Class A Rankings 1-24-2016

[rainier]

I just want to make sure I understand what I've been told this week. Since Mahtomedi beat Cathedral and Hibbing lost to Apollo I need to make Mahtomedi's ranking go up and Hibbing's go down, right?

Also, what are people's thoughts on SPA? Do the 7A crowd think they should be at #4 since they lost to Breck by the same score as Apollo, of course giving the nod to Apollo who beat Hibbing? Or should we take a look at the rest of their schedule and notice that their only noteworthy games since Christmas (since that's the timeframe howardst would have us use) are a Eau Claire Memorial win and one goal Blake and Breck losses?

Yes, I would have no problem dropping Hibbing a spot and moving Mahtomedi up a spot, in my rankings at least. Here's what I had at the beginning of the week.

1. Hermantown (20)
2. Breck (19)
3. Apollo (68 )
4. Hibbing (51)
5. Delano (41)
6. Thief River (36)
7. Greenway (85)
8. Mahtomedi (45)
9. Cathedral (59)
10. SPA (58 )

Here's where I'd put them now

1. Hermantown (20)
2. Breck (19)
3. Apollo (68 )
4. Delano (41)
5. Hibbing (51)
6. Thief River (36)
7. Mahtomedi (45)
8. Greenway (85)
9. SPA (58 )
10.Cathedral (59)

Of course if Mahtomedi beats HM tonight, then I could see moving the Zephyrs up another spot.

You can try to compare what happened with Hibbing and Mahtomedi this week to what happened last week, but it's apple to oranges.

Last week #5 Hibbing beat three top 20 teams including your #6 TRF, while your #4 Mahtomedi got beaten decidedly by the #1 team, yet you left Hibbing and Mahtomedi in the same spots. This made no sense.

This week, Hibbing lost a tight game to the #3 team, while Mahtomedi beat a barely top ten Cathedral team by two (en) in a tight game.

Last week, moving Hibbing up and Mahtomedi down was a painfully obvious move you didn't make. This week, doing the reverse is also a move I think should be made, but it is nowhere near as obvious as last week.

[rainier]

Heads up, Class A.

Grant Loven had 2 goals and an assist in his first game back from injury last night. EGF was already a top ten team most of the season, but now they add an Elite talent to the mix.

His synergy with Tweten is enough to think this team is now top 5. He has three regular season and one QF game to shake off the rust before things get real.

They've had some not-so-great games this season, but they've also tied and lost by one to a Bemidji team that beat Hermantown. And now they add Loven.

Should be a fun finish in 8A.

[TTpuckster]

http://www.grandforksherald.com/sports/ ... parks-wave

Maybe this will help the Green Wave cause.

[hockeyguy272]

Heads up, Class A.

Grant Loven had 2 goals and an assist in his first game back from injury last night. EGF was already a top ten team most of the season, but now they add an Elite talent to the mix.

His synergy with Tweten is enough to think this team is now top 5. He has three regular season and one QF game to shake off the rust before things get real.

They've had some not-so-great games this season, but they've also tied and lost by one to a Bemidji team that beat Hermantown. And now they add Loven.

Should be a fun finish in 8A.

Top 5. Hmmm. Mahtomedi is 7 in your rankings because they lost by 4 to the best team in class A on the road. They've beaten STA (#9 AA), SPA (#11 A), Cathedral (#8 A), STMA, and Blake (#9 A). EGF has been average at best all year not to mention their loss to #2 Breck 9-1 which was double the goal differential of Mahtomedi and Hermantown. Now you think EGF is a potential top 5 team because they beat a subpar Warroad team 4-2? C'mon man. Loven is an addition no doubt but the hypocrisy here is a little too blatant.

[TTpuckster]

Heads up, Class A.

Grant Loven had 2 goals and an assist in his first game back from injury last night. EGF was already a top ten team most of the season, but now they add an Elite talent to the mix.

His synergy with Tweten is enough to think this team is now top 5. He has three regular season and one QF game to shake off the rust before things get real.

They've had some not-so-great games this season, but they've also tied and lost by one to a Bemidji team that beat Hermantown. And now they add Loven.

Should be a fun finish in 8A.

Top 5. Hmmm. Mahtomedi is 7 in your rankings because they lost by 4 to the best team in class A on the road. They've beaten STA (#9 AA), SPA (#11 A), Cathedral (#8 A), STMA, and Blake (#9 A). EGF has been average at best all year not to mention their loss to #2 Breck 9-1 which was double the goal differential of Mahtomedi and Hermantown. Now you think EGF is a potential top 5 team because they beat a subpar Warroad team 4-2? C'mon man. Loven is an addition no doubt but the hypocrisy here is a little too blatant.

Agreed. Just pointing out that the team is now a little better.
Their next 3 games are Moorhead, Roseau, and TRF. If they happen to win all 3, and that is a big IF, then maybe we can start thinking about them as maybe 8th or 7th. Maybe.

[rainier]

Heads up, Class A.

Grant Loven had 2 goals and an assist in his first game back from injury last night. EGF was already a top ten team most of the season, but now they add an Elite talent to the mix.

His synergy with Tweten is enough to think this team is now top 5. He has three regular season and one QF game to shake off the rust before things get real.

They've had some not-so-great games this season, but they've also tied and lost by one to a Bemidji team that beat Hermantown. And now they add Loven.

Should be a fun finish in 8A.

Top 5. Hmmm. Mahtomedi is 7 in your rankings because they lost by 4 to the best team in class A on the road. They've beaten STA (#9 AA), SPA (#11 A), Cathedral (#8 A), STMA, and Blake (#9 A). EGF has been average at best all year not to mention their loss to #2 Breck 9-1 which was double the goal differential of Mahtomedi and Hermantown. Now you think EGF is a potential top 5 team because they beat a subpar Warroad team 4-2? C'mon man. Loven is an addition no doubt but the hypocrisy here is a little too blatant.

I do think EGF is a potential top five team. Here's why, angry Mahtomedi fan.

-EGF has played the 3rd most difficult schedule in Class A per PageStat, behind Breck and Hermantown. (Mahtomedi is 6th) I'd like to see what Mahtomedi's record would be with one of their top two players out all year.
-Against Bemidji, a team that beat Hermantown, EGF tied and lost 3-2.
-As for the Breck and SPA games, its no secret the EGF goalie struggled mightily early on, but he has been much better as the season has progressed. The shots in the Breck game were 22-16 Breck, and EGF outshot SPA 30-23. Now that the goalie has improved, I imagine those games would be much closer.
-EGF lost to #4 Hibbing by one goal.
-EGF beat Cathedral.

And they did all this without Loven, who is an elite talent that was an integral part of that top line that has led EGF to the last two A titles. If thinking a top ten team might move into the top five when they get a star player back is crazy, well send me to the loony bin.

Mahtomedi deserves credit for the STA win, but they should also be dinged for losing to Tartan, Rosemount, and Cretin, three teams all ranked below them in PageStat. If the Zephyrs beat HM tonight, then I would move them up further.

And I'm not putting EGF at #5, I'm just saying they might be at that level with Loven back. They still have to get by TRF, which will be tough no matter what.