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STILLWATER VS. #1 EDINA
-The primetime battle in Class AA is a good one, as the top-ranked defending champs take on the upstart Ponies. These two have no recent history against one another.

Stillwater (16-10-2, unranked, 3-seed in 4AA)
First State appearance
Key section wins: 2-1 (OT) over #16 White Bear Lake, 2-1 over #2 Hill-Murray
-The Ponies are this season’s AA Cinderella story, coming out of nowhere to take down perennial 4AA favorites White Bear Lake and Hill-Murray. First-year coach Matt Doman has his team playing inspired hockey, taking the game to the opposition and playing tight defense. Forward John Heddle (8) is their only player with over 30 points, but a strong defense led by Mitch Reinke (20) and Zach Eder-Zdechlik (5) form the core of this squad. Goalie Josh Benson (30) will have to be on his game for the Ponies to have any hope of tripping up Edina, but they’ve already shown they can take down elite teams. How far can that momentum carry them?

Edina (23-4-1, #1, 1-seed in 2AA)
State appearances: 36 (6 as Edina East/West in 70s and 80s; 8 in a row)
Championships: 11 (1969, 1971, 1982, 1984, 1988, 1997, 2010, and 2013 as Edina; 1974, 1978, and 1979 as Edina East)
Key section wins: 8-2 over #25 Prior Lake, 5-1 over #21 Bloomington Jefferson
-The Hornets are the clear favorites coming into this tournament, though they bowed out in the quarterfinals the last two times they were the top seed. Miguel Fidler (12) and Cullen Munson (9) anchor one of their two interchangeable top lines, while Dylan Malmquist (20), Garrett Wait (17), and Kieffer Bellows (7) make up the other. Mr. Hockey finalist Tyler Nanne (23) leads the defense. If they have a weakness, it’s probably on their relatively inexperienced defense beyond Nanne; their power play has also been surprisingly poor for a team with their level of talent. Still, the Hornets have the depth and firepower to beat anyone, and when coach Curt Giles’ teams go into lockdown mode late in a game, they rarely lose.

Edina 4-1

Might take Stillwater as a sleeper if they were playing anybody but Edina first round.

Edina wins 4-1 but they need to stay out of the box.

Another 6:00pm AA QF blowout game.

The MSHSL needs to move the #1 seed to the 11am game.

I thought the seeding was random lol

blueblood wrote:Another 6:00pm AA QF blowout game.

The MSHSL needs to move the #1 seed to the 11am game.

Oh I think this one will be close. I don't know much about Stillwater but they seem to keep games tight and low scoring.

DfW:

Stick to golf, my boy.

Edina will put up 13,14 shots per period and ride the Ponies out of the X....

blueblood wrote:DFM:

Stick to golf, my boy. [-X

Edina will put up 13,14 shots per period and ride the Ponies out of the X.... :wink:

Well played.

They won't put up 14 shots a period if they play like they did against Jefferson. Jefferson was terrible and it took Edina until the 3rd period to finally pull away. I say Stilly gives them a game but does probably lose by a goal or two with an empty netter. There are some teams this year that play with alot of grit like Centennial, Eagan and Stillwater, the elite teams better beware or they will find themselves patrolling the ice at Marriuci come Friday. This time of year heart means as much or more than skill, we have seen it many times. Ask Blaine or Hillmurray.

DfW:

Thanks my boy.

Now, as for you HHF, if have you ever listened to KFAN, you would know who DfW is and his usage of my boy, golf, and 13, 14.

Lighten up HHF, your team is in the Tourney....

Edina's "relatively inexperienced defense" would be a strength on any other team. Zuhls, Fuss, Foley, etc. will not be a weakness by any stretch of the imagination. I like their d-corps, even though I support a Lake Conference foe. Edina-5, Ponies-1.

Edina ends the Cinderella run early, 6-1 Hornets.

I agree with Bleedblue, It seems like people feel the need to point out a weakness on a team and I don't think enough people have seen Edina play yet so they point to the Defense since so many graduated from that position last year but Edina's defense has been lights out this year. They will most likely play 5 D, Top 4 of Nanne, Zuhlsdorf and then Fuss and Foley have looked great. Someone earlier put up a stat that said edina has given up the 3rd fewest goals only behind Wayzata and Eagan.

green4 wrote:I agree with Bleedblue, It seems like people feel the need to point out a weakness on a team and I don't think enough people have seen Edina play yet so they point to the Defense since so many graduated from that position last year but Edina's defense has been lights out this year. They will most likely play 5 D, Top 4 of Nanne, Zuhlsdorf and then Fuss and Foley have looked great. Someone earlier put up a stat that said edina has given up the 3rd fewest goals only behind Wayzata and Eagan.

