karl(east) wrote:Funny, I thought this thread was about a game between Virginia and I-Falls, not a game between Virginia and Hibbing.
Amen, Karl! There is a topic (albeit a pretty pathetic discussion) for the Virginia/Hibbing game already. Carrying that same crap here isn't necessary! I was expecting a discussion about I Falls and Virginia, which was a pretty good matchup earlier this year in Virginia.
This might get long-winded, but since we're already at this stage and I have been saving it up, along with the fact that my eyes are bleeding from sifting through the BS...
<BEGIN RANT>
The banter in some of the other good rivalries like Warroad/Roseau and East/CEC doesn't ever stoop to this level. Its like two grade school kids fighting over a snowflake in mid-January.
To the Hibbonites:
You need to let go of some of the old history... Some of the facts being brought up were from when this year's team was in grade school or younger and have no bearing on what is going on now. Absorb the FACT that your team lost the game on Saturday by a pretty wide margin. You were not "homered"... you had more powerplays than Virginia and Virginia had two goals waived off, otherwise it could have been a running time game in the third period. It amazes me that when you win, you talk the talk and walk the walk; and when you lose, you still talk the talk and threaten to walk the walk next time. At some point perhaps giving the other team a little credit isn't such a bad idea. The fact that Virginia is 0-4 in its two state tournament appearances should not be used as a positive for your program... you LOST to them, remember? Doesn't speak well for what your team would have done now, does it? And bringing up what is happening at the bantam and peewee level doesn't help your case much either. Virginia never has strong showings at these level because most of their top players are already up on the JV and varsity teams. If you used that as a predictor, Virginia would never even compete for the IRC, let alone the section... yet, they still sent two teams to the state tournament in the past 5 years (who had similar results in peawees and bantams). Winning isn't everything at the youth level!
To the Virginians:
Relax and let the team do the talking while they are on the ice. Continuously bringing up the 7-1 game from last year, the last two section final games, and Hibbing's recent run in section final games is irrelevant to this year. Two Harbors beat Hibbing in 2005 (Virginia beat them 10-2 that year, yet both teams were in the section finals) and Greenway beat Virginia in 2007 (Greenway was 6-19-1 that year and Hibbing beat them 9-0 a week later), so to think that Hibbing can't win in the rematch in Hibbing is ignorant, especially in a rivalry game at home. History has proven nothing is a given! Imagine the horror, if, after all the talk, Hibbing knocks off your team in the section semi's as a #4 seed after getting the #1 seed! Don't think its not possible... but you should know that by now if you've followed Virginia hockey for any length of time. Some of the best teams in the state have failed to appear in St. Paul from Virginia (1991 anyone?).
To both sides:
Score comparisons between wins amongst common opponents is a useless argument. That has been proven time and time again on this forum. (Explain International Falls beating Eveleth this year 16-0 and then 4-1 in the rematch if you think that holds any valor.)
Fact corrections (from things I read in the absurd amount of discussion in way too many threads):
-*- Nathan Tromp did not play in goal for Hibbing against Virginia on Saturday. Tyler Rajkovich played the entire game and had 19 saves on 24 shots.
-*- Virginia did not score two 5 on 3 powerplay goals... only one... on one 5x3 chance. Overall, Virginia was 2/5 (with goals in two different periods) on the powerplay and Hibbing was 1/8, including a 5x3 of their own.
-*-The maylay at the end of the JV game resulted in two players from each team being booted for fighting and Hibbing's goal that led to the scrum came on a Hibbing powerplay, not with two Hibbing players in the penalty box. Both teams were looking for that fight, it wasn't the goal or a push/shove that started it.
-*- The last Virginia non-goal was waved off for man in the crease, not a high stick. The call was right (I've seen it in slow motion replay), Trey Carlson's skate was about three inches inside the blue paint when the puck went in. The puck went straight in and was not deflected by a stick, and even if it was, the puck never went above the crossbar, so a high stick wasn't the issue. The other no-goal call was also correct, the puck hit the inside of the pipe and never crossed the goal line (again I've seen it in slow motion).
-*- Both the Hibbing and Virginia bands have won countless awards over the years, many in national competitions for both. Neither really has more than the other. The sad fact is, neither was present on Saturday.
-*- Virginia does not have any cheerleaders for hockey. Haven't for many years. (I really don't understand why, every other school in the IRC has them. Even Ely has them.)
-*- Virginia has not racked up goals against weaker competition. In fact, their schedule has been quite a bit tougher than Hibbing's this year (for the first time in decades, I should add). Almost all of Virginia's games have been against class A teams that have been ranked at some point or against quality AA teams, with the exception of Eveleth and Proctor (although Proctor did just knocked off Duluth Marshall)
-*- Garrett Hendrickson is not the benficiary of a bunch of "phantom" assists. Almost all of Virginia's games are available to view on video or via highlight packages on the web. His assists are all there for all to see if you take the time to look for them. I did, and failed to find a single one.
-*- Virginia's colors are
royal blue, not
baby blue. Baby blue is the color of Bloomington Jefferson and Superior.
There were more, but you get the point... your all just spewing garbage, so I'll tip off the soap box now and fall onto my matress for the night. On that note,
lets bring this discussion back on topic.
<END RANT>
Virginia has struggled over the years after the bus ride up to Bronco Arena. They have had better teams statistically, but lost several times in recent history. Many players in this game have been part of that experience. I look for a lower scoring type game, 3-2 or 4-3. Flip a coin as to which team has the higher number when the buzzer sounds. Virginia has the ability to pull away if they get off the bus when the puck drops and not half-way through the game. Virginia finally is healthy for the first time since the opening game of the season, so that may help them. They have had one player or another out since the 3rd period of the second game of the year until Saturday against Hibbing. Eddy missed 2 weeks with a fractured wrist, Nichols missed a few games because of a concussion, and Jordan Krebsbach has missed half the season due to illness.) If the goaltending rotation stays intact, the Broncos will have to face Casey Myhre in goal, who appears to be the stronger of the Virginia tandem.
I Falls will need Christianson, McDonald and company to cash in on their opportunities; while Youso, Corrin, and the rest of the D corp have to play smart and not make some of the mistakes that cost them in Virginia earlier this year. If Walls gets the start in goal, he needs to be careful about how and when he plays the puck.
If your a Virginia fan, get on that fan bus. If your an I Falls fan, get your keister down to the arena, this should be a great game!
Thank you, Puckranger!