BHS: Prior Lake beats Farmington
Chase Gackle scores-Laker win sets up South Suburban Showdown
Saturday afternoon, Prior Lake beat Farmington 3-2 in a game that had all sorts of significance in both conference and in the upcoming seeding for the sectional playoffs leading to the Class AA State Tourney. It was a must win for both teams. For the Lakers, the win put them in control of their own destiny to win the South Suburban title. Prior Lake now has the edge over Lakeville North with the two teams playing next Saturday at Prior Lake’s Dakotah Ice Arena for the South Suburban Conference title. The outcomes of the Prior Lake/Farmington game and the Prior Lake/Lakeville North games will influence both Section 1AA and Section 2AA seeding to be announced next weekend. The post covers the Prior Lakes win and previews potential seeding for both sections.
Farmington's Andy Meyers (#7) celebrates scoring to tie the game with Prior Lake 2-2 early in the third period
About halfway through this season, one of the thoughts running through boys high school hockey was that this season the South Suburban Conference was equivalent to a peloton in the Tour de France. Everybody knows they are back there, but few care. But the play of the South Suburban schools over the past three weeks had been on the up swing. Saturday's game was one of the best played this year.
The South Suburban Conference is one of the most splintered conferences in the state. This season's "peloton of hockey teams" will hit the mountains next week called sectional playoffs. Then the teams get split taking three different mountain roads before reach the first pinnacle in the chase for the Class AA state title at the Xcel. The 10 team conference sends teams to three sections; three teams to Section 1AA, two teams to Section 2AA, and 5 teams to Section 5AA. The South Suburban teams taking the Section 1AA mountain path has the easiest climb to the Xcel; the teams headed to Sections 2AA and 5AA have tough climbs.
But halfway through the season, the South Suburban teams looked to be locked into a minor role at state tourney time. There were more the cannon fodder for the top teams. Now that sectional playoffs are here, that is changing. South Suburban is playing tough and the teams improved. The season long leaders from other conferences in high school hockey should look over their shoulder. If they did, they would see that they are just at the head of the peloton in the battle for tickets to the Xcel.
Prior Lake-3 Farmington-2
After watching these two teams play, this corner of YHH went to watch St. Thomas Academy play Hill-Murray. The Prior Lake/Farmington game was much faster and the passing more precise which is an ominous for St. Thomas Academy who will have to compete in with South Suburban teams in Section 3AA for their ticket to the Xcel.
The Laker’s Chase Gackle got the first goal of the game. With just under two minutes left in the period, Tanner Burggraaff came up with the loose puck along the left boards and popped a soft pass at Gackle’s back with Gackle breaking in on the Tiger’s sophomore goalie Gavin Enright. The puck slid through Gackle’s skates with Gackle controlling and getting off a point blank shot on Enright. His shot went top shelf near corner for the score. Enright got the goal, Burggraaff and Ryan Coyle got the assists. The first period ended with Prior Lake leading 1-0.
This sequence shows Chase Gackle (#24) scoring to put the Lakers up 1-0. In the first picture below left, Gackle takes Tanner Burggraaff's pass from behind (Burggraaff is to the left of the camera), gets the blind pass on his stick in picture two, goes top shelf in picture three for the score, and gets checked into the net in picture four to the right while the Lakers celebrate the score. It was a good play.
Tyler Jette (out sight to the right) scores this second period goal to cut the Lakers' lead to 2-1.
Period 2
Three minutes into the second period, Kevin Fellows scored to put Prior Lake up 2-0. Fellows beat the Farmington’s left defense, cut off the boards into the slot, and fired the puck past Enright for the second score. Ryan Murray and Jack Harris got the assists. After Fellows scored the Farmington attack slowed. The Tiger defense softened and Prior Lake took advantage pressing the Tigers in the Farmington zone. It led to a cross-checking penalty called on the Tigers two minutes later. Farmington killed the Lakers' power play and came out of the penalty kill skating hard.
For the next nine minutes both teams went at each other. The action, a mixture of quick puck movement by both teams with long and short passes combined with a hard physical element in the play, enthralled the fans. With just over two minutes left in the period, Prior Lake drew a tripping penalty. That led to the first Farmington score. On the power, Farmington moved the puck low right and attacked the net. The puck ended up low left to Tiger defenseman Tyler Jette. Jette fired a shot from the left boards beating Prior Lake goalie Drew Scites. Wyatt Jensen and John Siebenaler got the assists. The Tigers cut Prior Lakes lead to 2-1 going into the third period.
Prior Lake's Kevin Fellows somehow got this shot off on the Farmington net forcing goalie Gavin Enright to make the big stop.
