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BEMIDJI VS. #2 EDINA
-It’s hard to imagine a bigger David vs. Goliath opener to the AA field, as Bemidji comes down from the North for the first time in 3 decades, and is promptly greeted by the dynastic Hornets. It’s a classic match-up, and we’ll learn just how real this Bemidji team is. Their tourney history consists of two 1970s meetings between Bemidji and Edina East, both won by Edina, including the 1974 championship game.

Bemidji (23-3-2, #10, 1-seed in 8AA)
State appearances: 7 (first since 1986)
Key section win: 2-0 over #15 Moorhead
-The Lumberjacks are sure to be the darlings of this year’s Tournament after ending a 29-year drought in convincing fashion, shutting out all three of their AA opponents. They’re also a complete unknown to the Metro teams, as they didn’t play a single one all season. Grant Tharaldson (30), the goaltender, will have to be the man of the hour to have a fighting chance against Edina. In front of him, Jake Leitner (5) is the offensive star, and Brady Tatro (19) has also been a reliable point source. Nick Leitner (21) and Michael Forseth (23) lead a defense that was solid all season long. The Lumberjacks are reasonably deep for a smaller northern school, but that depth faces the ultimate test in Edina. If they’re ready for the speed and intensity they’ll face against the Hornets, they’ll at least have a prayer. The first five minutes will be essential.

Edina (24-1-2, #2, 1-seed in 2AA)
State appearances: 37 (6 as Edina East/West in 70s and 80s; 9 in a row)
Championships: 12 (1969, 1971, 1982, 1984, 1988, 1997, 2010, 2013, ad 2014 as Edina; 1974, 1978, and 1979 as Edina East)
Key section win: 10-1 over #17 Burnsville
-The hunt for a third straight title is on for the Hornets, and though they don’t have the top seed, they’ve sure looked like one over the past month, steamrolling nearly everyone in their way. Senior Dylan Malmquist (20) is one of two favorites for Mr. Hockey, while junior linemate Garrett Wait (17) might just be better, and the third member of the top line, Parker Mismash (16), is the state’s best agitator, and plenty talented to boot. They have great forward depth beyond that, including St. Lawrence recruit Henry Bowlby (21), and the defense, while less heralded, is as solid as they come, with three veteran seniors and freshman phenom Clayton Phillips (18) garnering most of the ice time. If there’s a worry anywhere, it might be in their lack of close games all season; what happens if someone finally does give them a good run? Even so, there’s good reason to consider them the favorite, even with undefeated Lakeville North in the field.

Bemidji gets a few goals by catching them off guard with their speed and blocks a ton of shots, along with a few game changing saves by Theraldson. Go Jacks.

Would love to see Jacks win, but just don't see it happening.

4-1 Hornets

I hope I'm wrong.

I will be very excited to see the jack's at the X after hearing so much about them all year long. I find it interesting that the knowledgeable section 8 posters have been saying this years Jack's team is better than last years Roseau team ,which was very close to having been a giant killer. I also find it impressive that they beat Moorhead three times including the section final game.

Can't wait to see the Northern Power spank every day I need attention. I expect the bumble bees will come in over-confident after an ugly section final and will be schooled by the high skilled Jacks.

This game will not be close. Game will be in running time at start of 3rd.

Edina - 8
Bemidji - 1

Sparlimb wrote:Can't wait to see the Northern Power spank every day I need attention. I expect the bumble bees will come in over-confident after an ugly section final and will be schooled by the high skilled Jacks.

Your talk is bold and cheap... It's pretty easy to make brash statements about a team that hasn't had to play anyone all year. Half their schedule is loaded with single A teams and they lost to the really talented ones. Don't forget them skating to a 1-1 tie to mediocre Warroad earlier this month.

I wish them luck and their very best game. They will need it. Just make sure you are one of the first to revisit this forum and eat crow on Thursday afternoon.

Pretty disappointed with this matchup as a Hornet fan. I really wanted to cheer for Bemidji for a upset in the Quarterfinals, but can't go against my team.
I have not watched Bemidji this year, but it sounds like they have an advantage in size. I've heard people say they are fast, but I'm unsure how fast and if their speed can match with Edina. I think if the Jacks want to win they will need to be physical while not taking too many penalties.

I think Edina will win, but If Bemidji were to win this game, I will be rooting for them the rest of the tournament.

My biggest concern with the jacks is then viewing reaching the tourney as the finish line having just ended a three decade drought.

If they're ready to go this could be the best game QF game in a long time.

This should be a very comfortable win for Edina. If it were a regular season game I think it would be 9-1 Edina. Because Edina expects to be in the finals and will want to conserve their energy for 3 games they will skate 4 lines starting in the second period and win 7-2

Edina 6 Bemidji 1

I can't believe all the blasphemy in these predictions!!

5-2 Edina.

