Class AA QF: Wayzata vs. #1 Eden Prairie

Post by **karl(east)** » Sat Mar 04, 2017 1:01 pm

WAYZATA VS. #1 EDEN PRAIRIE
6:00 Thursday
-Two longtime Lake Conference rivals collide in a juicy first round rematch of last year’s title game. Eden Prairie won the regular season meetings 8-2 and 4-2, and this series is dead even at 5-5 in its last 10 installations.

Wayzata (10-17-1, #21, 3-seed in 6AA)
State appearances: 5 (2 in a row)
State championships: 1 (2016)
Key section win: 3-1 over #2 Edina
-The Trojans are one of the wackiest stories this season, as the defending state champs floundered to a 7-win regular season before rattling off three straight playoff wins, including an upset of Edina. They don’t have the forward depth of last season, but they do know how to play within Pat O’Leary’s signature defensive system, and Griffin Ness (22) and Colin Schmidt (3) can put the puck in the net. Andrew Urban (2) and Tyler Stevens (19) also had productive years. Grant Anderson (21), a Nebraska-Omaha recruit, is their star on defense, where Jack Carlson (20) also plays a leading role. Reid Waszczenko (1), despite a 1-win regular season, is a good goaltender who was the star of their run through sections. Stringing together enough wins to repeat will be a tall order, but it’s not too crazy to imagine them winning a game or two here.

Eden Prairie (21-4-2, #1, 1-seed in 2AA)
State appearances: 10 (4 in a row)
State championships: 2 (2009, 2011)
Key section wins: 2-1 over #15 Prior Lake, 4-3 over #5 Holy Family
-The Eagles enter this tournament on a mission, with 15 straight wins since Casey Mittestadt announced they’d run the table. Of course it all starts with Mittelstadt (11), the certain Mr. Hockey winner and a generational talent, but there are plenty of others worth watching in the stable. Sophomore Gopher recruit Jack Jenson (18) joins Mittelstadt on the top line, while steady Nolan Sullivan (12) and agitator Hunter Johannes (27) carry the load on the second. Notre Dame recruit Nick Leivermann (4) is prolific from the blue line, and the rest of the defense knows its role and doesn’t try to do too much. For all the top-end talent, this team’s season came together when they started rolling three deep lines and grinding other teams down; they feel much more like a team than last season’s runners-up. Speedy Spencer Olson (5) anchors the third line, and Nick Wiencek (30) will be in goal. Discipline remains the mild concern.

grindiangrad-80 · Post by **grindiangrad-80** » Sat Mar 04, 2017 9:42 pm

Eden Prairie is the deserving #1 this year but I have to believe that Wayzata is the team who could derail their weekend early. I think the Trojan defense keeps them in it and pulls it out. 4-2 with an empty net.

Sparlimb · Post by **Sparlimb** » Sat Mar 04, 2017 9:58 pm

grindiangrad-80 wrote:Eden Prairie is the deserving #1 this year but I have to believe that Wayzata is the team who could derail their weekend early. I think the Trojan defense keeps them in it and pulls it out. 4-2 with an empty net.

Wayzata will be everyone's darling, but they didn't have a horrendous record because they were laying low. They had a bad record because they were terribly inconsistent and couldn't beat the better teams. They didn't outplay Edina, they just did better at taking advantage of their chances. I think EP will handle them, something like 5-2.

Goldyismoldy · Post by **Goldyismoldy** » Sat Mar 04, 2017 10:34 pm

Sparlimb wrote:
grindiangrad-80 wrote:Eden Prairie is the deserving #1 this year but I have to believe that Wayzata is the team who could derail their weekend early. I think the Trojan defense keeps them in it and pulls it out. 4-2 with an empty net.
Wayzata will be everyone's darling, but they didn't have a horrendous record because they were laying low. They had a bad record because they were terribly inconsistent and couldn't beat the better teams. They didn't outplay Edina, they just did better at taking advantage of their chances. I think EP will handle them, something like 5-2.

Well if you have Sparlimbs vote of confidence...

I'll take Wayzata.

