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As usual, a quick run-through with just the remaining teams.

1. Eden Prairie
-Should be a thriller in the 2AA final.
2. Edina
-Rolling so far, but now they've got that Wayzata trap in the final. A young team will need to deliver.
3. Stillwater
-The most obvious beneficiaries of the Elk River loss, with much better odds at a top-3 seed at State now.
4. Holy Family
-Will deserve the top seed at State if they knock off Eden Prairie.
5. St. Thomas Academy
-Rolling along, and on paper should do so again in a section final against a 6-seed. Could slip to the 5-seed at State, but being seeded shouldn't be in question.
6. Centennial
-Should be able to claim a 4- or 5-seed if they advance.
7. Lakeville North
-Barring upsets I think they're the odd team out for a seed, but I wouldn't object to them getting one, either. Not tested in sections yet; Lakeville South may be a different story.
8. Moorhead
-Unlikely to get a seed without a number of upsets, but seem to be playing well an will be plenty dangerous.
9. Maple Grove
-Decent odds at their second ever Tourney berth.
10. Hill-Murray
-Spared a semifinal with White Bear, so they should roll to a final rematch with Stillwater.
11. Grand Rapids
-The 7AA champ won't be seeded, but if Rapids plays the way they did in the last ten minutes of the Elk River game, they're capable of winning the whole thing.
12. Duluth East
-Not exactly rolling right now, but they'll have their shot at revenge. Can they contain the Rapids Big Three?
13. Lakeville South
-I expect a better showing than in their last meeting with North. With their defense, they have a shot.
14. Wayzata
-Quietly playing good Wayzata hockey through the first two rounds, and have given Edina two tight games so far. It's possible.
15. Roseau
-The cardiac Rams have found their way back into yet another 8AA final. Do they have one more thriller left in them?
16. Bloomington Jefferson
-Have somehow found their way to a section final. STA is on a different level than Burnsville and Eastview, though, so it'll take a monumental effort to pull off another one.
17. Tartan
-Looking respectable after an upset of White Bear, and they did manage a tie against Hill during the regular season. It's not unimaginable.
18. Woodbury
-Unlikely to do much against Stillwater.

Given that Stillwater beat Elk River and Holy Family, I'm not sure the Ponies would have been seeded behind the Elks even had the Elks had won.The Elks' highlights were wins over EP and GR, but in between they lost 5-0 to Edina. EP's other struggles during that time of the season suggests that the Elk's victory over them may not have been impressive as it seemed at the time, and Grand Rapids' difficulties also became apparent as the season progressed. Other than that, what did they do to justify a top three ranking? Like a few less respected teams they beat Lakeville North, but also lost to Hill. They only managed one-goal games against Maple Grove, and got pasted in the biggest conference game of the year when they faced Centennial a second time. I'm not questioning the Elk's position as a solid top ten team, but I'm not sure the'd be seeded ahead of Centennial, let alone Stillwater.

Rich Clarke wrote:Given that Stillwater beat Elk River and Holy Family, I'm not sure the Ponies would have been seeded behind the Elks even had the Elks had won.The Elks' highlights were wins over EP and GR, but in between they lost 5-0 to Edina. EP's other struggles during that time of the season suggests that the Elk's victory over them may not have been impressive as it seemed at the time, and Grand Rapids' difficulties also became apparent as the season progressed. Other than that, what did they do to justify a top three ranking? Like a few less respected teams they beat Lakeville North, but also lost to Hill. They only managed one-goal games against Maple Grove, and got pasted in the biggest conference game of the year when they faced Centennial a second time. I'm not questioning the Elk's position as a solid top ten team, but I'm not sure the'd be seeded ahead of Centennial, let alone Stillwater.

Well, for what it was worth, LPH had them ranked the same place I did, and that tends to be the guide. At the very least, they had an argument for 3. And if we're going to say the ER win over EP wasn't as impressive because they weren't playing well at the time, the reverse logic would apply to GR...they were undefeated and coming off wins over the teams that are now #1 and #2 in the state. As they showed yesterday, when GR is playing well, they can beat anyone. While I agree their resume didn't necessarily distinguish them clearly with some of the other 4-8 teams, I also thought they were well-built to make a title run with those two star defensemen and a deep crew of forwards. I was still thinking that for about 40 minutes yesterday...

Right or not, I'm guessing they also would've gotten some bonus credit for making it out of 7AA given the history there, and the path the seeding left them with. But, this whole discussion is academic now...

Here's how Happy see's the tournament picture shaping up.

Eden Prairie #1 seed - 3 regular season wins over Edina and a win over Stillwater and throw in 2 wins over Minnetonka and Prior Lake (including playoff win) and Duluth East and a tie with STA is a pretty strong resume.

Edina #2 seed - A win over Eden Prairie, Elk River, STA, Centennial and Minnetonka twice is good enough for #2.

Lakeville North #3 seed - Wins over Stillwater, STA, Maple Grove, Duluth East, Prior Lake and a tie with Holy Family.

Hill-Murray #4 seed - Wins over Edina, Elk River, STA and tie with Eden Prairie.

Centennial #5 - Wins over Eden Prairie, Elk River, Maple Grove, Duluth East and Minnetonka


Unseeded Teams:

St Thomas Academy - Wins over Holy Family, Centennial, Minnetonka, Hill-Murray and a tie with Eden Prairie

Moorhead - Wins over Holy Family, Minnetonka, Grand Rapids and Hill-Murray.

