Hockey Day MN

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2019 • B1 • BEMIDJIPIONEER.COM

Taking it

Outside

BSU Photo Services Fans watch from a snowbank as Bemidji State battles St. Cloud State in a 1966 college hockey game in Bemidji.

The Beavers moved indoors a year later when the John Glas Fieldhouse was completed. Bemidji State goes back outside this week for Hockey Day Minnesota, with the men playing Michigan Tech on Friday and the women facing Minnesota State of Mankato on Saturday.

Inside: B2: Before fancy indoor arenas, outdoor hockey was the norm

B6-8: Bemidji High School boys and girls hockey through the years

B3: Your complete Hockey Day Minnesota schedule

B9: Weather has been (mostly) kind to Hockey Day Minnesota

B4: A look at the visiting teams

B10-11: Bemidji State men and women join in on the fun

B5: Bemidji’s George Pelawa was a true superstar

B12: BHS grads in the National Hockey League

Good Luck, Teams!

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OUTDOOR HOCKEY BRINGS BACK CHILLY MEMORIES

By Dennis Doeden ddoeden@bemidjipioneer.com

Long before there was a Sanford Center, or any other heated indoor arena, hockey was played outdoors in Bemidji. While this week’s Hockey Day Minnesota events take the game back outside, some local folks are reflecting on days gone by when stocking caps, long underwear and shovels were required to get the sport going in Bemidji.

Bob Montebello remembers. He taught physical education and coached Bemidji State’s baseball team. But he also served as timekeeper in the early days of Beaver hockey, when games were played outdoors on campus.

Montebello rang a cowbell to signal the end of penalties and periods.

“It was so cold around most of those games, I just shivered and prayed for the time to run out — and I had access to that time running out,” he said kiddingly.

“The colder it got the faster the games went.”

Rod Pickett remembers. He was a goalie for St. Cloud State who played here against the Beavers and later refereed local games for two decades after he moved to town and became an insurance agent.

“They started high school hockey the year I got here,” Pickett said. “The only referees were Bill Howe and Dick Kroll, but they didn’t do high school games, so I did all the high school games by myself. Now officials have helmets, but when we were outside and it was cold we wore stocking caps.”

Mike Naylor remembers. He scored the first goal in BHS hockey history as a junior in 1964, but he learned the game on a Lake Irving rink at his family’s home. He and his friends would get home from school and take to the ice, breaking only when his mother rang a dinner bell. Then it was back to the lighted rink until bedtime.

Naylor and his hockey-playing buddies were among

Submitted Photo

Jim Smalley, Bemidji High School's first hockey coach, clears snow from the 17th Street rink in this photo from the mid-1960s. Smalley laughingly called it Bemidji's "first Zamboni."

those who persuaded BHS to start the hockey program.

“For two years in a row a bunch of us said we need hockey,” said Naylor, who will drop the ceremonial first puck Saturday afternoon when Bemidji’s Lumberjacks face off against Greenway. “A lot of basketball parents and other coaches weren’t for it.”

MEMORIES: Page B3

(Top Photo) BSU Photo Services.

Spectators line the rink to watch a 1966 Bemidji State hockey scrimmage on a campus rink, with Super John's and Kordel Furniture stores in the background on Bemidji Avenue.

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MEMORIES From Page B2

Jim Smalley remembers. The retired junior high counselor was the Lumberjacks’ first head coach. He put a “first call for hockey” in the school bulletin and gathered hockey hopefuls on Lake Bemidji for practice. He sent the boys out about 200 yards onto the lake and told them to skate as fast as they could toward him, then stop and skate backwards when he blew a whistle.

“It was the strangest practice anybody ever had,” Smalley smiled. “Little did I think of all these kids with speed skates and figure skates. They were all out in front, and when they went to flip around backwards, I don’t think there was one kid standing. They were all tumbling, falling over each other. Now that’s a helluva way to start practice. The only ones who had hockey skates were the ones coming up in the youth program.”

