Section 1A 2006

[I35hockey]

A.L. 5<br>West 2<br><br>HUGE "UP" for the Tigers!<br><br>I'll take them in an upset (would it really be an upset) next Tuesday over Austin! <p></p><i></i>

[miller09]

The Faribault New ulm game would of been a close game but the refs completly took Faribault out of the game i have never seen such one sided game in my life. <p></p><i></i>

[Ozzie89]

I know that refs can cause a little dent in the score but I don't really think thats what happened here. Don't blame the refs just because u got beat. <p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://p100.ezboard.com/bmnhs.showUserP ... Ozzie89</A> at: 2/16/06 10:32 am<br></i>

[SEhockeyDAD]

Faribault lost to New Ulm 6-3, not by 11. However, I will say that the last time Faribault played Roch M/L, Faribault was way too concerned with playing a physical game. If playing physical gains a team an advantage, fine, but in this case they still lost and spent too many minutes in the box when they should have been trying to score more goals. JMO, but why try to pound bodies when it doesn't show up on the scoreboard? <p></p><i></i>

[ALdude9]

AL vs. Austin <br><br>I take AL 4-2 over austin <p></p><i></i>

[falkster09]

Ill take New Prague and Albert Lea to be playing Thursday night. <p></p><i></i>

[miller09]

Looking on the minnesota state high school leauge scores it looks as if faribault handed it to roch both games, help me see how you can see that it was a rough game? <p></p><i></i>

[dublrunr]

<!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong>For the benefit of non-Big 9 or Section 1A visitors:</strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END--><br>Any AL/Austin matchup is huge because they are only 20 miles apart and have been competitors at <!--EZCODE UNDERLINE START--><span style="text-decoration:underline">everything</span><!--EZCODE UNDERLINE END--> for the last 150 years. Both towns were founded in 1856 and they have been rivals ever since.<br><br>Handicapping the Valentine's Day contest:<br><br><!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong>Star vs Star: Faber vs Hillman</strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END--><br>Top AHS all time scorer vs Top ALHS/Top 13 MN History<br>Advantage: Albert Lea<br><br><!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong>Next 4 scorers</strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END--><br>Even on goals, but Albert Lea is more evenly distributed<br>Jenkins has almost 60% of that group's goals<br>No clear advantage but favoring AL's distribution- because it is more difficult to defend against.<br><br><!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong>Distribution of Scoring:</strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END--><br>Albert Lea has more girls with goals. Austin relies heavily on Faber and Jenkins to do all the heavy lifting.<br>Advantage: Albert Lea<br><br><!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong>Netminder vs Netminder: Olchefske vs Snyder</strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END--><br>Regular season- all opponents: Austin<br>Head to Head- Albert Lea +1<br>Sections- Albert Lea +1<br>Snyder has given up 3 goals to lower seeded opponents<br>1- #15 and 2- #7<br>Olchefske gave up 0 to #11 East and 2 to #3 West<br>Advantage: Albert Lea<br><br><!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong>Stamina/Late Scoring:</strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END--><br>Albert Lea is still strong in the 3rd period, Austin fades<br>Advantage: Albert Lea<br><br><!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong>Against each other:</strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END--><br>1st game: AL 3 Austin 1<br>2nd game: Austin 5 AL 4<br><br><!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong>Against West:</strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END--><br>Albert Lea: 1-1-1<br>Austin: 0-2-0<br>Psychological Advantage: Albert Lea<br><br><!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong>Summary:</strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END--><br>Either team can win. <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--><em>Pardon the blinding flash of the obvious.</em><!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> The #6 seed goes into the game holding the better hand, but the wild card is still "who wants it more." If AL plays like they did against West and neutralizes Faber and Jenkins, they go to the Section Finals.<br><br>Albert Lea 5, Austin 2 (+- a goal either way)<br>The upside for Austin is I stink at forecasting.<br> <p></p><i></i>

[SEhockeyDAD]

My question is; what was happening with AL from new years until about a week ago? Their record was abysmal, their 7 losses includng losses to Winona, Faribault and Roch JM/C. Now that they've beat Mankato West in the playoffs, are they back to what we expected them to be when the season started? I thing their players and goatending are much better than their record. <p></p><i></i>

[hcky23]

Very good aspect on the 2 teams dublrunr. Thanks for the input. <p></p><i></i>

[dublrunr]