Doesn't anyone remember 2009 when Sports Illustrated came to the game to complete their article on one of the best high school hockey teams in the nation just to get there and watch them get bounced in the first round by an 8 seed in the tournament???? I believe that team that lost was the Edina Hornets, and who did they lose too?? Their section 8AA opponant Moorhead. Looking for some of the same this up coming weekend. Jacks 3 Hornets 2

green4 wrote:Pretty disappointed with this matchup as a Hornet fan. I really wanted to cheer for Bemidji for a upset in the Quarterfinals, but can't go against my team.
I have not watched Bemidji this year, but it sounds like they have an advantage in size. I've heard people say they are fast, but I'm unsure how fast and if their speed can match with Edina. I think if the Jacks want to win they will need to be physical while not taking too many penalties.

I think Edina will win, but If Bemidji were to win this game, I will be rooting for them the rest of the tournament.

That's a quality post Green. I would love nothing more then to see Bemidji run the table and win it. My prediction, though, is that Edina meets North in the title game. I will be cheering for North, but Edina will win their 3rd straight.

Ok, this is easy, everyone from anywhere but Edina wants Bemidji. I saw them lose to EGF ( I know they split), and they got lit up by Hermantown. (Elliot, I know there were 4 players gone for those games). But Bemidji's was hardly convincing at home. They trailed 1-0 going into the third when they had 7 minutes of power play advantage) and their win was hardly convincing.

That said I would love to see the Jacks win. Bemidji has some pretty skilled players. I think they will frustrate Edina and keep it close through two, but Edina's depth will win it in the end, out 5-2. So based on my picks this year, Bemidji is a lock.

Karl talked about Bowlby a little bit in the initial post. I think he has had a huge impact on this season for the Hornets, really adding to their depth and completing a very good 2nd line.
Bowlby did not score a goal his whole junior season as a 4th line player. He committed to play at St. Lawerence in the summer and I was pretty skeptical of that move for much of the year. You could always see he had talent and that he is a great skater, but without scoring it was hard not to have doubts.
Bowlby did not score his first goal until January 22nd, which is the night that completely changed my mind on him. He had a 4 point night with 2 goals against a good Hopkins goaltender. His confidence seems to have skyrocketed after getting that first goal as he now has 10 goals on the season, all coming in his last 10 games.
The way he has been playing lately has basically given Edina two lines with first line talent. I don't think it is a coincidence either that when Bowlby finally started scoring, Edina started not just beating teams, but handling them.

I see this as a 1 goal game either way. I don't believe the Hornets will give Bemidji any respect and they will struggle as a result. Not calling the out right upset but I would give Bemidji a 25-30% chance of winning. And I don't see a blowout.

Look for edina to skate all their lines right from the start, not just starting in the second period. hornets will put this away early, cuz the last thing you wanna do is catch if from Giles, Langevin and Terwilliger. 7-0 Edina in the 11 am game. Then the hornets get the nice, long rest before the semifinal game, where they'll play the ragged survivor of DE-STA.

blueblood wrote:This game will not be close. Game will be in running time at start of 3rd.

Edina - 8
Bemidji - 1

I'm with you on that but is there running time is the state tournament games? This may have changed but back in the day when I took a bus to the tournament we always had a rule for the last game of the night that if there was a 4 or 5 goal lead in 3rd we'd head for bus.

This may have changed or I may not remember correctly although there was running time in section games

Gov78 wrote:I'm with you on that but is there running time is the state tournament games?

Ask Lakeville North if there's running time in state tournament games.

Edina is obviously very good but you never know. Bemidji will need to play smart defensively and get great goaltending. Staying out of shorthanded situations will be paramount.
These are the type of games where, if Edina scores a couple early, it will make it tough on the Jacks. However, if Bemidji can keep it close for a while, they will gain momentum as the game goes on.
I like their chances.

Lumberjacks 4 (EN)
Hornets 2

Doc Holiday: Sure is running time in state tourney games!!! Lakeville North was sure put in to running time in the State Finals last year.... BUT North had to get their FIRST........ The notion of a 1AA team making the State finals was laughed at, and for good reason, on this website. THAT has changed. North was State runnerup last year and was ranked #1 in the State for most all of the year, plus is the number 1 seed in the tourney. Will sure see how this run goes starting Thursday night.....!!!

It was a joke. Lakeville North is a very good hockey team. They were last year as well.

green4 wrote:Karl talked about Bowlby a little bit in the initial post. I think he has had a huge impact on this season for the Hornets, really adding to their depth and completing a very good 2nd line.
Bowlby did not score a goal his whole junior season as a 4th line player. He committed to play at St. Lawerence in the summer and I was pretty skeptical of that move for much of the year. You could always see he had talent and that he is a great skater, but without scoring it was hard not to have doubts.
Bowlby did not score his first goal until January 22nd, which is the night that completely changed my mind on him. He had a 4 point night with 2 goals against a good Hopkins goaltender. His confidence seems to have skyrocketed after getting that first goal as he now has 10 goals on the season, all coming in his last 10 games.
The way he has been playing lately has basically given Edina two lines with first line talent. I don't think it is a coincidence either that when Bowlby finally started scoring, Edina started not just beating teams, but handling
them.

Let me make sure I've got this right. Bowlby committed to St. Lawrence the summer after scoring zero goals as a junior? Something doesn't add up.