Bob Peters also remembers. The legendary Bemidji State men’s coach, whose teams won 702 games and 13 national championships in 34 seasons, spent his first year out in the cold before the John Glas Fieldhouse was completed.

“Geez, it was cold out there,” Peters said. “One day you had a snowstorm, another day you had melted ice on the edges. And just plain cold.”

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THURSDAY, JAN. 17

High school girls: Bemidji vs. Woodbury, 7 p.m.

FRIDAY, JAN. 18

College men: Bemidji State vs. Michigan Tech, 7 p.m.

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BEMIDJI’S MR. HOCKEY

George Pelawa’s legend lives on

By Austin Monteith amonteith@bemidjipioneer.com His name is nearly as legendary in Bemidji as Paul Bunyan, and his stature nearly as great.

George Pelawa is synonymous with Lumberjack hockey.

The towering 6-foot-3, 240-pound right winger possessed the physicality of an ox, but with the scoring touch of a gentle giant.

“He was unbelievably fast and powerful,” said linemate Jason Meyer. “He could play fullback on the football team, but he was actually tailback. He could either plow up the middle or he could outrun you along the side. He was just an unbelievable natural athlete.”

The Bemidji High School star propelled the Lumberjacks to consecutive state hockey tournament appearances in 1985 and 1986.

Despite recording only nine points — all assists — in his sophomore season, his teammates could see the potential.

“He was pretty darn good as a sophomore but just didn’t score a goal,” Meyer said. “But by the junior year, now he was growing into his frame.”

Pelawa exploded onto the scene his junior season, tallying 26 goals and 11 assists for 37 points. He achieved those numbers while not even playing on the team’s top two lines.

“Our junior year we were actually the third line because the first two centers were seniors,” said Meyer, the center on Pelawa’s line. “But we started against the other team’s first line almost every game just because we could hold our own. If we could play even, or even outscore the first line, our other two lines would dominate their other two lines.

That was partly because of how dominant George was, physically and speed and skill wise.”

By his senior year, Pelawa had firmly established himself as one of the top players in the state.

Pelawa became the program’s sole Minnesota Mr. Hockey winner in 198586, racking up 29 goals and 25 assists for 54 points, breaking the program’s single-season scoring record that had previously been held by Gary Sargent.

Considering how imposing a figure Pelawa was to opponents, his game included more than just a hard shot.

“You didn’t really want to get on his bad side because he could make you pay, but he just wasn’t that kind of guy,” Meyer said. “He was just a great guy.

On the ice you didn’t want cross him because that where he’d really make you pay.”

Pelawa had suitors from three sports seeking his services.

Notre Dame, Minnesota and Penn State recruited the all-state linebacker for football.

On the baseball diamond, Pelawa played first base and led the Bemidji American Legion team to the state tournament in 1985, which garnered interest from the Minnesota Twins.

But hockey was his sport of choice.

The Gophers also wanted Pelawa to play hockey, though he ultimately committed to North Dakota.

Not long after, the Calgary Flames drafted Pelawa with the No. 16 overall pick in the first round of the 1986 NHL draft. No Minnesota-born forward had ever been picked as high.

Tragically, hockey fans will never know how his burgeoning career could have played out.

Pelawa was killed in an car accident Aug. 30, 1986, just north of Bemidji.

More than 32 years later, those who played with Pelawa will never forget Bemidji’s Mr. Hockey.

“He was always smiling and laughing,” said former teammate Rob Aitken.

“He certainly would have everybody’s back, both on the ice and off the ice.”

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55 YEARS OF BHS HOCKEY AND COUNTING Lumberjacks turned Bemidji into a hockey town, too

Bemidji wasn’t always a hockey town.

Believe it or not, basketball used to be the winter sport of choice, due in large part to the success of coach Bun Fortier’s high school hoops squads.

That began to change when Jim Smalley came along.

Smalley, a school counselor, started the boys hockey program in the 1963-64 season and coached the Lumberjacks for the next decade.

The rookie coach had played high school hockey in Duluth and later played for Duluth Junior College.

