HighSchoolHockeyForums.com

USA 3, Sweden 1
with an empty netter
Congratulations to Stillwater's Coach Phil Housley, Mario Lucia, Mike Reilly and all the American players. This was great hockey to watch. Definitely worth getting up at 7. Replay is on NHL Network at 7 tonight and many times after that.

That is great news that they won the gold. The other great news is that Housley will be returning to Stillwater's bench to detour the success they have had since he left.

Congrats to the boys who wore the Jersey, great job USA!!

Housley...can win a WJC but can't win the SEC or get out of the section...or keep his defenseman from going to play juniors....confused on all of this.

Pioneerprideguy wrote:That is great news that they won the gold. The other great news is that Housley will be returning to Stillwater's bench to detour the success they have had since he left.

Congrats to USA! Great to see the gold medal going to red, white, and blue, but even better having Minnesota high school hockey players and coaches apart of it.

I'm not much of a Housley fan, and don't think he is much of a High School level coach, but he did a great job with the Junior team.

inthetwine wrote:I'm not much of a Housley fan, and don't think he is much of a High School level coach, but he did a great job with the Junior team.

He did what many before him were not able to do...win GOLD for the USA.

Maybe its more the parents and spoiled kids of Stillwater...no that can't be. It's always the fault of the coach, right?

Housley...can win a WJC but can't win the SEC or get out of the section...or keep his defenseman from going to play juniors....confused on all of this.

Maybe the way he views the game is entirely different from these high school kids. When he was their age we was nhl-ready and that is virtually unheard of especially when talking about dman. Everyone gets so upset listening to him talk during the class A games but he must watch some of the passing and skill levels in general from some of those teams and want to tell it like it is. But he has talk about what great players they are and what a tough section New Ulm had to survive to get to the X and all the other happy, horsepoop feelgood stuff viewers like to hear.
But as far as the Jr team goes, what an accomplishment. Factor in that that Canada and Russia had pro players on their rosters and the US was coming off a 7th place finish last year. I don't think Housley has any international or any substantial coaching experience outside of the MSHSL and many of these teams have their same coaches for years at a time. I think they only gave up 6 goals all tournament.

It's funny to see people say they aren't a Housley fan, why? I believe he was the best HS player ever produced in Mn, especially if you think one yr he was playing at Wakota and the next he is playing in NHL arenas. To accomplish what he did in the WJ tournament is unblievable, especially with the NHL lockout, coutries had all their best players on their teams. I'm sure many of his critics have better creditionals than him? Congrats to him and the US team!!

Tigers33 wrote:Maybe its more the parents and spoiled kids of Stillwater...no that can't be. It's always the fault of the coach, right?

I am happy getting up at 2 59 am this week to watch the games was worth it. fun team to watch. US didnt play their best today but ut was good enough. congrats to US hockey.

Tigers33 wrote:Maybe its more the parents and spoiled kids of Stillwater...no that can't be. It's always the fault of the coach, right?

Great job to the players!!

Lets not get too excited about the coaching staff doing much one way or the other. This team (USA) has won Gold 4 years in a row against this same tournament competition. All 4 Gold medal games against Sweeden no less.

oldschoolpuckster wrote:Great job to the players!!

Lets not get too excited about the coaching staff doing much one way or the other. This team (USA) has won Gold 4 years in a row against this same tournament competition. All 4 Gold medal games against Sweeden no less.

Not true, this is their first gold since winning it in 2010, which was the first time they had won since 2004. In fact, the U.S. has only won it three times total in the history of the tournament, which dates all the way back to 1977!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_II ... _medalists

I'm pretty sure he meant that this particular age cohort of US players has been winning consistently - the US won the U18 world championship in 2009, 2010, and 2011.

xy wrote:I'm pretty sure he meant that this particular age cohort of US players has been winning consistently - the US won the U18 world championship in 2009, 2010, and 2011.

Gotcha, but he did refer to "this same tournament competition". The U18 tournament is obviously different than the World Juniors.

Yes I meant the U18's.

SAME PLAYERS...SAME RESULTS...

Oldschool- all coaches must suck in your mind? I have a friend just like you. Takes something positive and always turns into a negative. Glass must be half empty in your life everyday. That's to bad!

oldschoolpuckster wrote:Yes I meant the U18's.

SAME PLAYERS...SAME RESULTS...

By your thinking they should have won last year too?

Tenoverpar wrote:Congrats to the boys who wore the Jersey, great job USA!!

Housley...can win a WJC but can't win the SEC or get out of the section...or keep his defenseman from going to play juniors....confused on all of this.

Probably had something to do with having the best players in the USA at that age group. I doubt Stillwater has the best high school kids in the USA let alone the state of MN.

Congratulations to team USA players and coaches! I guess it's just never good enough for some people. I doubt coach Housley really cares much about what a few outsiders think. And i also doubt most of you making comments know much about what he does with his high school program. Do you include the coaching staffs of other programs who lose players to privates and jr's in your criticism? Take a look at the rosters and see where the players are from and be critical of all those coaches as well. I find it interesting how everyone is so aware of the goings on in the Stillwater program. They must have a packed arena for practices.

hockeywild7 wrote:Congratulations to team USA players and coaches! I guess it's just never good enough for some people. I doubt coach Housley really cares much about what a few outsiders think. And i also doubt most of you making comments know much about what he does with his high school program. Do you include the coaching staffs of other programs who lose players to privates and jr's in your criticism? Take a look at the rosters and see where the players are from and be critical of all those coaches as well. I find it interesting how everyone is so aware of the goings on in the Stillwater program. They must have a packed arena for practices.

You are so right Hockeywild! I think people really need to back off coaches like Housley & Sager. These are fine individuals and are doing a great job with their programs. Rather than complaining & looking for a change, I think people need to support these guys, and in fact, look to try to secure them for the long-term. I know that if money ever becomes an issue, Hill-Murray will increase their payments to both school schools to ensure they stay put.

Ok thanks for the info, was wondering how Hill-Murray existed.

Housley has done a very good job with the High school program. He has the kids believing in themselves and his style of play. They have surprised a few teams already this year and they can never be underestimated. on any given night I think they have the ability to beat any team in the state. Their only real concern is can they get some scoring. This section will be very interesting come playoff time. in a one game playoff - anything can happen.. IMO

Tigers33 wrote:Oldschool- all coaches must suck in your mind? I have a friend just like you. Takes something positive and always turns into a negative. Glass must be half empty in your life everyday. That's to bad!

Wrong. This discussion started ripping Housley as a bad coach. I simply stated a fact. This group of kids didn't need a lot of coaching (good or bad) because they have won as U17's and U18's the last three years in a row.

I am not turning anything negative about this coaching staff. In fact, I know all of them and I think they are world class coaches and they did a great job helping these kids win another Gold medal.

Tigers33- your postings are always dumb, always have been. You don't have a clue about this game so stop trying to pretend you do. Stick to your "sewing circle" and leave the Hockey talk to the big boys.