SiouxScore

Hermantown leads Cathedral 3-1 after 2 in the first class A semi. High intensity game with a lot of after the whistle stuff. Had a big scrum at the end of the first period that led to about 5 guys in the penalty box for both teams to start the 2nd.

It would be really hard to get the best class A teams to state. A lot of years 2 of the top 5/6 teams are in 8A. You look at this year and EGF and Warroad were basically in the top 5 all year. I wouldn't mind sliding a program like Cathedral into 5A and strengthen it a little bit as Alexandria has seemed to be on the rise a little in 6A and Little Falls seems to be coming back a little bit. I really don't know what you could possibly do to strengthen 1A and 3A. Lourdes has had a couple decent teams out of 1A at times.

No they wouldn't, they'd be the 6 at best. Lately in class A the top 5 are solid and then you get 3 that aren't quite at that same level. Although a couple years you've had one of those unseeded teams make a run like Monticello a couple times. The way it is setup a lot of times you have at least 2 and sometimes 3 blowouts in the quarterfinals. Big part of the reason this year though is just how good the top 3 seeds are. Cathedral has beat the #1 seed in AA Andover this year and we have heard for years now about how Hermantown should move up to AA. They do play AA in youth hockey and have success there too so I don't quite get why they are so hesitant to move up.

No I caught some of their game yesterday and they had a pretty decent crowd. The Gophers really hurt their at large chances this weekend though with some very poor hockey. Go from getting a bye and hosting their conference tournament to the #4 seed, ouch!

The A bracket looks like it was seeded 1-8 which I wish they would actually do. The AA I think you coulda flipped Moorhead and Hill-Murray with Hill beating them in the last regular season game Moorhead also lost very early in the year to unseeded Maple Grove. Looking at results against the field you also have Eden Prairie at 3 but they lost to 4 Moorhead and tied unseeded St. Thomas while not beating any of the other tournament teams. I'm not saying EP shouldn't be seeded that high because they'd still probably be my pick to win AA right now. AA is really hard to figure out how to seed. If they seeded all in AA I think you'd probably see Maple Grove and Lakeville South flipped too. A potential Semifinal Friday of St. Cloud Cathedral vs. Hermantown, Warroad vs. Mahtomedi, Blake vs. Eden Praire, and Andover vs. Moorhead/Hill could be the best we've seen in a while.

Mismash

Disappointing results. For the most part I thought we played alright. Officiating was absolutely awful this weekend and played a huge part in the results.

Was Tychonick a healthy scratch or was he sick or something? I certainly have liked the way Tychonick has been playing the last few weeks and I think he would be especially valuable on big ice. It would be any easy move in my mind to get him in for Bast. Gabe has been alright but he is clearly been the bottom defenseman in pretty well every game he has played since returning from injury. Way more turnovers and giveaways from him than we are used to seeing.

Thought the Sioux were the better team tonight and deserved a better fate. Thome was really solid tonight just gave up the one on the rebound which I'm sure he'd like to try to kick out of the danger a little better and two really fluky goals. Had times where it was absolutely complete domination but just couldn't find that play to extend the lead a little bit. The 5 minute major call especially after review is absolutely awful no idea how they came to that conclusion. Find a way to finish a few more chances and be just a little crisper defensively and roll tomorrow.

Believe he has struggled with injuries much of the last 2 years and now he seems to be healthy this year and is putting up good numbers against a solid schedule.

Nope not close with any of the players just going off how I’d feel and a couple reactions. Saw a couple guys last night trying to pull his arm off and then giving him a look like come on man last night.

Most times he isn't even preventing a penalty as nothing would come of it. Jumps after every stoppage he gets.

He does it every time he freezes the puck. Most of the time it is just innocent jawing and he jumps in. Very, very few times has he done it where he may have actually prevented a penalty. Most times it would be 1 from each team going anyway. Has to be very frustrating for the guys.

Another real business like performance. Game really could've been broke open in the 1st credit DU's goalie for keeping them in it. DU's goal was real weak but Thome made up for it with some huge saves as well. Something that really bugs me that needs to stop is Thome holding back a teammate on every little scrum in front of it. Stop it Peter. Sometimes it just needs to happen. That last minute might've been the loudest it has been all year with the Lets Go Sioux chant.

Mismash

Really complete performance. Just felt like the game was never really in doubt, real business like win.

I know the Twins needed another starter but to give up Graterol for Maeda who to me is another 3/4 type is a no.

Fun game to watch last night. Game could've easily been 12 or 13-1. While I don't like having a weekend without Sioux hockey it does seem the bye week comes at a good time. Get a chance to get some rest and get a few guys healed up for the stretch run. Really hope Hain's injury isn't anything serious.

I just read through this whole thread and that was my first thought too. Time for someone to clean this mess up and delete this thread.

Good win. Much better effort defensively but also along the walls. I thought Duluth really took it to us physically last night and the guys answered that tonight. Much more emphasis on not just being next to a guy but getting a stick on him defensively. Created some good chances that either just missed or Shepherd came up big on but did just enough to win. That first goal for Duluth absolutely has to be stopped but aside from that I thought Thome was solid. Came up with a few very big saves, couple scary moments of rebounds or just a little scramble but good night for him overall. Little upset with the reffing late after the weak call on Adams for a trip with about 5 minutes left then immediately on the powerplay there is a lose puck along the wall that Smith is gonna get to as he is a step ahead of the Duluth defender and the guy absolutely wraps up his arm and spins him around eventually creating a board battle instead of a clear. If you wanna call a weak neutral zone trip than you damn well better call an obvious hold that negates a crucial clear.

Disappointing result and I think a lot of the problem was the guys just got too undisciplined in their play. Taking chances they didn't need to at times and trying for a home run type play when the smarter play was the safe play. Had a few chances to really put this one away right after going up 3-1 and Shepherd came up with some huge saves eventually allowing Duluth to survive the storm and take advantage of a couple opportunities and be right back in the game. Shepherd made the huge saves that Duluth needed and Scheel didn't. Shepherd came up with a couple big stops that would've made it 6-5 with 4 minutes left too. Scheel was left hung out to dry a few times but he is also just struggling in some ways right now too. His angles are off way more than normal and he has got caught back in is net instead of out challenging a lot lately. I thought Duluth's first goal should've been no goal but Scheel absolutely has to come up with a save on goals 4 and 5. The shorty for goal 2 was another one that Scheel probably takes care of most of the time too but he was off his angle. Guys gotta bounce back tomorrow night and find a way to get the win.

Committed to the Gophers this summer and the Gophers parted ways with him in I think the beginning of November. Not sure what the exact reason was but I believe a part of it was I they wanted him as a mid year guy and he needed to get certain things done by certain points and he didn't and he decided he wanted to come in June. Kid looked real athletic in his films definitely a little on the smaller side though and seemed to perform well at a few camps but hard to know how he will translate to a different level of competition.

Hain

I thought they were practice jerseys when I first turned the game on. I've seen teams throw on some special uniforms for hockey day but these can't be it. The women's game on FSN has some pretty good looking jerseys though especially the Gophers with the old skating Gopher on the front.

Pinto