RegDunlop7

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35 minutes ago, hockeyisgreat said:

OK so why don't they get to play for a State Championship?  Doesn't seem fair! Or they don't care?

I don't know much about the LMHL, but it seems to be an independent high school league affiliated with PAHL instead of the PIHL. I'm not even sure when the LMHL was formed because I know some of these schools previously played in the PIHL (State College - AAA; Bishop McCort - A; and so on).

22 hours ago, hockeyisgreat said:

What is lmhl in Johnstown?

https://www.lmhl.org/

Laurel Mountain Hockey League. Separate high school hockey league for schools in the Laurel Mountain region (Bishop McCort, Hollidaysburg, State College, etc.).

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11 minutes ago, forbin said:

Why is every thread turning into a pissing match lately? I feel like we are back in the days of The King ?

There's a name we haven't seen in a while lol.

11 hours ago, JAR48 said:

The difference is the practice time, non player coaches, skilled instructors, films, independent games

My original understanding was that the Viper Stars are NHAHA's AA teams (Independent and/or PAHL) and Vipers are NHAHA's PAHL A/B teams. However, several Viper Stars teams have played at the A level over the past few seasons. So what's the purpose of having separate "Viper Stars" and "Vipers" designations while potentially playing at the same level? @AMR24 can you provide some insight?

24 minutes ago, Danner27 said:

I’ve also read the acha has somewhat of a competitor now called the CHF. It appears to mainly be the south regions & upstate NY. I couldn’t say if it’s good hockey or not, haven’t seen it played but I’m guessing it’s a step down from the acha from what I’m reading.

I'm curious about the CHF as well. MYHockey dropped the ACHA rankings from its site and replaced them with CHF rankings. Not sure why. Probably some sort of paid partnership between MYHockey and the CHF.

10 minutes ago, RegDunlop7 said:

Based on my understanding, NHAHA's classifications for its teams are: Esmark (AAA), Viper Stars (Independent or PAHL AA), Vipers (PAHL A/B).

Never mind, there are some Viper Stars teams at the PAHL A level. What's the difference between Viper Stars and Vipers then?

4 minutes ago, forbin said:

I have without a doubt seen Viper Stars teams placed in PAHL A divisions, so just because they are a AA program doesn't mean they will be automatically placed in AA.

Based on my understanding, NHAHA's classifications for its teams are: Esmark (AAA), Viper Stars (Independent or PAHL AA), Vipers (PAHL A/B).

18 minutes ago, Happy Hockey Fan said:

once again, if the guy that goes on twitter to attack his previous program when he resigned was still the coach this year at Montour the season wouldn’t have been any different. The players were the players. He couldn’t have changed that.
 

The kid of board member that stood up to him played JV as a senior, never dressed for a varsity game with new coach. Although she did with clay as a coach, because Clay wanted to score brownie points with said board member. Clay made the statement at a board meeeting. “How do you go against me when I let your kid play in a varsity game?” The kid should have never played a varsity game because of skill level, but more importantly because the kid never even went to JV practices. And there were about 12 kids more deserving of that opportunity. Clay was trying to use his power to influence a board member while completely screwing over all the kids that deserved that opportunity. 

the new coach is far superior to the previous. Their talent level was not anywhere near the level of Clay’s team in his first year of AA. Clays team only won 4 games that year. And his team had 8 seniors that year. It also had the same players that won the A championship the next year. A very talented group. This years team, the one that couldn’t even field a roster of more than 14 kids and only 4 seniors, won 4 games, and lost 2 in overtime. 2 more points than Clay’s first year in AA. So more successful with a lot less talent. And the biggest difference between the 2 coaches. The new coach actually taught the kids. The old coach said give the puck to Felsing and Geregach and and that was it. No coaching, just give the puck to the big guns. 
 

Any coach could have won the Pens cup with that team the next year. ANYONE. They had so much talent. One player in Division one. One player currently in NCDC. Five others that played AAA amateur. They blew teams out by ten goals on a regular basis. A lot of their games were a joke. 

Clay resigned three times when he was at Montour. The first time because he didn’t get a coach bus for a ride from RMU to PPG  for their championship celebration. What a joke. They should have accepted his resignation then. He threw a hissy fit like a 5 year old because of a short bus trip. 
 

And the biggest fault of Clay. He was also asked two times in board meetings  to help the JV coaches run better practices. He said he would. Was on the ice for JV practices both times, once each time. But he never said a word to the coaches during or after. He was there for show. He never did what the board asked him to do and help the coaches. He just went out there to make it look like he was doing something. And how do we know this? When he resigned the last time(not fired), he went to the JV coach and told him that he sucked as a coach. What kind of human being does that? He never tried to help, he just criticized. Great example of a good coach huh? He lied to the board and the parents, never did a thing to try and help the JV improve PRACTICES. And then calls out the coach after he is on his way out. Real class. 

I hope the parents of his new team don’t cross this guy or he will air his grievances in public on twitter, like a teenager. And tell the kids to look out for flying sticks, because he has a tendency to throw them when practices aren’t going well. Because that is what mature coaches do I guess.

Sheesh, lots of anger in this novel.

7 hours ago, Danner27 said:

odd our local teams at 14 & 16 will play 3A but 18 will play 2A.

The only reason I can think of is that the number of registered players per capita in Western PA for 16U and 14U is higher than 18U.

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11 minutes ago, sadday4hockey said:

That was a gutsy call by the referee in OT. It was the right call but kudos to whoever it was to have the backbone to do it because we all know the NHL guys would never do it.

Does anyone have video of the penalty and/or penalty shot?

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8 minutes ago, sadday4hockey said:

It's typically NOT a strong field. Not to take anything away from the teams but there are typically no teams from Minnesota or New England so.......

Yeah, that's true. Minnesota and New England could have their own high school Nationals haha. I did notice Pope Francis Prep (MA) and Edina (MN) were in the 2021 Nationals field, so maybe better teams are starting to attend?

26 minutes ago, sarampage said:

Bethel Park won it in 2014 and I think Burrell's co--op team made the finals a few years back.  WPA HS teams rarely register for it...

Thanks @sarampage -- I had no idea Bethel Park won Nationals in 2014. Do high school teams need to qualify for Nationals, or can they simply register? Regardless, I'm surprised more Western PA high school teams haven't qualified/registered over the years.

Does anybody know which high school teams are eligible for Nationals? Western PA has had some strong high school teams over the years, but I don't recall any of them participating in Nationals.

https://nationals.usahockey.com/2022highschool

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