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Two games at the Heritage Center tonight: Hermantown at Denfeld at 5:00 and Cloquet at East at 7:15ish.

First off, I need to gripe about the logistics: having this at the Heritage Center is an awful idea. This thing has been at Amsoil the past few years, and while it hasn't exactly filled it up, this just isn't going to end well. I got to last year's East-Cloquet game a half hour early and wound up parking in some back alley in Lincoln Park, and barely got a spot to stand in the first row of standing room. (It went 2-3 deep.) Granted, Cloquet isn't as big of a draw for casual fans this year, but that was the only game in the building last year, and it was a nightmare. Now they've added another game to the mix, a good section match-up of two teams with big fan bases.

But, we have to cope. I guess I'll go early for the parking and eat at Clyde.

As for the games, they both have potential: East and Hermantown are the favorites, but played one goal games against their respective opponents earlier in the season.

karl(east) wrote:Two games at the Heritage Center tonight: Hermantown at Denfeld at 5:00 and Cloquet at East at 7:15ish.

First off, I need to gripe about the logistics: having this at the Heritage Center is an awful idea. This thing has been at Amsoil the past few years, and while it hasn't exactly filled it up, this just isn't going to end well. I got to last year's East-Cloquet game a half hour early and wound up parking in some back alley in Lincoln Park, and barely got a spot to stand in the first row of standing room. (It went 2-3 deep.) Granted, Cloquet isn't as big of a draw for casual fans this year, but that was the only game in the building last year, and it was a nightmare. Now they've added another game to the mix, a good section match-up of two teams with big fan bases.

But, we have to cope. I guess I'll go early for the parking and eat at Clyde.

As for the games, they both have potential: East and Hermantown are the favorites, but played one goal games against their respective opponents earlier in the season.

I agree, this is terrible that they now play these 'Frenzy' games at the Heritage. The East/CEC game and the Denfeld/Htown games on their own more than fill up the Heritage by themselves. If you are a fan of East or CEC you won't get a seat unless you show up early during the first game. And parking? Parking is horrible on normal games, it is going to be a zoo there this evening. I understand the appeal to this evening, and the desire to do this on a yearly basis, but c'mon Duluth, do it right. Play the games at Amsoil! I realize they won't fill up Amsoil completely, but I wonder if they are truly losing money on the deal. Otherwise, it's not fair to the fans of the teams that pay the money to go in, and barely get to enjoy the game because fans from the other schools stay because it happens to be a doubleheader, when normally they wouldn't come to the games. These are rivalry games, we want to see them under the bright lights, and from comfortable seats!

Is there a 7AA rule that says 7AA teams can't play at Amsoil during regular season because it may be perceived as a unfair advantage to the southern teams?

No, in the past couple years East has play 2-3 home games a year at Amsoil. They moved these games because of the cost of Amsoil and not getting enough butts in the seats

alcloseshaver wrote:Is there a 7AA rule that says 7AA teams can't play at Amsoil during regular season because it may be perceived as a unfair advantage to the southern teams?

I would think there must be some sort of rule against playing at Amsoil. Karl do you know of any such rule?

alcloseshaver wrote:Is there a 7AA rule that says 7AA teams can't play at Amsoil during regular season because it may be perceived as a unfair advantage to the southern teams?

It's not an unfair advantage. Much as I dislike East, the years they won 7AA is because they were the best team in the section. They would have won playing in Duluth, Minneapolis, or an outdoor rink in Los Angeles. When Rapids went to state in 06 and 07, they played the semis and final at the DECC, Rapids won those years because they had the best team. I know the travel can be another issue that is raised, but real fans don't look at travel as an obstacle. If they played in the Twin Cities, Grand Rapids would still have 2,500-3,000 fans there. I can see home field advantage playing a part in football because of weather conditions, but I just don't see it in hockey.

TheHockeyDJ wrote:

alcloseshaver wrote:Is there a 7AA rule that says 7AA teams can't play at Amsoil during regular season because it may be perceived as a unfair advantage to the southern teams?

It's not an unfair advantage. Much as I dislike East, the years they won 7AA is because they were the best team in the section. They would have won playing in Duluth, Minneapolis, or an outdoor rink in Los Angeles. When Rapids went to state in 06 and 07, they played the semis and final at the DECC, Rapids won those years because they had the best team. I know the travel can be another issue that is raised, but real fans don't look at travel as an obstacle. If they played in the Twin Cities, Grand Rapids would still have 2,500-3,000 fans there. I can see home field advantage playing a part in football because of weather conditions, but I just don't see it in hockey.

I agree but that is not the reality of how sports teams look at it. There is a certain amount of paranoia involved at all levels and it would alleviate any perceived unfairness. Agree or not that is how the sports world works.

alcloseshaver wrote:I would think there must be some sort of rule against playing at Amsoil. Karl do you know of any such rule?

