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Anyone else notice the state tournament schedule is different? The MSHSl website lists the 1/8 game as the 1st of the day followed by the 4/5 game with the 2/7 and 3/6 game in the late session.
https://www.mshsl.org/tournaments/2026- ... tournament

Very silly for every tournament besides Boys AA. Neither girls tournament nor the boys tournament have the depth to guarantee a good 3v6 game let alone 2v7 game. Makes sense if the standpoint is that the 1 seed should have as much time as possible between their first game and the championship game. Not that that’s mattered recently, 1 seeds have won five of the past seven Boys AA tournaments and three straight.

Wonder what the thought process was for this. Can't wait to watch the 4/5 while I'm sitting at work

north_bear wrote: ↑Tue Feb 10, 2026 11:05 pm Wonder what the thought process was for this. Can't wait to watch the 4/5 while I'm sitting at work

No idea if this is true, but was told the #1 seed coaches for AA felt at a disadvantage. #2 seed got to play early and then rest the rest of the day Thursday then got to play the early game on Friday while the #1 seed had to play into the late night by Saturday the #2 seed was getting like 8 more hours of rest and recovery than the #1 seed.

Again, just something I heard. Who knows its interesting they changed it. Maybe now that they seed it 1-8 they dont want the biggest mismatch 1 vs 8 in prime time... Be curious how this goes.

Yeah, rest time between games for the top seeds would be my guess for the change too. I think what ClassAGuy says makes sense.

Have seen this shift with the Section 2AA tournament where the #1 seed went from playing the early game to the late game on Semi Saturday following first round games from Thursday.

ClassAGuy wrote: ↑Tue Feb 10, 2026 11:25 pm

north_bear wrote: ↑Tue Feb 10, 2026 11:05 pm Wonder what the thought process was for this. Can't wait to watch the 4/5 while I'm sitting at work

No idea if this is true, but was told the #1 seed coaches for AA felt at a disadvantage. #2 seed got to play early and then rest the rest of the day Thursday then got to play the early game on Friday while the #1 seed had to play into the late night by Saturday the #2 seed was getting like 8 more hours of rest and recovery than the #1 seed.

Again, just something I heard. Who knows its interesting they changed it. Maybe now that they seed it 1-8 they dont want the biggest mismatch 1 vs 8 in prime time... Be curious how this goes.

Spot on, as usual.

I don’t mind the change. Coming home from work to watch a 1/8 blowout hasn’t exactly been inspiring.

They did the same for the girl's tourney. #1 seed plays at 11 AM. It is usually this biggest blowout, but still, I like the #1 seed getting prime time.

I've always felt the 11 AM game is the prime game for upsets, because teams aren't used to playing so early in the day and often come out flat. Will be curious to see how that works out with it being the #1 seed, as they should have the easiest game and so maybe the time matters less.

Personally, I will miss that possibility of a #2 with little to no tournament experience possibly getting upset. It worked out for Hill when they played Maple Grove a few years back. But on the whole, I see the wisdom of it. I had wondered why the #1 got some much less rest than #2. It makes a difference for Friday night, but also for Saturday. I think it was 2011 when an upstart DEast over-performed and took a very good EP to OT in the final. East needed OT to win all three games. If you need the full tank of gas for the quarters and semis, it might effect you in the final. And had EP played earlier on Thur and Friday, maybe they'd have got 'er done in 51 minutes in the final.

Also, by playing the first game of each session, the #1 has a time certain for their puck drop. There's no waiting for the first game to end if it goes into OT. The more I think about it, the more sense it makes.

Selfishly, I do kind of wish the 1-8 game were the second game of the early session. I hate it when that game goes to OT. And even if it doesn't, I wouldn't mind heading back to McGoverns before the final horn.