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Last AA section yet to be determined. Is the familiar home ice of Aldrich an advantage for Hill? Possibly, but not likely to be enough. If Hill is to pull the upset they've got to come out of the gates fast. They've been poor starters at the beginning of games all year, and against Stillwater earlier in the year, they were jumped on from the get-go. Same against Bemidji and many other teams, including being down to both the 6th and 7th seeds in this year's section games. They seem to settle in, but often it's too little too late. Begley needs to have the game of the year.

Prediction: Stillwater locks up the overall #1 at State with the win

Stillwater 3
Hill 1

Tiny Christian school goes up against another Mega Suburban school. I'm cheering for Hickory tonight!

Yes, let's call them Hickory with their 27 state appearances.

Zeros across the board after two periods. Couldn't make it to the game tonight. Live updates say Ponies look a step slower than the first HM/Stillwater matchup. That and Hill is doing a much better job slowing the Ponies zone breakouts. Spacing is better for Hill D. Here's hoping for one more solid period.

Going to overtime, 0-0. Stillwater scored a goal but it was waved after a lengthy discussion between the refs and the goal judge. I believe they ruled the net was off but they didn't really say on the radio broadcast.

Stillwater wins in OT. Turn around shot by Cates

warriors41 wrote:Stillwater wins in OT. Turn around shot by Cates

Good job Ponies !!!!!

https://mobile.twitter.com/StevePesek/s ... 52/video/1

My lord that goal was beautiful.

Wish I could have been there. Packed house, new rivalry solidified. Great night for HS hockey. Probably the most interesting Tourney in a lot of years. Even with the sting of Hill losing, I'm more intrigued by this tourney than many in recent years.

The empire WILL strike back

To win this game, Hill needed to keep it low scoring and hope to pop one in at some point. But that was the way Stillwater played. Not sure why, when they had far better offensive weapons. SW played very conservative, when a wide open game would have suited them better. No way Hill could come back from being down 2, maybe not even one. But Stillwater could easily afford to play a freewheeling game, give up the first goal and get two back.

It was a major accomplishment to keep SW off the board for three periods. And it's good that the winning goal was not just clean, but a nice effort.


I was directly behind and above the net for the disputed goal. I didn't see any way the puck could have crossed the line, certainly not entirely and maybe not at all. I could see the red light, but I don't believe the goal judge turned it on.

I know this is late, but I think this was the best high school sporting event I have been to. Absolutely jam packed in Aldrich, insane atmosphere. Both teams played their hearts out the entire game. Begley played outstanding, young guys played well on both teams, should be a good one next year. Goal was waived off with about 5 minutes left, I personally felt it was a good call. Sagissor took a penalty with under 2 minutes left, got crazy in there. Stillwater should be fine in state

I know this is late, but I think this was the best high school sporting event I have been to. Absolutely jam packed in Aldrich, insane atmosphere. Both teams played their hearts out the entire game. Begley played outstanding, young guys played well on both teams, should be a good one next year. Goal was waived off with about 5 minutes left, I personally felt it was a good call. Sagissor took a penalty with under 2 minutes left, got crazy in there. Stillwater should be fine in state

They showed the game winner on sportscenter tonight. Pretty cool.

congrats to the ponies.

Can anyone tell me if there is another section where a team gets to play the finals on their home rink and use their locker room?

1parent wrote:congrats to the ponies.

Can anyone tell me if there is another section where a team gets to play the finals on their home rink and use their locker room?

Were should the game have been played?

mulefarm wrote:

1parent wrote:congrats to the ponies.

Can anyone tell me if there is another section where a team gets to play the finals on their home rink and use their locker room?

Were should the game have been played?

Not only that, but the consession stand is run by Hill booster club. Why should they get to benifet from all the section games?

Is there a larger venue on the east side? It was a great game and atmosphere, though strange with Stillwater being on the home side. We also saw that all the HM banners were removed. The final play with the stretch pass and goal was crazy good...

1parent wrote:congrats to the ponies.

Can anyone tell me if there is another section where a team gets to play the finals on their home rink and use their locker room?

Last I checked, games are played on the ice and not in a locker room.
Congrats to the Ponies on a wonderful season and a great game last night. Nice job by the Pioneers to close the gap from the first game with Stillwater. The deeper, more talented team won and the winning goal was a classic!

Looks like we have a new rivalry brewing. Both teams have young returning talent and I hope they are able to schedule a regular season game next season to help with seeding. Not sure of the current make up of HM's roster, but it appears Stillwater is starting to keep their players. Found it interesting that Bruchu opted to stay a Pony rather than follow the path of his siblings.

Wanna wish Stillwater (and "Pony Nation") good luck at State and hope everyone enjoys the experience.

inthetwine wrote:

mulefarm wrote:

1parent wrote:congrats to the ponies.

Can anyone tell me if there is another section where a team gets to play the finals on their home rink and use their locker room?

Were should the game have been played?

Not only that, but the consession stand is run by Hill booster club. Why should they get to benifet from all the section games?

It's not actually a "booster club" that runs the concession stand. The people that work the concession stand are earning money that will go towards tuition at Hill-Murray or other private schools around the cities. The same people will work concession stands at the major venues in town like Xcel, TCF, Mariucci, etc, to earn money to help pay for tuition...so it's not like that money is being made to build new trophy cases for the Pioneers.

