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I only was able to watch the 3rd period but that was the most entertaining period of hockey I've seen this year. Rapids won 6-5, but this Rapids team is not going to State. Their play in their defensive end is awful. It looks like a Chinese fire drill. In comparing them to Hibbing, Hibbing players seem to know what they were going to do with the puck before they got it. Everyone was moving and the passes were crisp and on target. For Rapids it seemed like when they got the puck then they were thinking about what to do next. The forwards seem to be waiting for the puck and not moving. Hibbing defensemen were looking up ice, Rapids defensemen seem to be looking at the puck. Rapids took some really bad penalties too. Brainerd had a 5 on 3 late in the period but couldn't capitalize on it. They also hit a post with less then a minute to go. I could see Rapids losing in the first round of Sectionals. They play Hermantown and East, both at home, next week. They have a lot of work to do to beat those two.

Rapids was not on their game today but they have enough fire power to get the win. They were not very cohesive or fluid with passes or play in the defensive end. The second period rapids controlled the puck and play most of the period but only managed 1 goal. The defenseman were uncharacteristically out of sync tonight and sometimes out of position. Occasionally it seems they are too offensive minded and try poke checking when they could take a body instead, leading to Brainerd getting behind them.

Not sure about stejskal so far. He didn't look very good in net today. Holum played yesterday and looked very good, squares to the puck well and moves across the crease quickly.

The team that throttled Edina needs to show up these next two games. They are capable, they just have to put it all together.

Rapids hit a couple posts including one at the empty net with less than a minute left, Mattson missed his would be 4th goal of the game.

Ridiculous to make a season prediction off one game btw. Someone else could have said after the Edina game that this team is going to do damage at state! Doesn't make sense to make either claim. Greenway isn't going anywhere with that terrible penalty kill and lack of depth.

I'm not basing my opinion on just one game or one period. I'm also considering Rapids showing against Eden Prairie and Elk River. Your basing your opinion on one game, the Edina game, so how is that different from me? Rapids has allowed 4, 6, 6, 2 and 5 goals in their last five games. That is clearly a sign of trouble in the defensive end. I agree that Greenway's pk is terrible and the odds of them getting past the semis are slim. Even the quarterfinal game for Greenway will not be easy and they could be upset. The difference is I'm realistic about Greenway's chances. If Rapids beats Hermantown and East next week then I'll change my thoughts on Rapids, but until that happens they are overrated.

Yeah, I'm not sure the third period today is a solid basis for drawing inferences about Rapids in general or the defensemen in particular. If anything I would have concluded the comments are on-target on another thread about Rapids lacking discipline. The penalties were plain stupid today. Does anyone ever recall seeing that many roughing penalties by one team in a game? I think Coach Klatt will need to get on-top of that issue before it becomes horribly damaging.

It was nice to see Matson awake and playing with some energy today. Whatever had him off his game yesterday was resolved today.

I agree Holum has made the strongest case for being "The" goalie this season. Stejskal has not looked comfortable out there and did not appear to be seeing the puck today or did not seem to know how to react...other than when it was a lone attacker one-on-one. Fortunately, that is when he came through for the T-hawks.

One other thing I am noticing, Rapids needs to buy their sticks where the rest of the teams are getting theirs. The Rapids sticks too often have a hole in the blade so they miss the puck, especially on passes coming out of their zone. Way too many whiffs and turnovers to survive any superior levels of competition.

Brainerd appears to be a very well coached team - worlds apart from several years ago. It looks to me like they may have something to say this year and in the future in Section 8AA.

I agree on the penalties. They do put themselves in plenty of man down situations. Often times in the opposing end or neutral ice. I imagine they keep up their aggressive style of play whether they are up 2 or down 2, but it does seem to me they make it harder on themselves than is necessary.

Still, there is a lot to like about this team and they are definitely fun to watch.

Just a couple observations from and old fan.

greenway1969 wrote:I only was able to watch the 3rd period but that was the most entertaining period of hockey I've seen this year. Rapids won 6-5, but this Rapids team is not going to State. Their play in their defensive end is awful. It looks like a Chinese fire drill. In comparing them to Hibbing, Hibbing players seem to know what they were going to do with the puck before they got it. Everyone was moving and the passes were crisp and on target. For Rapids it seemed like when they got the puck then they were thinking about what to do next. The forwards seem to be waiting for the puck and not moving. Hibbing defensemen were looking up ice, Rapids defensemen seem to be looking at the puck. Rapids took some really bad penalties too. Brainerd had a 5 on 3 late in the period but couldn't capitalize on it. They also hit a post with less then a minute to go. I could see Rapids losing in the first round of Sectionals. They play Hermantown and East, both at home, next week. They have a lot of work to do to beat those two.

Your hatred or jealousy of the THawks is very obvious, but don't you think it's a little early in the season to write a team off? If you were at the game, you should have noticed most of the defensemen's troubles start in the offensive end. Getting caught in on pinches and mishandling the puck on the blueline...been the issue for the games I've been at. Good to see coach sit one of the defensemen for most of the third period after he had made numerous mistakes. Hopefully they figure it out by next week.

