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I think the head-to-head results with EP and Blaine may cost Hill a seed, leaving them as a random draw along with East and Bemidji. But given the quality of the field this season, I don't think seeds really matter a whole lot, other than to make sure Edina and North can't meet until the final. Unless Stillwater wins tonight, no one has a first round gimme. East is probably the preferable opponent since they lack the upperclass top-end talent of everyone else in the field, but their results since mid-January show they won't be an easy out. They have a one-goal loss to North and the STA game was tight until the middle of the 3rd, and they're playing better now than they were at the time of those ones. Edina is a different story, but I don't think anyone is going to beat Edina anyway.

OGEE OGELTHORPE wrote:My guess is Bemidji vs Hill_Murray in the quarters...

Bemidji will blow them out of the rink 6-1.

Hope you are right but, they lost to EGF and Hermantown by a combined score of 10-2!

bemused wrote:

OGEE OGELTHORPE wrote:My guess is Bemidji vs Hill_Murray in the quarters...

Bemidji will blow them out of the rink 6-1.

Hope you are right but, they lost to EGF and Hermantown by a combined score of 10-2!

Really?

8-1 then.

karl(east) wrote:I think the head-to-head results with EP and Blaine may cost Hill a seed, leaving them as a random draw along with East and Bemidji. But given the quality of the field this season, I don't think seeds really matter a whole lot, other than to make sure Edina and North can't meet until the final. Unless Stillwater wins tonight, no one has a first round gimme. East is probably the preferable opponent since they lack the upperclass top-end talent of everyone else in the field, but their results since mid-January show they won't be an easy out. They have a one-goal loss to North and the STA game was tight until the middle of the 3rd, and they're playing better now than they were at the time of those ones. Edina is a different story, but I don't think anyone is going to beat Edina anyway.

I agree with you 100%. East will not be as easy of an out as some people think and Edina will be the team no one wants to play. As someone familiar with East (Not a fan in any way, but have a ton of respect for their accomplishments), I would love to see them face North in the quarter finals. I will guarantee, the players now, even though most were not on the team, remember being the favorite and matching up with Lakeville South, who everyone thought would be the easiest out. Well South took down East and destroyed Easts plans for a 4th State title. I think East can go in this year as the underdog and take down the undefeated Lakeville North team. Now if they draw Edina, I don't think East has a chance.

mn miracle man wrote:Bemidji will surprise, if not seeded, they will give someone a run for their money. Defense can make all the difference with this squad, something those metro teams haven't necessarily seen a whole lot this season.

And when Bemidji faced a team that had offense of power how did they do?
It was a 6-1 loss to Hermantown......

Don't get me wrong Bemidji is a well coached disciplined team. They play a grind it out style of hockey. Defensive minded fast paced both ways. The kind of hockey I like to watch. But like Moorhead I believe they lack the player who can take it end to end and score. And I know the top three or four teams have those players...
Also has Bemidji ever played in the Excel? I don't think Bemidji wants the #4/#5 slot or the quarterfinal matchup against LN. Playing in the Excel second session prime time TV evening game could be a major disadvantage.

Potatohead9 wrote:

mn miracle man wrote:Bemidji will surprise, if not seeded, they will give someone a run for their money. Defense can make all the difference with this squad, something those metro teams haven't necessarily seen a whole lot this season.

And when Bemidji faced a team that had offense of power how did they do?
It was a 6-1 loss to Hermantown......

Don't get me wrong Bemidji is a well coached disciplined team. They play a grind it out style of hockey. Defensive minded fast paced both ways. The kind of hockey I like to watch. But like Moorhead I believe they lack the player who can take it end to end and score. And I know the top three or four teams have those players...
Also has Bemidji ever played in the Excel? I don't think Bemidji wants the #4/#5 slot or the quarterfinal matchup against LN. Playing in the Excel second session prime time TV evening game could be a major disadvantage.

Hermantown is an excellent hockey team. But missing four players put the BJacks at a big disadvantage.

Im guessing Hill will get the 3 seed, STA 4, and EP 5. Blaine could make a decent case for 5, but will come up short.