IMHO Two factors:<br><br>1) No one was going to catch M/L, so a Big 9 title was out. This freed the coaches to experiment with different player combinations. The only important consideration was to get 2, 3, 6 or 7 seed and be out of New Prague's bracket but get a first (and preferably second) round home game. <br><br>The time for experimentation has passed and there is stability. Everyone knows who will be where and when. <br><br>2) Single elimination has the girls focused and working together. For Hillman, Bagley and Stewart, their HS career ends with the next loss. The leaders are leading, the followers are responding and everyone is doing what they are supposed to be doing. <br><br>Once they upended West, the team knew they could beat Austin. Confidence and momentum are powerful allies. <p></p><i></i>

[hcky4lif]

Albert Lea had some players that could not play causing the lines to be moved around a little bit <p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://p100.ezboard.com/bmnhs.showUserP ... cky4lif</A> at: 2/12/06 7:54 pm<br></i>

[dasherdude]

Congrats to Coach Falk and his AL girl's. I didn't see that one coming... <br> <br>If AL can get 2-3 out of the Klick, Bagley and Passingham line they'll win. AL needs to take advantage their balanced scoring attack, stay out of the box and limit the number of quality scoring opportunities that Austin's first line will get. It will be a long night for AL if Faber or Jenkins have a lot of time and space. Faber/Jenkins accounted for 4 of the 5 goals in the two teams last meeting. Fatigue might be factor in the 3rd, as Jenkins and Faber get a lot of ice time. <p></p><i></i>

[falkster09]

I think that if AL plays at the caliber they did against West, they will have no problem advancing. I personally thought that West was the second best team in the section at the beginning of playoffs. <p></p><i></i>

[dasherdude]

Falkster09,<br>IF...they play the caliber they should advance. The girls have proven to be quite inconsistent this year. <br><br>Key to the game is limiting the number of chances that Faber and Jenkins get. Faber is the type of player who can win the game all by herself. She's going to get some chances, but if AL can limit that number they should win. AL can attack Austin with 2 solid lines, Austin just isn't deep enough to beat AL if Faber and Jenkins don't score. Look at what happened in the teams first meeting, 3-1 AL with no points for Faber or Jenkins. <p></p><i></i>

[falkster09]

The key to that game in my mind is that AL got the last switch so they could put their top defenders on the ice whenever those 2 were out. Without that switch, we will have to see who steps up and takes control. <p></p><i></i>

[SEhockeyDAD]

I believe that Kristen Faber is easier to defend the more times a team sees her. However, it seems to me they've let her float in the neutral zone quite a bit lately. Besides giving her space to work, she can conserve a lot more energy that way. She's probably most dangerous though, when she's on the point during a power play; wicked shot, and Taylor Jenkins knows wher to be for rebounds. <p></p><i></i>

[hcky23]

Sounds like Albert Lea has the chance if they close them down. They have done it before and they can do it again. I also think that Albert Lea is faster all around and has stronger defense. But this is a huge rivalry whoever comes to play and wants it more will pull out with the win. I am sure Austin is feeling more pressure because of them being the higher seed etc. I guess we will find out tomorrow night. <p></p><i></i>

[dasherdude]

If AL gets the last switch, like falkster09 said, that's huge. I'd expect to see Sarah Jensen to move up to a forward position along side Laura Hillman and Jenna Christensen. Jensen's will man-up Faber. Hillman and/or Christensen can handle Jenkins. <br>AL's second unit needs to step up and put, at least, a couple away. I don't know much about Austin's second unit, but I'm not sure they can handle Klick and Passingham's (if she plays, I heard she was hurt) forecheck.<br>I look for fatigue to be a big factor. Faber is going to get tired having to face Jensen at every turn for 51 minutes. <p></p><i></i>

[falkster09]

Everyone from AL is healthy and will play tonight including Passingham and the defensemen Marissa Cotrell. Should be a great game in this huge rivalry. <p></p><i></i>

[falkster09]

Tough loss for AL, but Austin played extremely well tonight and probably deserved to win this game. Good luck to Austin throughout the rest of the year. <p></p><i></i>

[ALdude9]

Wat was the final score? <p></p><i></i>

[dasherdude]

Austin 7 - Albert Lea 2<br><br>Austin wanted it more and it showed. Austin was the better team last night.<br> <p></p><i></i>

[hockeydad]

Predictions????<br><br>I'll go with New Prague, 5-1 <p></p><i></i>

[falkster09]

Ill take NP by at least 6. <p></p><i></i>