Class A Top 20 2/3/19

[elliott70]

1 Hermantown 7A 15-3-1
2 St Cloud Cathedral 6A 19-2-0
3 Totino 4A 16-5-0
4 Mahtomedi 4A 15-4-1
5 East Grand Forks 8A 16-5-0

6 Alexandria 6A 16-4-0
7 Thief River Falls 8A 13-5-3
8 Sartell 6A 14-6-0
9 Warroad 8A 11-9-21
10 Orono 2A 12-8-0

11 Greenway 7A 8-13-0
12 Virginia 7A 8-13-1
13 Delano 2 A 10-9-1
14 Northfield 4A 15-5-0
15 Mound 2A 14-7-1

16 Marshall 3A 18-2-1
17 Litchfield 3A 11-8-3
17 Monticello 5A 14-6-1
18 Duluth Denfeld 7A 9-7-3
19 Mankato East 1A 12-6-1
20 Minnesota River 1A 16-3-0

Others (in no particular order):Lourdes 1A
North Branch 5A
Eveleth 7A
Breck 2A
SW Christian 2A
New Ulm 3A
Little Falls 6A
St. Paul Academy 4A
Albert Lea 1A
Princeton 5A
Lourdes 1A

[elliott70]

Stang will be along shortly, I hope.

[zooomx]

Solid rankings. TRFalls is 8A though, right?

[Bigfoot12]

Having seenthe top 4 play live, maht is much better than Totino

[elliott70]

Solid rankings. TRFalls is 8A though, right?

No they moved them last week since 7A is so crappy.

thanks

[elliott70]

Having seenthe top 4 play live, maht is much better than Totino

"Tue, Jan 22 7:30 PM at Mahtomedi W 5-1 F win for Totino"

Maybe, but my rule is that who ever wins is the better team. (without another possibility (illness injury etc)
As time passes that fact dwindles but nothing has shown to change that (to me) to this point.
Fortunately that is why we play games in sections and not use some other method to determine who goes tot the X.

[Stang5280]

The previously clear top four has now turned into a group of six or seven teams that look like they could contend for the championship. Hermantown and Cathedral still seem to be a step ahead of the rest, but that next group is definitely nipping at their heels. Beyond that, chaos reigns supreme, and you can make legitimate arguments for any number of teams for the next several spots.

1. Hermantown (15-3-1) (LW 1)
W 2-1 (OT) @ Mahtomedi
By escaping Mahtomedi in extra time, the Hawks saved me from a difficult decision and preserved their insanely long winning streak against Class A opposition. Hermantown held a distinct advantage in shots and scoring opportunities; still, it was hard to come away from this game without thinking there are a handful of teams who could pull out a win against them on the right day. After a Tuesday tilt at Superior, the Hawks continue their road swing with games against Eveleth and Bemidji.

2. St. Cloud Cathedral (19-2-0) (LW 2)
W 6-0 @ Lourdes, W 11-1 @ Wadena
The Crusaders were road warriors this weekend, traveling to the southeast corner of the state Friday to face Lourdes, then traversing up to the northwest to make up a postponed game against Wadena. Cathedral blasted both opponents despite the travel, with the bigger news being that Warner remains out with a shoulder injury. Next week should bring some more competitive contests, with Breck coming to the MAC Thursday and a Saturday scrap against Mahtomedi.

3. Totino-Grace (16-5-0) (LW 4)
W 7-2 vs Spring Lake Park, W 7-3 vs Irondale
Not much to say here as the Eagles rolled over two NWSC West foes. TG remains ahead of Mahtomedi thanks to the recent H2H win, and the November drubbing against EGF is but a distant memory. The upcoming schedule turns nasty with Blaine and Andover looming.

4. Mahtomedi (15-4-1) (LW 5)
W 3-1 @ Orono, L 1-2 (OT) vs Hermantown
The Zephyrs knocked off Orono in a free-flowing contest with both teams flying all over the ice. Mahtomedi then hung tough with the top-ranked team before ultimately falling, adding up to an impressive week. They handled the Hawks' speed well and got excellent goaltending. The brutal stretch of schedule continues this week with St. Thomas and Cathedral on the slate.

