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Regular Season is done, and bring on the playoff talk! It's tourney time!!!<!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :) --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/smile.gif ALT=":)"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> This is the thread for all District 4 tournament talk,for bantam A and B, as well as PWA, and PWB... <p></p><i></i>

Bantam A is going to be a very interesting tournament. It seems like everyone has beat everyone at the top. I personally think that it will come down to what team is most mentally prepared. <p></p><i></i>

I think NP is the team to beat in BA. Very good defensive team although if you shut down the top line, they can be had. They generate alot of scoring from their D. Suspect goaltending though. Also, Owatonna can be sneaky good. They like to float the off wing which if you do not pick up leads to alot of odd man rushes. Depth and conditioning will be a factor as they only skate 10. Good goaltending there also. <p></p><i></i>

I have heard that Owattonna might be a little short by the time the tournament comes. Can anyone back me up on that? <p></p><i></i>

This could be another pretty interesting tournament. You would have to think that with the weaker west divison that most of the east teams have a good chance. I dont think that any of the lower west teams could beat the lower east teams. Just a thought. <p></p><i></i>

My guess is that the four teams from the east will advance to regionals due to the weakness of the west division. <p></p><i></i>

New Ulm PWA finished 14-0 in the West and only lost by one to Faribault. I think they will make it out of districts. <p></p><i></i>

Well, NU meets A.L. in the first round, and they've played once this year, and i believe it was a 3-0 score in favor of New Ulm? JDOG would know for sure... <p></p><i></i>

lets hear the bantam A standings. And who plays who<br><br>thank a lot <p></p><i></i>

Bantam A: Top 4 team's NP, OW, Kato and AL are all about as close as you could ask, and don't sell 5 seed NU short, they will be more familiar with the big rink then anybody. I am not sure if district's goes to 17 min. period's or not. Kato and AL have the largest benches and that could be a huge advantage with longer period's along with the bigger ice. I think if evrybody play's their A games there will be a whole bunch of 1 goal games. Should be fun.<br>PW A: Top 3 team's in the East are HEAVY favorites to go to region's: Far. get's my nod for #1 with Kato and NP running close behind. I am pretty sure the NU/AL score was 2-0 NU. NU appeared to be the better team and was in better shape, but not so much that AL couldn't pull one out. Stolt and the little runt #2 are going to have to have big games if AL want's to pull out the win; the 2 of them combined for 4 goal's in the 3rd period against NP earlier this year and they will have to find that again. NU is a solid team though and should represent the West well. Bottom 3 in the West are not real strong. My personal feeling is that Owatonna get's the shaft as they would have carried the 2 seed, maybe even the #1 out West, no disrespect to NU intended but that is how big the gap is between East and West. <p></p><i></i>

Falkster,<br>You are correct, match penalties have a way of doing that. <p></p><i></i>

All the Heat, can you expand on that, are there some kids that will be missing the first round of Districts due to some match penalties <p></p><i></i>

I agree with Joshdog that Owatonna should be playing in Districts instead of #3 Waseca and #4 Fairmont. #1 New Ulm was better than Owatonna and #2 Marshall and Owatonna were about the same? I'm going to stick with the same predictions I made last December.<br>1. Mankato (I think the tough nonleague schedule will help them)<br>2. Faribault (most consistent team all year)<br>3. New Prague (just a little better than New Ulm)<br>4. New Ulm (should sneak into Regions past Albert Lea)<br>5. Albert Lea (needs to beat New Ulm to have shot at Regions)<br>6. Marshall (hard to tell how good they are with weak schedule?)<br>7. Waseca (doesn't matter)<br>8. Fairmont (doesn't matter) <p></p><i></i>

One of the Owatonna kid's received a kicking penalty over the weekend in Hutch. I am not sure of the penalty that will follow. I wasn't there so I shouldn't comment on exactly what happened. I have seen that penalty called where someone nudges an opposing player with their leg....too severe. I have also seen kick's that were very aggressive and should have been called gross misconduct's. The Owatonna Coach is full of integrity and will see to it that the punishment fit's the crime. <br> <p></p><i></i>

I think you have to call Faribault the D4 PWA favorite - they outplayed both Mankato and NP head to head all season. Last year in Districts NP got surprised and I wouldn't expect that to happen two years in a row. MN Magic makes a good point about Mankato playing some very tough competition - in the last two weeks they played Hopkins, Prior Lake, Rochester A1, Eagan and soon play Buffalo. Hard to compare New Ulm and Marshall with the East, but I could see AL beating New Ulm in the first round of Districts. <p></p><i></i>

When ever you figure out how severe that penalty was, please post on it. <p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://p100.ezboard.com/bmnhs.showUserP ... Maker12</A> at: 2/7/06 10:30 am<br></i>

If the kicking situation is true, would that be a 1 game suspension? Owatonna has Faribault in the first round. Other than making Owatonna's bench even shorter, it shouldn't have too much of an influence on the outcome. I still look for the top 3 to advance without much of a struggle. Albert Lea, on the other hand, had their hands full with New Ulm this past weekend. It's a "home" game for NU plus the AL boys will have to get up early and drive 2 hrs. The cards are stacked in NU's favor. <p></p><i></i>

I agree with Joshdog on Bantam A's. Kato has played most of there games on the big sheet this year and have rolled three lines all year. However, they are a little banged up right now with 2 forwards nursing some injuries that will make them questionable for the District tourney. AL rolls three lines also. NP has great D and a couple of snipers...Goaltending average...Owatonna, good skill and very hardworking group. The top four teams are all very close and whoever capitalizes on there chances should win. New Ulm could surprise, all depends on there goaltending. I have see it very good and not so good. Should see some very competitive, hard fought games. I find it interesting in other threads that everybody is conceding the Region title to Buffalo. A D4 team could surpise as happened last year when the 4 seed out of D4 advanced to the State tournament <p></p><i></i>

Mankato BA's don't have the dad's to make it out of districts; all the other D4 teams have better dad's. Right Bugsy? <p></p><i></i>

The getting up early thing could hurt AL, but if they come mentaly prepared it will be a close game. <p></p><i></i>

Nate Franch, what's that supposed to mean <p></p><i></i>

Match penalties carry more than a one game suspension. The offending player needs to attend a hearing by the proper authorities (D-4) before they can even practice with the team. <p></p><i></i>

This is true.<br>A few years back, a player that I coached recieved a match penalty for kicking. All in All he was suspended for about 3 weeks. He was given a 5 game suspension from the time of the District "board" hearing. (2 games and 5 days had passed from the "incident" to the meeting) <p></p><i></i>

Long drives before games can be absolute killer's, which is why the AL boy's will only have a 20 minute drive from Madelia Sat. morning and a curfew Fri. Night. <p></p><i></i>

Well, Mankato takes about an hour drive for their 10:00 a.m. game at A.L. for districts, so does htis mean you think they may be affected as well, JDOG? <p></p><i></i>