Class A Quarterfinal: New Prague vs. #3 East Grand Forks

Post by **karl(east)** » Sat Feb 28, 2015 1:06 pm

NEW PRAGUE VS. #3 EAST GRAND FORKS
-Two of the top three finishers in last season’s Tournament meet in the second quarterfinal, with both looking to assert their relevance in this year’s field despite graduation losses.

New Prague (20-8, #17, 1-seed in 1A)
State appearances: 2 (2 in a row)
Key section win: 2-1 over Northfield in the section championship
-The Trojans came out of a very open 1A and defended their title from last season, though this team is fairly different from last season’s third-place squad. One thing that hasn’t changed is goaltender Connor Wagner (1), who has been big for them in key games, and leading scorer Alex Gregor (10) was one of the top pieces on last year’s squad, too. Ben Witt (8) has also produced at a good rate this season, and the defense is led by Casey Busch (5). They aren’t a high-scoring or deep offensive team, but their grind-it-out style could be enough to give East Grand Forks a good run in their quarterfinal.

East Grand Forks (23-4, #3, 1-seed in 8A)
State appearances: 10 (3 in old one-class tournament; 3 in a row)
Championships: 1 (2014)
Key section win: 3-2 (OT) over #11 Thief River Falls
-The Green Wave are back in St. Paul to defend their title this season, but this year’s squad’s adventurous run through sections suggests we’re unlikely to see a similar level of dominance. They do still have the top senior in the tournament in Dixon Bowen (22), and with Tanner Tweten (19), Reed Corbid (20), Grant Loven (29), and Jace Pesch (7) all joining him up front, the forward corps can match up with the likes of Hermantown. The Green Wave brings a defense-first focus, though, and while they don’t have the horses on D they did last season, they do have a couple of Tournament veterans back there, along with a quality goaltender, Josh Weber (30). A repeat isn’t out of the question, but a first round win isn’t totally assured, either.

rainier · Post by **rainier** » Sat Feb 28, 2015 1:31 pm

5-1 EGF

Green Wave top end talent will overwhelm the Trojans early.

urban iceman · Post by **urban iceman** » Sat Feb 28, 2015 3:00 pm

If the Trojan's don't give up the odd-man rushes that they've been prone to lately, it will be respectable but not enough depth this year. 6-3 EGF.

ted2you · Post by **ted2you** » Sun Mar 01, 2015 2:27 am

My guess is that New Prague is not used to the speed they are going to see. Detroit Lakes was clearly better than anyone expected and TRF's had played them twice before and had a good team and a chance to prepare. Not to forget, EGF had a double OT section final last season as well.

EGF and Breck should be playing with house money. EGF is the defending champion and still have an outstanding team. Thing is, the pressure is really on Mahtomedi and Hermantown. EGF has a title and I would think the pressure is off.

12thgraders · Post by **12thgraders** » Sun Mar 01, 2015 12:07 pm

EGF might be playing with their full roster for the first time since the Blaine game on January 2nd. Since then Weber missed a bunch of games in goal, Bowen went down for a couple weeks in the Moorhead games, and Selk was injured badly against Red River. Loven has been dropped back to play first pair D and that has hurt their offensive production, especially when Bowen was out. The third period vs TRF in the section final was a huge turning point. The coaches moved Loven back up to the first line with Bowen and Tweeten and moved sparingly used senior defenseman Hjelle on the top pair with Peabody. The top line came out and scored a goal in the first 30 seconds of the period to make it 3-2 and then got another midway through the period to knot it up a 3-3. And the hero? Hjelle with his first career goal from a seeing eye single from 8 feet inside the blue line with less than a minute left in OT! Those second intermission adjustments yielded 3 goals and the third trip in a row to the X.

If EGF keeps that top line together, or cobbles together a nearly equal second line, New Prague will be panting in the second period and then EGF will really go to work! EGF has the horses to build high quality lines all the way down to the third line and has no fear putting their third pair of D out either.

Teak · Post by **Teak** » Wed Mar 04, 2015 1:34 pm

Time to bump this thread up since the game will start in around 30 minutes.

hockey9011 · Post by **hockey9011** » Wed Mar 04, 2015 1:36 pm

EGF 4-1.