5. East Grand Forks (16-5-0) (LW 3)
L 1-8 @ GF Central, W 4-2 @ Crookston
GF Central simply swamped the Green Wave, and while it is hard to draw many conclusions from a game like that, the hangover seemed to carry over into the Crookston contest. The Pirates opened up a 2-0 lead before EGF rattled off four straight goals over the final two periods. Given these performances and how well other teams played, they slip a few spots but remain firmly among the title contenders. The Wave head to Warroad Tuesday for a critical 8A game before butting heads with Roseau and Alexandria, which makes for tough sledding.

6. Alexandria (16-4-0) (LW 6)
W 4-0 vs Fergus Falls, W 4-0 vs Little Falls
The Cardinals posted shutouts by identical counts on back-to-back nights. They played stifling defense, allowing only 13 and 7 shots. This coming week will be huge for Alex: Brainerd visiting Tuesday night, followed by the Sartell game that will determine the #2 seed in 6A, and finally wrapping up with another shot at an EGF team who whipped them 7-1 in December.

7. Thief River Falls (13-5-3) (LW 7)
W 4-1 vs Crookston
In their only action of the week, the Prowlers pulled away from Crookston with a final period flurry. By avoiding an upset loss, they solidified at least the second seed in 8A. TRF next has a rematch with Roseau, whom they tied back in November, followed by a trip to Red Lake Falls.

8. Orono (12-8-0) [LW 8]
L 1-3 vs Mahtomedi, W 3-1 @ New Prague
The Spartans played well against Mahtomedi, mounting a third-period comeback that was squashed by an empty-netter. Orono then had nearly a mirror image game against New Prague, jumping out to a 2-0 lead and hanging on for the victory. Hutchinson visits Tuesday night before the big rematch against Mound Westonka that could seal up the top seed in 2A for Orono.

9. Warroad (11-9-2) (LW 10)
T 2-2 @ Roseau, L 5-9 @ Moorhead
Roseau has been in a bit of a tailspin lately, but coming away with a tie is a nice result for the Warriors, particularly after suffering a 5-0 loss to their rivals just a few weeks prior. Warroad managed to break out for five goals against a powerful Moorhead team, but unfortunately they gave up nine in the process. The tough sledding continues with a big sectional tilt versus EGF, followed by a visit from Bemidji.

10. Monticello (14-6-1) (LW 9)
L 2-3 vs LDC
The Moose suffered a tough loss to LDC, surrendering three goals in the third after staking a 2-0 lead, and drop back down slightly as a result. Monticello next faces a difficult game against Champlin Park, followed by two crucial section contests against Princeton and Chisago Lakes.

11. Greenway (8-13-0) (LW 12)
Idle
The Raiders' only game of the week against Eveleth was postponed. They still rise slightly based on the performance of other teams. Greenway‘s string of 7A opponents continues as they face Hibbing and International Falls, before hosting St. Paul Johnson Saturday.

12. Sartell-St. Stephen (14-6-0) (LW 11)
L 5-6 @ St. Cloud
The Sabres' struggles continue, as they fell to a so-so St. Cloud squad in their only game, and they continue to slide. A three-game week awaits Sartell, which includes the big rematch with Alex that will determine the two and three seeds in 6A, sandwiched between trips to Willmar and Mankato West.

13. Duluth Denfeld (9-7-3) (LW 13)
L 3-4 (OT) @ Pine City
After impressing last week, the Hunters coughed up a hairballl against Pine City, controlling most aspects of the game except the result on the scoreboard. Still, they don't fall based on the lack of teams qualified to jump up and grab this spot. Denfeld has three games this week, with 7A foes Eveleth and North Shore on deck, followed by a trip to Mariucci to face Holy Family.

14. Mankato East (12-6-1) (LW 18)
W 3-2 vs Albert Lea
The Cougars return to the top 15 for the first time in several weeks following their midseason doldrums. They have now won six in a row, and most likely wrapped up the top seed in 1A after defeating Albert Lea. East next has their final two sectional games, against rival West and Austin, then visit from South St. Paul.

15. Marshall (18-2–1) (LW 17)
W 4-3 @ Minnesota River
The Tigers bounce back into the top 15 after a one-week absence, thanks to a big win over MR. Marshall managed two goals in the final period, both from Mason Plante, including one with under a minute left to secure the victory. They next face off with 3A opponents Willmar and Luverne.

