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Hill's lone loss came to the Cadets as they lost their first of their last 5 meetings.
In their first meeting this season St Thomas won 2-1 while out shooting Hill 31-24, despite the Pioneers maintaining control for the vast majority of the game.

Fans of both teams claimed their team didn't play its best game in their first meeting; should be a very exciting conclusion to the 48 Schwan Cup games played this week.

Hill-3

St. Thomas-1

I thought that Hill looked much better than STA from what I saw tonight. Hill's forwards protect the puck so well in the offensive zone and seem to just suffocate opposing defensemen. With the exception of the last few minutes of the game, Hill's defense was very solid and did a good job of keeping shots out of dangerous areas. St. Thomas didn't look like they had the speed or puck movement to match Hill, at least from what I saw. I think Hill will win this game and the next against STA

Hill-Murray 3 St Thomas 2...both teams skated strong yesterday and it should be a great game tonight. Good luck to both teams.

I've sent an email to the Vatican, asking the Pope to TWEET who he thinks will win.....standy by

Really looking forward to this game. Based on how each team played last night, I give the nod to HM. But, I expect both teams to bring it tonight.

Defensive battle, I'll go HM 3 STA 2

There will be alot of "Bead Squizzeing" tonight

Didn't anyone go to this game or watch it?

Not that I'm surprised. After Thursday I had no interest in seeing Breck again, and paying $10 to watch another HM-STA game I can see for $6 later this season was not a great attraction. Still it would be nice to get a breakdown.

East sider, game was on TV so you could have watched it there.

38 shots a piece, 3-3 tie. Can't get much more even than that. First time Dougas or Zevnik have given up three goals this year I believe.

puckster15 wrote:East sider, game was on TV so you could have watched it there.

38 shots a piece, 3-3 tie. Can't get much more even than that. First time Dougas or Zevnik have given up three goals this year I believe.

Pretty much sums it up.

Really even game, no penalties.

Anyone know what the deal with Lechner is? The announcers said family emergency. Everything ok for the clan?

thestickler07 wrote:

puckster15 wrote:East sider, game was on TV so you could have watched it there.

38 shots a piece, 3-3 tie. Can't get much more even than that. First time Dougas or Zevnik have given up three goals this year I believe.

Pretty much sums it up.

Really even game, no penalties.

None called, anyways.

Inasmuch as I like it when the refs let them play, there were getting to be some pretty blatant uncalled infractions as they went deeper into the game.

Nice "win" for the Pioneers. I thought STA carried the play and was impressed with their puck possession. HM kept working and found ways to get pucks on the net & "sqeeze" a few thru. Look forward to the 3rd game later this season.

thestickler07 wrote:

puckster15 wrote:East sider, game was on TV so you could have watched it there.

38 shots a piece, 3-3 tie. Can't get much more even than that. First time Dougas or Zevnik have given up three goals this year I believe.

Pretty much sums it up.

Really even game, no penalties.

Anyone know what the deal with Lechner is? The announcers said family emergency. Everything ok for the clan?

I'll just say all is ok with Mr Lechner and his family.

puckster15 wrote:East sider, game was on TV so you could have watched it there.

38 shots a piece, 3-3 tie. Can't get much more even than that. First time Dougas or Zevnik have given up three goals this year I believe.

Hill's first goal was clearly kicked in.
Zevnik saved the second goal, then in trying to help a defender knocked it in.
Take that all to mean what you will. Would a defensive team played the offense the did if they weren't down 0-2? I can't say.

As thestickler pointed out, it was a very even game. Two teams whose strengths are defense with a couple pretty good offensive weapons apiece.

Looking forward to game 3!

puckster15 wrote:East sider, game was on TV so you could have watched it there.

38 shots a piece, 3-3 tie. Can't get much more even than that. First time Dougas or Zevnik have given up three goals this year I believe.

I asked if anyone went to the game or watched it (emphasis mine). Using context clues, you could have easily surmised I knew the game was on TV or live streamed or something. I was born at night, but it wasn't last night. In any case it was not available to me.

The box score often doesn't tell the whole story.

It just struck me no one commented on the game, and there was more chatter about the tournament before it started than when it was going on. I attended the semi finals, and the atmosphere was flat. Despite the quality of the entrants, it never seems to result in an electric atmosphere. That includes years when public schools do well, so we don't need to hear nonsense about private school students not supporting their teams.

East Side Pioneer Guy wrote:It just struck me no one commented on the game, and there was more chatter about the tournament before it started than when it was going on. I attended the semi finals, and the atmosphere was flat. Despite the quality of the entrants, it never seems to result in an electric atmosphere. That includes years when public schools do well, so we don't need to hear nonsense about private school students not supporting their teams.

Tell me it doesn't honestly surprise you that few care about a final with two private schools. The fact that these two have played before and play again this season may be a factor.

From watching the Edina game online, the arena looked packed. Watching this game, it looked dead. People [in general] don't go to watch good hockey; they go to watch public schools play good hockey against private schools.

I would add that in my experience the Schwan Cup games are dead. Not sure if it's fair weather fans or people on vacation, but in playing better competition, the games are less attended than the regular season games against good competition.

Seeing as how well attended the Edina game was, maybe it's simply that Edina travels well and nothing more, I don't know.

HShockeywatcher wrote:

East Side Pioneer Guy wrote:It just struck me no one commented on the game, and there was more chatter about the tournament before it started than when it was going on. I attended the semi finals, and the atmosphere was flat. Despite the quality of the entrants, it never seems to result in an electric atmosphere. That includes years when public schools do well, so we don't need to hear nonsense about private school students not supporting their teams.

