That is kind of surprising.  Not to see Beverly lose, but to lose to Chelmsford, a very middle of the pack team at best.  BevDan had a 1-0 win and a 0-0 tie against a decent Winthrop-Lynn team.  Pretty much whenever teams from the GEMIHL league step outside the league against stronger leagues they have not fared well.  A 13-4-2 Masconomet lost to 10-7 Burlington team 4-0 which would probably only be considered the 7th best team in the Middlesex league.

 

As was mentioned above a while back, some of the teams in the playoffs are paper tigers with records out of proportion to their skill level when compared across leagues.  That is just the way things are.  I am sure this same thing happens in other sports as well.  However watch how teams from certain leagues tend to do in the post season and you can tell which leagues have the strongest competition in all sports.  The other time is out of league performance.

The Middlesex league for example has gone 27-15-3 so far this year out of league with their 11 teams.  Collectively those losses have come to StM(3), AC(3), AB, Falmouth, Hingham, Weymouth, L/S, Algonguin, Tewksbury and Winthrop/Lynn, who have a combined record for the opponent teams in those losses of something like 165-71-33 for all the games played.  Only Algonquin and Tewksbury do not have winning records themselves and those two losses for the Middlesexx League both came against the 4-14-2 Belmont team. 

I was going to disagree with you on Winthrop being decent but then I looked up the definition and decided to side with you! ha!

de·cent    Adjective

1. Conforming with generally accepted standards of respectable or moral behavior.
2. Appropriate; fitting: "they would meet again after a decent interval".

 

Yes, they probably were decent but look at their opponents: Medford, Cambridge, Shawsheen, Peabody, Watertown, Beverly Danvers, Everett, Marblehead, Masco, SM is the only real competition and they beat them hands down 6-zip.

In response to BlackandOrange's comment:
[QUOTE]

Beverly/Danvers has just as many quality wins as Falmouth....only reason no one is talking about them is because no one from their team is online WHINING about it...?...Oompa Loompas, TOO FUNNY!!!

[QUOTE]

I am wondering how far this Beverly/Danvers team will go in the D1 Tourney.... 

In response to goodtime19's comment:

 

I am wondering how far this Beverly/Danvers team will go in the D1 Tourney.... 

 

 

Well since Beverely Danvers has just lost 4-0 to an 8-11-2 Chelmsford and 3-1 to a good Westford (15-3-2) team, it seems their bubble has burst a bit.  If they get some favorable matchups I could see them going a couple of rounds but likely exiting in the quarterfinals to a more accomplished team.

 

I also see the Lady Tanners took care of business today and beat AB 5-3 in the Showcase to finish up an unbeaten season.  Congrats to them.  

What happened with Arlington, big win against AB and a tie against Hingham.Looks like the Middlesex league could surprise in the tournament

In response to goodtime19's comment:

Bev/Danvers:  Not sure they are ready to play with the bigs dogs yet.      

 

In response to PetefromNorthofBoston's comment:

They took down my harmless(and accurate) comment regarding no real standouts on one particular team [which will remain unnamed this time]....  No maliciousness meant...surprised it ruffled you so. 

Just for reference Netty, I never flag comments for opinions, only abusive or foul language or direct insults against posters or people.  You are right, that post did not fall into that class for me.  However, pretty much anyone reading these posts can flag posts and IIRC that then alerts some moderator to check it.  (It might take more than one flag, not sure.) That being said, there are some fans and supporters who have very sensitive skin and react quickly to perceived slights or insults, while others have reinforced steel shells and can withstand direct Cat 5 hurricane of critique and not blink an eye.

In response to PetefromNorthofBoston's comment:

Pete, when I stated "you", I meant the person that took down the post, not thinking it was you.    I guess I have to be more sensitive with my postings, lesson learned.

Not a problem, over the years I have learned (often the hard way) that one has to be very careful with pronouns in forum postings especially when used in conjunction with another post.  I have also moderated a forum or two in the past and had to referee disputes as well.

