Great Teams that Fell Short

[MNHockeyFan]

Question then is when did periods become 15 minutes and overtime increase to 8 minutes and then at the state tournament go 8 then full period back & forth

I'm dating myself and my brother here, but I can tell you for sure the periods went from 12 to 15 minutes sometime between 1967 and 1974. The other crazy rule that was still in effect back then was you were only allowed to check in your defensive zone (behind your own blue line).

[PuckU126]

Question then is when did periods become 15 minutes and overtime increase to 8 minutes and then at the state tournament go 8 then full period back & forth

I'm dating myself and my brother here, but I can tell you for sure the periods went from 12 to 15 minutes sometime between 1967 and 1974. The other crazy rule that was still in effect back then was you were only allowed to check in your defensive zone (behind your own blue line).

Wow, I have never heard of that rule before. I can't even imagine it being enforced today.

[MNHockeyFan]

Wow, I have never heard of that rule before. I can't even imagine it being enforced today.

Well with the antique leather helmets (with no facemasks) we wore back then this rule might have actually made some sense! Still it was very poor preparation for college hockey which allowed checking in all zones. You quickly learned to keep your head up no matter where you were on the ice...

[PuckU126]

Wow, I have never heard of that rule before. I can't even imagine it being enforced today.

Well with the antique leather helmets (with no facemasks) we wore back then this rule might have actually made some sense! Still it was very poor preparation for college hockey which allowed checking in all zones. You quickly learned to keep your head up no matter where you were on the ice...

Ouch, I can only imagine some of the lessons those new players had...

[starmvp]

Wow, I have never heard of that rule before. I can't even imagine it being enforced today.

Well with the antique leather helmets (with no facemasks) we wore back then this rule might have actually made some sense! Still it was very poor preparation for college hockey which allowed checking in all zones. You quickly learned to keep your head up no matter where you were on the ice...

Ouch, I can only imagine some of the lessons those new players had...

A couple hospital trips in their first games...

[hipcheck]

Actually back then the college game was not very physical. Remember, if you can, the upper body equipment was just a piece of leather on the shoulders. In fact many forwards did not wear shoulder pads even in college. So, forwards did not just race in the corner to blast someone off their feet.

Players now days are wearing armor, but they should. The game is faster and players are stronger.

[PuckU126]

Actually back then the college game was not very physical. Remember, if you can, the upper body equipment was just a piece of leather on the shoulders. In fact many forwards did not wear shoulder pads even in college. So, forwards did not just race in the corner to blast someone off their feet.

Players now days are wearing armor, but they should. The game is faster and players are stronger.

MNHockeyFan has some good memories of those days..

[PuckPutz07]

I think 1971 was the first year that the MSHSL allowed players to check in the offensive zone. I believe we were playing 15 minute periods by then as well.

[Nostalgic Nerd]

The following night Cretin pounded Rapids. Not to take anything away from that Cretin team, they were probably their best team ever and made the most of their opportunities. But most years that team doesn't even make the final. After AHA lost, it should have been an easy ride for the Pioneers, and beating an old Catholic rival for the Championship would have been fun.

I don't agree. I think the way Cretin was playing they'd have beat Hill in the final anyway.

As a side note, Hill never really figured out Rapids' disruption of the passing lanes, and the coach did acknowledge after the game the main reason they lost was because they couldn't hit the net.

[Nostalgic Nerd]

Being a Govie alum, several (painful memories) come to mind.

1992 Johnson losing in state quarters to Hill. Hill had the Strobel's, both of whom grew up playing on the East Side their entire lives in Hawks uniforms, but went to HS at Hill. Both went on to play DI for Wisconsin.

1996 Johnson (with Progreba and Lyons - both DI players, and several other DIII players) losing in section finals to Sibley 6-5 to the best goalie in the state (who's name I can't remember). I played agains that same goalie in Bantams and we were defeated 1-0 after he saved 63 shots. Best goalie I can ever recall playing against.

They were the last core Govie squad to make into state, 1995, losing that year in the quarters to Alexandria.

In all of the abovementioned teams the goaltending was their downfall. Had they had above-average tending, all of those teams could have challenged for the state title.

Just to make a couple corrections:

Johnson beat Tartan 5-4 in the quarters after being down 4-0. They lost to Hill 6-5 in 2 OT's. Neither of the Strobel's were on the '92 team since they graduated in '91, the year they won the championship.

I think Johnson lost 4-3 to Sibley in the '96 semis. (SSP beat Sibley in the section final.) They lost again to them in '97, and that was a fun one to see Sibley upset SSP to go to state.

