AA Quarterfinal: #5 Eden Prairie vs. #4 Blaine

[karl(east)]

#5 EDEN PRAIRIE VS. #4 BLAINE
-Two big suburban schools wrap up the Tourney quarterfinals. Blaine won a December meeting 8-3, which was their only meeting this decade. They’re 1-1 against each other at State, with Eden Prairie winning a 2009 semifinal and Blaine winning a 1999 consolation game.

Eden Prairie (18-9, #4, 1-seed in 6AA)
State appearances: 8 (2 in a row)
Championships: 2 (2009, 2011)
Key section wins: 1-0 over #12 Benilde-St. Margaret’s, 2-1 (OT) over #14 Minnetonka
-The Eagles are the bad boys of this year’s Tourney, escaping the 6AA minefield despite three suspensions following their semifinal win over Benilde. They are led by two superb forwards, junior Michael Graham (16) and Casey Mittelstadt (11), one of the state’s finest talents and only a sophomore. They aren’t especially deep offensively, but the D corps does have a lot of good options, and is led by seniors Andy Aguilar (6) and Brady Schoo (2). Like so many recent good Eden Prairie teams, they’ll look to ride their top guns to victory.

Blaine (22-5-1, #7, 1-seed in 5AA)
State appearances: 11 (first since 2011)
Championships: 1 (2000)
Key section win: 8-1 over 2-time defending champion Centennial
-The Bengals return to State after a few years of playoff frustration, and seek to end 5AA’s run of 5 straight two-and-outs. They have a decent shot: they’re undefeated in their last 17, and bring serious size and physicality to the table. First-year coach Chris Carroll relies on his three big forwards, Riley Tufte (27), Luke Notermann (17), and Easton Brodzinski (22), but they’ve done a good job of spreading the love across two quality lines. Jesse Slawson (24) has had a productive year, while Jon Kallestad (32) won the goalie job down the stretch. When teams do get past their relentless forecheck, they can be soft in back, and this will be the key for Eden Prairie.

[WestMetro]

Impressive for Eden Prairie to stay close and then beat Minnetonka with three less players, who they now have back. Impressive that Blaine is in the thick of things with the number four seed, having graduated so much talent last year, and also impressive beat rival CenTenniel by such a wide margin, after two earlier close games. I am thinking about a couple things: one is the big earlier season head-to-head win by Blaine, and secondly that M & M boys are sometimes more visible and effective than others for the Eagles

[blueblood]

Nightcap game is a super matchup

Blaine continues its unbeaten run with a 2-1 win over the Eagles

[Sparlimb]

Nightcap game is a super matchup

Blaine continues its unbeaten run with a 2-1 win over the Eagles

I think Blaine wins in running time. 8-2...

[Just Checking]

I am officially on the Blaine bandwagon. I started a thread about them early in the year because they were so schizophrenic. But I do believe in the talent and they are more than a little skilled. I like them by 2. 5-3 over EP.

[Hockeywatcher123]

Hoping for a Blaine win but I think EP will somehow pull it out. 3-2 EP

[hockeyhockeyhockey]

a thriller 3-2 double OT blaine

[hammer99]

Even though EP is my alma matter, my money is on the Bengals from Blaine. Too much depth for the Eagles to handle.

Blaine 5
EP 2

[MNHockeyFan]

Poll is at 15-15, a toss-up, a coin flip. I'm entering a family pick 'em contest, which team will win, really?

[hermantown2000]

Wonder if the three players who were suspened for EP will get a harsh response fron the crowd when they are introduced(If they do play).

[Imported from MN]

Blaine 4-3. I haven't seen much of EP this season and I can't believe I am putting faith in Blaine after there roller coaster season but they are big and have a few kids who can really bury.

[grandmeadowhockeyfan]

They have had a long streak of making state prior to centennial breaking it. The team made state all those years and if I remember correctly never made it out of the quarterfinals in all those attempts. They are much like wbl. I would stay away from picking this team in any competition did to inability to handle games at the X. My two cents.

[gitter]

They have had a long streak of making state prior to centennial breaking it. The team made state all those years and if I remember correctly never made it out of the quarterfinals in all those attempts. They are much like wbl. I would stay away from picking this team in any competition did to inability to handle games at the X. My two cents.

They made it from 2006-11. They took 3rd in 2006 and 2009 so they aren't just like WBL.

[hshockeyfan8]

They have had a long streak of making state prior to centennial breaking it. The team made state all those years and if I remember correctly never made it out of the quarterfinals in all those attempts. They are much like wbl. I would stay away from picking this team in any competition did to inability to handle games at the X. My two cents.

They made it from 2006-11. They took 3rd in 2006 and 2009 so they aren't just like WBL.

And who knocked them out of contention in '09? I'll take the Eagles 4-2.

[WestMetro]

A disappointing first two periods for the Bengals tonight, but give them credit for some good effort in the third.

Graham and Middlestadt looked very confident on the big stage.

[edgeless2]

Nightcap game is a super matchup

Blaine continues its unbeaten run with a 2-1 win over the Eagles

I think Blaine wins in running time. 8-2...

[Crusty]

A disappointing first two periods for the Bengals tonight, but give them credit for some good effort in the third.

Graham and Middlestadt looked very confident on the big stage.

I think the Blaine boys were a little intimidated by the setting, they couldn't get anything going in the first 2 periods, and the 3rd period EP just shut them down.