Class AA QF - Hill-Murray vs #1 Minnetonka

[Sparlimb]

Hickory with a chance in OT.

[BlueLineSpecial]

Hickory with a chance in OT.

Great game by Hill but it was just too much Skippers

[TourneyEarnie]

Absolutely shocked to have seen this game go into OT. Was thinking HM would get slaughtered, but they played tough. Excited for years to come

[BlueLineSpecial]

Absolutely shocked to have seen this game go into OT. Was thinking HM would get slaughtered, but they played tough. Excited for years to come

Yup. Great experience for the kids. They played the near perfect game for what they needed to do. The team should be super proud of this year. They had to dig deep. Erickson played great. Sad to see him go. Onward and upward. Glad all these games today are good!

[raidergrad72]

Absolutely shocked to have seen this game go into OT. Was thinking HM would get slaughtered, but they played tough. Excited for years to come

Yup. Great experience for the kids. They played the near perfect game for what they needed to do. The team should be super proud of this year. They had to dig deep. Erickson played great. Sad to see him go. Onward and upward. Glad all these games today are good!

We had an engagement in Lakeville to go to, but true to the sport, I had the game on the phone on the table. We left when Hill was up by one only to find out the end result . Congrats to HM for the fight they put up and as I've said before, they're in it for the next 3 years at least.

[BlueLineSpecial]

Absolutely shocked to have seen this game go into OT. Was thinking HM would get slaughtered, but they played tough. Excited for years to come

Yup. Great experience for the kids. They played the near perfect game for what they needed to do. The team should be super proud of this year. They had to dig deep. Erickson played great. Sad to see him go. Onward and upward. Glad all these games today are good!

We had an engagement in Lakeville to go to, but true to the sport, I had the game on the phone on the table. We left when Hill was up by one only to find out the end result . Congrats to HM for the fight they put up and as I've said before, they're in it for the next 3 years at least.

This team really endeared themselves to me. It was the first time in a while I got to go to all 3 section games. They just had to fight and scrap. If all the Sophs, include in that a couple of freshman and 8th graders, stick around… the next few years should be a lot of fun. This was the first team after a changing of the guard of sorts from the last 3 years. They laid the foundation this year. Good stuff.

[East Side Pioneer Guy]

Because of what this Hill team endured, they endeared themselves to me.

[Sparlimb]

Because of what this Hill team endured, they endeared themselves to me.

Sure made us proud fans tonight. You can't win them all, but we sure gave Tonka a game.

[East Side Pioneer Guy]

We were inches from an epic upset of a #1. It was a very fun game, very exciting. I can easily see that Tonka squad cruise to a couple of 5-1/5-2 wins tonight and Saturday, like I expected them to Thursday.

We've had a couple three games absolutely stolen from us over the years, but we've never really done that ourselves, not on the scale we could have here. I'm curious to know what were Lou's reactions during the game.

Now, tell me, someone, anyone, how Gentry or White Bear would have taken it to Tonka better than Hill did. Tell me how Lex is just an ordinary coach who happens to be gifted with great talent.

[Smooth]

The players did that, Lechner just runs the bench. Gentry or White bear could have done the same.

[bodyup88]

Lame take, Smooth.

[dherman8]

We were inches from an epic upset of a #1. It was a very fun game, very exciting. I can easily see that Tonka squad cruise to a couple of 5-1/5-2 wins tonight and Saturday, like I expected them to Thursday.

We've had a couple three games absolutely stolen from us over the years, but we've never really done that ourselves, not on the scale we could have here. I'm curious to know what were Lou's reactions during the game.

Now, tell me, someone, anyone, how Gentry or White Bear would have taken it to Tonka better than Hill did. Tell me how Lex is just an ordinary coach who happens to be gifted with great talent.

Two different areas I want to ask about with this thread. Please keep in mind I definitely don't have the high school hockey mind that many on this site have.

First, I am curious as to the definition of the word "steal" here? It is said almost as to be implying taking down a favorite. It seems hard to "steal" a game for any team that rises to a level as to which Hill Murray has. From research I have done, if everything on the good ol' trusty internet is correct, Hill Murray was founded in 1971. That means this school has been around 52 years now. From what was said earlier on this thread, Hill Murray has made state 33 times. From the math, they make it to state at a ways better than an every other year entrant. Better than half the time. And I guess throughout my life every time they are at state they are considered a contender. It is hard to see any team/player with that history "steal" a game. Sure last night would have been an upset, but would have anyone really been surprised if Hill won? The "steal" factor is almost moot at that point. I for one thought Minnetonka was going to win this tournament going in, but to be honest I would be more surprised if Andover beats Minnetonka tonight than if Hill would have last night just because of the long tenured Hill style that has fared so well for decades upon decades at state that cancels out the rather new success of the Andover program even if Andover is the defending champions. I believe before last year, Andover never won a game at state. And they surprised many with their run to the title coming out of the 4 vs 5 matchup last year. (Just one man's opinion. Go ahead and dismiss it.) Speaking of 4 vs 5 matchups. This brings up one last piece I want to touch on about this. I was almost going to feel a bit sorry about the lack of "stealing" a game, but then got to thinking. Much like Andover last year, Hill would have to be considered as "stealing" a title with their most recent one in 2020. They were in fact a 4 seed. Meaning most saw them as a team at that tournament with 3 others better than them. (Again, paper makes this seem like a "steal". After they won it though it sure didn't seem all that surprising. Just one man's opinion.)

