HighSchoolHockeyForums.com

What low seeded teams do you think could pull off the shocker and win the section or at least make it to the finals?

I'll give the 1AA section.

1AA- Rochester Mayo
I know your probably thinking what the H E double hockey sticks is this guy thinking? Here's my explanation. If Mayo can get Spencer Lee and Sikkema back at full strength they would have three lines and speed needed. If they also can keep Van Galder playing the way he did yesterday against Lakeville South they will have finally solved the goaltending issues. The only thing they would need to fine tune than would be the defense. As they say, it doesn't matter how you play in the beginning, it's how you play in the end that matters the most.

Hopkins in 6AA - The probably don't have enough talent to run the table and losing Travis Boyd was huge but Alex Fons may be the best goalie in the state and Tonka, EP, Wayzata, Benilde had all better have their 'A' game if they have to play Hopkins.

I've seen many teams ride a hot goalie and section time is when it starts especially for kids who are seniors and see this as their last chance.

clutterbuck22 wrote:What low seeded teams do you think could pull off the shocker and win the section or at least make it to the finals?

I'll give the 1AA section.

1AA- Rochester Mayo
I know your probably thinking what the H E double hockey sticks is this guy thinking? Here's my explanation. If Mayo can get Spencer Lee and Sikkema back at full strength they would have three lines and speed needed. If they also can keep Van Galder playing the way he did yesterday against Lakeville South they will have finally solved the goaltending issues. The only thing they would need to fine tune than would be the defense. As they say, it doesn't matter how you play in the beginning, it's how you play in the end that matters the most.

Ill See your section 1AA but a differnt rochester school and that school is JM the reason i could see them making noise is because they have a solid goal tender who is experanced as well in Bryan King
They have some potential good goal scorers that can "light the lamp" in Zach Johnson, Ryan Yetzer, and Reed Miller as miller showed with a hat trick vs mayo

and thats why i think JM can make some noise in the section tourny

agree the the gov. the best first round game in all section of A or AA wil be BSM vs. Hopkins:

Fons vs. Meyers
Skalbeck and co. vs. cake jr

I don't know if its a shocker or not but Rochester Lourdes for section 1A. They have been playing very well and in my opinion have a really good chance at going to state again this year.

north st paul. They are playing well this year against top teams.

sachishi4 wrote:north st paul. They are playing well this year against top teams.

I totally agree. Gave STA a battle last night. They are quietly putting together a solid season may be a tough out come sections.

Nodak Sioux wrote:I don't know if its a shocker or not but Rochester Lourdes for section 1A. They have been playing very well and in my opinion have a really good chance at going to state again this year.

Don't think it would qualify as a shocker. They figure to be one of the top two seeds (depending on their game Saturday vs. New Prague). No team in this section is cut and dry the favorite. I see any of six teams capable of winning it.... Faribault-Lourdes-New Prague-Red Wing-Northfield-Albert Lea. None of these would be a shocker

Because we are discussing "shockers", I would throw Forest Lake in as a potential shocker in 7AA... They beat Rapids 5-4, St. Francis 8-3, were throttled by Andover 7-1 with 43 shots (are they in 7AA?? FTP.com has them listed as 7AA on the game recap, but 8AA in rankings), and lost to East 2-1.

Goaltending has been pretty darn good, for the most part, and we all know how any goaltender is capable of stealing a game. They appear to be playing with an enormous amount of confidence, and are making a serious run at the Suburban East Conference title.

2AA - Burnsville
3AA - Woodbury
4AA - Stillwater
5AA - Maple Grove
7AA - Grand Rapids

2A - Mound-Westonka
5A - Sauk Rapids or Rogers
6A - Fergus Falls or Detroit Lakes
7A - Duluth Marshall

MNHockey75 wrote:2AA - Burnsville
3AA - Woodbury
4AA - Stillwater
5AA - Maple Grove
7AA - Grand Rapids

2A - Mound-Westonka
5A - Sauk Rapids or Rogers
6A - Fergus Falls or Detroit Lakes
7A - Duluth Marshall

Mn Hock...... I would just outright agree that any team other than Hill-Murray out of 4AA would be a shocker. I think the majority of us out there realistically know that H-M is far ahead on paper.

But, dat's why dey plah da games? "You play the game to win!" copyright Herm Edwards Coor's Light commercial.

Personally I would not be shocked by an upset by Flake or Grand Rapids in 7AA.

A team that should be mentioned as a possible real shocker in 7AA is Cloquet. Yes, their record is awful, but they came close to knocking off Andover on Saturday, and they've got history on their side, pulling 2 upsets 2 years ago to make State and coming out of nowhere to beat Rapids in the first round last year. I may not like the man, but Dave Esse prepares his teams for big games as well as any coach in the state.

MNHockey75 wrote:2AA - Burnsville
3AA - Woodbury
4AA - Stillwater
5AA - Maple Grove
7AA - Grand Rapids

2A - Mound-Westonka
5A - Sauk Rapids or Rogers
6A - Fergus Falls or Detroit Lakes
7A - Duluth Marshall

Burnsville coming out of 2AA would be a big one...

starmvp wrote:

MNHockey75 wrote:2AA - Burnsville
3AA - Woodbury
4AA - Stillwater
5AA - Maple Grove
7AA - Grand Rapids

2A - Mound-Westonka
5A - Sauk Rapids or Rogers
6A - Fergus Falls or Detroit Lakes
7A - Duluth Marshall

Burnsville coming out of 2AA would be a big one...

I hate to disagree on this one. B'ville is playing pretty good and would not be a shocker. I would say that AHA winning would be more of a shocker, but it is a possibility.
Now the section seading is looking more like:
Jefferson
Edina
Burnsville
AHA....