“I was asked to start hockey,” said Smalley, now 91. “I was on Bun Fortier’s coaching staff in basketball and also on the football coaching staff. I was one of two people who showed up with a hockey background. So they came to me and asked if I would take it on, and I thought, what would Bun think of that. Bun made a statement, and I really respected him for it. He said, ‘If we believe athletics are good for kids growing up, if we have another sport that will allow more kids to experience it, how can that be wrong?’”

Bemidji only needed to wait until 1972 to witness its first state tournament hockey team, which was perhaps a little ahead of schedule.

“The superintendent asked how long it was going to take before we can compete with Roseau, Warroad, International Falls,” Smalley recalled. “I said it would take about nine years. Well after eight years we went to the state tournament.”

The Lumberjacks qualified for state in four out of five seasons, establishing a benchmark of excellence that has endured for the more than 40 years since.

Program reaches pinnacle in ’70s

The leader of the Lumberjacks’ first state tournament team is widely known to Minnesota hockey fans.

Gary Sargent guided the team to its first Region 8 title in his senior season of 1971-72.

Though the Jacks fell to eventual champion International Falls in the state quarterfinals, Bemidji remained loaded with talent that would power the program for years to come.

Players of that era included Earl Sargent, Bill Himmelright, Bill Israelson and Keith Hanson.

“I could go on and on and on,” said Chuck Grillo. “I was fortunate.”

Smalley coached the Lumberjacks one last season in 1972-73 when they again advanced to state, losing once more to the eventual state champs, this time Hibbing, in the quarterfinals.

Grillo was promoted from assistant to head coach prior to the 1973-74 season.

Though he only coached the team for three seasons, Grillo certainly left his mark on the program.

Bemidji reached new heights in his first year, advancing all the way to the state championship game, a feat no Lumberjack team since has duplicated.

The run began with a 3-2 quarterfinal win over Frank B. Kellogg of Little Canada. The Jacks avenged a regular-season loss to Grand Rapids in the semifinals, taking a 4-2 win to move on to the title game.

“They were one of the few teams that outplayed us in our own building,” said Grillo, now 79. “When we beat them in the semifinals, it was quite an experience.”

The victory set up a championship battle against Edina East. The Lumberjacks were unable to contain the Hornets in a 6-0 loss.

“We held Edina down to a limited number of shots,” Grillo said. “But their shots, obviously, were quality and they ended up blanking us. … I’ll take the blame for that. It wasn’t the kids.”

The streak of state tournament appearances ended in 1974-75.

The Lumberjacks might have won five straight region titles if it weren’t for Neal Broten and a loaded Roseau team that beat them in the ’75 region final.

However, Bemidji got revenge on the Rams in 1975-76, reclaiming the region title.

“The beauty of that group to me was Roseau had, I believe seven or eight Division I scholarship kids on their team,” Grillo said. “We had none and we beat them. That’s a credit to those kids.”

Bemidji defeated Henry Sibley 4-3 in the state quarterfinals before suffering a 5-3 semifinal loss to Richfield.

Hill-Murray defeated the Jacks 7-4 in the third-place game.

BHS beat the odds during the postseason run.

“That next group in ’76, they went beyond expectations, too,” Grillo said.

“Our No. 1 goalie (Dan Olson) broke his leg, the No. 2 goalie (Steve Schulke) had an appendectomy. We won the region with the No. 3 goalie (Sam Saccoman).”

That season was the last Grillo spent behind the bench for Bemidji, though it was not the end of his hockey career.

Grillo left to start the hockey program at Rosemount High School, where he spent five years.

The Hibbing native then went on to spend three decades as an NHL scout and front office executive, including four seasons when he shared GM duties for the San Jose Sharks. He won the Stanley Cup as an amateur scout for the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009 before retiring two years later.

But even after embarking on an NHL career anyone would dream of, Grillo will always cherish his years in Bemidji.

“It was probably one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had in sports,” Grillo said. “We did a lot of winning. They had great kids, great parents.

It was a springboard. It was actually the performances of the kids who are actually responsible for my NHL career. ... I can’t thank them enough for all they did for me.”

