Rink Rat Review

It’s A Wrap

What are we going to do tomorrow? I overheard this question a few times while up in the press box last Saturday. I even uttered this statement a few times myself. For the majority of us, this was it! This was the last day of hockey for the season. The grand finale. You know how it is during the fireworks at most 4^th of July celebrations when they get close to the end and they are all set off in one huge display? That is how the Minnesota State High School Hockey Tournament is for those of us who bestow such honor upon the prestigious puck potentate. This is the last hurrah for we, the masses, who gather for one final glimpse of glory at the ultimate hockey shrine, the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul . So, how are we to survive, then? Wait a minute, hold the presses, this just in! There is one more game. Yes indeedy do! We have the CCM All-Star game as the Iron Range Conference vs the Lake Superior Conference tonight at the Hippodrome in Eveleth and tomorrow night at the Heritage Center in Duluth . You see, it’s never over till it’s over. Anyway, how did the season go for all of you? I would have to say that it wasn’t the best on record in my book. First off, I have been involved with hockey in one format or another for the past 50 plus years. I had no vested interest in it save for the love of the game. My daughters got into pick up games, on occasion, with their figure skates, but there was no hockey outlet for them back in those days. My son, however, is a 2^nd year pee wee, but did not get much time in as an opportunity came up for him to go to school up in the Alaskan Bush Country for the year. He and I skated everyday at the outdoor rinks when he came home for Christmas vacation. It wasn’t enough, but it was quality time. The quality of hockey though for the iron range conference was hit and miss this year with miss being in the majority. Kudos to the Eveleth-Gilbert-Virginia girl’s team for winning the Section 7A title and going to their first state tournament and to the Virginia MIBC boy’s for their Section 7A title and going to their second state tournament. Hopefully, these teams will figure out a way to win their first state tournament game the next time they go. The overall picture for the IRC was not very bright. Yes, there were some amazing games, but their overall winning percentage in non-conference games was below .500 again this year. Some low points for the season besides the dismal non-conference record and I am not picking on the Hibbing/Chisholm girl’s team (see previous article), but it was the first time in their 14 seasons at the Kaposia Tournament in South St. Paul that they lost all three games. They have been in the finals a few times and have never won it, but this was the worst showing of all. I guess my pick for the most personal loss of the season was the Section 7AA quarter final game. Grand Rapids out shot Cloquet 44-14 but lost 2-1 and their season came to an abrubt end. That was a very disheartening loss, as most of them usually are.

Okay, enough of this doom and gloom. This all comes about from my concern as to the caliber of play and the renown stature of the IRC. We are not the dominant factor that we once were. However, hope springs eternal, as some of the youth teams had a great year. In fact, my choice as the game of the season wasn’t even a high school game. It turned out to be a Pee Wee A district game between Grand Rapids and International Falls that went into three overtimes. That was another game for the ages. On a smaller scale, there were the pick-up games at the Greenhaven Rink in Hibbing with us old geezers against the young hot-shots and we held our own time and time again. Nosiree, we will not be intimidated by youth and energy, we are saving that for when we reach decrepitude. See ya at the rink!

Que Pasa?

What is this? Another article and the season isn’t even over yet? What gives? The pressures I face. Basically, it is a matter of timing. Since the girl’s sectionals start this week and the boy’s regular season is winding down, everyone out there is probably thinking, “it’s about time!” Besides, my computer guru (see previous article) is heading back to the land of the midnight sun this week-end and I will be on my own again trying to figure out which buttons to push so I better get this uploaded whilst she is still in my presence. So how has the season gone so far for the IRC teams and who is going to win the IRC title? I’m sure it will come down again to the last conference game of the season. I like it when it is up for grabs, makes things more intense, kind of like going into overtime. The 1^st question I have on my mind is, “what has happened to the Hibbing-Chisholm girl’s team?” The team the rink rat review cut their teeth on so many seasons ago. The very same program that has gone to the state tournament 9 out of 13 seasons and with such a dominant historical record. What is different about this year’s team? True, they are young, but its girl’s hockey and they have always traditionally been young. Nope, the youth issue doesn’t cut it. How about the other teams in the Northland that have caught up and now there is more parity? Well, that certainly holds ice water! Yes, they play a difficult schedule year in and year out in order to maintain a high level playing field and this year is no different with half their schedule being AA teams, plus some highly ranked A teams. If I were to wager a half-intelligent (pushing it) guess and come up with the pseudo-psychological probability predicament that they have found themselves in, my utterance would be something to the effect that: “Well, I guess it is their turn to have a non-productive, sub-par, well-below .500 season with no go-to player in sight. Their go-to player just happens to be their goalie, but unfortunately, it is difficult to score goals from your own end.” They are heading into the sectional playoffs with a 4-19-2 regular season record and how would this be for a real far-out and solid off-the-wall possibility? They win their next 3 games and they will head down to the Xcel Energy Center with undoubtedly the most questionable won-loss record in the tournament. Yeah, I know, sounds ridiculous right and I know what you are all thinking. I can’t imagine it either, the very idea, them winning three in a row! How about this rush for the IRC Conference Title? It seems that it always comes down to the wire. It is “crunch time” and anything goes. Both Eveleth-Gilbert and Greenway are mathematically eliminated, but we have all sorts of other scenarios to be played out. Let’s see now, if Rapids beats the Falls and Hibbing beats Virginia, then Rapids wins the title; if Rapids beats the Falls and Virginia beats Hibbing, then it would be a Rapids/Virginia co-title; if the Falls beats Rapids and Hibbing beats Eveleth-Gilbert and Virginia than it would be a Falls-Hibbing-Virginia co-title; if the Falls beats Rapids and Virginia beats Hibbing, then it would be a Virginia title; if Hibbing…………….well, you get the idea.

Okay, I see I can’t hold you all off any longer. Everyone seems to be on a quest lately asking me who I think will be heading down to the E.E.C. from Section 7A & 7AA. The answer to that is as diverse as the two classes. 7AA has a clear favorite & 7A has several definite possible maybe’s. One thing for sure, there is no lack of wannabe’s. The nice thing is that when it comes to playoff time, it’s a brand new season and anything can happen!

Geographical Junket

So, what does life up by the Arctic Circle have in common with the rink rat review, than? Absolutely nothing, but I'm glad you asked. You see, it's like this. I was up there in September, but that is no excuse for this years tardiness. I can't remember what excuse I used last year so I hope I am not overshooting. Basically, I am not tardy in the actual updating part, it's just that I am way late in pushing the right buttons to get the 08-09 season "online". Fact is, my computer cognitive capabilities are non-existent and I am afraid of pushing the wrong button and lose the past dozen seasons, or at the very least, blow up the world. I am at the mercy of my computer guru, the mother of all web site developers, my one and only soul-mate who has gainful employment in the educational field up near the Arctic Circle, so her spousal-unit can play around in the winter with all his little hockey toys. Yep, she be my sugar-mama who possesses that which I lack: the ability to press the right button. Anyway, we are off and running for the 08 - 09 season and there will be gazillions of youth games played once again from mites to the pro's. The temperature these days are like last year so all the outdoor rinks should be ready by Christmas vacation. We here in the hinterland sure do enjoy our puck time and we'll see ya at the rink!