Goldfishdude wrote:

MNHockey75 wrote:2AA - Burnsville
3AA - Woodbury
4AA - Stillwater
5AA - Maple Grove
7AA - Grand Rapids

2A - Mound-Westonka
5A - Sauk Rapids or Rogers
6A - Fergus Falls or Detroit Lakes
7A - Duluth Marshall

Mn Hock...... I would just outright agree that any team other than Hill-Murray out of 4AA would be a shocker. I think the majority of us out there realistically know that H-M is far ahead on paper.

But, dat's why dey plah da games? "You play the game to win!" copyright Herm Edwards Coor's Light commercial.

I'm not completely sold on Hill. Every year they struggle to get to the tourney. Even the year they won it. That section is brutal come section time. I don't think you can overlook Tartan, Mounds View, NSP, Stillwater, WBL, or even Roseville to pull a shocker to allow one of those teams to get to the big dance. In '06 for intance, Apple Valley upsets statewide #1 AHA and then loses to Eagan. It can happen...

Hill vs. 4AA:
W 5-0 WBL
W 4-3 WBL
W 3-0 Tartan
W 4-2 NSP

Zamman wrote:

starmvp wrote:

MNHockey75 wrote:2AA - Burnsville
3AA - Woodbury
4AA - Stillwater
5AA - Maple Grove
7AA - Grand Rapids

2A - Mound-Westonka
5A - Sauk Rapids or Rogers
6A - Fergus Falls or Detroit Lakes
7A - Duluth Marshall

Burnsville coming out of 2AA would be a big one...

I hate to disagree on this one. B'ville is playing pretty good and would not be a shocker. I would say that AHA winning would be more of a shocker, but it is a possibility.
Now the section seading is looking more like:
Jefferson
Edina
Burnsville
AHA....

I know, but people still have their hearts set on a Edina and Jefferson final. A little over 2 weeks ago people were laughing at Jefferson for tying Burnsville.

6AA-as much as tonka will be the favorite in every game they play how many times do we see a team run the table and get tested with tough games as much as tonka will?For any team other then tonka to win the section it will be a huge upset, but i can any of the 2-5 doing it. Bendilde is just the right team to ride a hot goalie all the way to the state tourney.so is hopkins.

MNHockey75 wrote:

Zamman wrote:

starmvp wrote: Burnsville coming out of 2AA would be a big one...

I hate to disagree on this one. B'ville is playing pretty good and would not be a shocker. I would say that AHA winning would be more of a shocker, but it is a possibility.
Now the section seading is looking more like:
Jefferson
Edina
Burnsville
AHA....

I know, but people still have their hearts set on a Edina and Jefferson final. A little over 2 weeks ago people were laughing at Jefferson for tying Burnsville.

Anything can happen - especially with the games being at the Target Center. I'll take Rapids in 7AA.

After watching brainerd dominate grand rapids throughout most of the game last night, I'd have to say they'll be a team to watch come section time

don't treat a win over Grand Rapids all that special this year. Their Down. I am guessing here, but I think they have lost much more then they have won this year.

I am guessing here, but I think they have lost much more then they have won this year.

I agree 11 losses to date and on the road to lose 14 games for sure this year. So best not to use Grand Rapids as a benchmark for your team. Roseau and Moorhead would better indicate where Brainerd stacks up.

Look at rapids schedule though, they lost to east by one, they lost to EP by one, they've beaten hermantown, Virginia, and warroad all top ten single A teams, they havent lost to a real bad team yet maybe Hibbing

There was talk for many years when Brainerd was in 7AA that they could upset some teams in the playoffs and never did. When I look for teams that could upset, I look for teams that have a history of doing that very thing. Grand Rapids and Cloquet, both very different squads this year, just have a history of pulling off upsets in sections when everyone counted them out. Brainerd has the talent, but it seems like for schools that don't have the history of playoff success, it is a very difficult mental aspect to overcome. And especially going up against teams like Moorhead and Roseau that in the playoffs they step onto the ice having no doubts in their mind that they are going to win.

rapidsrapids wrote:There was talk for many years when Brainerd was in 7AA that they could upset some teams in the playoffs and never did. When I look for teams that could upset, I look for teams that have a history of doing that very thing. Grand Rapids and Cloquet, both very different squads this year, just have a history of pulling off upsets in sections when everyone counted them out. Brainerd has the talent, but it seems like for schools that don't have the history of playoff success, it is a very difficult mental aspect to overcome. And especially going up against teams like Moorhead and Roseau that in the playoffs they step onto the ice having no doubts in their mind that they are going to win.

What is said may be true, but if you are looking for true shockers come section time, you would be looking at the teams that nobody would expect. Brainerd is a different team with a different coach and a different mindset from teams in the past. I like they're chances and I hope I'm right. This team deserves it!

Did someone actually list John Marshall or Rochester Mayo for an upset team? A team has to be able to post two or three wins to get to state when the playoffs start you know. And neither of those teams have done much of the winning streak thing this year.

Something I have been looking at for upset specials in the playoffs is a good goalie and the ability to beat ranked teams during the season. When using this criteria i would have to say that Burnsville is a great choice and so is Mound Westonka. Both have beaten ranked teams this year two or three times and both have a great goalie. I have come to the conclusion that without a good goalie it does not matter how many goals you can score you will not make much noise once you get into the semifinals or finals of a section and definately not in the state tourney. I am sure there are examples of this not being the case, but before I even consider a team a possible state tourney team they have to have a decent goalie who has proven himself against average or above teams.