He Who Shoots Top Shelf

I hate to say it but i laughed out loud as I read this post. I realize Shanley is bad, but I just can't say that they will not at least split with the Blades. I think Traynor is a solid enough goaltender to steal one from the BW Blades, remember this is his 3rd year playing Varsity hockey. We also may steal one at the Wadena Christmas Tournament, or a match up with Red Lake Falls. I know the year won't be pretty, but I'm not willing to subject my alma matter to the tin-toilet award, but maybe I'm just being a homer.

I had a chance to watch Red River play last night and it looks like Malm isn't rebuilding, but reloading. This is a much more electric Red River team than the past couple years. They are smaller in size but they get up and down the ice and move the puck very well. They have Meland, Vigen, and a sophomore named Russel Crary playing together and this line will be able to match any top line in the state. Before all of you jump all over me and say it was only Shanley who is definitely in the bottom three in the state this year, realize that I have been around youth hockey for 20 some years and I know talent and chemistry when I see it.

Just got off the phone with my brother whose son had a game on the other side of the WF rink, he said West Fargo beat Century either 4-1 or 3-1.

Is anybody going to any of the games tonight to give a recap?

I don't know if you can read but the name of the thread is North Dakota High School Hockey, not to be confused with Red River, GPR, and South Fest 07. The great thing about this thread is that we can take in all different opinions and wait for all 18 teams, not just the three you feel are important, to play it out in a fun exciting season of hockey.

Games for the Weekend, lets get some predictions going Friday Williston at Mandan: I think Williston rolls in this one 7-2 Hazen-Beulah at Wahpeton: Intriguing game for all the wrong reasons, Hazen steals one 3-1 Bismarck Century at Fargo North: Klein will be too much, I see Spartans 4-2 Bismarck High at West Fargo: Should be a good game, goaltending will win it for BHS 2-1 Dickinson at Jamestown: Welding another 5 point performance? Jamestown 8-1 Minot at Devils Lake: Devils Lake will definitely play better and sneak out 4-3 Saturday Bismarck Century at West Fargo: Another good test for WF, I don't believe they will be beaten at home two nights in a row, Pack 5-3 Dickinson at Wahpeton: Again another intriguing game for the Blades, Dickinson 2-0 Bismarck High at Fargo North: I see Hillman stealing this game if he starts back-to-back nights, with Hillman I see a 3-2 win for the Demons, without Hillman I think North wins 5-2. Fargo Shanley at Grand Forks Red River: I hate to root against the alma mater, but Shanley doesn't have a prayer, hopefully Malm keeps it closer then my prediction of 9-0 Minot at Grand Forks Central: I love this game right here, Central didn't look too hot in the early stages Tuesday night, but Minot is playing back to back nights. I think Central will tie the Magi 3-3. Williston at Jamestown: Jamestown's first real test in the WDA, I like the Blue Jays at home 5-2.

First off Jamestown is gonna be in the state tournament which voids out any attempt you had at a point there. Welding will have a monster season in the west, he has gimme 5 pt. games with Mandan, Dickinson, Hazen, and Bottineau. For all the Devils Lake love that seems to be going around on these sites you'd think a 5 point performance against them would have us giving him credit. I think of Welding keeps his point totals up he would be a very formidable Mr. Hockey candidate. Secondly, I just got home from the Shanley game tonight and ouch! It will be a year filled with rebuilding. The game ended 4-0, penalites filled the game, you can tell the effects it will have on the play this year. Central looked shaky early but seemed to pick it up as the game went on.

Should be an interesting game for both these guys. Since it is in Devils Lake and they seem to have the better goaltender I like them in a 2-1 maybe 3-1 with an empty net goal. Any other words out west on Williston, McBainless Hazen, BHS, and Century?

Thanks for the help, but to avoid any other confusion I'm talking the actual season openers not the all 350 (exaggeration) jamborees going on with teams around the state.

Does anyone know when games start and which teams open with each other?

I look for Jamestown to have a very successful season this year in the west. They return Welding as well as Cameron Leben, and I believe their goalie Enderle. The west this year in my opinion will be way down, leaving Jamestown to battle in the top 3 with Minot and BHS.

I see North struggling immensely this year, the teams they'll battle with will be able to keep Klein in check. Not only will the Spartans struggle to put the puck in the net but they are extremely inexperienced in the net. If it's true that they are returning 4-5 d including Dahl, I would play Narveson up front and add a little depth to the scoring punch. I see North finishing the conference season with 10 pts this year, sweeps over BW and Shanley and a split with WF. South on the other hand is my odds on favorite in the East this year, I really like Grafton also, but the difference comes in between the pipes. Deichert will have another solid year and has a good core of returning players in front of him. With McDougall, Graalum, Doeden, Powers, Metz, and Wurden they should have another excellent year, maybe a 4th banner??

