HighSchoolHockeyForums.com

greenway1969 wrote:Looks like Rapids is going to struggle to be above .500. With talented players and success at the youth level what is going wrong at the high school level?

Coach?

...

Traxler wrote:

greenway1969 wrote:Looks like Rapids is going to struggle to be above .500. With talented players and success at the youth level what is going wrong at the high school level?

Coach?

Lack of execution by the players.

Mattson has a Patrick White caliber shot. Needs to start pulling that trigger more often.

After looking at their schedule closer I would put them at .500 or a game either way. Christmas Eve and they are irrelevant in any section seeding talk. Will have to knock someone off in the playoffs. Setting my gaze forward to the Hounds.

Grand Rapids has a chance to get back on track starting tomorrow in the Perpich North-South Challenge.

Monday vs. Mahtomedi at 7:30 PM
Tuesday vs. St. Francis at 7:30 PM
Wednesday vs. Brainerd at 3:00 PM

Here is the Mahtomedi game preview:

http://grhshockey.com/teams/default.asp ... wsID=34266

Looks like murders row?

mulefarm wrote:Looks like murders row?

That's a good line Mulefarm

Rapids drops another. Mahtomedi 5, Rapids 3. The wheels have come off. I predicted Rapids would go 15-10 this year, looks more like 10-15. Maybe they can break their 8 game losing streak tomorrow against St. Francis.

Maybe the DJ can put a record on and start spinning it. No higher than the 4 seed for GR and they don't make it past the semis. Say what you want but 7AA and 8AA are 2 sections that are way down this year.

This team has plenty of talent. What they are lacking,only the Wizard of Oz can supply. Heart.

TennJed wrote:This team has plenty of talent. What they are lacking,only the Wizard of Oz can supply. Heart.

While I agree with the lack of heart comment, I have to say, I don't see the plenty of talent. The players that should stand out won't and the players you want to stand out don't. It pains me to say that because I am all orange and black but I gotta call it like I sees it.

grandindian wrote:

TennJed wrote:This team has plenty of talent. What they are lacking,only the Wizard of Oz can supply. Heart.

While I agree with the lack of heart comment, I have to say, I don't see the plenty of talent. The players that should stand out won't and the players you want to stand out don't. It pains me to say that because I am all orange and black but I gotta call it like I sees it.

I would agree with you. Serviceable forwards but pretty lean team on defense. Expectations might have been a bit too high from some of the fans.

Although lack of heart or effort has been apparent in other games that wasn't the case last night. They skated hard and played with intensity throughout the contest. The top forwards were good at moving the puck and controlling possession. According to the arena scoreboard they put up almost twice as many shots, I think it was 37-19. Bischoff looked outstanding for most of the night. His second goal of the game was waved off apparently from a whistle because the goalie covered the puck? Hmm not so much. Unfortunate.

Special teams and goaltending is killing this team. Rapids gave up 3 pp goals and a shorty and failed to convert on a minute and a half of 5-3. Frustrating to watch and see outcomes like this when the team outplays their opponent but still loses.

There are still plenty of things to fix. Mainly goaltending and decision making. Burt played last night and I was not impressed. At one point according to the arena shots counter he gave up 5 goals on 15 shots, ouch. Gerth has looked the best in net even if his numbers don't indicate that. Almost half way through the year I would expect the goalie carousel to be done. Better decisions have to be made by defenseman and young forwards so passes aren't intercepted for a breakaway. There are some talented first year varsity players but they have lots of developing to do. Ahh growing pains of a young team.

I wouldn't put much stock in the shot clock in the rink. The Hub has it much closer.

GR has several high-end forwards, but doesn't seem to have much depth. They shortened the lines pretty early in the third period and they were spent with 6-7 minutes left in the game. The SH goal broke their back and they didn't have the energy to mount much of a push the rest of the game.

Grand Rapids finally breaks the losing streak: http://grhshockey.com/teams/default.asp ... wsID=34301

Here is the story from last night's loss to Mahtomedi: http://grhshockey.com/teams/default.asp ... wsID=34289

Grand Rapids beat Brainerd 5-2 and outshot them 48-11 in the process.

http://www.grhshockey.com/teams/default ... wsID=34304

Grand Rapids heads to the metro to take on Andover and Hopkins to cap off a busy week. The team will play 5 games in 6 days! Here is the primer for the weekend:

http://grhshockey.com/teams/default.asp ... wsID=34325

Grand Rapids 4, Andover 1

Here is your recap: Thunderhawks take Huskies for big 7AA victory!

http://grhshockey.com/teams/default.asp ... wsID=34332

This team is stacked with talent
That nobody knows about , put
Joe Broking as head coach they
Win state 2 out of the 3 years or
Maybe a three peat and no I am not
Crazy that is what this team is capable of
If coached right and their are not young enough
With that excuse about that !

Cannot remember last time duluth east and Grand Rapids are not
Listed in let's play hockey rankings. Been a long time!

Grand Rapids, Hopkins skate to 2-2 tie to end five game week for both teams

http://grhshockey.com/teams/default.asp ... wsID=34342

Grand Rapids continues its tough schedule with a trip to top ranked Hermantown Tuesday

http://grhshockey.com/teams/default.asp ... wsID=34368

I would agree that the team has the talent to have a great season. Talent alone is not enough obviously. The players need to work as a unit and buy into the system that the staff is trying to develop. I have watched the GR bantams the last couple years and there is no reason that I can see that this team should not succeed in high school. Hopefully they (meaning the players AND coaches) can right this ship and hang tough with their difficult schedule. It will serve them well later. Come on Thawks!
Have NOT given up on them.

Welp.

http://www.hometeamsonline.com/teams/de ... wsID=34389