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This will be a battle of two teams looking to establish their identity, neither team has yet to beat a top 10 ranked A/AA opponet. Look for the Pirates to put forth a better defensive outing and will win 5-2. I know the Jacks have a quality team, can anyone fill me in on their slow start?

Love,

Mom

An acquaintance who follows the 'Jacks very closely has been filling me in periodically since the season began. He didn't single out any one cause, until after their more recent losses. I'll just say he doesn't believe they're getting real strong goaltending thus far in 2007-2008. I haven't seen them this season myself. I'm quite sure he does not believe goaltending is the only reason...but he thinks it is at least partially the cause of some losses. I think the quality of some of their opponents is a factor as well.

I've seen them and goaltending is not the only problem although it is a concern. I know the girls have been working hard to improve in all areas and the coaches have been changing somethings up. I see Bemidji coming out on top of this one 5-3.

Plus, I don't think you can ever overlook and in many cases overestimate the effects of losing key players to graduation. I know they lost a couple impact players at least. Something that nearly always causes an adjustment period for any team, that often shows in results.

Bemidj only lost two real key players in Josefson and Osborn. The top line is one pace to break the scoring record it set last year. I think the coaches there are messing with the whole goalie situation, making it worse going back and forth between two juniors, one who worked her butt off all summer and fall, and another who started playing again a couple weeks into the season. They need to get things figured out if they want to repeat last year's success.

The Pirates have been having goaltending and defensive woes as well. They even went down to 3-D against Roseau last week. A coach has to do what he has to do but to double shift an inxperienced 9th grader at D is not a good plan. Crookston's 1st line failed to score in the Roseau game. Why not take MW (A soon to be Beaver) and double shift her on D? Your 2nd line which has been scoring becomes your 1st line ect. Having the double "Wheel" on D would be enough to give any opponent fits. EW is one of the teams leading scorer's and play's D. MW would still rack up the points from her new position. Time to stop the bleeding.

Love,

Mom

my bad...

keepitreal wrote:Having had the luxury of Johanna Ellingson and then Paige Thunder, two of the better goalies the state has seen in recent years, this is a tough act to follow for their goaltending. Combined with a very tough schedule so far, I'm in the camp of giving the Jacks some credit in staying close in most of their losses to what are emerging as some of the better teams in the state.

This will be one of those games that could go either way, but I think CEC is a bit underrated and should come away with a win.

keepitreal, while everything you say about Cloquet is true, this thread is about the Bemidji Lumberjacks playing Crookston tonight! But what you say about Cloquet having a tough schedule also kind of applies to Bemidji - their 4 losses are all to pretty good teams: Stillwater, Roseau, Elk River and Grand Rapids/Greenway.

As we near the halfway mark of the season shortly, it is time to focus on results, not excuses. That is why I will pick the Lumberjacks over the pirates 5-2. Crookston needs a lot of improvement to finish any higher than 3 or 4 in their section this year.

MNHockeyFan wrote:
keepitreal, while everything you say about Cloquet is true, this thread is about the Bemidji Lumberjacks playing Crookston tonight! But what you say about Cloquet having a tough schedule also kind of applies to Bemidji - their 4 losses are all to pretty good teams: Stillwater, Roseau, Elk River and Grand Rapids/Greenway.

Wrong jacks, heh...

Agree MNHF. Thanks for the correction. I will delete the prior post.

GO JACKS!

BEMIDJI Lumberjacks

Why not take MW (A soon to be Beaver) and double shift her on D? Your 2nd line which has been scoring becomes your 1st line ect.

I agree with you #1hockeymom. MW had to play defensively against Roseau most of the game, they need to try everyone out at the right wing position who are not forwards on the 2nd line. Roseau brought the puck up the right winger's side just about everytime it was in their end. Crookston needs to start thinking that maybe they won't get Wangen back and Lien seems to be hurt or sick so they need someone on that wing who can start playing, so they will know what they are doing at the end of the year. Either that or have MW play defense and throw anyone you can up front.

Whoops I goofed that up! Anyway Crookston hasn't been held under 3 goals yet this year so Bemidji's goalie will have her work cut out for her. I go Crookston 5 Bemidji 4

Mom and Cowboy I know that you have good intentions but you need to back off and settle down. This team has enough going on without you adding fuel to the fire. I suggest that you sit back and enjoy the game tonight and display good sportsmanship. ( This would include not trying to run the team from behind the coaches back) T & T have the Pirate ship sailing in the right direction and they will defeat the Jacks 4-3 tonight.

The Pro

Actually Pro I am relaxed watching the games right now, I won't get nervous until the first of the year. Watch tonite everything I said is true, it may not show against easy teams but it stands out against stiff compitition. Look for Bemidji to get 3 breakaway goals from Erickson and Christofferson

Bemidji will come with their big canons and blow a whole in the Pirate ship. Once and for all this year, they will continue to be known as the "sinking Pirate Ship". The only crow I'll be eating, is the one that sits on T&T's shoulder as the boat goes down.

L ks like you have been rolling more than eggrolls my friend. The results will speak for themselves tonite. Cowboy I'm glad to hear that you are not nervous and are relaxed. TnT will solve the defensive woes of the Pirates and they will once again make it to the section finals.

The Pro

I sure am glad that Crow tastes like chicken!

Please send the lifeboat to Bemidji. The pirates blew a hole in their boat.

Crookston 3 Bemidji 2 in OT

Cowboy1 wrote:Look for Bemidji to get 3 breakaway goals from Erickson and Christofferson

Cowboy I don't know what game you went to but it was the Pirates with 2 breakaways resulting in one goal and a pipe. Eggroll was man enough to eat crow I you think you should follow suite. Great game by both teams.

The Pro

I will get together with the Cowboy at the ranch and we will fry up some fresh crow together. Glad to hear it tastes like chicken. The Pirates had a good defensive effort last night and it obviously helped that Wangen was back in the line up. The Cowboy and I will be less suggestive in the future and will just sit back and enjoy the game.

Love,

Mom

Eggroll likes his crow with lots of sweet and sour and a little soy. Trying to cut down on the MSG. A little won ton would be an added touch.

I guess it was my bad not to know all the facts coming in to this game. I didn't know that Erickson and Christofferson were put on different lines last week. I didn't know that Bemidji was going to move Erickson to defense after the first period. I also didn't know that Wangen was going to play. So after watching how it took away scoring chances for Erickson playing Defense, I now think it would be a bad choice to have MW play defense. Martin was very good in goal and Schmitz looked good at forward. I was disappointed to see the 2nd line split up but right now The younger Brockmier or Kiaser are the only ones who can help the 1st line. The older Brockmier with her sister or Kiaser will still be a line that will give teams trouble no matter who is the other forward.

Cowboy1 wrote:I guess it was my bad not to know all the facts coming in to this game. I didn't know that Erickson and Christofferson were put on different lines last week. I didn't know that Bemidji was going to move Erickson to defense after the first period. I also didn't know that Wangen was going to play. So after watching how it took away scoring chances for Erickson playing Defense, I now think it would be a bad choice to have MW play defense. Martin was very good in goal and Schmitz looked good at forward. I was disappointed to see the 2nd line split up but right now The younger Brockmier or Kiaser are the only ones who can help the 1st line. The older Brockmier with her sister or Kiaser will still be a line that will give teams trouble no matter who is the other forward.

Erickson was only playing defense on the PP at times. Other than that she has been playing forward. I thought both teams played well. A good game by two good teams.