Regardless - does it really matter in the big scheme of things? It was a great venue - I still wish the Coliseum could still host these games. The kids from both teams played their hearts out for the entire game. It came down to one heck of an individual play to break the tie. Congrats to the Stillwater community/players - enjoy the experience, there is nothing like it. Hats off to the Pioneers - played a great game, a bounce here or there and it's a different outcome. The Pioneers will be back next year. Both teams have a big junior class - should be another epic battle next year to go to state.

A great way to wrap up the section finals, and to replace some of my memories of Thursday with another very, very good game. Begley always seems to be feast or famine, and he was really on last night. Hill seemed to dictate the style and got . The way Hill was playing for a while there made me think of those Hill teams that have pulled big upsets in the past, with very tight D and little room for Stillwater's forwards to operate. Between that, the controversial no-goal, and the penalty on the Ponies--a legit penalty, but also the sort of play they'd ignored all night long, more to Hill's benefit than to Stillwater's--I thought it might be the Pioneers' night. But what an effort by Cates to end it. Fantastic atmosphere at Aldrich, too...it may be too small for a section final, but it makes for great theater when there are kids who are literally climbing up and hanging from the rafters behind the walkway. Section finals like this one and East-Rapids are hard to top, so we'll see what State can muster up.

mulefarm wrote:

1parent wrote:congrats to the ponies.

Can anyone tell me if there is another section where a team gets to play the finals on their home rink and use their locker room?

Were should the game have been played?

Target Center http://zachhalverson.kinja.com/zach-hal ... 1690731599

hm88 wrote:

inthetwine wrote:

mulefarm wrote: Were should the game have been played?

Not only that, but the consession stand is run by Hill booster club. Why should they get to benifet from all the section games?

It's not actually a "booster club" that runs the concession stand. The people that work the concession stand are earning money that will go towards tuition at Hill-Murray or other private schools around the cities. The same people will work concession stands at the major venues in town like Xcel, TCF, Mariucci, etc, to earn money to help pay for tuition...so it's not like that money is being made to build new trophy cases for the Pioneers.

Regardless - does it really matter in the big scheme of things? It was a great venue - I still wish the Coliseum could still host these games. The kids from both teams played their hearts out for the entire game. It came down to one heck of an individual play to break the tie. Congrats to the Stillwater community/players - enjoy the experience, there is nothing like it. Hats off to the Pioneers - played a great game, a bounce here or there and it's a different outcome. The Pioneers will be back next year. Both teams have a big junior class - should be another epic battle next year to go to state.

Just the same, Hill "people should not benifet from section games, regular season fine, but not section games. Cripes, I bought a water, and the Hill logo was on the bottle. Not right.

hm88 wrote:

inthetwine wrote:

mulefarm wrote: Were should the game have been played?

Not only that, but the consession stand is run by Hill booster club. Why should they get to benifet from all the section games?

It's not actually a "booster club" that runs the concession stand. The people that work the concession stand are earning money that will go towards tuition at Hill-Murray or other private schools around the cities. The same people will work concession stands at the major venues in town like Xcel, TCF, Mariucci, etc, to earn money to help pay for tuition...so it's not like that money is being made to build new trophy cases for the Pioneers.

Regardless - does it really matter in the big scheme of things? It was a great venue - I still wish the Coliseum could still host these games. The kids from both teams played their hearts out for the entire game. It came down to one heck of an individual play to break the tie. Congrats to the Stillwater community/players - enjoy the experience, there is nothing like it. Hats off to the Pioneers - played a great game, a bounce here or there and it's a different outcome. The Pioneers will be back next year. Both teams have a big junior class - should be another epic battle next year to go to state.

What can you earn working a couple of hours at a concession stand, 10 bucks, for a 20,000 tuition? Give me a break!

inthetwine wrote:

hm88 wrote:

inthetwine wrote:Not only that, but the consession stand is run by Hill booster club. Why should they get to benifet from all the section games?

It's not actually a "booster club" that runs the concession stand. The people that work the concession stand are earning money that will go towards tuition at Hill-Murray or other private schools around the cities. The same people will work concession stands at the major venues in town like Xcel, TCF, Mariucci, etc, to earn money to help pay for tuition...so it's not like that money is being made to build new trophy cases for the Pioneers.

Regardless - does it really matter in the big scheme of things? It was a great venue - I still wish the Coliseum could still host these games. The kids from both teams played their hearts out for the entire game. It came down to one heck of an individual play to break the tie. Congrats to the Stillwater community/players - enjoy the experience, there is nothing like it. Hats off to the Pioneers - played a great game, a bounce here or there and it's a different outcome. The Pioneers will be back next year. Both teams have a big junior class - should be another epic battle next year to go to state.

What can you earn working a couple of hours at a concession stand, 10 bucks, for a 20,000 tuition? Give me a break!

Well - hate to break you're perfect world but not all Hill people are rich. There are hard working families that have to go the extra mile to pay for the school they want to attend. Yea - it is like $10 an hour - which is why their foundation has a stand at all of the local sports rinks. Those families work a lot of extra nights at games to help it all add up. If the game were played at Ridder or Mariucci - they would have people in one of the concession stands making money to help with tuition. You might not have the luxury of getting a water bottle with the Pioneer logo - but you would be helping some families pay for tuition.

Give me a break buddy! Kids are pouring their hearts out on the ice - played one heck of a game and all you care about is who is making money in the concession stand?

A certain percentage of the profits go to the group working the concession stand, it is a pretty common practice at many rinks.

1AA plays at John Marshall's home rink.