East Region Race

[ND Hockey 4]

Grafton's games against Central and Red River on the 10th and 12th are going to decide the rankings for the EDC tournament.

[yepdude]

Wilbur,

Sorry to seem if I'm coming down on you, but to think that Jake Statstad deserves any type of accolades made me stop reading the rest of your post. Watch him when he doesn't have the puck. He plays with eggshells in his pockets. He doesn't hit, he doesn't skate and if I was teddy bear (T. Howard) I would sit him for the Grafton game since it is meaningless game. GFC screwed themselves against FS, they will end up with either 4 or 5 seed. Same with North. What I would like to see is him (Statstad) sit and maybe play with some piss and vinegar for the EDC. Watching that team play is watching players going through the motions. I just hope things get straightened out in the next 7 days.

[ND Hockey 4]

Wilbur,

Sorry to seem if I'm coming down on you, but to think that Jake Statstad deserves any type of accolades made me stop reading the rest of your post.  Watch him when he doesn't have the puck.  He plays with eggshells in his pockets.  He doesn't hit, he doesn't skate and if I was teddy bear (T. Howard) I would sit him for the Grafton game since it is meaningless game.  GFC screwed themselves against FS, they will end up with either 4 or 5 seed.  Same with North.  What I would like to see is him (Statstad) sit and maybe play with some piss and vinegar for the EDC.  Watching that team play is watching players going through the motions.  I just hope things get straightened out in the next 7 days.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree 100% about Stadstad. I watched him play against South last nite and if he wasnt so small compared to everyone else I dont think Id have noticed him. In the D-zone all he does is sit at the blue line, let everyone else do the work to get him the puck so he can be the hero. Not only did he not impress me deffensivly, he wasnt a factor offensivley either. As for Marto, he seemed like a pretty good player in the first two periods but in the third when his team needed to get something going he disapeared.

[specifics]

to JackMickelson...

Adding to your list of Under rated players...

Eric Galt- This kid doesnt get enough credit, if any. Last year he was an unknown, and now I believe he could be the best defensemen in the state, behind Marto.

Tyler Klein- As a sophmore its difficult to get recognition unless your putting up monster numbers. He has a nice chunk of goals and from what I hear is on the number one line on a stuggling Fargo North. Hopefully they can pull it together.

Ben McClean (spelling?)- This kid can be fantastic, leaving opponents baffeled when they walk away empty handed on what would usually be a routine goal. I watched him against North and he stood on his head in the final few minutes, only to let in a lazer to a previously mentioned under rated player Nick Klenow. Maybe this is why he is not given the credit he deserves, his consistency. Who knows?

Tom Campell- I havent heard his name mentioned too much around these rooms and I question, why? This kid can score with the best of them. He has deceptive speed and nice hands. He could work on his d-zone coverage, but he's in high school and most high school forwards are focused on scoring.

Who do you think are the most OVER rated? My picks are as follows...

1. Jake Vigen- Jake is a strong defensemen who makes the right plays at the right time... however, I think you may give him too much credit. I may say this because I dont like to give credit to a bigger player unless they really show me something, big guys get too much credit nowadays. Anyway, he has a great shot, decent hands, but is slow. Don't mistake this for anything other than what it is; i think he gets too much credit. I could go on with the Red River defensmen but I wont.

I guess thats all I've got. I tried to find a forward from the east that was being talked up more than deserved but, I dont think the east has that problem. I could talk about Willert but I havent seem him play yet this season. The only forward given tons of credit is Paul Weisgarber, and its deserved in his case. While I'm on topic, he's played fewer games than most of the state leading scorers and he's fighting his way back up. I'm looking forward to watching him in the WCHA soon:)

[sooperfan]

to JackMickelson...

Adding to your list of Under rated players...

Eric Galt-  This kid doesnt get enough credit, if any.  Last year he was an unknown, and now I believe he could be the best defensemen in the state, behind Marto.

Tyler Klein-  As a sophmore its difficult to get recognition unless your putting up monster numbers.  He has a nice chunk of goals and from what I hear is on the number one line on a stuggling Fargo North.  Hopefully they can pull it together.

Ben McClean (spelling?)-  This kid can be fantastic, leaving opponents baffeled when they walk away empty handed on what would usually be a routine goal.  I watched him against North and he stood on his head in the final few minutes, only to let in a lazer to a previously mentioned under rated player Nick Klenow.  Maybe this is why he is not given the credit he deserves, his consistency.  Who knows?

Tom Campell- I havent heard his name mentioned too much around these rooms and I question, why?  This kid can score with the best of them.  He has deceptive speed and nice hands.  He could work on his d-zone coverage, but he's in high school and most high school forwards are focused on scoring.

