:00 Cloquet vs Duluth East
6:00 Eveleth vs Hermantown
8:00 Denfeld vs Greenway

Wow, would that be a great day of hockey. Especially for Eveleth who hasn't been to a semi- Saturday in a long long time.

[hockey59]

Don't book those St. Paul hotels just yet.
With Kozol standing on his head, Randover had to squeek past the Elks with a 3-2 win.
Perhaps semi Saturday can offer more intrigue than earlier anticipated in 2019.
Are the Elkoholics, CEC or Rapidly Declining pesky enough to
spoil the party?
Will Randover cupcake schedule hurt them in a winner takes all playoff?
Will Hounds lack of scoring knock em out early?
Stay tuned..............................

I attended the ER vs Andover game & while the score ended up tight, Andover controlled all but the last 4 minutes of the game, in fact I’ve rarely seen an ER team having so little puck control the past 5 years, the only kid for ER who stood out during periods 1&2 was #18, a junior D & I don’t know his name, but the ER first line was totally shutdown until the last 5 minutes of the 3rd period. #4 Wolfe & #5 Kaiser play in separate tandems, but skill wise they are right up there with Luedtke & Docter (in terms of controlling the puck & play). And not sure why, but Charlie Schoun didn’t play last 10 minutes of 3rd period & wasn’t in the handshake line, so he might have got nicked up during the game. Andover got a little sloppy at the end, but minus some strong goaltending by ER, it could have been a 6-2 game

[alcloseshaver]

At what point in the QRF does a tie-breaker come into play? What is the point gap where that matters?

Tiebreaker margin is determined towards the end of the season and fluctuates, if within the tiebreaker head to head is used 1st.

[alcloseshaver]

Don't book those St. Paul hotels just yet.
With Kozol standing on his head, Randover had to squeek past the Elks with a 3-2 win.
Perhaps semi Saturday can offer more intrigue than earlier anticipated in 2019.
Are the Elkoholics, CEC or Rapidly Declining pesky enough to
spoil the party?
Will Randover cupcake schedule hurt them in a winner takes all playoff?
Will Hounds lack of scoring knock em out early?
Stay tuned..............................

I attended the ER vs Andover game & while the score ended up tight, Andover controlled all but the last 4 minutes of the game, in fact I’ve rarely seen an ER team having so little puck control the past 5 years, the only kid for ER who stood out during periods 1&2 was #18, a junior D & I don’t know his name, but the ER first line was totally shutdown until the last 5 minutes of the 3rd period. #4 Wolfe & #5 Kaiser play in separate tandems, but skill wise they are right up there with Luedtke & Docter (in terms of controlling the puck & play). And not sure why, but Charlie Schoun didn’t play last 10 minutes of 3rd period & wasn’t in the handshake line, so he might have got nicked up during the game. Andover got a little sloppy at the end, but minus some strong goaltending by ER, it could have been a 6-2 game

Accurate synopsis 59, anything can happen though and is why they play the games.

[northwoods oldtimer]

Don't book those St. Paul hotels just yet.
With Kozol standing on his head, Randover had to squeek past the Elks with a 3-2 win.
Perhaps semi Saturday can offer more intrigue than earlier anticipated in 2019.
Are the Elkoholics, CEC or Rapidly Declining pesky enough to
spoil the party?
Will Randover cupcake schedule hurt them in a winner takes all playoff?
Will Hounds lack of scoring knock em out early?
Stay tuned..............................

I attended the ER vs Andover game & while the score ended up tight, Andover controlled all but the last 4 minutes of the game, in fact I’ve rarely seen an ER team having so little puck control the past 5 years, the only kid for ER who stood out during periods 1&2 was #18, a junior D & I don’t know his name, but the ER first line was totally shutdown until the last 5 minutes of the 3rd period. #4 Wolfe & #5 Kaiser play in separate tandems, but skill wise they are right up there with Luedtke & Docter (in terms of controlling the puck & play). And not sure why, but Charlie Schoun didn’t play last 10 minutes of 3rd period & wasn’t in the handshake line, so he might have got nicked up during the game. Andover got a little sloppy at the end, but minus some strong goaltending by ER, it could have been a 6-2 game

All the reason in a one game "do or die" the higher seed could be shelving the hockey gear on semi Saturday.

[MWS coach]

Don't book those St. Paul hotels just yet.
With Kozol standing on his head, Randover had to squeek past the Elks with a 3-2 win.
Perhaps semi Saturday can offer more intrigue than earlier anticipated in 2019.
Are the Elkoholics, CEC or Rapidly Declining pesky enough to
spoil the party?
Will Randover cupcake schedule hurt them in a winner takes all playoff?
Will Hounds lack of scoring knock em out early?
Stay tuned..............................