Next Five Up (what the heck, let’s rank ‘em):

16. Albert Lea (12-7-0) (LW 16)
L 2-3 @ Mankato East, W 4-0 vs Gentry

17. Minnesota River (16-4-0) (LW 14)
L 3-4 vs Marshall

18. Delano (10-9-1) (LW 20)
W 2-1 (OT) vs Hutchinson

19. Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato (11-8-3) (LW NR)
W 3-2 @ Monticello, T 3-3 vs Mound

20. Breck (10-10-1) (LW NR)
W 5-0 @ Princeton

Out: Mound Westonka (LW 15), North Branch (LW 19)

A few notes:
- LDC and Breck jump into the rankings after nice wins against 5A teams. LDC has been inconsistent, but seems to have a high upside when playing well.
- North Branch falls out after a 4-3 loss to Chisago Lakes in its only game of the week. The 5A playoffs are shaping up to be bonkers.
- Mound Westonka also dropped out after an ugly loss to Waconia and tying LDC. They are just maddeningly inconsistent.
- Honorable mentions go to Northfield, North Branch, Virginia, SWC/Richfield, and SPA (in no particular order).
- I swear there was no collusion with Elliott regarding our top seven teams. I didn't even look at his prior to finalizing mine; they just happen to be in the exact same order.

[Stang5280]

Having seenthe top 4 play live, maht is much better than Totino

"Tue, Jan 22 7:30 PM at Mahtomedi W 5-1 F win for Totino"

Maybe, but my rule is that who ever wins is the better team. (without another possibility (illness injury etc)
As time passes that fact dwindles but nothing has shown to change that (to me) to this point.
Fortunately that is why we play games in sections and not use some other method to determine who goes tot the X.

This, exactly. See my explanation for having TG at #3 in my rankings as well. While I do agree tha Mahtomedi has generally looked like the better team throughout the season, the overall bodies of work are similar enough, and head-to-head between the two teams is too recent (and decisive) to ignore. On the other hand, EGF trounced TG, but that was way back at the early part of the season and the Eagles have improved markedly since then.

[elliott70]

Stang, you are a genius with those top 7 picks, I debated on Breck but kept them back.

[pekyman]

Solid rankings. TRFalls is 8A though, right?

No they moved them last week since 7A is so crappy.

thanks

[Stang5280]

Stang, you are a genius with those top 7 picks, I debated on Breck but kept them back.

Mediocre minds think alike? The top seven were actually the most clear-cut for me, with the only potentially controversial decision being to drop EGF to #5. Next week will most likely shake up the order of that group a bit, but I think there is a gap between 7 and 8.

Breck is having a decent season, albeit inconsistent. After Minneapolis they finish off with Cathedral, Mahtomedi, and TG, so they are probably going to be bounced from the rankings soon anyway. Northfield is probably the team I’m guilty of shorting, and they will get a closer look next week.

[elliott70]

Mediocre???

[Stang5280]

Mediocre???

Well, maybe just speaking for myself, since we all know you are the true authority on all things hockey and otherwise on this board!

[karl(east)]

Enjoy this every week. Here's the latest PS2 (overall rank in parentheses):

1. Hermantown (8)
2. St. Cloud Cathedral (20)
3. Mahtomedi (26)
4. East Grand Forks (27)
5. Totino-Grace (28)
6. Alexandria (39)
7. Orono (42)
8. Sartell (47)
9. Greenway (48)
10. Warroad (50)
11. Thief River Falls (56)
12. Monticello (57)
13. Delano (61)
14. Breck (63)
15. Duluth Denfeld (68)
16. Marshall (70)
17. Albert Lea (71)
18. Northfield (73)
19. Virginia (75)
20. Minnesota River (76)
21. North Branch (78)
22. Mankato East (79)
23. Mound-Westonka (80)
24. Princeton (83)
25. Little Falls (84)

Stray comments:
-We've seen now that Mahtomedi and Cathedral can stick with Hermantown, so if they (or Totino) all go through, that sets up a great semifinal between the 2 and 3 seeds. The question then becomes whether the winner of the 4/5 game (EGF/Orono) can also give the Hawks a good game.
-In theory, whichever top 3 seed draws Monticello, again assuming top seeds advance, would have the unfortunate draw...though the Moose did just lose to Litchfield, so maybe not.
-Albert Lea seems to be on the rise in 1A, but they've lost to Mankato East, Lourdes, and MN River this season. That section is probably the most wide open one here.

