Minnesota Girls High School Hockey

[joehockey]

If you look at the Thoroughbreds it is a collection of very good players who either come from a HS with a weak hockey programs/poor coaching in Minnesota and Western Wisconsin or are kids who have not fit into their HS programs for many reasons some discpline some their love of the game versus someone who is just playing a winter sport.

They are all talented, love the game and get very good coaching - I agree they could beat most MN HS teams as they play a fast, physical and a team style of hockey - they have far less individual play than most HS teams/games as they really are coached to go vertical and move the puck on the attack and in the zone. They play three lines on a regular rotation which would out skate many HS teams who only have maybe 2 srong lines into the ice.

[ARM]

I agree they could beat most MN HS teams as they play a fast, physical and a team style of hockey - they have far less individual play than most HS teams/games as they really are coached to go vertical and move the puck on the attack and in the zone.The Thoroughbreds also play 70+ games a year, almost 3 times as many as a HS team, which is another advantage they would have in such a match-up. Clubs and preps like SSM provide another alternative to HS hockey, but it is obvious that both have produced excellent players. It is nice that the girls have options.

[D2D]

The Thoroughbreds also play 70+ games a year, almost 3 times as many as a HS team, which is another advantage they would have in such a match-up. Clubs and preps like SSM provide another alternative to HS hockey, but it is obvious that both have produced excellent players. It is nice that the girls have options.

ARM, take a look at their calendar:

http://www.mnthoroughbreds.com/TBNOV07MAR08.pdf

Unless they were to add more games, I don't how they're going to play 70+ games this season. This would be difficult because of the long distances they must travel, which during the school year pretty much limits them to playing their games on weekends (other than SSM which is just 60 miles away). If the 70+ games includes the summer months, most of the better high school players join a AAA team and/or attend various camps and training programs, so that would also even things out.

The Thoroughbreds also seem to have a lot of open dates where nothing (games or practices) are on the schedule. Most high school teams have either a practice, scrimmage or a game scheduled every day of the week except Sunday.

[ARM]

ARM, take a look at their calendar:

http://www.mnthoroughbreds.com/TBNOV07MAR08.pdf

Unless they were to add more games, I don't how they're going to play 70+ games this season. This would be difficult because of the long distances they must travel, which during the school year pretty much limits them to playing their games on weekends (other than SSM which is just 60 miles away). If the 70+ games includes the summer months, most of the better high school players join a AAA team and/or attend various camps and training programs, so that would also even things out.I was going by their record from last year on their site: 2006 - 2007........42-24-5 RecordThe HS players might play more games during the year, but not as a team -- that partially explains why the club team can play more of a team game, because the players are that much more familiar with playing together.

[D2D]

I was going by their record from last year on their site: The HS players might play more games during the year, but not as a team -- that partially explains why the club team can play more of a team game, because the players are that much more familiar with playing together.

That and the fact that Marci wouldn't have it any other way!

[brookyone]

The Schwan Cup brackets & schedules:

http://www.nscsports.org/sports/hockey/tourneys/schwan_cup/sched_results.htm

[brookyone]

Some interesting matchups this weekend...with some of the metro teams heading north...

http://www.maxpreps.com/FanPages/StateUpcomingGames.mxp/AreaID-65a1ea00-4f5f-454b-a358-c6d718cebb5f/Girls_Varsity_Ice_Hockey_Winter_07-08/Minnesota

The GRG vs. BSM looks like the best game in the metro area this weekend.

[joehockey]

Thoroughreds do play 70 games but they are shorter games. It is not stop time and at most they only do the ice once. They start in August and end in March (or April if they make Nationals). They practice 1-2 times a week. Great coaching.

The HS season starts the last Monday in October and ends with State Tourney mid February. Most teams play about 26 games and practice 3-4 times a week. The top HS girls play on Before (September-October) and After AAA teams to get in another set of 10-30 fall and spring games.

Shattuck offers the games but daily practice and development - best case if you can afford it and ok with daughter leavin home. Very Good Coaching/Deveopmet.

The groups all play with AAA games over the course of April-August 20-50 games. Games are never the issue (you don't improve paying games development is key) finding coaching or just having time to skate and learning to be creative is more important.

[Hux]

The Thoroughbreds also seem to have a lot of open dates where nothing (games or practices) are on the schedule. Most high school teams have either a practice, scrimmage or a game scheduled every day of the week except Sunday.