Period 3
With a minute gone in the third period, Farmington established puck control in the Lakers’ zone and moved the puck around the perimeter to the right point area and took what looked like a shot on Scites. It was actually a pass to the Tiger’s Andy Meyer. The pass caught both Laker defenders above the slot with Meyers camped below on the left crease. Meyer never swung at the puck. He positioned the stick to deflect the puck high left and held it firm. The puck hit the stick and just as Meyer intended deflected into the net. The score tied the game 2-2. John Siebenaler and Jette got the assists.
Fifteen seconds later Prior Lake scored the game winner. Jake Cohn got the goal. Curt Hansen and Jackson Jutting got the assists. But things got tougher in the minutes following Cohn’s goal. It started with Farmington pressure that resulted in three stoppages of play and led to one of those tough calls that a ref has to make. The Tigers came back hard after Prior Lake scored their third goal. Prior Lake drew a hooking penalty two minutes after they took the lead. Farmington was not organized on the power play. The Lakers killed the penalty.
Playing 5-on-5, Farmington came back after their power play pressuring the Laker defense low around the Prior Lake net. The pressure resulted in Prior Lake pulling a hooking penalty with eight minutes left to play. A minute later the Lakers drew a cross checking penalty creating a 5-on-3 for a just a little over one minute of play. Time was called. Prior Lake won the face off in their zone and cleared the puck. Then came the key play of the game.
With 10 seconds left in the 5-on-3. Farmington had worked the puck low right crease, but a Laker defender cross-checked the forward into the right post knocking the net backwards. The puck slid to an open Farmington shooter. Just as the ref was blowing his whistle on the penalty call, the Farmington forward buried the puck in the net. No goal, but it was a tough call. Prior Lake still had to kill the third penalty which included another minute of 5-on-3 play. To the Lakers credit, they settled after dodging that potential tying goal and played a solid game in the last minutes of the period. Prior Lake won the game 3-2. But both teams played well and that bodes well for each in the upcoming sectionals.
Andy Meyer watching his deflection hitting the back of the net to tie the game 2-2 early in the second period.
Three things are happening simultaneously in this key play of the game. The Tiger's Grady Hauswirth has put the puck in the net, Prior Lake defender has checked a Tiger into the net driving the right post off its mooring, and the ref is blowing his whist
Section 1AA Seeding
Rockets are in the news, at least it seems so. Missiles are out. For those following current events, rockets are unguided. Missiles are guided. In Section 1AA, there is a rocket that is called a rocket, the Rochester John Marshall Rockets hockey team. And the JM Rockets are certainly unguided when it comes to Section 1AA seeding.
Section 1AA tournament has been historically a battle between Big 9 (and the now defunct Missota) conference teams and Lakeville. Lakeville represents Twin City suburbia, the Big 9 conference represents southeastern Minnesota Hockey. That battle between the two rival hockey areas have been going on for years fueled by the fact that Lakeville and its two high schools, North and South, have won the Section 1AA title11 of the past 14 seasons. Only Rochester Century with three Xcel appearances has disrupted the Lakeville dominance. But until two years ago, the Lakeville winners of Section 1AA got no respect at the Xcel. Two years ago, Lakeville North changed that. Last year, the “no mas” Panthers won the state tourney. Last year, small town Farmington switched sides and joined suburbia and the South Suburban Conference.
Based on their play this season, Lakeville North could be back at state again to defend their title. But first all three suburbia teams have the hurdle of playing the semifinal and championship sectional finals at the Rochester Rec Center February 20th and February 25th. The added twist this year are the Rockets from Rochester John Marshall. Unless are the dark horse that could pull the upset. First, JM is likely to get little respect in the seeding. Despite a potential 20 game winning season and a Big 9 Conference title, the Rockets are likely to end up with the #4 seed (but with home ice advantage in the semifinals and finals). Unless Owatonna, Rochester Mayo, Rochester Century, or Dodge County can pull an upset; these four teams will be facing off in the semifinals.
The two Lakevilles and Farmington seemed to be in a battle for the three top Section 1AA seeds. All three are perceived to be stronger than then the Rockets. But all three are faltering. Farmington’s loss to Prior Lake hurt them. Two weeks ago, the Tigers seemed to have turned a corner losing a tight game to Benilde, beating Lakeville North 1-0, Apple Valley 4-1, and Rosemount 5-3. Then, the Tigers were blown out by Section 1AA rival Lakeville South 7-0 and with that loss and Saturday’s loss to Prior Lake, the Tiger’s shot a #1 seed appears to be gone. Even if Farmington wins their last two games that would only give the Tiger’s 15 wins.
