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Any thoughts or predictions?

Anyone watched these teams in pre-season?

Well what are your thoughts? GR better then last year or about the same?

Living out of state for many years now I wouldn't know as much as the locals, but I have watched long enough to know that there is usually improvement when you have a lot of players with 1-2 years experience returning. I have no clue who their goalie will be, but they do have a strong group of defensemen and a forward on the NHL scouting "c" list that someone posted earlier.

I think these two played a competitive game in Stillwater last year with the Ponies winning. So I'll take an improved more experienced GR group on their home ice 3-2.

I think it will be a good game. Ponies return 9 Forwards (3 have been Varsity for 3 yrs) 6 were in the top ten in scoring last year. 4 Defensemen and 2 - 3rd year Varsity Goalies.

Lets just see how the boys respond to a long bus ride.

I think Housley is the type of coach that will remind the Ponies the history of the Rapids arena, and the legends that have played in that building. He will make sure the Ponies are at their best. Depth of Stillwater will get an edge.

Youngy, not sure if you have been in that building before, but it's amazing to see what a small community does to support it's hockey programs, versus some of the crap the Twin Cities schools play in.

That Rapids arena is as good as it gets!!

Goldy there aren't many in MN that I haven't skated or watched in. That whole Iron Range area has some great rinks to watch at. I am hoping for a great game Saturday.

Then again, Youngy, the Ponies home ice is a wonderful venue. It should be a great test and fun!!!! Good luck to both teams.

Might have to take this game in since ice fishing is not an option. Should be a good early season game.

Bus ride or not, Housley will have the boys ready to play. It should be epic

Hey Youngy or Ponies, why are they driving up all that way for just one game? How come they didn't schedule one for Friday and Saturday?

Good luck to the Ponies!!!

Stillwater 3-2 F ot. They scored with 1.2 seconds left in overtime.

Should be a fun bus ride home!!

Man that was a fun high school game to watch even though it was a back breaker loss for Grand Rapids. Stillwater likes to run your goalie, hack hockey in my opinion, I expected a bit more from a Housley lead team. They will give H-M some trouble I expect.

northwoods oldtimer wrote:Man that was a fun high school game to watch even though it was a back breaker loss for Grand Rapids. Stillwater likes to run your goalie, hack hockey in my opinion, I expected a bit more from a Housley lead team. They will give H-M some trouble I expect.

If they even end up playing Hill in 4AA.

Oh dont worry, wbmd. White Bear and Hill will play in sections. We all know it. The only question is when. If we can take out Stilley Water before or after beating you guys, all the better for us

Rapids still wear their '75 white uniforms?

Northsider wrote:Oh dont worry, wbmd. White Bear and Hill will play in sections. We all know it. The only question is when. If we can take out Stilley Water before or after beating you guys, all the better for us

I can think of at least 15 years in sections when White Bear (or Mariner) and Hill haven't played each other. Nothing is a given in that section.

wbmd wrote:

northwoods oldtimer wrote:Man that was a fun high school game to watch even though it was a back breaker loss for Grand Rapids. Stillwater likes to run your goalie, hack hockey in my opinion, I expected a bit more from a Housley lead team. They will give H-M some trouble I expect.

If they even end up playing Hill in 4AA.

teah hopefully Hill can get by Tartan this year.

northwoods oldtimer wrote:Man that was a fun high school game to watch even though it was a back breaker loss for Grand Rapids. Stillwater likes to run your goalie, hack hockey in my opinion, I expected a bit more from a Housley lead team. They will give H-M some trouble I expect.

It was a good game refs made it interesting as usual with the leaving theplayer in the box after his penalty was up, for an extra 45 secs.

Boy those GR fans sure leave the rink fast after a Loss!! Pretty quite too.

youngblood08 wrote:

wbmd wrote:

northwoods oldtimer wrote:Man that was a fun high school game to watch even though it was a back breaker loss for Grand Rapids. Stillwater likes to run your goalie, hack hockey in my opinion, I expected a bit more from a Housley lead team. They will give H-M some trouble I expect.

If they even end up playing Hill in 4AA.

teah hopefully Hill can get by Tartan this year.

We'll just watch tape of the Johnson game last year.....and laugh our asses off again!!

Pioneerprideguy wrote:

youngblood08 wrote:

wbmd wrote: If they even end up playing Hill in 4AA.

teah hopefully Hill can get by Tartan this year.

We'll just watch tape of the Johnson game last year.....and laugh our asses off again!!

Someone actually taped a game involving Johnson??

Lee

east hockey wrote:

Pioneerprideguy wrote:

youngblood08 wrote:
teah hopefully Hill can get by Tartan this year.

We'll just watch tape of the Johnson game last year.....and laugh our asses off again!!

Someone actually taped a game involving Johnson??

Lee

I'm sending it to America's Funniest Videos!

This was a fun game to watch. Stillwater players seemed to have more speed and strength than Rapids. Rapids was better coached. They passed the puck well, especially for the first game, and played the body well. Stillwater would have increased their scoring chances signifcantly if they would have passed the puck more. Rapids doesn't seem to have that D1 player who can be the difference in a close game. They should compete with most good AA teams, but will probably end up on the short end of a lot of one goal games.

greenway1969 wrote:This was a fun game to watch. Stillwater players seemed to have more speed and strength than Rapids. Rapids was better coached. They passed the puck well, especially for the first game, and played the body well. Stillwater would have increased their scoring chances signifcantly if they would have passed the puck more. Rapids doesn't seem to have that D1 player who can be the difference in a close game. They should compete with most good AA teams, but will probably end up on the short end of a lot of one goal games.

Nice anaylsis. Agree with you that GR moves the puck well. GR PP movement was getting stronger as the game went on. Season is young and the GR boys will win a few of those games this year. Your guys blocked quite a few shots from our D not to mention the ones we put over the net. Who knows our player doesn't break his arm on the first shift and a certian GR player is suited up, who knows what would have happened.

But it was an exciting finish.

youngblood08 wrote:

greenway1969 wrote:This was a fun game to watch. Stillwater players seemed to have more speed and strength than Rapids. Rapids was better coached. They passed the puck well, especially for the first game, and played the body well. Stillwater would have increased their scoring chances signifcantly if they would have passed the puck more. Rapids doesn't seem to have that D1 player who can be the difference in a close game. They should compete with most good AA teams, but will probably end up on the short end of a lot of one goal games.

Nice anaylsis. Agree with you that GR moves the puck well. GR PP movement was getting stronger as the game went on. Season is young and the GR boys will win a few of those games this year. Your guys blocked quite a few shots from our D not to mention the ones we put over the net. Who knows our player doesn't break his arm on the first shift and a certian GR player is suited up, who knows what would have happened.

But it was an exciting finish.

Seriously someone broke their arm? Jokes have a tendency to go over my head so apologies.