There is no such rule. In fact, East played almost all their home games at the old DECC before Heritage opened in 08-09, and it was the site of the 7AA playoffs at the time. (Didn't help them much from 06-08... )

I think the Rochester schools also play a few home games a year at the 1AA playoff site.

It's a bit awkward, and there will always be some people who don't like it, but it is what it is. A different venue is even less likely now that the Coliseum is off the table as an option.

karl(east) wrote:

alcloseshaver wrote:I would think there must be some sort of rule against playing at Amsoil. Karl do you know of any such rule?

There is no such rule. In fact, East played almost all their home games at the old DECC before Heritage opened in 08-09, and it was the site of the 7AA playoffs at the time. (Didn't help them much from 06-08... )

I think the Rochester schools also play a few home games a year at the 1AA playoff site.

It's a bit awkward, and there will always be some people who don't like it, but it is what it is. A different venue is even less likely now that the Coliseum is off the table as an option.

St. Cloud would be the only option, Amsoil is great. Please, let's not beat this topic to death again.

alcloseshaver wrote:

karl(east) wrote:

alcloseshaver wrote:I would think there must be some sort of rule against playing at Amsoil. Karl do you know of any such rule?

There is no such rule. In fact, East played almost all their home games at the old DECC before Heritage opened in 08-09, and it was the site of the 7AA playoffs at the time. (Didn't help them much from 06-08... )

I think the Rochester schools also play a few home games a year at the 1AA playoff site.

It's a bit awkward, and there will always be some people who don't like it, but it is what it is. A different venue is even less likely now that the Coliseum is off the table as an option.

St. Cloud would be the only option, Amsoil is great. Please, let's not beat this topic to death again.

Well, you asked the question.

Lee

Me and DJ fly thousands of miles to get to Duluth. Wouldn't have it any other way. Love staying at a hotel downtown and taking the skywalk to the games.

Frequent_MN_Flyer wrote:Me and DJ fly thousands of miles to get to Duluth. Wouldn't have it any other way. Love staying at a hotel downtown and taking the skywalk to the games.

Final. 4-4 OT

East 1, Cloquet 0 after one period.

Lee

Midway through the 2nd period, still 1-0. East needs to generate more offense.

Lee

karl(east) wrote: I think the Rochester schools also play a few home games a year at the 1AA playoff site.

The Rec Center is John Marshall's home rink, it was Century's since they opened but the last couple of years they split their home games between there and the fairgrounds. So every Big Nine team plays 1 or 2 games there a year. Lourdes played one game at The Rec Center this year but I don't think they've played a regular season game there in many years before this one game.

I don't think anybody practices at the Rec Center anymore, JM might but I don't think so.

I think that the teams play each other enough and all have enough fans that travel enough that a home field advantage might not really be an issue. But, that Heritage Center rink is terrible to watch hockey in. Parking is ok if it is a small youth game or a single event in a night but on a night like tonight it is bad. Then once you get in there half the arena is blocked off and the seats are really weird. The glass starts about waist high and the seats go right down to it so you miss everything along the boards from any sort of angle since people are sitting right up to the glass. Then to top it off there are these brick pillars. It is not a big deal if the place has a small crowd in it but when it is packed and 3 deep across the top it is not worth going there. The best place to watch a high crowd hockey game up north if you don't want to use the DECC/Amsoil facility is Cloquet. Who ever did the Heritage needs to go take a look at that place and see how it is done.

Cloquet scores early in the 3rd to tie the game 1-1.

Lee

east hockey wrote:

alcloseshaver wrote:

karl(east) wrote: There is no such rule. In fact, East played almost all their home games at the old DECC before Heritage opened in 08-09, and it was the site of the 7AA playoffs at the time. (Didn't help them much from 06-08... )

I think the Rochester schools also play a few home games a year at the 1AA playoff site.

It's a bit awkward, and there will always be some people who don't like it, but it is what it is. A different venue is even less likely now that the Coliseum is off the table as an option.

St. Cloud would be the only option, Amsoil is great. Please, let's not beat this topic to death again.

Well, you asked the question.

Lee

I did, just couldn't remember if there was a rule.

Now 2-1 Cloquet. That does it. Put East on the road for the 7AA quarterfinals.

Lee

Two minutes left, 2-1 Cloquet.

Lee

east hockey wrote:Now 2-1 Cloquet. That does it. Put East on the road for the 7AA quarterfinals.

Lee

Possible rematch in the quarters.

Frequent_MN_Flyer wrote:

east hockey wrote:Now 2-1 Cloquet. That does it. Put East on the road for the 7AA quarterfinals.

Lee

Possible rematch in the quarters.

Probably deserved; after that "effort", I'd put East 3rd, no way Cloquet is lower than 6th.

Lee

Four seconds left. Faceoff in the Cloquet zone. It won't matter.

Lee

east hockey wrote:Four seconds left. Faceoff in the Cloquet zone. It won't matter.

Lee

And it doesn't. 2-1 final for Cloquet. That rather sucked.

Lee

This section is wide open. Lee, who would you put at 2?