Who do you think are the most OVER rated? My picks are as follows...

1.  Jake Vigen-  Jake is a strong defensemen who makes the right plays at the right time... however,  I think you may give him too much credit.  I may say this because I dont like to give credit to a bigger player unless they really show me something, big guys get too much credit nowadays.  Anyway,  he has a great shot, decent hands, but is slow.  Don't mistake this for anything other than what it is; i think he gets too much credit.  I could go on with the Red River defensmen but I wont.

I guess thats all I've got.  I tried to find a forward from the east that was being talked up more than deserved but, I dont think the east has that problem.  I could talk about Willert but I havent seem him play yet this season.  The only forward given tons of credit is Paul Weisgarber, and its deserved in his case.  While I'm on topic, he's played fewer games than most of the state leading scorers and he's fighting his way back up.  I'm looking forward to watching him in the WCHA soon:)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I would have to disagree with your comments about Vigen, if anything I would say he doesn't get enough credit, comments I have heard from people is that he is a steady stay at home defenseman who gets the job done, I don't think there can be any arguement that he needs to work on his speed but to say he is overrated I think is a bit harsh,from what I have heard about the kid, he generated alot of interest from scouts while playing in the select program and the elite league and I think he was the only player from ND drafted in the USHL during the futures draft last fall. It will be interesting to see if he makes the team that drafted him.

To your list of overrated players I would have to put Marto at #1.

[Wilbur]

[CoteauRinkRat]

Sorry to ruin this little parade but how is Jamestown gonna make an upset in the east if they play in the WDA.  And you guys think I'm weird.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

wow,

[yepdude]

[Wilbur]

I'll give you Bina and Trout yepdude, they are feisty little players, but Krebsbach? You have to remember, I'm from Minot and I played with the kid.....

Charlie Bair is a pretty good hockey player. If he was in the thirty point range I would pass it off as playing western teams, but the kid has 60 points. He won't win Mr. Hockey (he'll be a top three nominee), but I think he'll be playing junior hockey next season, possibly with the Bismarck Bobcats. I don't think Mandan will make state, but if they do it will be because he and his linemates outscore some teams.

Not that any of you wanted to know this, but.....Williston could finish second in the West Region with a victory over Bismarck High tomorrow...

[#1siouxfan22]

I know one player who didn't... Robbie Bina, Tony Trout of FS, Krebsbach of RR. Getting your nose dirty isn't laying someone out, but I thought I name some of those guys. Getting your nose dirty is having 2 hands on a stick and coming out with the puck. The Johson twins for GFC were like that the last couple of years.

How good is this Mandan guy, he has 37 goals and no one ever talks about him. Is he just another "western" hockey player, ie 6 goals against Dickinson and willi?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[Haas!]

I know one player who didn't... Robbie Bina, Tony Trout of FS, Krebsbach of RR. Getting your nose dirty isn't laying someone out, but I thought I name some of those guys. Getting your nose dirty is having 2 hands on a stick and coming out with the puck. The Johson twins for GFC were like that the last couple of years.

How good is this Mandan guy, he has 37 goals and no one ever talks about him. Is he just another "western" hockey player, ie 6 goals against Dickinson and willi?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The Johnson twins werent exactly small buddy if u weigh 190 lbs your not small, and they weighed at least that.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[ND Pride]

The Johnson twins werent exactly small buddy if u weigh 190 lbs your not small, and they weighed at least that.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm sorry to say but all the talk about this mandan kid (Charlie Bair) is BS if you ask me. I bought into all the talk myself until I saw him play a couple weeks back. Considering Mandan's schedule scoring as many goals as he has wouldnt be as hard as you may think. Mandan has a very weak schedule. Granted it does take some skill to score that many goals regardless.. I just believe that there are about at least a dozen players in the East that outplay him in a heartbeat. But thats just my opinion

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[RoughRider111]

Alright, so South showed some talent in the Central game. and they did win their first EDC, so congrats. But no one will remember winning EDC, or the play-offs. The season is far from over. I've never seen ant banners hanging for regular season EDC champs. It will definatly be interesting to see how south matches up against a Western team, or even Shanley...does anyone remember them last year? I believe they almost beat them?? I think South needs to come down from cloud 9 and come back to the real world...they haven't won anything yet.

[Wilbur]

Alright, I can think of a couple players in the east that are possibly better than Bair.

1. Weisgarber

2. Campbell

3. Marto

4. Kuntz

Other than those guys I really can't put anyone at his level. Yeah the West Region is undoubtedly weak, but you gotta remember he's also playing on a weak team, so he's not exactly doing it with great linemates.