(See other thread " Bemidji route to the Championship game" . Many Section 8 people have sworn Bemidji is better than last years Roseau team! They also got some size . Tharaldson great save percent. Elliott convinced and converted me about a month ago. My group is very excited about seeing the Jacks Thursday, whoever they draw)

1 LVN vs. 8 DE
4 HM vs. 5 Blaine
2 Edina vs. 7 EP
3 STA vs. 6 Bemidji

??

Mnhockeys wrote:1 LVN vs. 8 DE
4 HM vs. 5 Blaine
2 Edina vs. 7 EP
3 STA vs. 6 Bemidji

??

Not many folks have HM in the top 5. Based on their losses to EP and Blaine will hurt them in the eyes of the coaches.

WestMetro wrote:Im guessing Hill will get the 3 seed, STA 4, and EP 5. Blaine could make a decent case for 5, but will come up short.

(See other thread " Bemidji route to the Championship game" . Many Section 8 people have sworn Bemidji is better than last years Roseau team! They also got some size . Tharaldson great save percent. Elliott convinced and converted me about a month ago. My group is very excited about seeing the Jacks Thursday, whoever they draw)

Explain why you would put HM ahead of STA and EP.

Don't know what logic the let's play hockey rankers used, but my guess matches theirs. A person could easily argue the other way as well. My own logic is the same reasons as I see as them being the most potentially likely to pull off a big upset sometime along the way: Jacob Olsen and Bill Lechner

elliott70 wrote:

Potatohead9 wrote:

mn miracle man wrote:Bemidji will surprise, if not seeded, they will give someone a run for their money. Defense can make all the difference with this squad, something those metro teams haven't necessarily seen a whole lot this season.

And when Bemidji faced a team that had offense of power how did they do?
It was a 6-1 loss to Hermantown......

Don't get me wrong Bemidji is a well coached disciplined team. They play a grind it out style of hockey. Defensive minded fast paced both ways. The kind of hockey I like to watch. But like Moorhead I believe they lack the player who can take it end to end and score. And I know the top three or four teams have those players...
Also has Bemidji ever played in the Excel? I don't think Bemidji wants the #4/#5 slot or the quarterfinal matchup against LN. Playing in the Excel second session prime time TV evening game could be a major disadvantage.

Hermantown is an excellent hockey team. But missing four players put the BJacks at a big disadvantage.

Hope I'm wrong, but I don't see Bemidji winning a game down there.
Best of luck to the both NORTH teams!

WestMetro wrote:Don't know what logic the let's play hockey rankers used, but my guess matches theirs. A person could easily argue the other way as well. My own logic is the same reasons as I see as them being the most potentially likely to pull off a big upset sometime along the way: Jacob Olsen and Bill Lechner

Good enough thanks, personally I think they should be in the 4 slot. If they get there. I think LPH dropped STA below HM because of loss to HF. HM lost 7 but 3 came to LVN and Edina, STA has not played either yet. STA lost 4 so that makes them about dead even. They split head to head- lost by 1 and won by 2, goal differential +1 STA. Plus the loss was in OT, outside. The win was at Aldrich more recently.

If Snow plays like he did last night, 5-6 very nice saves only gave one up on the PK and 14-16 garden variety, they may get to play both Edina and LVN no matter the seeding. Tall task. The road to the top will be rough, this ain't single A.

Thank goodness for the late AD Jack Zarr allowing the move up. Though another title game with Hermantown would be interesting!!! I think this year STA would be the underdog

2) Edina vs Bemidji

3) St Thomas Academy vs Blaine

1) Lakeville North vs Duluth East

4) Hill Murray vs Eden Prairie

chester1991 wrote:2) Edina vs Bemidji

3) St Thomas Academy vs Blaine

1) Lakeville North vs Duluth East

4) Hill Murray vs Eden Prairie

Being a northern MN guy, I hope neither Bemidji or East play Edina. I realize North is undefeated, but I believe Edina is the best team. This is how I hope it plays out.