 

For example, had you used the term "someone" instead of the word "you" it would have clear that the comment was tossed out the whole readership and not anyone in particular.  Words of wisdom from many years of forum postings on many many different venues.

In response to PetefromNorthofBoston's comment:

got it....tks

On a more positive note, when do the brackets get set, I heard Sat. morning, is that correct?  Does anyone know when the first game is?  Tues or Wed?

In response to Netty_North's comment:

Yes, Saturday, probably in the afternoon.  Based on the Herald's Bracketology, it looks like--barring the unthinkable (a DUX loss today)--the top 8 spots are set for D2.  1. Duxbuy 2. Falmouth 3. Wellesley 4. Canton 5. Gardner 6. Sandwich 7. Norwood and 8. Archies.  22 teams total with seeds 20-22 also set. It's unlikely, but if seeding held,  it would be Dux/Archies, Falmouth/Norwood rematch, Wellesley/Sandwich, Canton/Gardner.

Last year's preliminary round was played Monday - Wednesday following seeding.

It looks like there are 25 teams in the D1 bracket.  Final seeding should be pretty close to this (barring games today and any excluded games).  The Bottom 18 would have first round games to reach the round of 16.  (Note trying to put any sort of table or format in these forums is ahem challenging...

 

Playoff Seeds Team W L T Perct 1 Woburn 17 0 3 92.5% 2 Beverly/Danvers 16 2 2 85.0% 3 Westford Academy 15 3 2 80.0% 4 St Marys Lynn 15 3 4 77.3% 5 Reading 14 4 2 75.0% 6 Arlington Catholic 13 4 2 73.7% 7 Masconomet Co-op 13 4 2 73.7% 8 Lincoln-Sudbury 14 5 1 72.5% 9 Billerica 13 5 1 71.1% 10 Lexington 12 5 3 67.5% 11 Acton-Boxboro 13 6 2 66.7% 12 Hingham 13 6 3 65.9% 13 Newton North 11 6 1 63.9% 14 Watertown/Melrose 13 7 2 63.6% 15 Medway/Ashland 11 6 3 62.5% 16 Winthrop/Lynn 9 5 4 61.1% 17 Andover 10 7 2 57.9% 18 Arlington 11 8 1 57.5% 19 Medford 10 7 3 57.5% 20 Shrewsbury 11 8 1 57.5% 21 Austin Prep 10 7 4 57.1% 22 Barnstable 10 8 1 55.3% 23 Braintree 10 8 3 54.8% 24 Springfield Cathedral 7 6 5 52.8% 25 Wayland/Weston 8 7 4 52.6%

D1 26 teams.  Cambridge won league so they are auto bid.

Masco wins today they are a coin flip with Reading for 5/6 seed.  They lose, they could slip all the way to 10.  For the purposes of my bracket, I have them winning.

Bill would be in a coin flip with LS IF Bill beats Chelms today.  A lose puts them in a tie for 10 with Lexington.  For purposes of my bracket, I have them winning.

3 way coin flip among 18-20 seeds Arl/Med/Shrew.  Point here, if Arlington gets the 18 seed and wins first game Bev/Danvers is next on the docket.

Look at the road for the #1 seed, sets up nice to the final 4.

I think I got this right but I have missed a thing or 2 in the past.  I did check excluded games and did not see anything for D1 that will matter.

I used bracketmasters.  Use the link or if you go to the website, its under MIAA D1 Girls Hockey

http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?edit=1&tid=440960&tclass=

 D2 there are too many excluded games and coin flips to go through plus if any teams are back dooring in or won their league but are bellow .500 winning %

 

 

 

In response to patsoxbs' comment:

Are you sure none of the top 8 will get knocked off in the first round???

In response to mm3766's comment:

No and that's why I mentioned that it's unlikely that seeding would hold.  See Gardner losing today by eight to Duxbury; they are a 5-seed. And whoever loses the coin flip and sees Fontbonne in their bracket will also have their hands full.