[ND Pride]

Alright, so South showed some talent in the Central game. and they did win their first EDC, so congrats.  But no one will remember winning EDC, or the play-offs.  The season is far from over.  I've never seen ant banners hanging for regular season EDC champs.  It will definatly be interesting to see how south matches up against a Western team, or even Shanley...does anyone remember them last year?  I believe they almost beat them??  I think South needs to come down from cloud 9 and come back to the real world...they haven't won anything yet.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

South beat Shanley 12-1 late in January - not sure how interesting a rematch in the East Region will be. Shanley had an entirely different level of team last year. As far as South and a western team - if South finishes 1 or 2 in the East Region Tournament I would expect them to handle their western opponent without too much trouble. If they slip in the East region, which I doubt, and finish 3rd or 4th it would be tougher to open at state against a team like Bismarck High and especially Minot. Should be an interesting conclusion to the 04-05 hockey season.

[ND Hockey 4]

Alright, so South showed some talent in the Central game. and they did win their first EDC, so congrats.  But no one will remember winning EDC, or the play-offs.  The season is far from over.  I've never seen ant banners hanging for regular season EDC champs.  It will definatly be interesting to see how south matches up against a Western team, or even Shanley...does anyone remember them last year?  I believe they almost beat them??  I think South needs to come down from cloud 9 and come back to the real world...they haven't won anything yet.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

South deserves a lot of credit for what they've accomplished in the east. Their only loss was the fist or second game of the year to Grafton when they were without starting goalie Ben McLean and i think Weisgarber didn't play either due to a knee injury. South's currently on a 9 or 10 game winning streak with just one game left against North. If they can beat North, which they should be able to do, they should have a lot of momentum going into the EDC tournament.

[Poncho & Lefty]

Just curious is Ness still coaching at Central?

[ND Pride]

Just curious is Ness still coaching at Central?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

He moved back to his hometown (Duluth, Minnesota) quite a few years ago.

[ND Pride]

[Central for Life]

Red River looks good heading into EDC tourny with a huge 4-1 win over Grafton.

[Jack Mickleson]

WEST REGION TOURNAMENT PAIRINGS [at Minot] 2-17-05

#1-Minot v.s. #8-Dickinson / #9-Bottineau 12:00 pm

#4-Bis. Century v.s. #5-Mandan 2:30 pm

#2-Williston v.s. #7-Hazen-Beulah 6:00 pm

#3-Bis. High v.s. #6-Devils Lake 8:30 pm

EAST REGION TOURNAMENT PAIRINGS [at G.F.] 2-17-05

#1-Fargo South v.s. #8-Shanley / #9-Wahpeton 12:00 pm

#4-G.F. Central v.s. #5-Fargo North 2:30 pm

#2-G.F. Red River v.s. #7-West Fargo 6:00 pm

#3-Grafton/P.R. v.s. #6-Jamestown 8:30 pm

[ND Pride]

WEST REGION TOURNAMENT PAIRINGS [at  Minot] 2-17-05

#1-Minot              v.s.    #8-Dickinson / #9-Bottineau    12:00 pm

#4-Bis. Century  v.s.    #5-Mandan                                2:30 pm

#2-Williston        v.s.    #7-Hazen-Beulah                        6:00 pm

#3-Bis. High        v.s.    #6-Devils Lake                            8:30 pm

EAST REGION TOURNAMENT PAIRINGS [at G.F.] 2-17-05

#1-Fargo South    v.s.  #8-Shanley / #9-Wahpeton        12:00 pm

#4-G.F. Central    v.s.  #5-Fargo North                          2:30 pm

#2-G.F. Red River  v.s.  #7-West Fargo                        6:00 pm

#3-Grafton/P.R.        v.s.  #6-Jamestown                        8:30 pm

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

So, who will advance from the west? Clearly, Minot is the no-brainer pick but after that it is not so clear. I'd like to say Bismarck High as the #2 team but they lost both WDC games to Hazen Beulah and also lost to Williston near the end of the season. Mandan beat Bismarck High and Century but Mandan lost both games to Williston. Who can you trust out there? Maybe the western teams have figured out how to stop Charlie Bair. If that is the case then the easy call is the top four seeds all advancing but as far as West Region finish I'd pick Minot first and it's a coin toss from there on how Bismarck, Century and Williston will finish up. Any other thoughts on the West or East?

[ND Hockey 4]

[BigGame]

The WDC is clearly a joke. The only team that deserves any credit is Minot and thats still not a sure bet. The semi finals of state could very realistically feature all Eastern teams.

It doesn't matter if Minot is the best team in the state or not, they always find a way to screw up at the State Tourny. The West will probably never be as consistant as the east is as far as quality teams, but they do have some good teams from time to time. IMO if Minot had better coaching, they would be one of the top 2 or 3 teams in the state on a consistant basis.

[Wilbur]