Teak · Post by **Teak** » Wed Mar 04, 2015 1:38 pm

hockey9011 wrote:EGF 4-1.

It's over already?!

hockey9011 · Post by **hockey9011** » Wed Mar 04, 2015 1:49 pm

Teak wrote:
hockey9011 wrote:EGF 4-1.
It's over already?!

Just a little prediction is all

Teak · Post by **Teak** » Wed Mar 04, 2015 1:52 pm

hockey9011 wrote:
Teak wrote:
hockey9011 wrote:EGF 4-1.
It's over already?!
Just a little prediction is all

Okay, I'll go for 5-2, EGF.

nahc · Post by **nahc** » Wed Mar 04, 2015 1:53 pm

I see the New Prague kids have brought bakc the mullet.........

nahc · Post by **nahc** » Wed Mar 04, 2015 1:54 pm

Sharp New Prague uniforms!!!!

thestickler07 · Post by **thestickler07** » Wed Mar 04, 2015 1:55 pm

Running a broadcasting test during the tourney? Poor choice 45...

Teak · Post by **Teak** » Wed Mar 04, 2015 2:27 pm

Defensive battle so far, 0-0 at the end of period 1.

Shots on goal: 13-4 for EGF.

Teak · Post by **Teak** » Wed Mar 04, 2015 2:54 pm

Bowen draws first blood for EGF, 1-0.

urban iceman · Post by **urban iceman** » Wed Mar 04, 2015 5:41 pm

4-0 final EGF, en.
New Prague rang two off the pipe and played with them for the most part but penalties and not cashing in on their chances sealed their fate today. Good effort by the Trojan's. I don't see EGF getting past the Zephers tho!

TTpuckster · Post by **TTpuckster** » Wed Mar 04, 2015 5:52 pm

I see EGF beating the Zephyrs.

New Prague, in my opinion was a much better team than New Ulm.
Mahtomedi had a very tough game with New Ulm.

One of the strengths of the Green Wave is intense forechecking.
They did not exhibit that very well today, but I suspect they will on Friday.
The Mahtomedi defense will struggle with this.

EGF 4 - 2 Maht with EN goal.

pats12 · Post by **pats12** » Wed Mar 04, 2015 7:27 pm

I don't see how getting 17 shots in a game is considered playing well or even having a chance to win. Poor showing for 1A! don't believe NP is any better than NU, but we'll see find out tomorrow.

urban iceman · Post by **urban iceman** » Wed Mar 04, 2015 7:56 pm

pats12 wrote:I don't see how getting 17 shots in a game is considered playing well or even having a chance to win. Poor showing for 1A! don't believe NP is any better than NU, but we'll see find out tomorrow.

They played well enough to win , shot descrepency due to penalties that were one sided IMO. NP will beat New Ulm. 1A was way down this year but still better than anything 3A can muster mister

pats12 · Post by **pats12** » Wed Mar 04, 2015 8:25 pm

urban iceman wrote:
pats12 wrote:I don't see how getting 17 shots in a game is considered playing well or even having a chance to win. Poor showing for 1A! don't believe NP is any better than NU, but we'll see find out tomorrow.
They played well enough to win , shot descrepency due to penalties that were one sided IMO. NP will beat New Ulm. 1A was way down this year but still better than anything 3A can muster mister

Here are the actual stats:
NP 3 penalties, 0-2 on the PP(5 shots)
EFG 3 penalties, 1-2 on the PP (6 shots)

Your dream doesn't line up with the actual stats. Take your New Prague goggles off. I don't call a one shot difference a descrepency due to penalties. NP is lucky they have a good goalie or the clock would have been running.

urban iceman · Post by **urban iceman** » Wed Mar 04, 2015 8:32 pm

pats12 wrote:
urban iceman wrote:
pats12 wrote:I don't see how getting 17 shots in a game is considered playing well or even having a chance to win. Poor showing for 1A! don't believe NP is any better than NU, but we'll see find out tomorrow.
They played well enough to win , shot descrepency due to penalties that were one sided IMO. NP will beat New Ulm. 1A was way down this year but still better than anything 3A can muster mister
Here are the actual stats:
NP 3 penalties, 0-2 on the PP(5 shots)
EFG 3 penalties, 1-2 on the PP (6 shots)

Your dream doesn't line up with the actual stats. Take your New Prague goggles off. I don't call a one shot difference a descrepency due to penalties. NP is lucky they have a good goalie or the clock would have been running.