I don't disagree, really--as you said, I was trying to be fair and dissect some sort of 5-on-5 weakness, as I did with everyone in these little previews, and that's the best I could do--which is a compliment to Edina, and how complete this team is. Their defensive numbers over the second half of the season in particular are phenomenal. Also, the focus of the comment was on their inexperience, not their talent--there's no denying that.

One game that does stick in my mind is the second Edina-Hill game; it was just one bad night, but they did have some issues then. And while Edina won the Schwan Cup game between those two, Hill did carry play for a good chunk of that game. Edina just burned them in transition a few times.

Someone PM'd me asking for a more explicit "why this team will win/why this team will lose" couple of points on each team, so I'll try to do that later in the week.

bleedblue wrote:Edina's "relatively inexperienced defense" would be a strength on any other team. Zuhls, Fuss, Foley, etc. will not be a weakness by any stretch of the imagination. I like their d-corps, even though I support a Lake Conference foe. Edina-5, Ponies-1.

I watched Fuss a few times earlier this season....Didn't look like no weakness to me.

I think Hornets dominate this one.

blueblood wrote:DfW:

Thanks my boy.

Now, as for you HHF, if have you ever listened to KFAN, you would know who DfW is and his usage of my boy, golf, and 13, 14.

Lighten up HHF, your team is in the Tourney....

I am light and easy like Sunday morning me boy, no worries, no stress until Thursday night GO CATS !! It's gonna be a real cat and dog fight

Not a fan of Edina, but can see the writing on the wall. Edina was just fooling with JHS till they needed to put them away. No sense in blowing them out and taking chances. Edina was in complete control of their game. Against the ponies, I agree with most it will be a yawner. Give the Ponies some credit for getting there though.

Ogie wrote:

bleedblue wrote:Edina's "relatively inexperienced defense" would be a strength on any other team. Zuhls, Fuss, Foley, etc. will not be a weakness by any stretch of the imagination. I like their d-corps, even though I support a Lake Conference foe. Edina-5, Ponies-1.

I watched Fuss a few times earlier this season....Didn't look like no weakness to me.

I think Hornets dominate this one.

"Didn't look like no weakness"
So you are saying he is a weakness

Didn't Edina get smoked 6 to 1 by Hill? Stillwater 6 to 0 over Edina

Can't understand how some of you are picking Stillwater... not to say I don't love picking upsets during March Madness But I think it's pretty clear Stillwater's luck will run out, unless Edina decides to become Hill-Murray 2.0 and refuse to forecheck. If Edina scores first, this game is over. Should be a satisfying lead-in to the 8pm game!

Give some credit to Stillwater for making it to the state tournament for the first time ever this year when they only have one player that is planning to play beyond high school (#20 Reinke). Yeah Edina is a strong team but if Stillwater can find their weak spot tonight, keep your eyes open because it may be an interesting game. Stillwater does not pull as many penalties as Edina does and Stillwater's defense and goaltending was strong against both WBL and Hill. Not to mention they out shot both teams.. Might just have to face it that although unlikely, Stillwater still has a shot. I guess we will know tonight, but I am pulling for the underdog.

I wonder if there is a waiting list of Stillwater kids at Hill Murray and St Thomas trying to get on the team? This just wasn't supposed to happen! I mean, what are they paying for!

Doc Holliday's prediction for Edina-Stillwater is rather similar to Clubber Lang's.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSPNQ82Sq4E

HornetsFan wrote:Can't understand how some of you are picking Stillwater... not to say I don't love picking upsets during March Madness But I think it's pretty clear Stillwater's luck will run out, unless Edina decides to become Hill-Murray 2.0 and refuse to forecheck. If Edina scores first, this game is over. Should be a satisfying lead-in to the 8pm game!

Cotton McKnight: Ladies and gentlemen, I have been to the Great Wall of China, I have seen the Pyramids of Egypt, I've even witnessed a grown man satisfy a camel. But never in all my years as a sportscaster have I witnessed something as improbable, as impossible, as what we've witnessed here today!