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Jacks go back to back

The Lumberjacks needed to wait nearly another decade to return to state.

Bryan Grand, who took over the program following Chuck Grillo’s departure, almost guided the team to a Section 8 title in 1983-84, only for the Jacks to fall 4-3 in the title game to Roseau. Another Broten — this time, Aaron — and the Rams denied Bemidji a chance at state. “(We) actually shut him down in the region final, and outshot them almost 2-to-1,” said Jason Meyer, a sophomore on the team. “We should have won, but didn’t.”

There were a whopping eight sophomores who played regularly on that young ’83-’84 squad.

One in particular failed to score a single goal that year, but everyone in Minnesota would know his name by the end of the following season.

BHS BOYS: Page B7

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Pioneer File Photo

After a 29-year drought, the Bemidji High School boys hockey team celebrated with the Section 8AA championship trophy in 2015.

BHS BOYS From Page B6

George Pelawa went from zero goals to 26 his junior season to lead the Lumberjacks to their first trip to St. Paul Civic Center in nine years. The brawny winger with the 6-foot-3, 240-pound frame and a scoring touch caught the eye of hockey fans across the state and beyond.

Pelawa’s career as a Lumberjack is the stuff of legends, but that’s not to say he didn’t have some talented teammates.

“We had a lot of depth that typically doesn’t come around a lot in Bemidji,” said Meyer, the center on Pelawa’s line.

“Some of those teams in that era, not only did the hockey team go to state in ‘85 and ‘86, but it seemed like a lot of the other (sports did as well) — football, basketball, baseball, track. It was just an era where a lot of teams were dominant for Bemidji High.”

Having matured a year, the Lumberjacks toppled Fergus Falls for the section title, ending the state tournament drought.

“It had seemed like forever,” Meyer said. “... We were expected to go. We were second in the state rankings.”

In the quarterfinals, Bemidji fell 5-3 to

eventual state champion Burnsville.

Pelawa and his classmates, now entering their senior season in 1985-86, had still not yet reached the prime of their dominance.

Another stellar regular season saw Pelawa post 29 goals en route to becoming Bemidji’s only Minnesota Mr. Hockey winner.

“The expectations back then were making the state tournament and doing well at the state tournament,” said Rob Aitken, a junior winger in ‘86. “I felt a lot of pressure at the time because there were only eight teams that went back then. But we knew we could do it, and we worked hard and got through the regions very easily.”

The Lumberjacks plowed through their opponents in the section playoffs, outscoring the opposition 32-1 over three games. The Jacks won by scores of 10-0 and 12-1 in the first two games before crushing Moorhead 10-0 in the final.

“It was probably the reason we stubbed our toe in the first round at state,” Meyer said of the dominant run.

Despite cruising through sections, Bemidji was stunned by Hibbing in a 4-3 state quarterfinal loss.

“We lost to a Hibbing team 4-3 that we had just beat a few weeks earlier 6-3, I believe, in Bemidji.

We handled them easily,” Meyer said. “You go through sections 32-1 and you start to think you’re probably a little better than you really are, or it just seems kind of auto-

BEMIDJI BOYS STATE TOURNAMENT TEAMS

matic. We were clicking on all cylinders.

It was a perfect time to be upset. But that team easily should have won the state championship.”

The Jacks didn’t come home empty handed. BHS claimed the consolation championship, while Burnsville repeated as state champions.

“You lose that game and you refocus and bear down,” Meyer said. “That was a good way to end, with two wins.”

Bemidji may not have won the state title, but those Lumberjacks will not be forgotten.

Of the players on those ’80s teams, Meyer estimates at least a dozen of them went on to play hockey after high school, in either juniors or college. Players landed on college rosters at Bemidji State, North Dakota, Minnesota Duluth, St. Cloud State and Air Force.

“That’s almost unheard of on any high school team these days,” Meyer said. “There was a lot of talent.”

Just as their 1980s predecessors did, Bemidji made back-to-back state tournament trips.

