Hill-Murray / Aldrich Arena

[Sparlimb]

Once upon a time (when Sparlimb was young) there was a Saturday of section finals at the Met Center that went 4 games long. And I think they did that a few years in a row. Now I don't know if the sections were given deals back then or if there is stomach to do it again, but you could easily get a 4 game Saturday with a couple AA teams at the X, if it were made available.

The ultimate solution, which I'm waiting for, is for the Sports Center up here in Blaine to build another rink that actually seats 5000 people or so and then 4AA and 5AA can join back up.

Aldrich will be fine, as long as you show up for the 1st game 30 minutes early. If 4AA could ever get a game televised (they wait any longer it will be on the Hill-Murray television network that's about to be announced), then the rest of us could stay home. So I guess I'll watch Mahtomedi beat STA again if that's what it takes to see HM go to state...

It used to be 2 section final games on Friday night at Met Center and 2 on Saturday afternoon. Games use to be like this:

John Marshall/Mayo/Apple Valley vs. Burnsville (Section 1)
Jefferson vs Kennedy (Section 5)
Hill vs WBL (Section 3)
Edina vs. Richfeld/Minnetonka/EP (Section 6)

I enjoyed that more as a kid than I think the state tournament. I think it would be cool to do at Mariucci like this again, but Friday/Saturday night are Gopher games and it wouldn't work logistically every year.

Pretty sure I watched at last 3 games at Met Center on a Saturday and thought it was 4. It was the year Austin won section 1 and was the worst team I've ever seen go to state (and they won a game, so what do I know). I wouldn't be surprised if my memory is off though. Too many section finals are all running together.

[pioneers]

From 1983-1992 Sections 1,3,5 and 6 had their finals at Met Center.
In 1993, Sections 1,2,3,5 and 6 had their finals at Met Center. After that they were held in different locations. Austin beat Owatonna 2-1 in OT in 93, so that may be the year you are thinking of.

[Traxler]

Were the Section 4AA and 5AA tickets at the Coliseum on sale prior to the games in previous years? I always bought them at the door thinking that was the only way I could buy them.

[Wblhcky2424]

Were the Section 4AA and 5AA tickets at the Coliseum on sale prior to the games in previous years? I always bought them at the door thinking that was the only way I could buy them.

Just at the door, Im pretty sure

[WestMetro]

I get over to Aldrich 2-3 times per year, good arena still, and don't have to freeze to death to enjoy a good game

I had to quit going to the Coliseum playoffs many years ago, too cold for me. Listened to Stillwaters upset on livestream radio, one of the great upsets ever.

Is Stillwater a top 15 team? Can they beat the Pioneers on home ice?

[Wblhcky2424]

How do you get too cold in an arena with the body heat of 5,000 people? I could wear a t shirt in that place and be fine

[nu2hockey]

The walk to the coloseum in -20 F could be tough.
Once inside it was warm, but that parking and walk was a different story

[East Side Pioneer Guy]

Holding the 4AA final at Aldrich by itself is highly questionable. Holding both 4A and 4AA in the same session is beyond questionable. If the start times are 3 hours apart and most people form the first game leave, that may be helpful, but it will still be chaotic. Maybe the first game should be at 5 and the night cap at 9.

The Xcel hosts the wrestling tournament that weekend, so that's not a possibility.

I'd prefer all rinks be Olympic size. But that train has long left the station, and it does seem odd to hold key playoff games on a big sheet, when games before and after it are held on smaller sheets.

As much as I hate to say it, this may be headed for the Target Center. It's a terrible place to watch a hockey game. No atmosphere. Maybe it's just because I'm from Saint Paul but I don't care for the parking situation.

Not much has been mentioned recently, but the Wild still hope to have you and I engage in another act of business socialism and build them a practice arena across the street from the X. While I'm loath to allow another private corporation to feed further at the public trough and I'll never support it, a 5K seat arena would fill a need, if only for a few days each year.

The U is a public institution that is not afraid of going to the capitol for funding, and it's reasonable to think they could be a little more accommodating to their primary feeder system (MN HS hockey.)

Although good alternatives are not readily available, it's really hard to believe more than one person thinks having the 4A and 4AA finals together is even plausible. I've never missed an H-M section final. Wonder what I'll have to do to make sure I'm in the building for the next one.

[almostashappy]

Not much has been mentioned recently, but the Wild still hope to have you and I engage in another act of business socialism and build them a practice arena across the street from the X. While I'm loath to allow another private corporation to feed further at the public trough and I'll never support it, a 5K seat arena would fill a need, if only for a few days each year.