Grand Rapids - Wins over Eden Prairie, Edina, and Minnetonka


Here is how it would look if seeded 1 thru 8 in my eyes:

2 - Edina
7 - Moorhead

3 - Lakeville North
6 - St Thomas Academy

1 - Eden Prairie
8 - Grand Rapids

4 - Hill-Murray
5 - Centennial

Ok, bash away!!

HappyHockeyFan wrote:Here's how Happy see's the tournament picture shaping up.

Eden Prairie #1 seed - 3 regular season wins over Edina and a win over Stillwater and throw in 2 wins over Minnetonka and Prior Lake (including playoff win) and Duluth East and a tie with STA is a pretty strong resume.

Edina #2 seed - A win over Eden Prairie, Elk River, STA, Centennial and Minnetonka twice is good enough for #2.

Lakeville North #3 seed - Wins over Stillwater, STA, Maple Grove, Duluth East, Prior Lake and a tie with Holy Family.

Hill-Murray #4 seed - Wins over Edina, Elk River, STA and tie with Eden Prairie.

Centennial #5 - Wins over Eden Prairie, Elk River, Maple Grove, Duluth East and Minnetonka


Unseeded Teams:

St Thomas Academy - Wins over Holy Family, Centennial, Minnetonka, Hill-Murray and a tie with Eden Prairie

Moorhead - Wins over Holy Family, Minnetonka, Grand Rapids and Hill-Murray.

Grand Rapids - Wins over Eden Prairie, Edina, and Minnetonka


Here is how it would look if seeded 1 thru 8 in my eyes:

2 - Edina
7 - Moorhead

3 - Lakeville North
6 - St Thomas Academy

1 - Eden Prairie
8 - Grand Rapids

4 - Hill-Murray
5 - Centennial

Ok, bash away!!

Would certainly make for best state tourney on recent memory. Arguably 8 of top 10 in - with Elk and HF only ones not to make it. Even if you swap EP and HF - it would be stacked. Truly a field where anyone can win. Let's go!

Forgot Stillwater! My bad. Would think Stillwater over Hill tho, so that would be 8 of top 10 still IMO.

HappyHockeyFan wrote:Here's how Happy see's the tournament picture shaping up.

Eden Prairie #1 seed - 3 regular season wins over Edina and a win over Stillwater and throw in 2 wins over Minnetonka and Prior Lake (including playoff win) and Duluth East and a tie with STA is a pretty strong resume.

Edina #2 seed - A win over Eden Prairie, Elk River, STA, Centennial and Minnetonka twice is good enough for #2.

Lakeville North #3 seed - Wins over Stillwater, STA, Maple Grove, Duluth East, Prior Lake and a tie with Holy Family.

Hill-Murray #4 seed - Wins over Edina, Elk River, STA and tie with Eden Prairie.

Centennial #5 - Wins over Eden Prairie, Elk River, Maple Grove, Duluth East and Minnetonka


Unseeded Teams:

St Thomas Academy - Wins over Holy Family, Centennial, Minnetonka, Hill-Murray and a tie with Eden Prairie

Moorhead - Wins over Holy Family, Minnetonka, Grand Rapids and Hill-Murray.

Grand Rapids - Wins over Eden Prairie, Edina, and Minnetonka


Here is how it would look if seeded 1 thru 8 in my eyes:

2 - Edina
7 - Moorhead

3 - Lakeville North
6 - St Thomas Academy

1 - Eden Prairie
8 - Grand Rapids

4 - Hill-Murray
5 - Centennial

Ok, bash away!!

I'd swap 4 & 5 and 3 & 6.

Goldyismoldy wrote:

HappyHockeyFan wrote:Here's how Happy see's the tournament picture shaping up.

Eden Prairie #1 seed - 3 regular season wins over Edina and a win over Stillwater and throw in 2 wins over Minnetonka and Prior Lake (including playoff win) and Duluth East and a tie with STA is a pretty strong resume.

Edina #2 seed - A win over Eden Prairie, Elk River, STA, Centennial and Minnetonka twice is good enough for #2.

Lakeville North #3 seed - Wins over Stillwater, STA, Maple Grove, Duluth East, Prior Lake and a tie with Holy Family.

Hill-Murray #4 seed - Wins over Edina, Elk River, STA and tie with Eden Prairie.

Centennial #5 - Wins over Eden Prairie, Elk River, Maple Grove, Duluth East and Minnetonka


Unseeded Teams:

St Thomas Academy - Wins over Holy Family, Centennial, Minnetonka, Hill-Murray and a tie with Eden Prairie

Moorhead - Wins over Holy Family, Minnetonka, Grand Rapids and Hill-Murray.

Grand Rapids - Wins over Eden Prairie, Edina, and Minnetonka


Here is how it would look if seeded 1 thru 8 in my eyes:

2 - Edina
7 - Moorhead

3 - Lakeville North
6 - St Thomas Academy

1 - Eden Prairie
8 - Grand Rapids

4 - Hill-Murray
5 - Centennial

Ok, bash away!!

I'd swap 4 & 5 and 3 & 6.

Exactly what i thought when i read it