The 2015-16 Jacks pulled out a 4-3 overtime win over the Spuds to punch their return tickets to St. Paul.

Though neither of those teams made it past the quarterfinals — losing 6-4 to Edina in ’15, and 3-2 in overtime to Grand Rapids in ’16 — the Lumberjacks restored the winning ways of a storied program.

In fact, one player from that 2015-16 squad will play on Hockey Day Minnesota 2019: Hunter Olson, who assisted on the section-winning goal that season.

Since the program’s founding in 1963, the Lumberjacks have hoisted eight section championship trophies. Not too bad for a basketball town.

“Bemidji is a winning town,” Chuck Grillo said. “It rubs off on everyone.”

‘A winning town’

After the 1986 appearance, the Lumberjacks would not qualify for the state tournament for 29 years.

Following a long wait, Bemidji hockey finally returned to glory in 2014-15. The Lumberjacks ended their drought by winning the Section 8AA Pioneer File Photo crown with a 2-0 win over The Bemidji Lumberjacks celebrate with their fans after Moorhead.

winning the 1986 Region 8 championship.

Welcome to Hockey Day In Bemidji Players and Fans!

1971-72

State quarterfinals: L, 8-3 to International Falls State consolation semifinals: L, 4-1 to Alexander Ramsey Head coach: Jim Smalley

1972-73

State quarterfinals: L, 4-2 to Hibbing State consolation semifinals: L, 7-1 to Edina East Head coach: Jim Smalley

1973-74

State quarterfinals: W, 3-2 over Frank B. Kellogg (of Little Canada) State semifinals: W, 4-2 over Grand Rapids State final: L, 6-0 to Edina East Head coach: Chuck Grillo

1975-76

State quarterfinals: W, 4-3 over Henry Sibley State semifinals: L, 5-3 to Richfield State third-place game: L, 7-4 to Hill-Murray Head coach: Chuck Grillo

1984-85

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State quarterfinals: L, 5-3 to Burnsville State consolation semifinals: L, 3-0 to Minnetonka Head coach: Bryan Grand

1985-86

State quarterfinals: L, 4-3 to Hibbing State consolation semifinals: W, 5-4 over Richfield State consolation final: W, 8-2 over Bloomington Jefferson George Pelawa won Mr. Hockey Head coach: Bryan Grand

2014-15

State quarterfinals: L, 6-4 to Edina State consolation semifinals: L, 4-2 to St. Thomas Academy Head coach: Wade Chiodo

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State quarterfinals: L, 3-2 (OT) to Grand Rapids State consolation semifinals: W, 5-0 over Anoka State consolation final: W, 4-1 over Farmington Head coach: Wade Chiodo

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Sports

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

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BEMIDJI GIRLS STATE TOURNAMENT TEAMS

Pioneer File Photo

The Bemidji girls hockey brates after 2007 Section onship.

High School team celewinning the 8AA champi-

JACKS CARRY SUCCESSFUL HISTORY INTO HOCKEY DAY

By Micah Friez mfriez@bemidjipioneer.com In 1996, the inaugural puck dropped for the Bemidji High School girls hockey program. And if you ask the Lumberjacks’ first head coach, it was more than overdue.

“You kind of wonder why it hadn’t happened previous to the ’90s,” said Rick Coe, who coached BHS for the program’s first eight seasons. “The girls certainly can play hockey. The way it’s improved and what it’s gone to today — when you see the colleges playing, the Olympians playing — the high school is so good when you get down to the state level. It was a blessing for them (to play).”

Coe headed a wildly successful Bemidji program, as the Jacks went 14-7-0 in their first season and reached the state

tournament in 2000 during a 25-4-0 campaign. Under Coe, Bemidji went 15251-9, good for an exceptional .738 winning percentage.

During its state run in 2000, BHS fell victim to a 3-2 overtime loss against Hibbing/Chisholm in the state opener. The Jacks then beat Austin in the consolation semifinals before losing to Eagan in the consolation finals.

