Picks for the First Round

[edinahornets10]

Hill Murray will upset Maple Grove. The Pioneers have alot of experience and are unseeded making them a dangerous team. Crimson won't be able to sustain the pressure being that it's there first trip to state.

Eagan vs. Moorhead is going to be a laugher. Wildcats by 2 or 3 goals I think. The Spuds goalie could steal the show but I just don't see it.

Duluth East will handle Lakeville South pretty easily. The Hounds will be released and there will be no looking back. Cougars are just glad to be at state.

Main event of the evening Benilde vs. Edina. Everyone says this game is going to be the best game of the first round but I see it being like an 8-4 game. Yeah it might be close early on but then it will turn into one of those 8-4 game in the end.

[PuckU126]

Hill Murray will upset Maple Grove. The Pioneers have alot of experience and are unseeded making them a dangerous team. Crimson won't be able to sustain the pressure being that it's there first trip to state.

Eagan vs. Moorhead is going to be a laugher. Wildcats by 2 or 3 goals I think. The Spuds goalie could steal the show but I just don't see it.

Duluth East will handle Lakeville South pretty easily. The Hounds will be released and there will be no looking back. Cougars are just glad to be at state.

Main event of the evening Benilde vs. Edina. Everyone says this game is going to be the best game of the first round but I see it being like an 8-4 game. Yeah it might be close early on but then it will turn into one of those 8-4 game in the end.

That's a bold first pick. Although MG made a huge statement in their section final and have had a stellar season; I don't see them putting up huge numbers like that this week. HM has a solid offense; however, their defense is uncharacteristically weak this season. In my opinion, this is where HM will suffer in this first game. I agree with you that HM has experience, there is no denying that; however, I don't see them getting past MG. MG will exploit HM's defense and cash-in on the scoreboard.

The Kittens and Spuds game will be a good game, even better if Bitzer stands on his head; however, I don't foresee a Spuds win in this contest. If Bitzer plays flawlessly and the Moorhead offense pops in a few, sure, the Spuds can surely move on. But in my opinion, this game will be a repeat of last years game between these two teams in the quarters.

Not much to say about the East versus South game. This is because pretty much all 1AA teams make the walk to Mariucci the next day. I am not bashing 1AA teams, I am merely stating recent history. The only exception to this statement would be Century defeating HM in 2007 (6-5 OT). However, I do not think we will see an upset like that. East is too deep for Kloos and co. We will see East on Friday at the X.

As for the Edina, BSM game, its a toss up. I do not see a 8-4 score, neither team has given up more that 6 goals the entire year and they have both faced better offenses. I predicted BSM would win before, and I will stick to that pick. The game will be a one goal difference at the end.

[edinahornets10]

I agree that Maple Grove is a power house this year but they gotta go through Hill Murray which won't be easy. I think the coaching comes into play. But I think the winner of this gets to the finals no doubt.

As far as Benilde goes, they haven't really had a tough schedule. I mean they avoided Eden Prairie. All they did was beat Minnetonka. We'll see what thursday but the schedule they played was nothing like the Lake Conference. I just get the feeling the Hornets might have the Red Knights number this time.

[DmanDad1980]

I agree that Maple Grove is a power house this year but they gotta go through Hill Murray which won't be easy. I think the coaching comes into play. But I think the winner of this gets to the finals no doubt.

As far as Benilde goes, they haven't really had a tough schedule. I mean they avoided Eden Prairie. All they did was beat Minnetonka. We'll see what thursday but the schedule they played was nothing like the Lake Conference. I just get the feeling the Hornets might have the Red Knights number this time.

Interesting...

All they did was beat Minnetonka, arguably the #1 or #2 team in our State of Hockey...

[blueblood]

Hill over MG
Eagan over MH
East over LS
Edina over BSM

Eagan over Hill
East over Edina

East over Eagan - championship
Edina over Hill - 3rd place

Consolation round

MG over MH
LS over BSM

LS over MG - consolation champs

The BSM ride is over...

[PuckU126]

Hill over MG
Eagan over MH
East over LS
Edina over BSM

Eagan over Hill
East over Edina

East over Eagan - championship
Edina over Hill - 3rd place

Consolation round

MG over MH
LS over BSM

LS over MG - consolation champs

The BSM ride is over...

What are your thoughts on MG, BB?

[Roy01]

The BSM ride is over...

I agree, I don't see them making it too far in this year's field..