I attended the ER vs Andover game & while the score ended up tight, Andover controlled all but the last 4 minutes of the game, in fact I’ve rarely seen an ER team having so little puck control the past 5 years, the only kid for ER who stood out during periods 1&2 was #18, a junior D & I don’t know his name, but the ER first line was totally shutdown until the last 5 minutes of the 3rd period. #4 Wolfe & #5 Kaiser play in separate tandems, but skill wise they are right up there with Luedtke & Docter (in terms of controlling the puck & play). And not sure why, but Charlie Schoun didn’t play last 10 minutes of 3rd period & wasn’t in the handshake line, so he might have got nicked up during the game. Andover got a little sloppy at the end, but minus some strong goaltending by ER, it could have been a 6-2 game

While I agree with your take on the game some other observations. Agreed Andover controlled play, however they really didn't have many quality scoring chances from inside the house. Not minimizing the awesome game JK had in net, he played great and kept ER in the game. ER was clearly content to clog the middle and just get the puck out. Dover was the faster team and as such won the races to loose pucks which resulted in puck control and zone time. FWIW first line center was in the box for 12 minutes as a result of a misconduct. Hard to get first line going without your center. #18 is Jack Ferry, excellent skater and plays a physical game especially since he is far from the biggest D man on the ice. Admittedly I have only seen Andover in that game, but the separation between #2 Hornets and #3 Andover seems to be a sizeable gap.
The phantom call for goaltender interference must have been the karma return from the stripes for getting the benefit of the call against GR OT goal! He should get an emmy for that performance. Always perplexing to me when a ref 20 feet away doesn't make a call, but the ref at the red line 100 ft away does...It could have just as easily been a 3-3 game (pipe) as a 8-2 game, which as others have said is why you play the game. After the game was played it wasn't either, it was 3-2!

[kniven]

For Christmas dear hockey Santa, give me a SF Saturday matchup of....

Cloquet vs. Andover
Grand Rapids vs. Duluth East

[elliott70]

Well if Kenny gets his way DEast will be in the finals.

OK that's better.

[elliott70]

For Christmas dear hockey Santa, give me a SF Saturday matchup of....

Forest Lake vs. Andover
Grand Rapids vs. Duluth East

[hockey59]

Don't book those St. Paul hotels just yet.
With Kozol standing on his head, Randover had to squeek past the Elks with a 3-2 win.
Perhaps semi Saturday can offer more intrigue than earlier anticipated in 2019.
Are the Elkoholics, CEC or Rapidly Declining pesky enough to
spoil the party?
Will Randover cupcake schedule hurt them in a winner takes all playoff?
Will Hounds lack of scoring knock em out early?
Stay tuned..............................

I attended the ER vs Andover game & while the score ended up tight, Andover controlled all but the last 4 minutes of the game, in fact I’ve rarely seen an ER team having so little puck control the past 5 years, the only kid for ER who stood out during periods 1&2 was #18, a junior D & I don’t know his name, but the ER first line was totally shutdown until the last 5 minutes of the 3rd period. #4 Wolfe & #5 Kaiser play in separate tandems, but skill wise they are right up there with Luedtke & Docter (in terms of controlling the puck & play). And not sure why, but Charlie Schoun didn’t play last 10 minutes of 3rd period & wasn’t in the handshake line, so he might have got nicked up during the game. Andover got a little sloppy at the end, but minus some strong goaltending by ER, it could have been a 6-2 game

While I agree with your take on the game some other observations. Agreed Andover controlled play, however they really didn't have many quality scoring chances from inside the house. Not minimizing the awesome game JK had in net, he played great and kept ER in the game. ER was clearly content to clog the middle and just get the puck out. Dover was the faster team and as such won the races to loose pucks which resulted in puck control and zone time. FWIW first line center was in the box for 12 minutes as a result of a misconduct. Hard to get first line going without your center. #18 is Jack Ferry, excellent skater and plays a physical game especially since he is far from the biggest D man on the ice. Admittedly I have only seen Andover in that game, but the separation between #2 Hornets and #3 Andover seems to be a sizeable gap.
The phantom call for goaltender interference must have been the karma return from the stripes for getting the benefit of the call against GR OT goal! He should get an emmy for that performance. Always perplexing to me when a ref 20 feet away doesn't make a call, but the ref at the red line 100 ft away does...It could have just as easily been a 3-3 game (pipe) as a 8-2 game, which as others have said is why you play the game. After the game was played it wasn't either, it was 3-2!

Not saying ER couldn’t of tied it in last 2 minutes, they almost did. Aside from that, this is far & away the best team Andover has ever had. And while I’ve only seen Tonka once & haven’t yet seen Edina, if you’re saying the gap between 1&2 is a sizable gap, then the same applies to DE (compared to Tonka & Edina). ER on the other hand, had a phenomenal team in 2015, a great team in 2016 & a really great team in 2017. This ER team (by contrast) is solid, but nothing close to resembling those 3 teams in my opinion

[kniven]

Well if Kenny gets his way DEast will be in the finals.

OK that's better.

Yes. I’m on my way to Virginia to video our girls tonight. I’m not sure what happened there. As far as my boys, there is too much talent there, as with Greenway. I have no doubt that both team will figure it out and be able to win 3 straight in late February. With the nasty starts to the season, nobody cares but us diehards! Merry Christmas to all you boys on the forum.

[northwoods oldtimer]

Well if Kenny gets his way DEast will be in the finals.

OK that's better.

I thought it was "blackout Todd's" year to drive the Hound bus to St. Paul