How about that!  Of the eight league champions, only two made it to the Great Eight...

1969 Kellogg Cup Super Series; Great Eight


Winnipeg Monarchs vs Hibbing Greyhounds
Winnipeg made their triumphant return to the Super Series after failing to make it the last two years, and boy did they make the most of it. Winnipeg toyed with the Greyhounds, looking as if they were on the powerplay for the majority of the game, setting up in the Hibbing zone and managing to find the back of the net four times out of their 37 shots on goal. Hibbing did manage to score on a powerplay in the second, but they only managed to get 16 shots on goal, losing handily 4-1 to the Monarchs.

Roseau Stars vs Minneapolis Millers
It was a rematch of the 1964 Great Eight, where the Stars came out on top with a 3-0 shutout win. Minneapolis came out looking very fierce and determined to get back to the finals, striking twice in the opening period and getting the largely Minneapolis crowd energized. The Stars bounced back in the second, managing to tie things up with just over a minute left in the second. The third was back and forth, the Miller faithful and Green Army both tried to cheer their team to victory. Minneapolis broke out of their own zone and went down the ice. The puck was passed to a winger in the corner who was pressured by a Star defenseman, dumping the puck behind the net to his teammate. The Miller caught the pass and made a quick move out in front, taking a quick shot that beat the goalie short side, giving Minneapolis the lead with just over 5 minutes to go. Minneapolis had the momentum after the goal and killed the clock in the Roseau zone, winding it down to zero, sending them to the semi finals.

Brainerd Lumberjacks vs St. Paul Victorias
It was a hard fought battle between the Jacks and V's, with the game scoreless until the end of the second when Brainerd beat the clock and took the lead right before the horn sounded. St. Paul broke through early in the third, tying things back up. Brainerd began to take over midway through the third, pinning the Victorias in their own zone and exposing the defense twice, taking a 3-1 lead. St. Paul took their timeout, sensing things getting out of hand, and came back looking much more precise. Shortly after they pulled the score to within one, and put home a rebound with under 3 minute to go to tie things back up. Brainerd was on the ropes, with St. Paul coming as close as hitting the pipe in the final minute, but the Jacks held on until overtime. They came out after the break looking better, and they began attacking more consistently. A shot from the point was fired intentionally wide, banking off the back boards to a winger on the other side of the slot who one timed a snap shot inside the pipe, winning the game for Brainerd.

Edina Cake Eaters vs Grand Rapids Moose
Grand Rapids broke first blood, beating the Cake Eater goalie five hole in the opening 5 minutes. Edina tied things up a few minutes later, but the Moose regained the lead before the end of the first. Edina regrouped after the first and came out for the second looking like a different team, completely dominating puck control and finding the back of the net twice, taking a 3-2 lead. The Cake Eaters continued to control play, although not at the same level as the second, opening things up a bit and letting the Moose have a couple powerplay chances, but they couldn't capitalize. Grand Rapids pulled their goalie late in the game, desperate for a game tying goal. They got a shot on net, but it was covered and Edina won the resulting faceoff, getting to the red line and dumping it in on goal, taking a 4-2 lead and ultimately advancing to the semi finals.

Let me know what you think, comments are appreciated!

The Moose are not loose. Maybe Edina will have their cake and eat it too.

Whoever wins the Edina-Brainerd game (preferably Brainerd) is who I'm rooting for to win the Cup.

LET'S GO JACKS!
LET'S GO JACKS!
LET'S GO JACKS!
LET'S GO JACKS!