 

Some great D1 prelim round games:

Watertown V Arlington

Hingham v Ap with winner to get Reading

Seed 18 thur 20 are Medford, Arlington and Shewsbury so Beverly will most likey make it to round of 8 and then get AC or Lexington.

Woburn's toughest game before the final 4 will be it's 1st round v Lynn or Andover

AB or Arlington would be my pick to come out of that bracket.  AB is 11 and Arl is 19, but I think both can beat Masco or Westford.

My first thought final 4 is Woburn, Marys, AC and Arlington.  Woburn v AC in Final with Woburn winning it.

In response to goodtime19's comment:

Nah...Woburn done after two games probably.  Opposing coaches will cover, harrass, frusterate and shut down their one player that does all the scoring with their best defensive skating player and bingo - all done...Just wait and see....

Hingham has some "gamers" that will rise to the occasion that have playoff tested experience and a very smart coach....Hingham knocks off St. M and then Woburn for a return trip.  And again - we are talking south shore girls hockey where girls HS Hockey reigns supreme....

In response to Scooter8's comment:

 

Hingham has some "gamers" that will rise to the occasion that have playoff tested experience and a very smart coach....Hingham knocks off St. M and then Woburn for a return trip.  And again - we are talking south shore girls hockey where girls HS Hockey reigns supreme....

 

That's actually funny. 

Top ten this year (overall): Woburn,Duxbury,Reading,Lexington,Hingham,Acton-Boxboro, StMarys, Beverly,Westford,Canton.    Unless someone considers Woburn, Lynn, Reading, Lexington the "South Shore", not sure where you're coming from but it was worth a laugh.    One may not want to count their chickens before they hatch, Hingham didn't even get a BYE this year, did they ...13-6-3 correct?   Just wondering.

 

 

In response to Scooter8's comment:

 

In response to goodtime19's comment:

 

Some great D1 prelim round games:

Watertown V Arlington

Hingham v Ap with winner to get Reading

Seed 18 thur 20 are Medford, Arlington and Shewsbury so Beverly will most likey make it to round of 8 and then get AC or Lexington.

Woburn's toughest game before the final 4 will be it's 1st round v Lynn or Andover

AB or Arlington would be my pick to come out of that bracket.  AB is 11 and Arl is 19, but I think both can beat Masco or Westford.

My first thought final 4 is Woburn, Marys, AC and Arlington.  Woburn v AC in Final with Woburn winning it.

 

Nah...Woburn done after two games probably.  Opposing coaches will cover, harrass, frusterate and shut down their one player that does all the scoring with their best defensive skating player and bingo - all done...Just wait and see....

 

 

The opposing coaches will cover, harrass, frusterate frustrate and shutdown?....I would have thought it would be the players..and why didn't they do that during reg. season if its such a good idea? just wondering.

 

Won't be too surprised by any of 7-8 teams winning it all in D1.

St. Mary's, Arlington Catholic, Woburn, Acton/Boxboro, Hingham, Reading, Lexington with a good string could all win the whole thing. Any of them could be out before the semifinals too if they run in to a hot team. 

In D2 I would be surprised if anyone other than Duxbury or Falmouth won it all. 

In response to shoot2score's comment:

How true.

In response to Scooter8's comment:

 

Nah...Woburn done after two games probably.  Opposing coaches will cover, harrass, frusterate and shut down their one player that does all the scoring with their best defensive skating player and bingo - all done...Just wait and see....

 

 

You mean just like how AB and AC shut down Woburn in the Showcase giving up 4 and 5 goals to those same girls.  If you actually looked at the stats, Woburn has multiple goal scorers.   See below.  So they are far from a one girl team.  

Kayla Smith (32-25-57)

Ashley Moran (25-25-50)

Emily Lissner (17-20-37)

Cassandra Connolly (1-16-17)

Erica Lissner (8-7-15)