Tell me it doesn't honestly surprise you that few care about a final with two private schools. The fact that these two have played before and play again this season may be a factor.

From watching the Edina game online, the arena looked packed. Watching this game, it looked dead. People [in general] don't go to watch good hockey; they go to watch public schools play good hockey against private schools.

I would add that in my experience the Schwan Cup games are dead. Not sure if it's fair weather fans or people on vacation, but in playing better competition, the games are less attended than the regular season games against good competition.

Seeing as how well attended the Edina game was, maybe it's simply that Edina travels well and nothing more, I don't know.

Though it wasn't as crowded as the Edina game, it was still easily the next biggest crowd of all the games....Pretty good turnout, IMO, even if you factor in that it was two of the dreaded and reviled private schools playing.

Ogie wrote:

thestickler07 wrote:

puckster15 wrote:East sider, game was on TV so you could have watched it there.

38 shots a piece, 3-3 tie. Can't get much more even than that. First time Dougas or Zevnik have given up three goals this year I believe.

Pretty much sums it up.

Really even game, no penalties.

None called, anyways.

Inasmuch as I like it when the refs let them play, there were getting to be some pretty blatant uncalled infractions as they went deeper into the game.

Agreed; there were uncalled penalties going both ways. I doubt it's characteristics of either team, simply comes out in rivalry games.

HShockeywatcher wrote:Hill's first goal was clearly kicked in.

I thought it was a good goal. in my opinion it was deflection off the kids skate as it looked like he was in the middle of stopping in front of the net and it deflected off his skate. just my interpretation of what i saw

Two St. Paul side privates playing in Minneapolis.

Probably would've had bigger crowds if both teams didn't have basketball games on a Friday night too, or if it was at Aldrich/Coliseum.

HShockeywatcher wrote:

Ogie wrote:

thestickler07 wrote: Pretty much sums it up.

Really even game, no penalties.

None called, anyways.

Inasmuch as I like it when the refs let them play, there were getting to be some pretty blatant uncalled infractions as they went deeper into the game.

Agreed; there were uncalled penalties going both ways. I doubt it's characteristics of either team, simply comes out in rivalry games.

Oh, I wasn't pointing any fingers or griping about favoritism...Both teams were hacking away more and more, as it became clearer that little short of involuntary manslaughter was going to get you sent to the box.

Just seemed a bit odd in a season when officials can be seen overreacting the other way a lot.

HShockeywatcher wrote:

East Side Pioneer Guy wrote:It just struck me no one commented on the game, and there was more chatter about the tournament before it started than when it was going on. I attended the semi finals, and the atmosphere was flat. Despite the quality of the entrants, it never seems to result in an electric atmosphere. That includes years when public schools do well, so we don't need to hear nonsense about private school students not supporting their teams.

Tell me it doesn't honestly surprise you that few care about a final with two private schools. The fact that these two have played before and play again this season may be a factor.

From watching the Edina game online, the arena looked packed. Watching this game, it looked dead. People [in general] don't go to watch good hockey; they go to watch public schools play good hockey against private schools.

I would add that in my experience the Schwan Cup games are dead. Not sure if it's fair weather fans or people on vacation, but in playing better competition, the games are less attended than the regular season games against good competition.

Seeing as how well attended the Edina game was, maybe it's simply that Edina travels well and nothing more, I don't know.

My point about private schools was that it is a myth that they are not supported by their students. The HM-BSM game was packed, as was the first STA-HM game. Attendance was sparse for the semifinals also.

People hate Hill, but they love to see them. At least when they play a public school. Edina generates similar behavior. So the public would have filled 'er up for Blaine-Burnsville final? Yeah, right.

You even concede my point that Schwans games have little atmosphere. Moving to Ridder was good, but it added nothing in terms of attendance. My memory is a bit foggy, but I don't think there was a large crowd at last years opening day which was also at Ridder. This tournament would fit comfortably in Bloomington Ice Garden.

Tough to say but I think more people attended when it was the Edina Classic and featured four teams at the Met Center.

What happend on the 3rd goal for St. Thomas, it appeared to me ( and Hill Murray ) players that the puck was frozen by Dugas. No whistle, and the net is crashed, which was great hustle, and resulted in pushing the puck in the net. Did I miss something? Was the puck sitting behind him? Never did get a explanation from the broadcast.

GreekChurch wrote:What happend on the 3rd goal for St. Thomas, it appeared to me ( and Hill Murray ) players that the puck was frozen by Dugas. No whistle, and the net is crashed, which was great hustle, and resulted in pushing the puck in the net. Did I miss something? Was the puck sitting behind him? Never did get a explanation from the broadcast.

I thought the puck was frozen too from the view they kept on showing until they showed a different angle from the side (same side the ref was standing on) and you could clearly see that the puck was loose. It kind of bounced up and over the goalie so it was tough to see though.

pioneers wrote:I'll just say all is ok with Mr Lechner and his family.

Good to hear.

sterfry9 wrote:

HShockeywatcher wrote:Hill's first goal was clearly kicked in.

I thought it was a good goal. in my opinion it was deflection off the kids skate as it looked like he was in the middle of stopping in front of the net and it deflected off his skate. just my interpretation of what i saw

Which would be a disallowed goal from the way I understand the rule.
I don't know what text the MSHSL uses, but I found this:
http://www.nhl.com/ice/page.htm?id=26489
78.5i

Not making an excuse or anything, just commenting on it. Good game.