They have a coach who will hold them accountable. And seriously, with all the nitpicking on GR, as if you can't do the same with with nearly every team in the state. We're talking about teenagers here, and far as I can tell there is no team in the state that plays a perfect game in all 3 zones or plays their best for 51 minutes on any night. Even in the NHL players make mistakes and teams have off nights: see Wild vs Penguins last week.

norcon wrote:

greenway1969 wrote:I only was able to watch the 3rd period but that was the most entertaining period of hockey I've seen this year. Rapids won 6-5, but this Rapids team is not going to State. Their play in their defensive end is awful. It looks like a Chinese fire drill. In comparing them to Hibbing, Hibbing players seem to know what they were going to do with the puck before they got it. Everyone was moving and the passes were crisp and on target. For Rapids it seemed like when they got the puck then they were thinking about what to do next. The forwards seem to be waiting for the puck and not moving. Hibbing defensemen were looking up ice, Rapids defensemen seem to be looking at the puck. Rapids took some really bad penalties too. Brainerd had a 5 on 3 late in the period but couldn't capitalize on it. They also hit a post with less then a minute to go. I could see Rapids losing in the first round of Sectionals. They play Hermantown and East, both at home, next week. They have a lot of work to do to beat those two.

You're hatred or jealousy of the THawks is very obvious, but don't you think it's a little early in the season to write a team off? If you were at the game, you should have noticed most of the defensemen's troubles start in the offensive end. Getting caught in on pinches and mishandling the puck on the blueline...been the issue for the games I've been at. Good to see coach sit one of the defensemen for most of the third period after he had made numerous mistakes. Hopefully they figure it out by next week.

Sounded like Hain was put at defense for the 3rd period, and the KOZY announcers said he looked great back there. This is something I thought they should do at the beginning of the season: move a top forward to defense. Not that the other d are bad, but they need another top end player besides Stampohar at the blue line. They have excellent depth at forward, so I don't think it would hurt their offensive production at all.

Good to see Mattson get the hatty vs Brainerd. Hopefully he builds off this and starts to take over games. That kid needs to get angry and use his size and set the tone for the team.

I would like to think Rapids would come out on fire against Hermantown as they look to avenge last year's merciless beating, but right now the mismatch between the two teams' blue lines makes me think Hermantown will win again. Should be a great game.

rainier wrote:

norcon wrote:

greenway1969 wrote:I only was able to watch the 3rd period but that was the most entertaining period of hockey I've seen this year. Rapids won 6-5, but this Rapids team is not going to State. Their play in their defensive end is awful. It looks like a Chinese fire drill. In comparing them to Hibbing, Hibbing players seem to know what they were going to do with the puck before they got it. Everyone was moving and the passes were crisp and on target. For Rapids it seemed like when they got the puck then they were thinking about what to do next. The forwards seem to be waiting for the puck and not moving. Hibbing defensemen were looking up ice, Rapids defensemen seem to be looking at the puck. Rapids took some really bad penalties too. Brainerd had a 5 on 3 late in the period but couldn't capitalize on it. They also hit a post with less then a minute to go. I could see Rapids losing in the first round of Sectionals. They play Hermantown and East, both at home, next week. They have a lot of work to do to beat those two.

You're hatred or jealousy of the THawks is very obvious, but don't you think it's a little early in the season to write a team off? If you were at the game, you should have noticed most of the defensemen's troubles start in the offensive end. Getting caught in on pinches and mishandling the puck on the blueline...been the issue for the games I've been at. Good to see coach sit one of the defensemen for most of the third period after he had made numerous mistakes. Hopefully they figure it out by next week.

Sounded like Hain was put at defense for the 3rd period, and the KOZY announcers said he looked great back there. This is something I thought they should do at the beginning of the season: move a top forward to defense. Not that the other d are bad, but they need another top end player besides Stampohar at the blue line. They have excellent depth at forward, so I don't think it would hurt their offensive production at all.

Good to see Mattson get the hatty vs Brainerd. Hopefully he builds off this and starts to take over games. That kid needs to get angry and use his size and set the tone for the team.

I would like to think Rapids would come out on fire against Hermantown as they look to avenge last year's merciless beating, but right now the mismatch between the two teams' blue lines makes me think Hermantown will win again. Should be a great game.

Hain has the personality and physicality to play D and knock some people on their rear ends. This could be a great mid-season move. And I agree on Mattson that he needs to leverage one of the tools he has which is his size. Kinda reminds me of how this year for the Wild Charlie Coyle has started to use his size more to his advantage than in years past. Back to Hain moving back to D, it probably is a result as well with guys like Keegan Graeber and Gunnar Harris really stepping up at forward. Klatt put Graeber on the top line vs FL and said pregame that's what you get when you work your tail off is more ice time. Kudos to them for answering the bell.