2022 Section 4AA Playoffs

[TheNightman]

Pretty sure Erickson, Bonin, and Senden are all from White Bear, so the shutout and three of the five goals scored by White Bear kids.

[BlueLineSpecial]

Thanks guys. Getting my Jeffs mixed up

[SEC Scotty]

Thoughts and questions after reading all the posts here over the last 24 HRs.

1) When was the last time Hill was an underdog going into a section final?
2) Who will be able to challenge Hill going forward when they continue to reload with all the east metro talent. Gentry? They will just suck more talent from the east metro. Hill just reloads year after year.
3) Seems like Hill always gets a little home cooking from the stripes. They overlooked several late hits last night. But called a weak roughing on the Bears. Year after year nothing changes.
4) Lechner is a great coach but come on, look what he has to work with.
5) Pretty bush move by #11 just about flattening a WBL player on his way to mob cele after the game last night.

[Sparlimb]

Thanks guys. Getting my Jeffs mixed up

He did coach there and was AD at Mahtomedi. Just no longer.

[Sparlimb]

Thoughts and questions after reading all the posts here over the last 24 HRs.

1) When was the last time Hill was an underdog going into a section final?
2017 Stillwater was #1 seed (Hill Won), 2018 WBL was #1 seed (Hill Lost), 2019 WBL was #1 seed (Hill won)

2) Who will be able to challenge Hill going forward when they continue to reload with all the east metro talent. Gentry? They will just suck more talent from the east metro. Hill just reloads year after year.
Don't know the effect of Gentry yet. Will they be able to challenge? TBD. Will they join a conference? White Bear usually gives Hill a game, so the last two section finals have been anomalies. Stillwater has built a stronger program so that helps the section as well. The rest of the East Metro isn't terribly good at hockey. Woodbury loses its best to HM and neither them or East Ridge have had much success. Tartan is close to being an A team and NSP already folded the program.

3) Seems like Hill always gets a little home cooking from the stripes. They overlooked several late hits last night. But called a weak roughing on the Bears. Year after year nothing changes.
Sometimes it rolls that way, but watching hockey all my life, there's plenty of times it goes the other way. What's hard is when you are an underdog and you need the calls to go your way or at least be even to have a chance. Hill's on a roll right now, so I don't think a couple penalties cost WBL the game. They just didn't help keep it closer.

4) Lechner is a great coach but come on, look what he has to work with.
Everyone forgets that Lechner coached HM to their only losing season in school history in 2000-2001 (12-14-1). Sure most coaches could do well with the talent that shows up every year, but there is the other side of the fence. If I was coaching, and the team played like a C Mites team, would the talent keep coming? Lechner wasn't a terribly successful coach at Stillwater back in the day. I don't recall them being all that upset when he left. But I will say the way Lechner teams play, which is defense first, is a fun style of hockey to watch over the years. Solid defense is always better than fire wagon hockey. Who knows how long he has left.

5) Pretty bush move by #11 just about flattening a WBL player on his way to mob cele after the game last night.
Gruba is an emotional player. I believe I graduated with his dad. He's pretty dang skilled though and will end up on a D1 roster someplace. It always amazes me you have Mr. Hockey Finalists with no tenders to play D1 hockey. Is what it is. Just remember, they are kids. Kids do stupid things, especially to their rivals.

[BlueLineSpecial]

Since 2000, here's a breakdown of #1 seeds in the section

10 times - Hill Murray
7 times - WBL
2 times - Stillwater
1 time - Centennial
1 time - Tartan
1 time - Roseville

Hill has not been the section favorite 55% of the time since 2000

[Nostalgic Nerd]

I think the trend continues. Hill will have the best talent, and WB continues to beat Stillwater in the semis.

I seem to remember some Sampair's being on Mahtomedi.

1990-92 the golden era for Hill/WB? Man that was fun times at Aldrich. If you wanna call it better or not. Seems the one-goal games have continued on in sections regardless. '88 WB came back from 0-4 to tie but ended up losing in I believe 2 OT's. There's the painful 3-0 lead with Bonin in '91 only to lose in section finals. I just might pick is goalie Luther and the '96 Bears upset in how many OT's? Can't remember. I think that year thought it was gonna be a Hill/DE showdown. I'd have to look at the stats on that one.

[East Side Pioneer Guy]

Anyone who watched the HM Gentry semi would in no way say that the refs always favor Hill.

WB did not win the section in 2018. Hill has now won the past 6, matching it's two longest prior streaks.

There was a time when a PiPress reporter, in a lead up article to a Bears/Pioneers final, mentioned that the game had become very unkind to the favorite. That was in the era when the final was at the Coliseum, so that may have been around the year 2000, or the late 90's. And that proved to be true that year, with the Bears losing in their home whites.

It was pretty intense when they were in the same conference, playing twice in the regular season. WB still used Aldrich as it's home ice, and it was packed for both games.

This was the 5th year running for WB to lose to Hill in the final. And a WB kid is two feet from the Hill bench, and he's surprised there is a green wave storming off the bench? Dude, you've seen this movie before.

[mnpuckster]

WBL did beat hill in 2018. Lleyton Roed soph year

[StickWick2000]

WB did not win the section in 2018. Hill has now won the past 6, matching it's two longest prior streaks.

Uhhh no, WBL beat Hill in the 2019 section final.

[Nostalgic Nerd]

WB did not win the section in 2018. Hill has now won the past 6, matching it's two longest prior streaks.

Uhhh no, WBL beat Hill in the 2019 section final.

Yes, then Blaine beat WB in the qtrs.

[East Side Pioneer Guy]

WB did not win the section in 2018. Hill has now won the past 6, matching it's two longest prior streaks.

