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Tuesday, January 15
Warroad (3A) vs. Roseau (5A)
Duluth (7AA) vs. Hibbing (8A)
Eagan (9AA) vs. Breck (2A)
Hopkins (8AA) vs. Eastview (23AA)
White Bear Lake (15AA) vs. Hastings (16AA)
Grand Rapids/Greenway (3AA) vs. Proctor/Hermantown/Duluth Marshall (22AA)

Thursday, January 17
Grand Rapids/Greenway (3AA) vs. Cloquet (18AA)
Alexandria (4A) vs. St. Cloud Tech (31AA)

Friday, January 18
Stillwater (4AA) vs. White Bear Lake (15AA)

Saturday, January 19
Wayzata (10AA) vs. Minnetonka (14AA)
Edina (6AA) vs. Hill-Murray (17AA)

Thursday, January 17

St. Cloud Tech at Alexandria

GOCARDS1 wrote:Thursday, January 17

St. Cloud Tech at Alexandria

This should be a good one too, but when picking the most competitive games each week I generally stick with A Teams in the Top 10 and AA teams in the Top 20.

Grand Rapids/Greenway vs. Proctor/Hermantown/Marshall on Tuesday should be a great game.

MNHockeyFan wrote:

GOCARDS1 wrote:Thursday, January 17

St. Cloud Tech at Alexandria

This should be a good one too, but when picking the most competitive games each week I generally stick with A Teams in the Top 10 and AA teams in the Top 20.

While it is very appreciated that you take the time to put them together, and I know it does take time, it doesn't always have to be about rankings. Agreed, Boblee? The rivalry between SCT and Alex has been immense for a couple of reasons: SCT has not tallied a win against Alex since Justice has minded the net - hence a rivalry between Kaasa's fans and Justice's fans (we miss you Puck Penguin, where did you go?). It is also a good Dold - Williams match up. The last game earlier this year the two teams tied on the big ice at the NHC. I missed that game due to the hazardous winter driving conditions, so I can't personally comment on the whys and hows of the final score; but I know it will be a great rematch.

St Cloud Tech did beat Centennial 4-0, fwiw.

OK I added the two games above. Both of these caught my eye when I put it together, but when making a list of key matchups you have to draw the line somewhere. I try to pick the better teams in the state where I think the outcome is real tough to call, and the rankings are just a convenient way to do this. Of course I do realize there are big rivalries out there that mean a whole bunch to the teams involved.

mnhockeyfan, I understand what you are saying, but I just put this game up here mostly for the central lakes conference matchup. Alex is obviously the favorite, but in the last matchup, they couldn't get it past kaasa, even though they did dominate the game.

I do agree that it's not always about rankings. Maybe these threads should be called top rated games of the week or something. I love these, and I don't mind the top ratedness. I think it could be opened to people putting their thoughts in here. That doesn't hurt. However, all the games may not be on the main list.

boblee wrote:I do agree that it's not always about rankings. Maybe these threads should be called top rated games of the week or something. I love these, and I don't mind the top ratedness. I think it could be opened to people putting their thoughts in here. That doesn't hurt. However, all the games may not be on the main list.

Agreed, boblee, anyone please feel free to chime in here with your opinions, and better yet your predictions. I started this a while back because I thought it would be interesting to focus in on some of the key games each week, and to be honest I was hoping it would spark more commentary than it has.

As to the rankings, by now at this point in the season, QRF does start to have better predictive value. If you look at this week's games, the ones that are the hardest to forecast involve teams that are pretty evenly ranked.

Predictions anyone?

MNHockeyFan wrote:

boblee wrote:I do agree that it's not always about rankings. Maybe these threads should be called top rated games of the week or something. I love these, and I don't mind the top ratedness. I think it could be opened to people putting their thoughts in here. That doesn't hurt. However, all the games may not be on the main list.

Agreed, boblee, anyone please feel free to chime in here with your opinions, and better yet your predictions. I started this a while back because I thought it would be interesting to focus in on some of the key games each week, and to be honest I was hoping it would spark more commentary than it has.

As to the rankings, by now at this point in the season, QRF does start to have better predictive value. If you look at this week's games, the ones that are the hardest to forecast involve teams that are pretty evenly ranked.

Seems to me that last year there were a lot more predictions and discussions - this year has been disappointing in that regards. To get the ball hopefully rolling:
Alexandria 3 - Saint Cloud Tech 0
GRG 4 - Cloquet 2

My predictions this week

Eagan 4 vs. Breck 1 (1)
Hopkins 4 vs. Eastview 1 (3)
White Bear Lake 2 vs. Hastings 2 (0)
Grand Rapids/Greenway 5 vs. Proctor/Hermantown/Duluth Marshall 1 (0)

Thursday, January 17
Grand Rapids/Greenway 1 vs. Cloquet 2 (0)
Alex 2 vs. St Cloud 1 (3)

Friday, January 18
Stillwater 3 vs. White Bear Lake 2

Saturday, January 19
Wayzata 2 vs. Minnetonka 3
Edina 3 vs. Hill-Murray 1

So far I have 7 Points per MNHockeyFan rules

Thursday, January 17
Grand Rapids/Greenway 1 vs. Cloquet 2

I think if any team is going to beat GRG they are going to have to score more than 2 goals. Not saying they are unbeatable, but GRG does score a lot of goals/game

Last time these two played it was 5-4 GRG in OT. I know in years past these two teams play some tight hockey and low scores but i just have a hard time thinking GRG will be held to only one goal.