Bemidji had to wait seven years to return, but BHS finally made a state encore in 2007 with junior Sarah Erickson leading the way. Erickson, who later won Ms. Hockey in 2008 as Bemidji’s only recipient, helped the Lumberjacks run through the Section 8AA Tournament to bring Bemidji back to the state’s biggest stage.

“Sarah was a relentless worker,” Coe

The Bemidji Pioneer

1999-2000

State quarterfinals: L, 3-2 (OT) to Hibbing/Chisholm State consolation semifinals: W, 8-0 over Austin State consolation final: L, 3-2 to Eagan Head coach: Rick Coe

2006-07

said. “Whether it was on State quarterfinals: L, 3-1 to Stillwater Area State consolation semifinals: L, 3-2 to Rochester Mayo the ice, off the ice, offHead coach: Matt Menne season, she was constantly working on her skills. Any time she could get on a rink or play with anybody, she was there. … She was a good student involved (is special), especially because Bemidji is a growing hockey community.” of the sport.”

Olson is one of four former LumberWhile the Lumberjacks are still trying for a third state appearance, they’ll be at jacks to suit up for the Beavers, joining the epicenter of the hockey world during Tara Hiscock, Crystal Sorenson and TiffaHockey Day Minnesota. Heather Olson, ny Berglund. She’s the first of the bunch a BHS graduate and a current junior on who is able to experience Hockey Day the Bemidji State women’s hockey team, Minnesota as a player.

“To me, it would be only half as good as is excited for Bemidji to host such a it is if just the men and boys were playgrand event.

“It’s really great to see, obviously,” she ing,” Coe said. “It’s just another layer of said. “Especially this being my home- what hockey is in Minnesota. When you town, and now it’s being hosted here, have both girls and boys playing, it’s repit’s fun. And just to have all the levels be resented well.”

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Sports

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THE WEATHER OUTSIDE HAS BEEN DELIGHTFUL ... MOSTLY rect, temperatures should be colder than normal. Highs are expected to be in the With only a couple of exceptions in single digits below zero, and lows in the 12 years, the weather for Hockey Day teens to 20 below.

“The weather we’ve gotten the past Minnesota has been ideal. The annual outdoor celebration of hockey sponsored two weeks has been promising,” said by the Minnesota Wild and Fox Sports Brian Bissonette, a member of Bemidji’s North has been held as far north as Bau- organizing committee. “But it will be what it will be.” dette and as far south as Minnetonka.

This year’s event is coming to Bemidji this week, and if forecasters are cor- WEATHER: Page B11

By Dennis Doeden ddoeden@bemidjipioneer.com

Wednesday, January 16, 2019 B9

Bring your ther and o Pee Wee’s to skate s wee one tdoor on our ou k! patio rin

WELCOME TO BEMIDJI! GOOD LUCK TEAMS!

Stop in for a bite to eat between games G O U R M ET H O T D O G S THURSDAY, JAN. 17TH: 11AM - 5PM FRIDAY, JAN. 18TH: 11AM-5PM & 10PM-1AM SATURDAY, JAN. 19TH: 11AM-4PM

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Nearly 5,500 fans attended games in Duluth’s Bayfront Festival Park for Hockey Day Minnesota 2016.

Clint Austin / Duluth News Tribune

Remember to send in your registrations for the show as

SPACE IS FILLING UP QUICKLY!

HERE’S A LOOK BACK AT THE FIRST 12 HOCKEY DAY MINNESOTA EVENTS: Site: Baudette Bay on Lake of the Woods Game time conditions: 22 degrees, 10 mph wind gusting to 18.

Results: Lake of the Woods boys defeated St. Paul Johnson 5-3

FEBRUARY 9, 2008

Site: Baudette Bay on Lake of the Woods Game time conditions: Game 1: -2 degrees, winds 29 mph gusting to 35. Game 2: -6 degrees, winds 16 mph gusting to 26.

Results: Lake of the Woods boys defeated Eveleth 5-0. Roseau boys defeated Blaine 1-0.

JANUARY 17, 2009

Site: St. Paul (Phalen Park) Game time conditions: Game 1: 21 degrees, wind 20 mph.

