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Other than Hill, WBL has played well agianst the other top 20 teams they have played, Win over Cloquet, Close loses to Edina and Grand Rapids. Can they get a win tonight at home agianst East?

Can they - yes
Will they - no

Hounds 5 - 0. Parker with the shut out.

WBL doesn't seem to score much.

4-1 Hounds. WBL scores a PP goal. I'm looking forward to seeing East for the first time this year.

Pioneerprideguy wrote:4-1 Hounds. WBL scores a PP goal. I'm looking forward to seeing East for the first time this year.

Against East's 94% PK? We shall see.

Since the Hounds don't score a ton, WBL will likely have a chance if their goalie and D can keep them in it. But if the Hounds can shut down Wahlin (I suspect he'll get to know Andrew Kerr as the game goes along), they should be able to go to work, grind down the Bears, and come out with the W.

Also, it seems like the Hounds always have bad nights whenever they're on a statewide television. Maybe it just seems that way. I'm glad this one's on TV tonight, though!

I have a good feeling about tonights game. I think the Bears will score early and East will have to try and get a come from behind win, but they will fall up short. Wahlin has been shut out the last two games so he is due for a goal or two.

4-3 Bears

I am going East 7 - 1.
Starting the roll toward the state championship.

Chances are Wahlin will have more "cheap shots" than his team will have shots in general.

2-1 East after one.

Fairly sloppy period for East, really, but a couple of strong individual efforts have them up by a goal. Good energy from White Bear...though a bit too much on that check from behind.

Obviously I love the fact that these games are televised, but does anyone else cringe every time they go to the reporter woman?

celly93 wrote:Obviously I love the fact that these games are televised, but does anyone else cringe every time they go to the reporter woman?

Yep. Every time.

Really, really sloppy game from East tonight.

East doing what they can (stupid penalties) to get WBL back into this one.

Lee

That sure is the definition of winning ugly. The Hounds were never very crisp, and a bunch of stupid penalties near the end nearly did them in. They were bailed out by Forbort's strong night, that nice breakaway goal in the 3rd, and a few big saves from Parker down the stretch.

Credit White Bear for a strong effort--in terms of puck control, I think only Edina and Minnetonka have had better games against East this year. Wahlin was a force, and that second goal that he swatted out of the air was pretty impressive. I think they have a chance to make some noise down the stretch.

It certainly seems like White Bear is improving game to game. They're still not getting alot of shots to the net, or generating much offense. But the defensemen have played much better over the last month or so.

With still a little over a month until sections I'm hoping to see if this team can keep improving and hopefully find a little more offense besides Wahlin. If they can finish strong with some momentum going in I like their chances against Roseville, Stillwater, and Moundsview in section 4AA. Overcoming Hill still seems practically impossible.

the officiating was one sided against east some clean hits that were called penalties . tough game one the road and east still gets a win!

WBLHockeyfan04 wrote:It certainly seems like White Bear is improving game to game. They're still not getting alot of shots to the net, or generating much offense. But the defensemen have played much better over the last month or so.

With still a little over a month until sections I'm hoping to see if this team can keep improving and hopefully find a little more offense besides Wahlin. If they can finish strong with some momentum going in I like their chances against Roseville, Stillwater, and Moundsview in section 4AA. Overcoming Hill still seems practically impossible.

The thing I notice most is that all these sophomores look to have caught up to the speed of the high school game instead of bantams. They are just playing and don't look like they are thinking so much.

Defense is much improved. Can't tell whether its a balancing of the pairings or just that the D isn't spending so much time in the box anymore (or DQ'd)

give this team a little credit they have beaten edina and minnetonka on the road and out shot wayzata 2 two one and should have one that game.

duluth dave wrote:give this team a little credit they have beaten edina and minnetonka on the road and out shot wayzata 2 two one and should have one that game.

No one is saying they don't deserve credit. They played well enough to win. I think the general consensus is just that the last game against edina and this one are showing WB is improving to compete with good teams.

