Anything can happen tonight
Posted: Sat Mar 13, 2010 3:04 pm
I don't even know where to begin to make a prediction for this potential classic tonight.
Since the seeds were set, I fully expected a Tonka-Edina final. In an ideal world, both teams would be "rested" and ready to play their best game. But that's not how this tourney goes sometimes as we know.
I saw two of the three Tonka-Edina games this year. I think both teams learned valuable lessons from each of those games. When Tonka thumped Edina 7-1 at Pagel I think Edina learned that if you don't move at top speed vs. Tonka you're going to get blown off the ice.
In the final game at Braemar the first period looked like a repeat as Tonka put on a clinic and built a 4-0 lead. Then Tonka went to sleep and to Edina's credit, they came out flying in the second and third, clawed back to a tie and eventual overtime win 5-4. I think Tonka learned in that game that if they fall asleep, stop moving the feet, and don't finish checks, any good team can beat them, any day.
Tonka may have fallen asleep a bit last night but you have to give HM credit for playing a great game too.
While Tonka has had the better of Edina this year overall, I have seen stretches in games where each team totally dominated the other for peroids of time. Now throw in that Tonka played two games last night, and things get really interesting tonight.
I could see any number of outcomes tonight.
-Edina comes out with fresh legs and builds a lead which a "tired" Tonka team is unable to overcome.
-Tonka runs on adrenaline and comes out thumping and flying and plays a great game, and puts a few "easy" goals past the Edina goaltender and wins handily.
-The two battle it out evenly punching back and forth for a one goal game in a tourney classic.
As big of a Tonka fan as I am, I could see either team winning this game, and possibly by more than two goals. No outcome would surprise me tonight.
One sometimes overlooked aspect of the Tonka team is the forwards, who do have the ability to explode offensively.
In the end my gut tells me that Krueger and Tonka's D may make the difference. It will probably be a battle to the end, and a close game.
I'll take Tonka 4-3 in a classic battle.
Go Skippers!
Since the seeds were set, I fully expected a Tonka-Edina final. In an ideal world, both teams would be "rested" and ready to play their best game. But that's not how this tourney goes sometimes as we know.
I saw two of the three Tonka-Edina games this year. I think both teams learned valuable lessons from each of those games. When Tonka thumped Edina 7-1 at Pagel I think Edina learned that if you don't move at top speed vs. Tonka you're going to get blown off the ice.
In the final game at Braemar the first period looked like a repeat as Tonka put on a clinic and built a 4-0 lead. Then Tonka went to sleep and to Edina's credit, they came out flying in the second and third, clawed back to a tie and eventual overtime win 5-4. I think Tonka learned in that game that if they fall asleep, stop moving the feet, and don't finish checks, any good team can beat them, any day.
Tonka may have fallen asleep a bit last night but you have to give HM credit for playing a great game too.
While Tonka has had the better of Edina this year overall, I have seen stretches in games where each team totally dominated the other for peroids of time. Now throw in that Tonka played two games last night, and things get really interesting tonight.
I could see any number of outcomes tonight.
-Edina comes out with fresh legs and builds a lead which a "tired" Tonka team is unable to overcome.
-Tonka runs on adrenaline and comes out thumping and flying and plays a great game, and puts a few "easy" goals past the Edina goaltender and wins handily.
-The two battle it out evenly punching back and forth for a one goal game in a tourney classic.
As big of a Tonka fan as I am, I could see either team winning this game, and possibly by more than two goals. No outcome would surprise me tonight.
One sometimes overlooked aspect of the Tonka team is the forwards, who do have the ability to explode offensively.
In the end my gut tells me that Krueger and Tonka's D may make the difference. It will probably be a battle to the end, and a close game.
I'll take Tonka 4-3 in a classic battle.
Go Skippers!
