Grand Rapids @ Cloquet 11/30 Tue.

TheHockeyDJ · Post by **TheHockeyDJ** » Thu Nov 25, 2010 10:52 am

Who will win this season opener that will have implications for seeding in February? Both teams appear to be much improved over last season.

dirtracing17 · Post by **dirtracing17** » Thu Nov 25, 2010 8:56 pm

i watched rapids dominate against virginia tuesday and with how they played minus a few players it would be tough to go against them.

butterball5 · Post by **butterball5** » Thu Nov 25, 2010 11:30 pm

Just thinking out loud here but can you compare Rapids handling of a single A oppenent to there chances against a solid AA school?

TheHockeyDJ · Post by **TheHockeyDJ** » Fri Nov 26, 2010 12:13 am

butterball5 wrote:Just thinking out loud here but can you compare Rapids handling of a single A oppenent to there chances against a solid AA school?

Virginia is better than most AA schools. The talent of top end single A schools is not in question, simply their bravery is in question for not opting up to AA when schools like Roseau, which are much smaller, have the balls to play AA.

formerplayer37 · Post by **formerplayer37** » Fri Nov 26, 2010 1:10 am

rapidsrapids wrote:
butterball5 wrote:Just thinking out loud here but can you compare Rapids handling of a single A oppenent to there chances against a solid AA school?
Virginia is better than most AA schools. The talent of top end single A schools is not in question, simply their bravery is in question for not opting up to AA when schools like Roseau, which are much smaller, have the balls to play AA.

HA! people saying a small A school competing with the big boys never gets old

northwoods oldtimer · Post by **northwoods oldtimer** » Fri Nov 26, 2010 6:01 am

formerplayer37 wrote:
rapidsrapids wrote:
butterball5 wrote:Just thinking out loud here but can you compare Rapids handling of a single A oppenent to there chances against a solid AA school?
Virginia is better than most AA schools. The talent of top end single A schools is not in question, simply their bravery is in question for not opting up to AA when schools like Roseau, which are much smaller, have the balls to play AA.

HA! people saying a small A school competing with the big boys never gets old

That subject does get tiring. I am not a fan of the AA, A split when teams like STA, Breck opt to single A. Virginia yes but not the privates. I sure like the extra hockey in St. Paul in March!

Game Prediction: 3 to 3 overtime tie.

elliott70 · Post by **elliott70** » Fri Nov 26, 2010 7:42 am

Rapids 5
Cloquet 2

TheHockeyDJ · Post by **TheHockeyDJ** » Fri Nov 26, 2010 10:23 am

Point is Virginia is not the sisters of the poor just because they play single A. St. Francis is AA, would they be better competition than Virginia, Hibbing, Little Falls, Breck, or Warroad?

That said, I think Grand Rapids is going to win a tough game on the road, 3-0 with and empty netter. It won't be long and people are gonna find out that not much separates the top 5 teams in 7AA this season.

Post by **karl(east)** » Fri Nov 26, 2010 12:26 pm

Rapids usually handles Cloquet well, and at this point in the season, I think they're a bit more complete than the Jacks. Rapids by two, though I'm very interested in seeing the outcome of this one.

butterball5 · Post by **butterball5** » Sat Nov 27, 2010 12:25 am

Should I look anything into scrimmage scores or just throw them out?
I read on a different post that GR beat Hibbing 1-0 and then Cloquet beat Hibbing 8-0 or is it too early to have any of that stuff matter.

mnmouth · Post by **mnmouth** » Sat Nov 27, 2010 8:03 pm

butterball5 wrote:Should I look anything into scrimmage scores or just throw them out?
I read on a different post that GR beat Hibbing 1-0 and then Cloquet beat Hibbing 8-0 or is it too early to have any of that stuff matter.

Rapids-Hibbing is a whole nother ballgame than Hibbing/Rapids-Cloquet. Rapids-Hibbing is like East-Cloquet to the boys from da Range. Only bloodier.

formerplayer37 · Post by **formerplayer37** » Sat Nov 27, 2010 10:53 pm

rapidsrapids wrote:Point is Virginia is not the sisters of the poor just because they play single A. St. Francis is AA, would they be better competition than Virginia, Hibbing, Little Falls, Breck, or Warroad?

That said, I think Grand Rapids is going to win a tough game on the road, 3-0 with and empty netter. It won't be long and people are gonna find out that not much separates the top 5 teams in 7AA this season.

I believe a lot seperates the top 5 teams this year. The section is weak this year other than Duluth East. The Jacks may give them a run for their money. They have two solid lines and thats enough for the Jacks to beat the Hounds come sections. Rapids on paper is better, but time will tell that they will not skate with the elite teams of AA.

