Prep boys hockey: East defenseman Paine a pain for opponents

CLASS AA STATE PREVIEW

Frederick Paine could very well be the only player in Duluth East hockey history to have a different name listed on the team's roster three seasons in a row.

In 2016-17, he went with Hunter Paine. A year ago, it was Frederick Hunter Paine. This winter, he dropped the "Hunter," his middle name and perhaps the most fitting description of his on-ice style. Paine is a sturdy and strapping blueliner who likes to set the tone early in games by delivering one of his patented big hits.

That hasn't changed over the years.

Paine's value to the Greyhounds, though, has.

"He's been our most valuable player," East coach Mike Randolph said. "We found out, at different parts of the season when he was hurt, how much we miss him. He's been just a warrior.

"He does so many things that don't show up on the scoresheet. But we notice."

Paine's play will be pivotal once again for the Greyhounds (18-6-2) tonight as they open the Class AA state tournament against high-powered St. Thomas Academy (24-3-1) in a quarterfinal likely to start about 8:30 p.m. at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.

After East upset Andover for the Section 7AA crown last week, wherever Randolph went on the Amsoil Arena ice he took Paine with him, an arm draped over the defenseman's shoulder. Randolph had morphed from coach to publicist.

"He's a big reason why we're in the state tournament," the coach said Tuesday.

Teammate Ricky Lyle, who's playoff goal-scoring binge has been a big storyline for the Greyhounds, agreed.

"He's one of the most important guys on the ice, along with our goalie and right up there with the Mr. Hockey finalist (Ryder Donovan)," Lyle said.

For fifth-seeded East, which used a seven-game winning streak to qualify for its 24th state tournament, Paine has five goals and 18 assists. He's one of 16 candidates for the Reed Larson Award, which goes to the state's top senior defender. Ex-Greyhound Luke LaMaster was the 2018 winner.

Paine, in his fourth season of varsity hockey, has smarts to match his toughness. He's a 4.0 student and tied for first in his class.

"I take a lot of pride in my schoolwork," he said. "On and off the ice, when you want to be good at something, you just have to work at it."

Paine isn't the only brain in the East locker room. Among those he's tied with for first atop the senior class is fellow defenseman Jayson Hagen.

If hockey doesn't work out, Paine is interested in the medical field. He'd like to be an orthopedic surgeon. But, Randolph says, the hockey thing really should work out. Paine will join the Cloquet-based Minnesota Wilderness of the North American Hockey League after the high school season. Beyond that, he hopes to play in college.

"He's got all the elements to play (Division I)," Randolph said. "I truly believe, based on our schedule and who I've seen, that he's the best non-committed defenseman in the state.

"He's a special player."

Lots of Lyle

The same could be said for Lyle, who opened the section playoffs by popping in four goals against Duluth Marshall. The senior forward tallied two more vs. both Cloquet-Esko-Carlton in the semifinals and Andover in the championship.

A vocal veteran for the Greyhounds, Lyle totaled 12 goals and 13 assists in 23 regular-season contests. He has eight and five in three postseason games, including a beautiful feed to Donovan for the overtime winner against the Huskies.

"Last year, I scored a lot of goals in bunches. Lot of two-goal games, couple three-goal games," Lyle said. "I wasn't really playing consistent this year. I was able to get one goal here, one goal there throughout the season, and yeah there were some slumps that I did have where I wasn't scoring, but it didn't really matter because what we were working on was our play in general. I was still getting stuff done."

Like Paine, Lyle brings ample physicality. It's not uncommon to see him go looking for contact, like Adrian Peterson running directly at - instead of around - a defensive back.

"That's his identity," Randolph said. "That's how he needs to play."

Lyle's perfect-timing scoring explosion hasn't happened on accident, according to Randolph.

He's in the right spots and doing all the little things necessary to drum up chances, the coach said.

Chasing a championship

When he claimed his first state championship as East coach, in 1995, it only took Randolph and the Greyhounds three years to do it again. Two-plus decades later - and 12 trips to state - he's still chasing a third.

But that's never been his thought process this time of year. The reality: It's brutally difficult to win a high school hockey title in Minnesota.

"You have to play six unbelievable games to win a state tournament. Hopefully we win it, obviously we would like to win it, but you don't think about winning it because you have to worry about Thursday," Randolph said. "That's all we're worried about, is Thursday. Because St. Thomas is gonna be a handful. And to be honest with you, I don't wanna go over to Mariucci. If you win Thursday, then you can think about Friday."

While Randolph wasn't thinking about Friday, others were. That's because an East win in the quarterfinals could set up another semifinal showdown with Edina. The Hornets face Moorhead at 6 p.m. today.

First things first.

"I'm just happy that these guys get an opportunity to play in the state tournament. Some of them came back for that one reason," Randolph said. "And so they've accomplished that, but they also came back to finish the job."

The Greyhounds fell to Minnetonka in the 2018 championship game. CLASS AA STATE TOURNAMENT At Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul TV: WDIO Ch. 10 Thursday’s Quarterfinals White Bear Lake Area (21-4-1) vs. No. 2 Blaine (22-2-2), 11 a.m. Lakeville South (14-12-1) vs. No. 3 Eden Prairie (17-9-2), 1:30 p.m. Moorhead (21-6-1) vs. No. 1 Edina (24-2-1), 6 p.m. No. 5 Duluth East (18-6-2) vs. No. 4 St. Thomas Academy (24-3-1), 8:30 p.m.