Running it Up...

[PhunnsieMcHockeyDad]

Last night Orono beat Visitation 19-0. The score was 12-0 after 2 and Orono scored 7 more times in the 3rd, including 1 in the last 90 seconds. I'm only judging a little bit, and Vis made their own bed by parting ways with SPA (and blowing up what had been a really good co-op) after last season BUT at what point does a team cross the line. Is it stat padding? Is it impossible to control?

As a coach in the youth ranks I've been on both sides of these games and my teams always called off the dogs when it got out of hand. 10 passes, no shooting, work on your forecheck, dump pucks and switch lines often....there are ways to avoid this. I've also coached teams that were completely overmatched and got spanked like this - and always thought it was bad form by the coaches to run up the score.

Do the same rules apply in HS hockey? Should they? Should Orono be held accountable for their actions or is that life in the HS ranks?

[j4241]

I don’t know what would account for a coach choosing to do that. It seems highly unsporting to me.

[jg2112]

Last night Orono beat Visitation 19-0. The score was 12-0 after 2 and Orono scored 7 more times in the 3rd, including 1 in the last 90 seconds. I'm only judging a little bit, and Vis made their own bed by parting ways with SPA (and blowing up what had been a really good co-op) after last season BUT at what point does a team cross the line. Is it stat padding? Is it impossible to control?

As a coach in the youth ranks I've been on both sides of these games and my teams always called off the dogs when it got out of hand. 10 passes, no shooting, work on your forecheck, dump pucks and switch lines often....there are ways to avoid this. I've also coached teams that were completely overmatched and got spanked like this - and always thought it was bad form by the coaches to run up the score.

Do the same rules apply in HS hockey? Should they? Should Orono be held accountable for their actions or is that life in the HS ranks?

Without context on each goal I can't comment more, but you can't ask a hockey player to not try to score on a breakaway, for example. As a player on the losing team, I would find that more offensive than getting scored on.

It does appear Orono tried to be equitable in spreading out their (looks at the scoresheet) 53 points on 19 goals. Goodness, that's Warroad-level stat padding.

The older Niccum sister only scored once. Given her talent level, I can only take from that that Orono called off the press as best they could.

[Thoen88]

Not knowing anything but the score/shots, here is my unvarnished opinion. The Orono coaches had to have known how the game would play out. If they didn't, they are not doing their jobs. Knowing that the game is gonna be lopsided, to type the least, I am dressing as many "float line" kids as possible, which may have been done. I'm also telling my top-2 lines that they are getting bascially 1 period to play and they better be moving the puck. After that, the other lines are playing the majority of the game and they better be moving the puck.

Again, this may have all occurred. But if a top-6 forward was on the ice at any point once the game hit 10-0, the coaches should be emabarrassed. As far as the assists that are recorded, if you're going off of what is posted on the MN Girls Hockey Hub site, take that with a truckload of salt. Teams hand out assists like prize tickets at Chuck-E-Cheese.

Also, a question could be asked of the Visitation side. Why would you not look for a schedule that better suits your team for the season? Again, not knowing the "in the weeds data", but looking at their schedule they still have games against Wayzata, Mound and EP this season? Guessing that Branton and/or Kuipers could drop a dozen by themselves if they wanted to. For a team that has scored twice in 8 games and held no team under 7, hard to imagine that is gonna help build the program.

[hunting247]

If you don’t want them to score then stop them.

[girlshockey4ever]

This post is embarrassing. If you don't want the other team to score stop them. If you choose to play on your own like Vis did this year then this is what happens. If you don't want to get blown out be better. This is varsity hockey not u-10. JUST BE BETTER.

[hunting247]

This post is embarrassing. If you don't want the other team to score stop them. If you choose to play on your own like Vis did this year then this is what happens. If you don't want to get blown out be better. This is varsity hockey not u-10. JUST BE BETTER.

[Sparlimb]

This post is embarrassing. If you don't want the other team to score stop them. If you choose to play on your own like Vis did this year then this is what happens. If you don't want to get blown out be better. This is varsity hockey not u-10. JUST BE BETTER.

I'd guess, without looking, Orono emptied their bench which is all you can ask a coach to do. Give the 4th line plenty of run and experience. Sometimes the game just goes like that. Those games aren't fun for anyone. Neither team gains much from playing them.

[Eagles93]

In defense of Orono, you have to factor in COVID this year. Most teams are not rostering 4 lines as "swing" lines are supposed to be avoided. Orono has 15 skaters on their roster according to the hub so they couldn't bench their top line and play the 4th line. I would hope, however, that the 3rd line played most of the game. I would think (hope) that in a "normal" year they'd have a 4th line for a game like this to play in the 2nd and 3rd periods.