Game 2: 19 degrees, winds 19 mph gusting to 32.

Results: St. Paul Johnson boys defeated Rochester John Marshall 4-0. Stillwater girls defeated Minnetonka 2-1.

JANUARY 23, 2010

Site: Hermantown Game time conditions: Game 1: 36 degrees, winds 13 mph. Game 2: 36 degrees, winds 12 mph.

Results: Hopkins boys defeated Duluth Marshall 6-0. Eden Prairie boys defeated Hermantown 4-3.

FEBRUARY 12, 2011

Site: Moorhead Game time conditions: Game 1: 23 degrees, winds 9 mph.

Game 2: 32 degrees, winds 7 mph.

Results: Wayzata boys defeated Roseau 2-1 (OT). Hill-Murray boys defeated Moorhead 3-2.

JANUARY 21, 2012

Site: Lake Minnetonka Game time conditions: Games moved indoors because warm temperatures leading up to Hockey Day caused poor ice conditions. Game day high temperature was 17 degrees.

Results: Minnetonka girls defeated Hopkins 5-1. Grand Rapids boys defeated White Bear Lake 4-3.

Minnetonka boys defeated Duluth East 9-3.

JANUARY 19, 2013

Site: Grand Rapids (Lake Pokegama) Game time conditions: Game 1: 19 degrees, wind 7 mph.

Game 2: 27 degrees, wind 14 mph.

Game 3: 16 degrees, wind 16 mph gusting to 38.

Results: Grand Rapids-Greenway girls defeated Hibbing-Chisholm 6-0. Eagan boys defeated HibbingChisholm 9-2. Grand Rapids boys defeated Benilde-St. Margaret’s 4-3 (OT).

JANUARY 18, 2014

Site: Elk River (Handke Pit) Game time conditions: Game 1: 12 degrees, wind 11 mph.

Game 2: 19 degrees, wind 8 mph.

Game 3: 20 degrees, wind 5 mph.

Results: Cloquet boys defeated Rochester Lourdes 4-1. Elk River boys defeated Stillwater 4-1. Anoka girls defeated Elk River 3-0.

JANUARY 17, 2015

Site: St. Paul (Holman Field) Game time conditions: Game 1: 30 degrees, wind 6 mph.

Game 2: 38 degrees, wind 15 mph.

Game 3: 26 degrees, wind 6 pmh.

Results: St. Paul Johnson boys defeated Luverne 6-5. Hill-Murray boys defeated St. Thomas Academy 3-2 (OT). Cretin-Derham Hall girls defeated Duluth Northern Stars 5-4.

FEBRUARY 6, 2016

Site: Duluth (Bayfront Park) Game time conditions: Game 1: 25 degrees, wind 8 mph.

Game 2: 32 degrees, wind 13 mph.

Results: Duluth Denfeld boys defeated Eveleth-Gilbert 5-2.

Lakeville North boys defeated Duluth East 3-2.

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JANUARY 20, 2007

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O T E B E M M O IDJI! C L E – HOME OF THE BSU BEAVERS – W

JANUARY 21, 2017

Site: Stillwater Game time conditions: Game 1: 36 degrees, wind 6 pmh.

Game 2: 37 degrees, win 6 mph.

Game 3: 36 degrees, wind 0 mph.

Results: Mahtomedi boys defeated Thief River Falls 3-0. Eden Prairie boys defeated Stillwater 4-1.

Stillwater girls defeated Minnetonka 5-3.

JANUARY 20, 2018

Site: St. Cloud (Lake George) Game time conditions: Game 1: 31 degrees, wind 2 mph.

Game 2: 35 degrees, wind 4 mph.

Game 3: 38 degrees, wind 7 mph.

Results: St. Cloud Cathedral boys defeated St. Cloud 8-3. St. Cloud State women defeated MinnesotaDuluth 2-1. Moorhead boys defeated Centennial 3-2 (OT).