What do ya think?

eastsidehockey wrote:

Thursday, January 17
Grand Rapids/Greenway 1 vs. Cloquet 2

I think if any team is going to beat GRG they are going to have to score more than 2 goals. Not saying they are unbeatable, but GRG does score a lot of goals/game

Last time these two played it was 5-4 GRG in OT. I know in years past these two teams play some tight hockey and low scores but i just have a hard time thinking GRG will be held to only one goal.

What do ya think?

I will not make my predictions yet, but if any team can beat GRG in a low scoring, tight battle, it is Cloquet.

Tuesday, January 15
Warroad (3A) vs. Roseau (5A) Warroad 2-1
Duluth (7AA) vs. Hibbing (8A) Duluth 3-1
Eagan (9AA) vs. Breck (2A) Breck 4-2
Hopkins (8AA) vs. Eastview (23AA) Hopkins 4-1
White Bear Lake (15AA) vs. Hastings (16AA) Hastings 2-1
Grand Rapids/Greenway (3AA) vs. Proctor/Hermantown/Duluth Marshall (22AA) GRG 3-2 in OT

Thursday, January 17
Grand Rapids/Greenway (3AA) vs. Cloquet (18AA) GRG 3-1
Alexandria (4A) vs. St. Cloud Tech (31AA) Alexandria 4-0

Friday, January 18
Stillwater (4AA) vs. White Bear Lake (15AA) Stillwater 5-1

Saturday, January 19
Wayzata (10AA) vs. Minnetonka (14AA) Minnetonka 3-2
Edina (6AA) vs. Hill-Murray (17AA) Edina 4-1

I'll go with:

Tuesday, January 15
Warroad (3A) vs. Roseau (5A) Warroad 4-3
Duluth (7AA) vs. Hibbing (8A) Duluth 5-1
Eagan (9AA) vs. Breck (2A) Breck 3-2
Hopkins (8AA) vs. Eastview (23AA) Hopkins 5-2
White Bear Lake (15AA) vs. Hastings (16AA) Hastings 3-1
Grand Rapids/Greenway (3AA) vs. Proctor/Hermantown/Duluth Marshall (22AA) GRG 6-1

Thursday, January 17
Grand Rapids/Greenway (3AA) vs. Cloquet (18AA) GRG 5-3
Alexandria (4A) vs. St. Cloud Tech (31AA) Alex 4-2

Friday, January 18
Stillwater (4AA) vs. White Bear Lake (15AA) Stillwater 5-1

Saturday, January 19
Wayzata (10AA) vs. Minnetonka (14AA) Wayzata 5-3
Edina (6AA) vs. Hill-Murray (17AA) Edina 4-1

Tuesday, January 15
Warroad (3A) vs. Roseau (5A) Roseau 5-3
Duluth (7AA) vs. Hibbing (8A) Duluth 2-0
Eagan (9AA) vs. Breck (2A) Breck 2-1
Hopkins (8AA) vs. Eastview (23AA) Hopkins 4-2
White Bear Lake (15AA) vs. Hastings (16AA) white bear lake 4-3
Grand Rapids/Greenway (3AA) vs. Proctor/Hermantown/Duluth Marshall (22AA) GRG 4-1

Thursday, January 17
Grand Rapids/Greenway (3AA) vs. Cloquet (18AA) GRG 3-1
Alexandria (4A) vs. St. Cloud Tech (31AA) Alex 4-0

Friday, January 18
Stillwater (4AA) vs. White Bear Lake (15AA) Stillwater 4-1

Saturday, January 19
Wayzata (10AA) vs. Minnetonka (14AA) Wayzata 5-4
Edina (6AA) vs. Hill-Murray (17AA) Edina 3-1

boblee wrote:I will not make my predictions yet, but if any team can beat GRG in a low scoring, tight battle, it is Cloquet.

Common boblee, you are a great prognosticator.

Tuesday, January 15
Roseau 4, Warroad 2
Duluth 3, Hibbing 0
Breck 3, Eagan 1
Hopkins 6, Eastview 2
White Bear Lake 5, Hastings 4
Grand Rapids/Greenway 7, Proctor/Hermantown/Marshall 1

I should not have gone crazy...

PHM 2
GRG 1

Great win for PHM.

boblee; is that a real score PHM 2-1 GRG. I know on any given night it can happen, but give us a little game breakdown.

Great start for me, so far I am 0-4!

I said:
Warroad (3A) vs. Roseau (5A) Warroad 4-3 Roseau wins 2-1
Duluth (7AA) vs. Hibbing (8A) Duluth 5-1 They tie 1-1
Eagan (9AA) vs. Breck (2A) Breck 3-2 Eagan wins 3-2
Hopkins (8AA) vs. Eastview (23AA) Hopkins 5-2 ???
White Bear Lake (15AA) vs. Hastings (16AA) Hastings 3-1 ???
GRG (3AA) vs. Proctor/Hermantown/DM (22AA) GRG 6-1 P/H/DM wins 2-1

This is tougher than I thought it was going to be!

And isn't that why we all love the game!? You never know how the puck is going to bounce and who is going to step up!

SportsMa wrote:And isn't that why we all love the game!? You never know how the puck is going to bounce and who is going to step up!

Well said Ma!! I forgot to post mine, but I have to say I would have been wrong on many! I would have never figured PMH over GR, or the Hibbing Duluth tie, or even Eagan over Breck? Hockey is upside down tonight, I guess.

Let's try this again next week, this is fun!