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The 14UA State bracket is set:

Grand Rapids (O2)
Eden Prairie (N1)

Osseo/Maple Grove (A1)
Minnetonka (N3)

Woodbury/Cottage Grove (N2)
Centennial (A3)

Wayzata (A2)
Roseau (O1)

One interesting note: None of these teams has played its first round matchup this year, based on the schedules/scores that I have access to. If anybody knows of any games between these teams, please reply to this post.

According to MyHockeyRankings, the final 8 appear to be fairly representative of the top 14UA teams in the state this year (7 of the top 9 teams qualified).

The missing teams are Buffalo (#2) who lost in the American Region (where only 3 seeds were available) and Edina Green (#7) who lost in the D6 playoffs (where only 2 seeds were available).

Also, Grand Rapids (#16) appears to be on a good run right now as they head into state.

It should be a competitive tournament.

Ok, down to the end of the season. It's been a dogfight of a year with any team on any night able to pull off a victory. Who wins? Post which 2 teams make it to the championship game and the winner. If you'd like explain your reasoning.

Slapshot-Dad wrote:Ok, down to the end of the season. It's been a dogfight of a year with any team on any night able to pull off a victory. Who wins? Post which 2 teams make it to the championship game and the winner. If you'd like explain your reasoning.

EP and Wayzata. EP wins. No reason other than it makes a good story. Though top ranked all year EP hasn't found a way to beat Wayzata and needs a final shot. Long rivalry between the two teams. Evenly matched for years. Two squads that exceeded expectations. Echo's of last year's 14B season. I half wonder (not really) if Wayzata didn't take a dive against OMG just to set up a dramatic finale.

I can also make up a good story where Wayzata wins, but let's not go there. I imagine others have differing opinions of what would make a dramatic finale.

luckyEPDad wrote:

Slapshot-Dad wrote:Ok, down to the end of the season. It's been a dogfight of a year with any team on any night able to pull off a victory. Who wins? Post which 2 teams make it to the championship game and the winner. If you'd like explain your reasoning.

EP and Wayzata. EP wins. No reason other than it makes a good story. Though top ranked all year EP hasn't found a way to beat Wayzata and needs a final shot. Long rivalry between the two teams. Evenly matched for years. Two squads that exceeded expectations. Echo's of last year's 14B season. I half wonder (not really) if Wayzata didn't take a dive against OMG just to set up a dramatic finale.

I can also make up a good story where Wayzata wins, but let's not go there. I imagine others have differing opinions of what would make a dramatic finale.

Sounds reasonable to me.

OMG gets by EP but Wayzata wins the title.

it's too bad that OMG and EP will have to face each other in the 2nd round, because I think that's going to determine who wins state.

Nothing against Wayzata, but OMG has their number. When I saw them play in Duluth... OMG outplayed Wayzata for 2 periods, and even in the 3rd Wayzata didn't have as many quality scoring chances as OMG (had the game not gone to a shootout, OMG would have won.)

During the district championship, OMG was able to jump on the scoring chances they had while shutting Wayzata down. In the regional championship game it was more of the same. And I think a lot of that boils down to team defense... which I think OMG is possibly the best team in the state.

As for the "first round" games...

EP over GR
OMG over Tonka
Woodbury over Centennial
Wayzata over Roseau

2nd round...

OMG over EP
Wayzata over Woodbury

Championship...

OMG over Wayzata (This would mean they played each other for the district, regional AND state championship)

People seem to like Wayzata, but do not underestimate Centennial reaching the championship on that side of the bracket. They have been playing great the last month.

As for OMG/Wayzata: Wayzata did not tank the region championship. The 2 teams have played 7 times this year, with OMG winning 5 of those (and should have been 6 had they not lost the shootout in Duluth).

My prediction is Centennial versus the winner of EP/OMG. EP/OMG is too close to call - probably the 2 best teams in the state.

What's up with two teams from the same district (playing twice in district play-offs for seeding), then ending up in the same region to play-in??

Surprised the retired engineers running the show don't have them playing each other in the first round @ State too!!

wannabe1975 wrote:What's up with two teams from the same district (playing twice in district play-offs for seeding), then ending up in the same region to play-in??