[elliott70]

Contemplating section seeding - section predictions.....

[Benanderson6]

What are people thinking about section 2A? I think that this section is going to be a fun one to watch. Anyone can beat anyone in this section, just depends on the day. How would you rank them?

[Stang5280]

Enjoy this every week. Here's the latest PS2 (overall rank in parentheses):

Thanks for the kind words, Karl, and I also appreciate you posting the PS2 rankings since it saves me some work.

[Stang5280]

Class A vs A Games of the Week
(Ranked teams and/or major sectional implications, forgive any omissions)

Tuesday
Delano vs LDC
Minneapolis vs Breck
EGF vs Warroad
Eveleth vs Denfeld

Thursday
Monticello vs Princeton
Alexandria vs Sartell
Breck vs Cathedral
Mankato West vs Albert Lea
Greenway vs International Falls

Saturday
Cathedral vs Mahtomedi
Minneapolis vs Delano
EGF vs Alexandria
Orono vs Mound Westonka
Princeton vs North Branch

[elliott70]

What are people thinking about section 2A? I think that this section is going to be a fun one to watch. Anyone can beat anyone in this section, just depends on the day. How would you rank them?

If I had to pick one team it would be Orono.
But Mound cannot be overlooked.
Also, in my order Breck, Delano and SW Christian could win it.
Waconia and Minneapolis are capable of an upset.
Kennedy andProvidence I would call one and done, especially since they have the play in game.
In other words we have favorites but also very open.
Who ever comes out will not get a top 4 seed at the X.

[Stang5280]

What are people thinking about section 2A? I think that this section is going to be a fun one to watch. Anyone can beat anyone in this section, just depends on the day. How would you rank them?

2A is tricky because there are several sectional games remaining that could potentially swing seeding (Delano still has games against Minneapolis, Orono, and Mound, for example), but as of today I would be inclined to go as follows.
1. Orono
2. Mound Westonka
3. Breck
4. Delano
5. Minneapolis
6. Waconia
7. SWC/Richfield
8. Kennedy
9. Providence

[bardown27]

What are people thinking about section 2A? I think that this section is going to be a fun one to watch. Anyone can beat anyone in this section, just depends on the day. How would you rank them?

If I had to pick one team it would be Orono.
But Mound cannot be overlooked.
Also, in my order Breck, Delano and SW Christian could win it.
Waconia and Minneapolis are capable of an upset.
Kennedy andProvidence I would call one and done, especially since they have the play in game.
In other words we have favorites but also very open.
Who ever comes out will not get a top 4 seed at the X.

may not get a top 4 seed, but could potentially get the 5 seed and play the night cap game Wednesday night

[elliott70]

I agree, if it is Orono.

[TTpuckster]

Class A vs A Games of the Week
(Ranked teams and/or major sectional implications, forgive any omissions)

Tuesday
Delano vs LDC
Minneapolis vs Breck
EGF vs Warroad
Eveleth vs Denfeld

Thursday
Monticello vs Princeton
Alexandria vs Sartell
Breck vs Cathedral
Mankato West vs Albert Lea
Greenway vs International Falls

Saturday
Cathedral vs Mahtomedi
Minneapolis vs Delano
EGF vs Mound Westonka
Orono vs Mound Westonka
Princeton vs North Branch

On Saturday, I believe you mean EGF vs Alexandria.

[Stang5280]

On Saturday, I believe you mean EGF vs Alexandria.

Corrected, thanks. Interesting that they are playing a home-and-home outside of their conferences and sections.

[elliott70]

Section seeding prediction - playoff prediction
Section 1
1 Mankato East/Loyola
2 Minnesota River
3 Rochester Lourdes/Dover-Eyota
4 Albert Lea

To the X prediction - one of the top 3, too close to call right now.