Lastly, my second question. About Minnetonka and all of these transferring kids. Why does everyone feel that is happening? Especially from the Chaska/Chanhassen area? Chanhassen had a solid squad this year and Chaska lost in the section final last year. Seems some of these kids left good situations in risk of a better one. It has seemed to work out for them. Just curious if anyone close to the situation knows more of the why?

[Tape2Tape]

Shaf has been with Lex for a long time and coaches the D. He doesn’t get enough credit for the program’s success. One of the things that have made Hill so strong for so long, has been their depth. I would argue that their “weakest link” is usually stronger that any other section team’s “weakest link”. Where a coach like Sager may focus on just his top end guys, the Hill staff will coach every player because the team is only as strong as their “weakest link”. By constantly investing time on the 3rd/4th line forwards and 5th/6th D, kids feel valued and will continue to develop.

[East Side Pioneer Guy]

I get the point about can Hill really steal any game at the tournament. But yeah, a 14-13-1 team beating the #1 seed, that they lost two 5-0 not long ago, would definitely be a steal. We're not often in that position. We really had no business making a game of that last night, certainly not leading in the third. Gentry would have been on RT early in the 3rd.

Hill winning last night may not have shocked many, but it definitely would have been a surprise.

In recent years, the #4 winning the championship, in general, would not be considered much of a surprise at all. Last year, a lot of people here said that it was the most even field ever. And I'd say most years, from here on out, it will be likely to hear that "any of the top 4 can win this thing." If anything, I think this year stands out just a bit because I see Tonka as the odds on favorite, in a way that we haven't seen for a while.

I'll take Tonka by 2 goals Fri night and Sat 3 on Saturday night.

[East Side Pioneer Guy]

The players did that, Lechner just runs the bench. Gentry or White bear could have done the same.

Why you little #$^@(&*#!!!

[hockeymannorth]

The players did that, Lechner just runs the bench. Gentry or White bear could have done the same.

Why you little #$^@(&*#!!!

White bear had way better top lines so I think the coaching had to be the difference on line match ups penalty kill hills D coaching if you watched Hockey day you would have seen it just like last night against the skippers not even mentioning the way gentry out coached white bear

[East Side Pioneer Guy]

The players did that, Lechner just runs the bench. Gentry or White bear could have done the same.

Why you little #$^@(&*#!!!

White bear had way better top lines so I think the coaching had to be the difference on line match ups penalty kill hills D coaching if you watched Hockey day you would have seen it just like last night against the skippers not even mentioning the way gentry out coached white bear

This is 2023. It's about rolling three lines, and getting the 4th line a few shifts as well, and rolling 3 pairs of D. A good top line was enough when periods were 12 minutes long.

[elliott70]

Why you little #$^@(&*#!!!

White bear had way better top lines so I think the coaching had to be the difference on line match ups penalty kill hills D coaching if you watched Hockey day you would have seen it just like last night against the skippers not even mentioning the way gentry out coached white bear

This is 2023. It's about rolling three lines, and getting the 4th line a few shifts as well, and rolling 3 pairs of D. A good top line was enough when periods were 12 minutes long.

I remember the 12 minute periods.
I remember the clock on the wall was a clock on the wall.
God I am old.
I think I am older than that Raider72 guy.

[Sparlimb]

White bear had way better top lines so I think the coaching had to be the difference on line match ups penalty kill hills D coaching if you watched Hockey day you would have seen it just like last night against the skippers not even mentioning the way gentry out coached white bear

This is 2023. It's about rolling three lines, and getting the 4th line a few shifts as well, and rolling 3 pairs of D. A good top line was enough when periods were 12 minutes long.

I remember the 12 minute periods.
I remember the clock on the wall was a clock on the wall.
God I am old.
I think I am older than that Raider72 guy.

The days when Zero on the clock didn't mean the game was over...

[East Side Pioneer Guy]

I'm not the oldest guy in the room!!!!

[stpaul]

From research I have done, if everything on the good ol' trusty internet is correct, Hill Murray was founded in 1971. That means this school has been around 52 years now. From what was said earlier on this thread, Hill Murray has made state 33 times.

Just to clarify - Hill HS (boys school) opened in 1959. Archbishop Murray HS (girls school) opened in 1958. They were about a mile apart on Larpenteur Ave. They merged in 1971 in the Murray building. Private schools were not in the MSHSL league until 1974-1975. Hill in 1970 and Hill-Murray in 1972 won Independent Schools state championships. Since 1975 HM has won 33 section titles in 49 years. They have won the MSHSL championship 4 times - 1983, 1991, 2008 and 2020. They have been runner-up 8 times - 1980, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1993, 2002, 2012 and 2013. Only Edina can claim more success in the past 50 years.