If this game was played early December its 5-0 hounds.

Its just saying we are seeing more the white bear we expect to see rather than the white bear we saw in December (minus wahlin, he's been phenomenal all season)

I did notice guentzel was in the stands. Got to wonder who all he was there to see.

It was nice to see East play last night. It's one thing to look at scores and read comments about a team, but it's another to actually see the team play. It appears they lack the high end skill, speed, and depth of a typical East team. They have a couple of real nice players and overall are solid. Given the current landscape of high school hockey with no dominant team this year, it wouldn't surprise me if they failed to make it out of their section, nor would it surprise me if they hoisted the trophy in St. Paul in March. They don't appear deep enough to blow out teams in their section, yet appear to have enough talent to compete against the best in the state.

As for WBL, you gotta give Sager & his staff credit for having the kids play the style they need to play in order to compete with more talented teams. You also have to give credit to the players for buying in. What they may lack in skill right now (because of youth) they are making up in effort. Earlier in the year against HM, they attempted to try to skate with Hill and they resembled orange cones on the ice as the Pioneers skated circles around them. I suspect if they play again, the Bears will attempt to "muck & grind" which is better suited for the Bears right now & will give them a much better chance of beating HM.

Thanks to FSN for airing high school hockey!

Pioneerprideguy wrote:As for WBL, you gotta give Sager & his staff credit for having the kids play the style they need to compete. You also have to give credit to the players for buying in. What they may lack in skill right now (because of youth) they are making up in effort. Earlier in the year against HM, they attempted to try to skate with Hill and they resembled orange cones on the ice as the Pioneers skated circles around them. I suspect if they play again, the Bears will attempt to "muck & grind" which is better suited for the Bears right now & will give them a much better chance of beating HM.

Thanks to FSN for airing high school hockey!

I give him credit for putting together better lines and D pairings that allow for each line to be more successful.

I like the Wilke kid a lot, but he just isn't a first line player in high school hockey. This teams best players are all (outside of Delaney) sophomores and freshman. That is good if your a white bear fan. You gotta hope Wahlin sticks around another year because they could make a lot of noise next year if he comes back.

As far as hill, even as a white bear fan, I see Hill walking into the State Tourney this year. I'm interested to see what happens with all of their top end talent. Some is graduating I know, but guys like Slattery I am wondering if they will depart for Junior hockey. He doesn't seem like the type of guy Lechner enjoys coaching. Skills beyond belief, but not the kind of attitude he is looking for.

celly93 wrote:Obviously I love the fact that these games are televised, but does anyone else cringe every time they go to the reporter woman?

There's a women like her in every tavern across northern Minnesota.

Why is she so special?

Missed the 1st period, but saw the 2nd and 3rd.

Consensus at the bar was..... neither team looked all that impressive, but the game was very entertaining right to the end. Stupid penalties by the Hounds gave WBL a chance to win the game, but in the end, a soft 4th goal allowed by the WBL goalie was the difference.

I have to admit east is not a very deep team. They rely on one line to do the bulk of there scoring. but they have three very good d men and if they can get a little more out of another line. they could be a formidable team come section time.

Speaking of needing depth, what is the status on Hogan Davidson?

Lee

I agree with PioneerPride guy on this one. WBL has been in these last few games due to the style of play. Similar to the style they had to use when they beat HM a few years back in the section final.
Keeping everything, or as much as possible to the perimeter, and maintaining defenses integrity in all 3 zones. Sager doesnt have near the talent he has had in the past 10 years or so, and he is doing what he can.

My biggest knock on him was when he did have the talent, they always fell flat. ,2002-2005 for instance.

Good to see these boys staying in the game against the state's top squads. I hope they continue to improve,and if Jake Wahlin sticks around next year, this team could be a fairly good team.

I hope he does stay, because he is very fun to watch. Nice goal last night, and IMO, the best player at WBL since Hansen, as a SOPHOMORE