Uhhh no, WBL beat Hill in the 2019 section final.

Yep, my bad, I got some bad dope there.

[mnpuckster]

Anyone who watched the HM Gentry semi would in no way say that the refs always favor Hill.

WB did not win the section in 2018. Hill has now won the past 6, matching it's two longest prior streaks.

There was a time when a PiPress reporter, in a lead up article to a Bears/Pioneers final, mentioned that the game had become very unkind to the favorite. That was in the era when the final was at the Coliseum, so that may have been around the year 2000, or the late 90's. And that proved to be true that year, with the Bears losing in their home whites.

It was pretty intense when they were in the same conference, playing twice in the regular season. WB still used Aldrich as it's home ice, and it was packed for both games.

This was the 5th year running for WB to lose to Hill in the final. And a WB kid is two feet from the Hill bench, and he's surprised there is a green wave storming off the bench? Dude, you've seen this movie before.

PiPress was right for a long time. From 2002-2010 WBL had better teams than HM (maybe save a year or 2). HM somehow found a way to win in a upset during that run besides a couple years. HM dominance really started in 2010s. WBL had some legit state champ contenders from circa 2000-2009, and Sager always fumbled the bag. He won in an upset 2011, and that win seems to have extended him 10 years.
I can't think of a metro coach who has done less with talent that has come through. Let Chris Anderson take over or an outsider...Sager has been nothing short of underwhelming as a HC. Roll 2 lines all game and baffled your sqaud gas at the end of the 2nd.
Bantams win AA title...Sager loses with that group as well. If Lechner coached WBL from 2000 to today...wbl had a state title .

He must be an incredibly likeable guy, because as a HC he has underperformed if nearly all categories.

[Nostalgic Nerd]

Anyone who watched the HM Gentry semi would in no way say that the refs always favor Hill.

WB did not win the section in 2018. Hill has now won the past 6, matching it's two longest prior streaks.

There was a time when a PiPress reporter, in a lead up article to a Bears/Pioneers final, mentioned that the game had become very unkind to the favorite. That was in the era when the final was at the Coliseum, so that may have been around the year 2000, or the late 90's. And that proved to be true that year, with the Bears losing in their home whites.

It was pretty intense when they were in the same conference, playing twice in the regular season. WB still used Aldrich as it's home ice, and it was packed for both games.

This was the 5th year running for WB to lose to Hill in the final. And a WB kid is two feet from the Hill bench, and he's surprised there is a green wave storming off the bench? Dude, you've seen this movie before.

PiPress was right for a long time. From 2002-2010 WBL had better teams than HM (maybe save a year or 2). HM somehow found a way to win in a upset during that run besides a couple years. HM dominance really started in 2010s. WBL had some legit state champ contenders from circa 2000-2009, and Sager always fumbled the bag. He won in an upset 2011, and that win seems to have extended him 10 years.
I can't think of a metro coach who has done less with talent that has come through. Let Chris Anderson take over or an outsider...Sager has been nothing short of underwhelming as a HC. Roll 2 lines all game and baffled your sqaud gas at the end of the 2nd.
Bantams win AA title...Sager loses with that group as well. If Lechner coached WBL from 2000 to today...wbl had a state title .

He must be an incredibly likeable guy, because as a HC he has underperformed if nearly all categories.

The 2003 loss to R'ville in the qtrs was pretty painful. I think there was the 2004 or so loss to DE. Another painful one. To me even though they lost in the qtrs 2011 was their best run in recent memory.

[Sparlimb]

Anyone who watched the HM Gentry semi would in no way say that the refs always favor Hill.

WB did not win the section in 2018. Hill has now won the past 6, matching it's two longest prior streaks.

There was a time when a PiPress reporter, in a lead up article to a Bears/Pioneers final, mentioned that the game had become very unkind to the favorite. That was in the era when the final was at the Coliseum, so that may have been around the year 2000, or the late 90's. And that proved to be true that year, with the Bears losing in their home whites.

It was pretty intense when they were in the same conference, playing twice in the regular season. WB still used Aldrich as it's home ice, and it was packed for both games.

This was the 5th year running for WB to lose to Hill in the final. And a WB kid is two feet from the Hill bench, and he's surprised there is a green wave storming off the bench? Dude, you've seen this movie before.

PiPress was right for a long time. From 2002-2010 WBL had better teams than HM (maybe save a year or 2). HM somehow found a way to win in a upset during that run besides a couple years. HM dominance really started in 2010s. WBL had some legit state champ contenders from circa 2000-2009, and Sager always fumbled the bag. He won in an upset 2011, and that win seems to have extended him 10 years.
I can't think of a metro coach who has done less with talent that has come through. Let Chris Anderson take over or an outsider...Sager has been nothing short of underwhelming as a HC. Roll 2 lines all game and baffled your sqaud gas at the end of the 2nd.
Bantams win AA title...Sager loses with that group as well. If Lechner coached WBL from 2000 to today...wbl had a state title .

He must be an incredibly likeable guy, because as a HC he has underperformed if nearly all categories.

The 2003 loss to R'ville in the qtrs was pretty painful. I think there was the 2004 or so loss to DE. Another painful one. To me even though they lost in the qtrs 2011 was their best run in recent memory.

I was with my wife at that Duluth East QF and we were watching and I was explaining the curse. And White Bear was dominating the game. She said there was no curse. They played a poor stretch in the 3rd, East scored a couple to win and after the game she said. They are cursed...

[ChrisK]

Anyone who watched the HM Gentry semi would in no way say that the refs always favor Hill.

As much as it pains me to agree with a Hill fan, I'd have to concur with ESPG's comment. I even texted a Hill fan at the time that Gentry must have gotten their bag of cash into the refs locker room before Hill did.