I don't think there are too many 1000 yard rushers out there this year, a lot of teams are sharing the ball to multiple backs at least in the EDC. Solum from South may be close, but he also has been sharing the ball with Horner and Larsen. One of the Wahpeton backs is close I believe as well. Central's back had a good start, but he's struggled with South, West, and North. WF's back Swanson cooked us earlier in the year so he may also have a shot. As for qb's, North's QB was efficient earlier in the year, Larsen may be up there as well. Gibson in WF has surprisingly not thrown for more in his 2nd year at the position. Other than that I don't see any other slingers over 1000.

I also was told about Erickson coaching about a good half hour after my ill-timed post yesterday. He's an excellent guy for the program, he'll be able to help develop some of the younger talent that is going to be forced into roles this season. All this talk about recruiting is also bother me, our goal is not to go set up a booth at IHS with buy one get one tuition for the season, the goals of the Shanley program have been to develop hockey players through our feeder system. If you look at the Fargo Angels program, we have a state championship which clearly proves help is on the way. Burgraff was a little shakey in the first year bringing in the Sioux Falls guys, but other than that first season we have been pretty clean as a program. In about 5 years we'll be a contender for the state tournament year in and year out, mark my words!

WANTED Head High School Hockey Coach at Shanley, if you have coaching experience and are willing to help build a program apply please. I find it hard to believe that this hasn't been discussed on here yet, Shanley is less than a month away from their starting date, yet they have no coach. So please lets spread the word around and get these kids a coach.

This year the West coaches will need a lot more than this for motivation. Minot is looking to be down and if the rumors are true Hillman is playing for the Bobcats. Rehak will need to be Bobby Orr like for Williston to have a prayer in the first round of state this year.

The 20 game limit is put in place for the purpose of the NDHSAA winter sports season. Hockey competes the same amount as basketball and wrestling. If you stretch the season out to say a 30 game season, you would be carrying over into either the fall or spring seasons, taking away the opportunity for multi sport athletes. Playing 30 games we wouldn't see a Darren Erstad leave this state as a D1 baseball player as well as punter. We also wouldn't have the privelege of watching Zach Elgie from Minot excel in baseball, baskektball, and football. For teenage kids 20 games is just fine, 30 would be overwhelming for many of these kids to balance with school and what not.

This has probably already been discussed on here, but I have a nephew at Fargo South who says he has a kid named Tyrel McBain in one of his classes. This floored me, because I heard grumblings of his grandma living in West Fargo, so I could maybe understand him being at that school. Did his whole family move or is he going to have to sit out the transfer period, much like Brett Spooner did a few years back with Grafton.

Jamestown's move has nothing to do with their quality of play. Hockey was the only sport where the Blue Jays were in the EDC and the Firebirds in the WDA. To say that Jamestown being in the West is a better fit geographically is a joke. I'm sure they will love their trips to Williston, Hazen, Minot, and Bottineau. Their closest road game is still an hour and 15 mins away with a good bus driver and a headwind to Bismarck. I think they would much rather be in the East for travel reasons.

for all you know the minnesota team was coming off a long night filled with binge drinking and illicit drug usage. 2-1 or 3-2 that story may be warranted, but because team mn didnt show up until the 3rd period and still won by a touchdown doesnt give much credibility to your story.

Any word on Team ND's showing this weekend in Bismarck against Team MN?

I heard Campbell will be a Cobber next year playing hockey in the MIAC.

McBain is a nice player who still needs development. He's great offensively but his neutral and defensive zone play needs some work. I also heard that he tends to disappear against the better teams he plays. It will be interesting to see how he backs up this season next year. Does anyone know for sure if Weisgarber is playing tomorrow night?

I'm not saying there isn't a JV team with a winning record. I'm saying the quality of the JV players is down compared to the last couple years. Fargo South's JV 2 years ago consisted of Campbell, Larson, Galt, Ramberg, Grande, etc.. Now even though Red River's JV squad this year only lost 2 games you can't possibly be implying that they would hang in a game with that South team. With sophomores like Meland, Simonson, Vigen, Swanson, LaDoucer, Galbreath, McBain, Bekkadahl, Tanner Anderson and Powers all bypassing JV its easy to see why the JV programs aren't going to be like they were. This season the JV teams consisted of the lower part of the 10th grade and there are virtually no juniors out there. I mean I saw WF play a competitive game with Fargo South this year. It's not the best age group number wise for JV hockey to be decent.

The JV programs across the state were down as a whole. It seems all the best sophomores have all been playing varsity. I saw South's JV play North earlier this year and they have gradually fallen off in the past couple years. Remember the beat Moorhead's JV a couple years back. I think the biggest impact players will be moving up from the bantam ranks rather than the jv teams