That being said Im gonna take the Jacks in this one 4-2

rbkhockey4life · Post by **rbkhockey4life** » Sun Nov 28, 2010 1:39 pm

This is just my opponion so keep that in mind. I think rapids is one of the most under rated teams coming into this season the group of sophomores that came up that have had tons of success in youth hockey are the real deal they will add depth and some scoring to a already pretty solid team and with great defense and great goaltending i believe they have a chance to do some damage!

BigWorm · Post by **BigWorm** » Tue Nov 30, 2010 3:15 pm

Cloquet 3
Rapids 2

CEC scoring- Meyer, McFarlane, Hanson
Rapids scoring- Moore x2

lidstrom24 · Post by **lidstrom24** » Tue Nov 30, 2010 5:25 pm

Cloquet i think will win this game 5 4. You have to remember cloquets first line is still intact and that jack mcfarlane has led the team in scoring the past 2 years and can score from anywhere. Cloquets forwards are strong and Esse always has his team ready to go against rapids. Anyone remember 2008 playoffs?

starmvp · Post by **starmvp** » Tue Nov 30, 2010 5:30 pm

GR 4-3

quickgym guy · Post by **quickgym guy** » Tue Nov 30, 2010 5:38 pm

lidstrom24 wrote:Cloquet i think will win this game 5 4. You have to remember cloquets first line is still intact and that jack mcfarlane has led the team in scoring the past 2 years and can score from anywhere. Cloquets forwards are strong and Esse always has his team ready to go against rapids. Anyone remember 2008 playoffs?

That was the 2009 playoffs. Cloquet didn't play Rapids in 08...

pipersniper12 · Post by **pipersniper12** » Tue Nov 30, 2010 9:43 pm

Dominating performance by Rapids.
4-1 Final

BigWorm · Post by **BigWorm** » Wed Dec 01, 2010 8:59 am

Anyone know why John Scheuer didn't start in nets for Cloquet?

old goalie85 · Post by **old goalie85** » Wed Dec 01, 2010 10:55 am

How did rapids look? We play them Fri.

Premiere6MN · Post by **Premiere6MN** » Wed Dec 01, 2010 12:11 pm

GR3343 · Post by **GR3343** » Wed Dec 01, 2010 3:37 pm

Premiere6MN wrote:
BigWorm wrote:Anyone know why John Scheuer didn't start in nets for Cloquet?
Because he didn't win the starting job for this game. Boyd Smith did. This will probably be a season long battle for the job. The goaltending was the least of the Jacks problems last night.

PiperSniper - a "dominating" performance is a generous analysis of the game for Rapids, here's my thoughts.

Granted this is game 1 this year, but I thought this game was extremely sloppy. Cloquet's only real quality scoring chances came in the first 2 minutes of the game. It was ugly after that. I don't think this was because they were outmatched by Rapids, I just think they played pretty terrible. Once Rapids would get the puck in the offensive zone, Cloquet would never make an effort to clear the zone or break it out, they literally were passing it back and forth in the defensive zone, and then would lose control and Rapids would get it back. Defensively, this was one ugly game for the Jacks.

Rapids really didn't impress me either, they were pretty sloppy as well, but nothing like Cloquet. One of the captain's #9, Moore I think, he was clearly the best player on the ice. The Jacks would just watch Rapids skate around them. Rapids really never could have lost this game. Again Rapids didn't do anything to really dominate or take the game over, they just were handed it. The Jacks looked out of it halfway through the first period.

I haven't seen East play yet, but I don't see Rapids or Cloquet threatening any quality team, not that it's a guarantee that 7AA has one this year, I still think this section is way down in talented teams. Again, it's just game 1..

Sorry, saw the game from a different angle. GR showed more speed, more grit and more talent than CEC did last night and the result was a dominating 4-1 win. The only time GR got in trouble was when the D took off to join the forwards on rushes. A very simple fix which was taken care of right away. Say what you want about GR not being talented-I love it when people overlook a quality team.

Premiere6MN · Post by **Premiere6MN** » Wed Dec 01, 2010 5:16 pm

TheHockeyDJ · Post by **TheHockeyDJ** » Wed Dec 01, 2010 5:19 pm

Didn't Rapids lose to East by only one goal last year, and Rapids is better this year, and the kids on bantams last year beat East in the section final. Seems pretty evenly matched to me.

Premiere6MN · Post by **Premiere6MN** » Wed Dec 01, 2010 5:24 pm