Surprised the retired engineers running the show don't have them playing each other in the first round @ State too!!

Huh? Teams advancing from the same district always end up the same region, so that can't be your question.

As for teams facing each other in in districts also facing each other in the region, that just means you have a strong district. Had OMG and Wayzata not played for top seed in the district they would have met in the second round of regional play.

Not sure what or where the question is. If you have two teams in a district and they only lose to each other they will ALWAYS face each other in every tournament they enter. Would you rather they meet in the first round each time?

I guess the 14uA tournament will be on www.mnsportsnetwork.com

In the past, MSBN only had audio streams, but this year appears to feature a video broadcast. Tell your friends and relatives...

The first game is on MSBN Channel 5 at 2 PM on Friday.

First quarter final


Grand Rapids 4

Eden Prairie 2

Well zamboni, so far you're 0 for 3:

Grand Rapids over Eden Prairie 4-2 (EN)
Minnetonka over OMG 3-2 (OT)
Centennial over Woodbury 3-2

Tomorrow:

Grand Rapids v. Minnetonka
Centennial v. winner of Wayzata/Roseau

demongoed wrote:Well zamboni, so far you're 0 for 3:

Grand Rapids over Eden Prairie 4-2 (EN)
Minnetonka over OMG 3-2 (OT)
Centennial over Woodbury 3-2

Tomorrow:

Grand Rapids v. Minnetonka
Centennial v. winner of Wayzata/Roseau

0-4
Roseau over wayzata 4-3 ot

Well, that first round was interesting. I'd say some teams really stepped up, but that would be condescending. Everyone who advanced deserved it. Hopefully some heavily favored teams learned a lesson.

Zamboni's off to a pretty good start. Bizarre that the second round matchups are all still on. Can the perfect streak continue? 0-7 is perhaps even more impressive than 7-0.

I just want to say... in my defense... *face palm* DOH!

ok well let's see how I can do the rest of the way....

(winner's bracket)
GR over 'Tonka
Centennial over Roseau

Championship;
Centennial over GR

3rd place;
'Tonka over Roseau

(losers bracket... aka "the zamboni picks")
EP over OMG
Wayzata over Woodbury

Consolation;
EP over Wayzata

zamboni14 wrote:I just want to say... in my defense... *face palm* DOH!

ok well let's see how I can do the rest of the way....

(winner's bracket)
GR over 'Tonka
Centennial over Roseau

Championship;
Centennial over GR

3rd place;
'Tonka over Roseau

(losers bracket... aka "the zamboni picks")
EP over OMG
Wayzata over Woodbury

Consolation;
EP over Wayzata

ZAMBONI PICKS ONE!!! Wayzata does win over Woodbury.

If it makes you feel any better I'm doing about the same so far.

Big congratulations to Minnetonka. They took a circuitous route, overcame hardships and ended up on top. A hard won, well deserved championship.

And it doesn't hurt that they are from District 6.

Nothing wrong with another D6 state title . . .

A great weekend of hockey all the way around. All the games were close, there was parity in the field of 8, and any match-up could have gone either way.

A huge thanks to PJ Norby et. al. for organizing another wonderful banquet for the girls. What a great way to start the weekend.

Finally, thanks to the people in Faribault who did an unbelievable job welcoming the teams and running an outstanding tournament. It's rare that at this time of year you can enjoy the tournament both inside and outside the rink. It was a perfect setting made all the better by the friendly and enthusiastic people of the FHA.

demongoed wrote:A great weekend of hockey all the way around. All the games were close, there was parity in the field of 8, and any match-up could have gone either way.

A huge thanks to PJ Norby et. al. for organizing another wonderful banquet for the girls. What a great way to start the weekend.

Finally, thanks to the people in Faribault who did an unbelievable job welcoming the teams and running an outstanding tournament. It's rare that at this time of year you can enjoy the tournament both inside and outside the rink. It was a perfect setting made all the better by the friendly and enthusiastic people of the FHA.

I second that, great weekend