HaHa, Back to Herman and blue ice bucko! THE SUN WILL COME UP TOMORROW!

pats12 · Post by **pats12** » Wed Mar 04, 2015 8:49 pm

urban iceman wrote:
pats12 wrote:
urban iceman wrote: They played well enough to win , shot descrepency due to penalties that were one sided IMO. NP will beat New Ulm. 1A was way down this year but still better than anything 3A can muster mister
Here are the actual stats:
NP 3 penalties, 0-2 on the PP(5 shots)
EFG 3 penalties, 1-2 on the PP (6 shots)

Your dream doesn't line up with the actual stats. Take your New Prague goggles off. I don't call a one shot difference a descrepency due to penalties. NP is lucky they have a good goalie or the clock would have been running.
HaHa, Back to Herman and blue ice bucko! THE SUN WILL COME UP TOMORROW!

Don't know why you are so defensive, I'm just giving facts while you're putting your own spin on it.

TheWittness10 · Post by **TheWittness10** » Thu Mar 05, 2015 9:10 am

pats12 wrote:I don't see how getting 17 shots in a game is considered playing well or even having a chance to win. Poor showing for 1A! don't believe NP is any better than NU, but we'll see find out tomorrow.

Go ahead and run your little analysis by St. Cloud Apollo too. They beat Breck last night and were outshot 25-14...clearly they didn't play well either? It's referred to as playing defensive hockey.

The EGF-NP game was a 2-goal or less margin up until 3 minutes left in the game...not to mention a couple pipes hit by NP.

Hopefully you're able to get someone to start recording these games for you so you're able to start making intelligent comments versus commenting on final scores.

pats12 · Post by **pats12** » Thu Mar 05, 2015 10:54 am

TheWittness10 wrote:
pats12 wrote:I don't see how getting 17 shots in a game is considered playing well or even having a chance to win. Poor showing for 1A! don't believe NP is any better than NU, but we'll see find out tomorrow.
Go ahead and run your little analysis by St. Cloud Apollo too. They beat Breck last night and were outshot 25-14...clearly they didn't play well either? It's referred to as playing defensive hockey.

The EGF-NP game was a 2-goal or less margin up until 3 minutes left in the game...not to mention a couple pipes hit by NP.

Hopefully you're able to get someone to start recording these games for you so you're able to start making intelligent comments versus commenting on final scores.

I knew the hit the pipe excuse would be coming. You go ahead and make all the coulda, shoulda woulda comments to make yourself feel better. Those shots have never counted, fyi. If that were the case Breck would have won last night.

TheWittness10 · Post by **TheWittness10** » Thu Mar 05, 2015 12:30 pm

pats12 wrote:
TheWittness10 wrote:
pats12 wrote:I don't see how getting 17 shots in a game is considered playing well or even having a chance to win. Poor showing for 1A! don't believe NP is any better than NU, but we'll see find out tomorrow.
Go ahead and run your little analysis by St. Cloud Apollo too. They beat Breck last night and were outshot 25-14...clearly they didn't play well either? It's referred to as playing defensive hockey.

The EGF-NP game was a 2-goal or less margin up until 3 minutes left in the game...not to mention a couple pipes hit by NP.

Hopefully you're able to get someone to start recording these games for you so you're able to start making intelligent comments versus commenting on final scores.
I new the hit the pipe excuse would be coming. You go ahead and make all the coulda, shoulda woulda comments to make yourself feel better. Those shots have never counted, fyi. If that were the case Breck would have won last night.

You have even less intelligence than I anticipated considering you've never quite been able to figure out the difference between 'knew' and 'new'.

And to respond to your other comment about NP being no better than NU...final score from this morning NP - 5 NU - 2 with shots ironically 29-17 in favor of NP. So in your own words, that equates to...NU didn't play well, had no chance of winning, and overall poor showing by 3A.

Take a lap pats12

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Class A Quarterfinal: New Prague vs. #3 East Grand Forks

Who wins?

Class A Quarterfinal: New Prague vs. #3 East Grand Forks

egf