2) Edina vs Blaine

3) St. Thomas Academy vs Bemidji

1) Lakeville North vs Duluth East

4) Eden Prairie vs 5) Hill Murray

What I would really like is for Bemidji to get the 5 seed, but I just don't see the city teams giving them the credit due to the lack of city teams on Bemidji's schedule.

jonandrews13 wrote:Man, all this Bemidji talk has turned me into a believer. Hope they live up to the hype and have a great tournament showing. Looks like a very solid field of teams this year. Can't wait!

I'll be cheering for an all northern final of Duluth East vs. Bemidji. Yes, quite the longshot, but I'd have a lot more enjoyment out of that than a rematch of last year's final.

Traxler wrote:

jonandrews13 wrote:Man, all this Bemidji talk has turned me into a believer. Hope they live up to the hype and have a great tournament showing. Looks like a very solid field of teams this year. Can't wait!

I'll be cheering for an all northern final of Duluth East vs. Bemidji. Yes, quite the longshot, but I'd have a lot more enjoyment out of that than a rematch of last year's final.

Really a loooooooonnnng shot, Edina vs. sta in the final if the sta moms can stay out being obnoxious.

curtiscurve wrote:

chester1991 wrote:2) Edina vs Bemidji

3) St Thomas Academy vs Blaine

1) Lakeville North vs Duluth East

4) Hill Murray vs Eden Prairie

Being a northern MN guy, I hope neither Bemidji or East play Edina. I realize North is undefeated, but I believe Edina is the best team. This is how I hope it plays out.

2) Edina vs Blaine

3) St. Thomas Academy vs Bemidji

1) Lakeville North vs Duluth East

4) Eden Prairie vs 5) Hill Murray

What I would really like is for Bemidji to get the 5 seed, but I just don't see the city teams giving them the credit due to the lack of city teams on Bemidji's schedule.

My bad, Hill Murray will not get seeded. As someone else mentioned, they have a 1-7 record against tournament teams. Swap Blaine and HM. In this scenario, Bemidji could have a legit argument to be seeded ahead of Blaine. I think Bemidji could take out EP.

After LN an Edina, it's a real traffic jam, based on what I see above.

My only input that could have any value is: No one should want to play Blaine in the Quarters. The Bengals have won about 20 in a row and some of them in blowouts. This team has several guys who can win them a game and solid netminding.

If Blaine is 5, pity the poor No. 4 who is supposedly better, but only slightly.

assuming Hill tonight, i would say:

LN, Edina, STA, Blaine, Hill

Bemidji, DE, EP (6-7-8)

If Stillwater wins, then EP can move up to 5.

But like i said, even any of those 6-8 teams can argue to be a cupla three spots higher.

My predictions:

(2) Edina vs. Bemidji - 1st timers in 29 years get 2-time defending champs

(3) St. Thomas Academy vs. Hill Murray - 3rd round of all private battle

(1) Lakeville North vs. Duluth East - Duluth East gets to play spoiler against a Lakeville team (reverse of the 2012 game vs. Lakeville South when Duluth East was #1 seed, heavily favored to win it all, and lost)

(4) Blaine vs. (5) Eden Prairie - round two of this season series

I don't think STA and Hill-Murray will play each other in the first round. Maybe it has happened but I don't see two teams from the same conference playing each other that early, I don't think they'll even be on the same side of the bracket. Because of that I think H-M gets a #4 or #5 seed.

1) Lakeville North vs Bemidji
2) Edina vs. Duluth East
3) St. Thomas vs. Eden Prairie

4) Blaine
5) Hill-Murray

Windmill31 wrote:Taking a little focus off bemidji for a second, is there anyway that if Hill wins tonight, they get seeded above STA? LPH had them ranked higher after the season ended and I believe they had a harder schedule this year so record shouldn't weigh in too much. Thoughts?

id say that is a lock

l ville
edina
EP
Hill
St Thomas
Blaine
Bemidji
D East

will be the order.

11 am Edina vs Bemidji
1pm STA vs Hill Murray

6pm Lakeville North vs Duluth East
8pm Blaine vs Eden Prairie


I think this is how it'll play out.

Agree with WBL