SEC Scotty · Post by **SEC Scotty** » Sun Mar 05, 2017 4:57 pm

Sparlimb wrote:
grindiangrad-80 wrote:Eden Prairie is the deserving #1 this year but I have to believe that Wayzata is the team who could derail their weekend early. I think the Trojan defense keeps them in it and pulls it out. 4-2 with an empty net.
Wayzata will be everyone's darling, but they didn't have a horrendous record because they were laying low. They had a bad record because they were terribly inconsistent and couldn't beat the better teams. They didn't outplay Edina, they just did better at taking advantage of their chances. I think EP will handle them, something like 5-2.

I thought they outworked Edina, blocked a ton of shots, and got great goaltending.

blueblood · Post by **blueblood** » Sun Mar 05, 2017 8:58 pm

CM and the Eagles take step 1 for redemption. Ep 5 Wayzata 1

Sparlimb · Post by **Sparlimb** » Mon Mar 06, 2017 2:06 pm

SEC Scotty wrote:I thought they outworked Edina, blocked a ton of shots, and got great goaltending.

They did do all of those things and still had much fewer scoring chances. They needed a herculean effort from the goalie to stay in it. They have a chance in this game (obviously), but they still have warts that can't be erased.

boblee · Post by **boblee** » Tue Mar 07, 2017 4:53 pm

EP. 1-0 in OT. CM all alone.

hockey59 · Post by **hockey59** » Thu Mar 09, 2017 7:39 pm

1-0 Wayzata after two periods. If your an EP fan...officially time to begin being VERY anxious. (:

sterfry9 · Post by **sterfry9** » Thu Mar 09, 2017 8:13 pm

i noticed it last year, and it looks like the EP kids are doing it again this year. whats the deal with when they skate to the bench they take their gloves off to high five their teammates after a goal is there some reason behind this? nothing wrong with it, just used to seeing most teams or kids keep their gloves on when they do it....

hockey59 · Post by **hockey59** » Thu Mar 09, 2017 8:13 pm

1-1 with 5 minutes to go...

BlueLineSpecial · Post by **BlueLineSpecial** » Thu Mar 09, 2017 8:14 pm

Apparently the only way anyone is going to score on this Wayzata goalie is a deflection off their own player. Score on one and almost another.

Post by **east hockey** » Thu Mar 09, 2017 8:20 pm

Wow. Just had to get the first one.

Lee

hockey59 · Post by **hockey59** » Thu Mar 09, 2017 8:20 pm

EP scored...up 2-1 with a minute to go

hockey59 · Post by **hockey59** » Thu Mar 09, 2017 8:27 pm

3-1 (EN) goal Final for EP. What an exciting, hard fought game!

WestMetro · Post by **WestMetro** » Thu Mar 09, 2017 8:39 pm

Deraney, who would have thought?

I was lucky enough to have Casey on my fantasy draft and I only got one point when I was expecting 4 or 5 ( two for a goal, one for assist). Well, maybe more against Grand Rapids tomorrow night, but not too many.

grindiangrad-80 · Post by **grindiangrad-80** » Thu Mar 09, 2017 8:45 pm

Another great game. Hopefully 1 more.

TooManyEagles · Post by **TooManyEagles** » Thu Mar 09, 2017 9:54 pm

Great, heartbreaking game. For a year where I had zero expectations after Christmas, Pat and the boys made it a fun March. Always proud to be a Wayzata alum, and good luck to Casey. Didn't go 1 and Done at State his senior year like Bjugstad did.

ryguyMN · Post by **ryguyMN** » Thu Mar 09, 2017 9:55 pm

This EP fan and alum was watching with nerves about as bad as the players on EP. Have to give credit to Wayzata. O'Leary came into the game with a solid plan. They kept Casey in check, and the defense played well. Screens and deflected shots is all it takes to turn a game from one side to the other. Eden Prairie needs to relax a bit - they're playing uptight hockey. Now that the first tourney game is in the books, hopefully they'll go back to playing the hockey they're accustomed with.

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Class AA QF: Wayzata vs. #1 Eden Prairie

Who wins?

Class AA QF: Wayzata vs. #1 Eden Prairie

Rematch of 2015 Finals