Johnson lost 5-2 to Moorhead at state.

[paulsonj72]

I'm dating myself and my brother here, but I can tell you for sure the periods went from 12 to 15 minutes sometime between 1967 and 1974. The other crazy rule that was still in effect back then was you were only allowed to check in your defensive zone (behind your own blue line).

International hockey(Olympics, etc) also had that restriction on checking in only the defensive zone until 1969(I believe). So it wasn't high school only

[Govie]

Being a Govie alum, several (painful memories) come to mind.

1992 Johnson losing in state quarters to Hill. Hill had the Strobel's, both of whom grew up playing on the East Side their entire lives in Hawks uniforms, but went to HS at Hill. Both went on to play DI for Wisconsin.

1996 Johnson (with Progreba and Lyons - both DI players, and several other DIII players) losing in section finals to Sibley 6-5 to the best goalie in the state (who's name I can't remember). I played agains that same goalie in Bantams and we were defeated 1-0 after he saved 63 shots. Best goalie I can ever recall playing against.

They were the last core Govie squad to make into state, 1995, losing that year in the quarters to Alexandria.

In all of the abovementioned teams the goaltending was their downfall. Had they had above-average tending, all of those teams could have challenged for the state title.

Just to make a couple corrections:

Johnson beat Tartan 5-4 in the quarters after being down 4-0. They lost to Hill 6-5 in 2 OT's. Neither of the Strobel's were on the '92 team since they graduated in '91, the year they won the championship.

I think Johnson lost 4-3 to Sibley in the '96 semis. (SSP beat Sibley in the section final.) They lost again to them in '97, and that was a fun one to see Sibley upset SSP to go to state.

Johnson lost 5-2 to Moorhead at state.

You definitely corrected a couple mistakes. I should've rememberd the Moorhead loss because I was A-Bantam that year and I was in the student section right next to the glass. Oh, God, the memories of having your team in the big dance - nothing will ever replace that.

Also, my neighbor was on the 1991 team as well. I just mistook it for '92. Ron Bookler choked that first quarters at the Civic Center. Him and Dom Navaro were SOOOO incredible in net, as was Matty Magnuson on 1995 team (They were the last St. Paul Johnson team to win a state title - the 1992 Bantam A State champs) and Joe Adams also had some real promise. Joe Adams turned into a druggie, Matty Magnuson lost all the Team MN game he once had, and the kid who always got cut to those two growing up - Gino Ricci - choked in the sections that '96 team.

Throughout the 90s every Govs squad suffered from poor goaltending or major choke-syndrome. Some of the abovementioned tenders I am almost positive (Navaro and Bookler) went into Juniors, as did several of the other Govs. Numerous Govies went D-I from all of the 90s squads.

[Nostalgic Nerd]

Being a Govie alum, several (painful memories) come to mind.

1992 Johnson losing in state quarters to Hill. Hill had the Strobel's, both of whom grew up playing on the East Side their entire lives in Hawks uniforms, but went to HS at Hill. Both went on to play DI for Wisconsin.

1996 Johnson (with Progreba and Lyons - both DI players, and several other DIII players) losing in section finals to Sibley 6-5 to the best goalie in the state (who's name I can't remember). I played agains that same goalie in Bantams and we were defeated 1-0 after he saved 63 shots. Best goalie I can ever recall playing against.

They were the last core Govie squad to make into state, 1995, losing that year in the quarters to Alexandria.

In all of the abovementioned teams the goaltending was their downfall. Had they had above-average tending, all of those teams could have challenged for the state title.

Just to make a couple corrections:

Johnson beat Tartan 5-4 in the quarters after being down 4-0. They lost to Hill 6-5 in 2 OT's. Neither of the Strobel's were on the '92 team since they graduated in '91, the year they won the championship.

I think Johnson lost 4-3 to Sibley in the '96 semis. (SSP beat Sibley in the section final.) They lost again to them in '97, and that was a fun one to see Sibley upset SSP to go to state.

Johnson lost 5-2 to Moorhead at state.

You definitely corrected a couple mistakes. I should've rememberd the Moorhead loss because I was A-Bantam that year and I was in the student section right next to the glass. Oh, God, the memories of having your team in the big dance - nothing will ever replace that.

Also, my neighbor was on the 1991 team as well. I just mistook it for '92. Ron Bookler choked that first quarters at the Civic Center. Him and Dom Navaro were SOOOO incredible in net, as was Matty Magnuson on 1995 team (They were the last St. Paul Johnson team to win a state title - the 1992 Bantam A State champs) and Joe Adams also had some real promise. Joe Adams turned into a druggie, Matty Magnuson lost all the Team MN game he once had, and the kid who always got cut to those two growing up - Gino Ricci - choked in the sections that '96 team.