This again? Haven't heard any talk of this for a couple of years. And then, it was supposedly going to be a 3k seat facility, to keep the team from being inconvenienced by needing to practice elsewhere 14 days a year.

http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_210 ... -help-team

Best idea of using this kind of facility would be to put the state tourney consolation games there, rather than at Mariucci. That way you could walk from consolation bracket games to the X. Of course MSHSL would never do it, because they wouldn't then be able to force season ticket holders to buy tickets to games that they don't want to attend.

[pioneers]

Stopped by Aldrich on Friday night. Construction is coming along nicely. Sounds like December 19th is the target date for completion.

[stpaul]

Congratulations to Jacob Olson for his commitment to Harvard!

[pioneers]

Found this on mshsl.org Section 4A

Feb 17, 18, 2015 Pig
Tail (Aldrich)
Feb 19, 20, 2015
Quarters (Aldrich)
Feb 25, 2015 Semi-Finals
(Roseville)
Feb 27, 2015 Final
(Roseville)

[pioneers]

4AA

Quarter Final Feb. 21, 2015 @ Aldrich Arena
Semis Feb. 24, and 25 Finals 27, 2015 @ Aldrich Arena

Also 5AA final at Aldrich Feb 26th

[stpaul]

I like the D. Zarembinski, Olson, Staum & Anderson are very solid. Besides Zach Mills where is the scoring going to come from?

Varsity Roster
# Name Pos Grade
1 Jake Begley G 10
6 Frank Seiler F 12
7 Davis Zarembinski D 12
8 Luke Ranallo F 11
9 Kyler Yeo F 10
10 Joey Baumann F 11
11 Noah Ondrusik F 12
12 Tyler Nowak F 12
14 Zach Mills F 12
15 Dylan Mills F 9
16 Austin Peterson D 11
17 Sean Ryan D 11
18 Jacob Olson D 12
19 Casey Staum D 11
20 Brock Bremer F 10
21 Jake Wittl F 12
22 Marko Reifenberger F 10
24 Mikey Anderson D 9
25 Ricky Zellmer F 12
33 Sean Wendlandt G 12

[pioneers]

I like the D. Zarembinski, Olson, Staum & Anderson are very solid. Besides Zach Mills where is the scoring going to come from?

Varsity Roster
# Name Pos Grade
1 Jake Begley G 10
6 Frank Seiler F 12
7 Davis Zarembinski D 12
8 Luke Ranallo F 11
9 Kyler Yeo F 10
10 Joey Baumann F 11
11 Noah Ondrusik F 12
12 Tyler Nowak F 12
14 Zach Mills F 12
15 Dylan Mills F 9
16 Austin Peterson D 11
17 Sean Ryan D 11
18 Jacob Olson D 12
19 Casey Staum D 11
20 Brock Bremer F 10
21 Jake Wittl F 12
22 Marko Reifenberger F 10
24 Mikey Anderson D 9
25 Ricky Zellmer F 12
33 Sean Wendlandt G 12

If the scrimmages are any indication, Bill had Zach, Dylan and Wittl on a line and they scored all but one of the goals. Casey Staum suffered a concussion during the GR scrimmage, so not sure how he is doing.

[team22tank]

Does anyone know how the Hill Murray vs Burnsville JV game went?

[pioneers]

H-M won 4-1

[team22tank]

H-M won 4-1

Thanks! Any idea how the game went? Was it fairly close, lopsided, etc.?

[East Side Pioneer Guy]

Does anyone know which semifinal will feature the #1 seed? As usual, the MSHSL site doesn't have complete bracket info.

[Sparlimb]

Does anyone know which semifinal will feature the #1 seed? As usual, the MSHSL site doesn't have complete bracket info.

My guess would be the first night. #1 seed should get the extra day of rest.

[Nuts&Bolts]

#1 seed in AA has typically gotten the premier TV time slot so Thursday night at 6:00. The 4/5 seeds get the night cap. Seeds 2 & 3 play unseeded teams Thursday afternoon. Best session other than Friday night semis is 'easily' the Thursday night tilt.

[inthetwine]

#1 seed in AA has typically gotten the premier TV time slot so Thursday night at 6:00. The 4/5 seeds get the night cap. Seeds 2 & 3 play unseeded teams Thursday afternoon. Best session other than Friday night semis is 'easily' the Thursday night tilt.

I think they are talking about section tourny, not state.