Section 6AA Final-State Championship Game 4 Years in a Row?

[Nimrod]

I get that not everyone agrees with the initial assumption but for the last two years its probably hard to deny.

My opinion: this year will be different. 6AA will be tough and I would say there is a 50/50 chance the State Champ comes out of this group. For the last two years it was more like a 95% chance.

As noted elsewhere, Hopkins has 3 or 4 high end players but will need their goalie to stand tall in the big games. Wayzata continues to improve and will be in the mix. Tonka will be tough to beat because of their defense, goal tending and coaching. And BSM returns at least 6 seniors that should play D-!, including a goalie and 5 or more forwards. They also have some underclassman that should play D-1. BSM will have a young but solid defensive group.

I think Section 6AA is a bit of a crap shoot and it will come down to whether offense with some good goal tending will offset strong defense with a couple strong forwards. State wide the field will be much more level with, in my opinion, teams like EP, HM and MV returning young players that can challenge the Section 6AA winner. I also look for one of the LV teams to weigh in.

[U10Father]

I think your Rose colored glasses are going full-tilt

No question that the Red Machine has the best returning forwards in the State, and that the goaltending will be solid. Also when we saw your JV last year, you had a few kids who looked like they would help on Varsity on most schools - but they were all forwards.

You guys have what, one returning defender? Sounds like you will have to move a few of those forwards back to defense. I think this is the year Hopkins passes BSM, and while people can count the Skippers out, I wouldn't start shoveling dirt yet.

[MNHockeyFan]

And BSM returns at least 6 seniors that should play D-!, including a goalie and 5 or more forwards. They also have some underclassman that should play D-1. BSM will have a young but solid defensive group.

Will be interesting to see if the Red Knights can in fact plug the gaping hole left by all the departed defenders. No question their talented forwards will score a ton of goals, but unless the "young but solid" defensive group is a lot better than everyone expects they will probably find themselves involved in a lot of high scoring games this season. One thing in their favor is that they have a very tough schedule so their young D-core will be tested early and often, which should give them ample opportunity to improve before sections roll around.

[Nimrod]

Good stuff. I will put the target on Tonka. They are the best team 3 years in a row and until they falter they are No. 1. Hopkins and others will compete well. If BSMs 3-5 goals a game aren't enough, they deserve to lose. However, its hard to score on them when the goalie is All State caliber and you never get it out of your zone! Now would be a better time for the rose colored glasses comment!

Should be another fun and exciting season. I sincerely hope the most deserving team takes the title.

[36Guy]

I would agree with Nimrod, the best team will probably come out of 6AA. Yes, a lot of teams could win it...but, if you had to put your own money on 1 team it would probably be the winner of 6AA. Tonka has yet to be dethroned, BSM has not been stopped when it counts in 3 years by someone other than Tonka. And who has an answer for Hopkins depth and Ms. Hockey Nina Rodgers? Yes BSM is short on D but you still have to outscore them. And last, you watch Wayzata this year!! The will be very good. Can LN, EP, Edina and HM win it this year, absolutely...but the favorite is 6AA.

Also, I know goaltending is not very important and has little outcome on games but I am anxiously awaiting to see how LN, EP and Dodge County try and fill a HUGE loss and decline at goaltending. All 3 goalies coming in are no where near the quality of what left. This is not a rip on the newcomers, they are all young and the senior goaltenders for these teams were terrific.

HM will be there in the end, however, I think they are the team to beat in the following 2 years.

[sinbin]

I'd say likely 6AA, meaning BSM. You can't count Hopkins or Tonka out, of course, but BSM plays best when things go well and I don't see them stumbling again. I just don't see Tonka having enough firepower to beat them (despite goaltending and D that will keep them in every game), after losing those D1 players plus likely some more support players. Hopkins has more than Rogers, so should be strong. Does anyone know how strong Hopkins' goalie is? Wayzata is getting better every year, but can they beat TWO top teams in the D6 playoffs? The last time Tonka lost in the post-season was 4 years ago when Hopkins' goalie (plus some nice puck luck) stopped them in the Section finals. Tonka's goalie is certainly good enough to do the same thing, but it will still take some favorable bounces to get through BSM (plus, either Hopkins and Wayzata).

Whoever makes it out of 6AA other than Tonka will not have any State experience, which does put them at a disadvantage against EP, MV, HM (I would put HM at the top of this list). Just hope that there is at least one public school in the finals, not a BSM-HM tilt.

[36Guy]

I'd say likely 6AA, meaning BSM. You can't count Hopkins or Tonka out, of course, but BSM plays best when things go well and I don't see them stumbling again. I just don't see Tonka having enough firepower to beat them (despite goaltending and D that will keep them in every game), after losing those D1 players plus likely some more support players. Hopkins has more than Rogers, so should be strong. Does anyone know how strong Hopkins' goalie is? Wayzata is getting better every year, but can they beat TWO top teams in the D6 playoffs? The last time Tonka lost in the post-season was 4 years ago when Hopkins' goalie (plus some nice puck luck) stopped them in the Section finals. Tonka's goalie is certainly good enough to do the same thing, but it will still take some favorable bounces to get through BSM (plus, either Hopkins and Wayzata).

Whoever makes it out of 6AA other than Tonka will not have any State experience, which does put them at a disadvantage against EP, MV, HM (I would put HM at the top of this list). Just hope that there is at least one public school in the finals, not a BSM-HM tilt.

Hopkins goalie???? Hello...hello...hello?? Erin O'neil, total stud and made the US 18 National Team.

[sinbin]

Stronger than Tonka goalie, then, it would seem.

[MNHockeyFan]

Stronger than Tonka goalie, then, it would seem.

Granted their overall strength-of-schedule was weaker than that of Tonka and Hopkins, but BSM's Miller had excellent stats last year, having led the state in GAA and Save % (for goalies playing at least 500 minutes). Don't know which one is better overall, but you'd have to conclude that goaltending should not be a weakness for any of these three teams. Will probably boil down to which team can generate the most offense while limiting their opponents' great scoring chances. Very few goals will be scored on any of these three on shots coming from long range or wide angles.

http://www.mngirlshockeyhub.com/page/sh ... 13-leaders

[36Guy]

Stronger than Tonka goalie, then, it would seem.

I think they both have to prove they can win a big game. We will find out soon!

[Sparlimb]

Also, let's not forget the #1 team heading into sections 2 years ago did not reside in 6AA and had beat both BSM and Minnetonka during the regular season. They were upset be an outstanding Roseville team which then made the state final and ended up runner-up. While the ultimate prize once again went to a dominant Tonka team, a different result in a section final may have had something to say about that...

[sinbin]

I'm old and my memory is fading, but if it was the HB-led HM team, I think Tonka learned their lesson the first game and would not have been experimenting with line-up changes, either. We'll never know, of course, but it would have been a classic re-match.

[Sparlimb]

I'm old and my memory is fading, but if it was the HB-led HM team, I think Tonka learned their lesson the first game and would not have been experimenting with line-up changes, either. We'll never know, of course, but it would have been a classic re-match.

Tonka also beat HM that year and was definately the better team overall. But last game of the season HM beat #1 BSM out there (I happened to go to that one) in one of the best ladies games I've ever seen. Hill was really playing some good hockey at that point, but Roseville played a fantastic game to shut HB down.

I think it was maybe 4 years ago that Section 4AA also had 4 top 10 teams (WBL, Roseville, Stillwater and HM), so 6AA isn't the only section where really good teams don't survive the section semis. I still like HM's chances to break the 6AA streak this year. A loaded team that is all back after finishing runner-up. Only question is goaltending, but the good teams find someone.