Throughout the 90s every Govs squad suffered from poor goaltending or major choke-syndrome. Some of the abovementioned tenders I am almost positive (Navaro and Bookler) went into Juniors, as did several of the other Govs. Numerous Govies went D-I from all of the 90s squads.

Bookler faced numerous breakaways against Cretin at Aldrich. I thought they plain got out coached, losing 4-1. Johnson beat Cretin twice in the regular season if I'm correct. That was '90.

[Govie]

Just to make a couple corrections:

Johnson beat Tartan 5-4 in the quarters after being down 4-0. They lost to Hill 6-5 in 2 OT's. Neither of the Strobel's were on the '92 team since they graduated in '91, the year they won the championship.

I think Johnson lost 4-3 to Sibley in the '96 semis. (SSP beat Sibley in the section final.) They lost again to them in '97, and that was a fun one to see Sibley upset SSP to go to state.

Johnson lost 5-2 to Moorhead at state.

You definitely corrected a couple mistakes. I should've rememberd the Moorhead loss because I was A-Bantam that year and I was in the student section right next to the glass. Oh, God, the memories of having your team in the big dance - nothing will ever replace that.

Also, my neighbor was on the 1991 team as well. I just mistook it for '92. Ron Bookler choked that first quarters at the Civic Center. Him and Dom Navaro were SOOOO incredible in net, as was Matty Magnuson on 1995 team (They were the last St. Paul Johnson team to win a state title - the 1992 Bantam A State champs) and Joe Adams also had some real promise. Joe Adams turned into a druggie, Matty Magnuson lost all the Team MN game he once had, and the kid who always got cut to those two growing up - Gino Ricci - choked in the sections that '96 team.

Throughout the 90s every Govs squad suffered from poor goaltending or major choke-syndrome. Some of the abovementioned tenders I am almost positive (Navaro and Bookler) went into Juniors, as did several of the other Govs. Numerous Govies went D-I from all of the 90s squads.

Bookler faced numerous breakaways against Cretin at Aldrich. I thought they plain got out coached, losing 4-1. Johnson beat Cretin twice in the regular season if I'm correct. That was '90.

They had some wars with Cretin at Aldrich during that time. I know they brawled one time but I was so young I don't remember much of it. I was at that game though. the kid I was referring to earlier was the one who threw the first punch and started one of the brawls ('90); him and I were talking about it only recently and we both just had some great laughs. Those Govs squads were AWESOME during that era - tough East Side kids that stood down to nobody, but that is the end of it. That truly was the end of one of the great high school sporting organizations in American history - and no doubt one of the top high school hockey programs in American history.

[Nostalgic Nerd]

I remember one specific stretch during the game where Johnson held the puck in Cretin's zone for something like 4 minutes running time. They never scored during that stretch, and the Cretin guy finally just slap shot it for an icing.

[GordonBombay99]

The Little Falls teams with the Hanowski's? Had some great records and could score almost at will.

[codyy33]

How about the 2003-2004 season.

Johnson beat Tartan 7-1 in the last game of the regular season and then lost 5-2 to Tartan in the Section 2AA Final.

Johnson did however get their revenge in the 2009 section tournament beating #1 Tartan 4-3.

[jimsmithers]

the 2006 Pioneers were a great team - but soft ice caused by warm weather favored individual skill over a complicated passing game. Mark White dominated and the puck bounced over the Pioneers sticks. They could not adjust.

[PuckU126]

the 2006 Pioneers were a great team - but soft ice caused by warm weather favored individual skill over a complicated passing game. Mark White dominated and the puck bounced over the Pioneers sticks. They could not adjust.

Patrick White?

If not, who are you talking about?

[ihatethestlblues]

has anyone mentioned east in 97?

[east hockey]

has anyone mentioned east in 97?

On the first post in this topic.

Lee

[PuckU126]

has anyone mentioned east in 97?

On the first post in this topic.

Lee

That would be ME!

[218-to-State]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3cQfmCH ... re=related




'04 Moorhead. Speaking with a little bias here, but they were the best team to never win state. Sort of fitting for the most disappointing team to come from one of the most disappointing programs in Minnesota High School history.

[jimsmithers]

the 2006 Pioneers were a great team - but soft ice caused by warm weather favored individual skill over a complicated passing game. Mark White dominated and the puck bounced over the Pioneers sticks. They could not adjust.

Patrick White?

If not, who are you talking about?

Indeed - Patrick White...

[BBB]

Brainerd '11