[blueliner5]

Moorhead will get blown away again this year like last year. Bitzler needs to stand on his head to keep this game close. Goaltending for Eagan needs to prevent rebounds otherwise Moorhead capitalizes. No snipers on Moorhead team unlike Eagans forwards

[blueblood]

Tough draw for MG to be playing Hill in first game. Getting past their nemesis Blaine was a big deal for them. I see this as a tight game. If MG can get a couple of early goals that will help ease the nerves.

Great year for MG.

Hill by 2 is my call, maybe 4-2...

This is the only game I picked an unseeded team to win, so it wouldn't surprise me if MG does win.

bb

[CitiesSpudsGuy]

Eagan vs. Moorhead is going to be a laugher. Wildcats by 2 or 3 goals I think. The Spuds goalie could steal the show but I just don't see it.

You were right about one thing -- it turned out be a laugher!!

Moorhead will get blown away again this year like last year. Bitzler needs to stand on his head to keep this game close. Goaltending for Eagan needs to prevent rebounds otherwise Moorhead capitalizes. No snipers on Moorhead team unlike Eagans forwards

Don't go to Vegas anytime soon.

[Disseminatedfm]

Eagan vs. Moorhead is going to be a laugher. Wildcats by 2 or 3 goals I think. The Spuds goalie could steal the show but I just don't see it.

You were right about one thing -- it turned out be a laugher!!

Well he was also right that the Spuds goalie stole the show, you have to concede that it would not have been a game if not for that. Eagan dominated them in every aspect of the game the first two periods but met a wall.

At any rate it is a comical thread now looking back at predictions. What a great finish to the last game tonight. I have never seen such a majority of any game be cheering for one team as everyone was for BSM tonight. Certainly the circumstances of this year are part of that sentiment but as I told my wife here is who you cheer for...

1. Public School in the Twin Cities
2. Public School Outstate
3. Private School
4. Anyone playing against Edina (As they are not really a public school)

Showing up right at the end of the East game and chanting overrated at their fans as they were licking their wounds was the perfect set up for their inevitable cake eating demise

[edinahornets10]

The whole first round was a laugher. All the seeded teams upset.

Maple Grove put the puck in there own goal.

Moorhead goalie posting a shutout on Eagan.

Duluth East released the Hounds and the Lakeville South Cougars pounced.

Edina follows suite like the rest of the seeded teams and trips up, despite a late power play to give them the advantage late but Benilde pulls it off for Jack in the end.

Gotta love the story of this tournament.

[PuckU126]

At any rate it is a comical thread now looking back at predictions.

I agree.

I was 1 for 4 on the quarterfinals!!

[CitiesSpudsGuy]

Eagan vs. Moorhead is going to be a laugher. Wildcats by 2 or 3 goals I think. The Spuds goalie could steal the show but I just don't see it.

You were right about one thing -- it turned out be a laugher!!

Well he was also right that the Spuds goalie stole the show, you have to concede that it would not have been a game if not for that. Eagan dominated them in every aspect of the game the first two periods but met a wall.

At any rate it is a comical thread now looking back at predictions. What a great finish to the last game tonight. I have never seen such a majority of any game be cheering for one team as everyone was for BSM tonight. Certainly the circumstances of this year are part of that sentiment but as I told my wife here is who you cheer for...

1. Public School in the Twin Cities
2. Public School Outstate
3. Private School
4. Anyone playing against Edina (As they are not really a public school)

Showing up right at the end of the East game and chanting overrated at their fans as they were licking their wounds was the perfect set up for their inevitable cake eating demise

Actually, look again --- his exact words were "The Spuds goalie could steal the show but I just don't see it."... so he was wrong.

[edinahornets10]

You were right about one thing -- it turned out be a laugher!!

Well he was also right that the Spuds goalie stole the show, you have to concede that it would not have been a game if not for that. Eagan dominated them in every aspect of the game the first two periods but met a wall.

At any rate it is a comical thread now looking back at predictions. What a great finish to the last game tonight. I have never seen such a majority of any game be cheering for one team as everyone was for BSM tonight. Certainly the circumstances of this year are part of that sentiment but as I told my wife here is who you cheer for...

1. Public School in the Twin Cities
2. Public School Outstate
3. Private School
4. Anyone playing against Edina (As they are not really a public school)

Showing up right at the end of the East game and chanting overrated at their fans as they were licking their wounds was the perfect set up for their inevitable cake eating demise

Actually, look again --- his exact words were "The Spuds goalie could steal the show but I just don't see it."... so he was wrong.

He didn't steal the show. He was the show. Maybe even the game show host. Up until the end of the Hill Murray game when they solved the puzzle.