But is Farmington locked into #3 seed? Could they fall to #4. Both Lakeville South and North will have trouble finding wins this week. Lakeville South has three tough games ahead starting with a game at Duluth East Tuesday, home to Burnsville Thursday, and home to Rosemount Saturday. South could finish the season at 17-7-1 or 14-10-1. Lakeville North’s last week schedule is equally tough hosting St. Thomas Academy Tuesday, hosting Eastview Thursday, and playing the conference title decider at Prior Lake Saturday. North could finish the season at 19-5-1 or at 16-8-1. But here is the kicker.
If Rochester John Marshall beats Northfield at Northfield, they could take the #1 seed. A win over Northfield and the Rockets will have rocketed to a 20 game season and they will have the best record in Section 1AA against Section 1AA foes (6-1). John Marshall would have the "bona fides" to get the #1 seed. That could drop Farmington the #4 seed. If that happened, Farmington would end up playing John Marshall in the semifinals at the Rochester Rec Center. And that would leave Lakeville North and South in a familiar position, battling to go to the Xcel February 20th at the Rochester Rec Center in the semifinals.
In what should be one of the best games this coming week, John Marshall plays at Northfield with the Big 9 title at stake. Saturday, Prior Lake and Lakeville North tangle. Both games have a lot at stake. They are not just season "enders".
The 16-5-0 Raiders will put their 10 game win streak on the line hosting the 17-5-0 Rockets with a 7 game win streak at stake. The Northfield Arena is quaint, but a great place for a game like this. Fans should come early and plan on finding their own view of the action. Unlike some arenas, the architect for this arena did not worry about “fan viewing”. It will be fun, but be prepared to stand.
Section 2AA Seeding
The seeds for Section 2AA should be announced next weekend. The seven team section combines teams from the Lake Conference (Minnetonka and Eden Prairie, the South Suburban Conference (Prior Lake and Shakopee), the Metro West Conference (Chanhassen and Chaska) and Wright County (Holy Family Catholic). There are four strong teams in Section 2AA this season. Each of the four has their problems this week before the final seeds are determined.
Prior Lake’s is one of the teams and the Lakers have improved their play. They are carrying the action into the third period and showing more maturity in their over all play. The Laker's last two games are conference games against Apple Valley and Lakeville North. The Lakers should beat Apple Valley, but Lakeville North is another matter. North currently is in second place trailing Prior Lake by one game. Both teams need to win Saturday's game. Good seeds are at stake for both and both need to win to claim the conference championship. Prior Lake's win over Farmington comes on the heels of Farmington pushing current #1 ranked Benilde-St. Margaret’s to overtime before losing 2-1 two weeks ago. By winning their last two games, Prior Lake will finish with a 19-6 record. In Section 2AA, the Lakers are one of the four tough teams (Eden Prairie, Holy Family Catholic, and Minnetonka are the others). It will be a tough seeding process.
Minnetonka can get to an 18-6-1 record by beating Edina and Duluth East in their last two games. If they do, they can stake a claim on the #1 seed. Holy Family Catholic is a strong team this year, but the Fire lost at Grand Rapids 5-3 Saturday. Holy Family Catholic plays at STMA, St. Cloud Cathedral, and at Stillwater (all tough games) in their last three regular season games. They need to win all three games to post a 20-4 record. Last Tuesday’s snow storm forced the Fire's game with Hopkins to be postponed (note-not cancelled). Now a single loss will give the Fire a 19 win season, but that may not be enough to get a high seed.
Eden Prairie’s 5-3 loss to Benilde Saturday really hurt the Eagles. The best they can do is to is to win their last two Lake Conference games against Hopkins and at Edina. Winning both conference games puts the Eagles only in third place in the Lake Conference. Minnetonka, by beating Edina next Thursday, will win the Lake Conference title. The Skippers losing to Edina would likely result in Wayzata winning the Lake and dropping the Skippers to second place. In either result, Minnetonka is likely to be seeded over Eden Prairie.
Here is one seeding scenario. If Minnetonka gets picked higher than the Eagles, how does one place Prior Lake and Holy Family Catholic? If the Fire finish with 20 wins including a win over Stillwater (most likely the Section 4AA #1 seed) the Fire should get the #1 seed. With the Fire #1, if the Lakers finish with 19 wins by beating North and claiming the South Suburban title, the Lakers get the #2 or #3 seed. If Minnetonka beats Edina for the Lake Conference title, the Skippers should get the #2 seed. If not, they get the #3 seed.
Eden Prairie with 17 wins and a third place or lower finish in the Lake Conference gets the #4 seed. The Eagles #4 seed should not change if the Holy Family loses to Stillwater. If that happens, Minnetonka beating Edina puts the Skippers #1. If Minnetonka loses to Edina, then Prior Lake by winning the South Suburban would have the credentials to claim the #1 seed.
The South Suburban peloton catches the leaders just before the first leg up the mountain.