And that is a good thing. It lets the kids focus on school and other aspects of being a teenager, which I would think would help keep them (and their parents) from burning out, or getting mentally worn down. There is also an increasingly popular train of thought that spending six or seven days a week on the ice in either games or practices does not allow sufficient time for recovery, and is detrimental to performance as the season wears on.

[D2D]

And that is a good thing. It lets the kids focus on school and other aspects of being a teenager, which I would think would help keep them (and their parents) from burning out, or getting mentally worn down. There is also an increasingly popular train of thought that spending six or seven days a week on the ice in either games or practices does not allow sufficient time for recovery, and is detrimental to performance as the season wears on.

Can't argue with that; I was originally responding to ARM who said: "The Thoroughbreds also play 70+ games a year, almost 3 times as many as a HS team, which is another advantage they would have in such a match-up." If they do play this many games, one could argue that the game-to-practice ratio is way too high. Most high schools here have way more practices than games.

[ARM]

There is also an increasingly popular train of thought that spending six or seven days a week on the ice in either games or practices does not allow sufficient time for recovery, and is detrimental to performance as the season wears on.Maybe -- but nobody spends more time on the ice than Shattuck, and they seem to perform okay as the season wears on.

[joehockey]

Some great match ups last night with Twin Cities teams versus the Northern Minnesota teams:

Eden Prairie 1 Warroad 1
Grand Rapids 3 BSM 2
Hill Murray 3 Roseau 1

[moose97]

I've been busy lately, but here's your Bemidji update...

The 'Jacks have struggled lately, beating the teams they should (case in point, last night's 8-2 win over River Lakes (http://www.bemidjipioneer.com/articles/index.cfm?id=12390&section=sports)), but struggled against good teams - like losing to Elk River, and Roseau - both teams that Bji could/should have beat. The bottom line at this point (and I hate to throw a kid under the bus, but the numbers don't lie), is goaltending. Before last night's game, Kaia Sele had a 2.83 GAA, and a Sv% of .850 (and, if you look at last night's game, Sele only stopped 10 of 12 vs. River Lakes)...

Moose

[dhmn]

Some great match ups last night with Twin Cities teams versus the Northern Minnesota teams:

Eden Prairie 1 Warroad 1
Grand Rapids 3 BSM 2
Hill Murray 3 Roseau 1

Don't forget, Proctor/Hermantown/Marshall also won, knocking off South St. Paul 2-1.

[joehockey]

Warroad 2 Hill Murray 1 OT 2 PM game

Proctor plays N. St. Paul tonght should be another great game!

[brookyone]

Pretty impressive weekend for the Warriors...and Lightning.

MaxPreps Scoring Leaders update:

http://www.maxpreps.com/FanPages/StateLeaders.mxp/AreaID-65a1ea00-4f5f-454b-a358-c6d718cebb5f/optType-player/selType-Goals/Girls_Varsity_Ice_Hockey_Winter_07-08/Minnesota


Friendly reminder: You can utilize the drop down menu to view goals / assists / pts. specifically.

[brookyone]

If they are still undefeated after those three, that'll be impressive. And if they happen to match up against Eden Prairie in the Kaposia Tournament, I'll definitely be there to watch!
The Ponies schedule leading up to the Kaposia Classic...

12/11/07 @ Cretin-Derham Hall (St. Paul, MN) (Highland Arena)

12/15/07 Forest Lake (MN) (SCRC)

12/17/07 @ Roseville (MN) (Roseville Ice Arena)

12/22/07 @ Edina (MN)

I'd consider this sufficiently brutal.

[D2D]

The Ponies schedule leading up to the Kaposia Classic...

12/11/07 @ Cretin-Derham Hall (St. Paul, MN) (Highland Arena)

12/15/07 Forest Lake (MN) (SCRC)

12/17/07 @ Roseville (MN) (Roseville Ice Arena)

12/22/07 @ Edina (MN)

I'd consider this sufficiently brutal.

AND, they could be headed for a showdown with EP in the Kaposia.

[brookyone]

The updated rankings, standings & stats from the PP...

http://www.twincities.com/prep/ci_7627555?source=email

...as ridiculous as those rankings may appear to some.

[mnhock]

anything postponed due to weather yet? I don't believe there will be, but you never know.