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Wednesday, January 16, 2019

Sports

BEAVERS RETURNING TO THEIR ROOTS

By Austin Monteith and Micah Friez sports@bemidjipioneer.com

was in Moorhead. … It was super fun.

We’re really looking forward to it.”

Her head coach is ready to embrace an Hockey Day Minnesota will give Bem- old tradition of the outdoor ice.

“I didn’t play indoors until I was in idji State players a chance to return to high school,” Jim Scanlan said. “Everytheir roots.

BSU will compete in the first outdoor thing we did was outside. When you college men’s game ever held as part of got to go inside, that was a luxury. Lots Hockey Day when they take on Michigan of frostbitten toes, frostbitten fingers.

That’s part of the magical Tech at 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 18. experience that we all got to The Beaver men’s roster go through growing up.” contains eight MinnesoOf the 24 members on the tans who watched the event BSU women’s roster, 18 call growing up.

Minnesota home, and only “I think it’s an awesome Boca Raton, Fla., native Lexi event for all Minnesota Cheveldayoff grew up in a guys,” said defenseman Dilclimate foreign to snow. lon Eichstadt. “Everyone in Scanlan doesn’t expect the general really, but especially outdoor experience to be the Minnesota guys. It’s speentirely new, but it will still cial. You grew up watching it. be a bigger stage than an So to have an opportunity to Dillon Eichstadt average pond hockey game. play in it is pretty cool.”

“I’m pretty sure most Eichstadt is a former Bemof my players have played idji Lumberjack whose uncle outside at some point and Scott played on Bemidji’s time,” he said. “For sure, no 1985-86 state tournament one has ever played a game team. The younger Eichstadt at this level outside. So it’ll spent many a day playing be fun.” outdoors growing up in town, The Beavers’ appearance though with much lower in Hockey Day will be just stakes. the second time that col“I spent a lot of hours at lege women’s hockey is part the Nymore rink for sure,” of the event, as well, and Eichstadt said. “Pretty excitScanlan said his team is Haley Mack ed that this would be my first embracing the uniqueness ever organized game, but of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to nevertheless excited.”

Not every Beaver has played outdoor participate as hosts.

“Our players, as soon as they heard hockey. about it, they definitely got excited, the Growing up in southern California, Hockey Day will be a new experience for fact that they get to be a part of Hockey Day Minnesota,” he said. “Kudos to forward Ethan Somoza.

“I have never played in an outdoor Fox (Sports) North and the organizers game before,” said the Simi Valley, Calif., for bringing college women’s hockey native. “I’m from California so we don’t into the day. (We’re) really fortunate have outdoor ice rinks there. I think it’ll that Bemidji State gets to be a part of it this year.” be a pretty special game for me.”

The Beaver men’s and On the women’s side of women’s teams will practhings, the Hockey Day tice outdoors Thursday, experience won’t be prior to their respecforeign to junior fortive outdoor games ward Haley Mack. on Friday and Sat“Us Northern urday.

Minnesota girls “This has just all grew up playbeen so community ing on the outdoors driven,” said BSU rinks,” the East men’s head coach Grand Forks native Tom Serratore. “The said. “I actually committee has done played in Hockey Day an outstanding job.

Minnesota, I think I This is going to be the was in 14U (in 2011). It best Hockey Day yet.”

www. bemidjipioneer.com

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The Bemidji Pioneer

Sports

www.bemidjipioneer.com

Wednesday, January 16, 2019 B11

HOCKEY DAY EVENT INCLUDES YOUTH TEAMS FROM BEMIDJI AND REGION Bemidji’s 12-and-under girls and Crookston. Earlier this week, Bemidji Termites, Mites, Peewees, Bantams and 10U girls teams were scheduled to play on the Hockey Day ice against teams from Park Rapids, Brainerd, Grand Rapids and Walker.

The Bemidji High School boys and girls junior varsity teams will play games on Wednesday, Jan. 16.

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Hockey Day Minnesota will feature some highly skilled high school and college players this week. But little tykes who are just learning to skate also will take the HDM ice on Lake Bemidji’s south shore.

That all started Sunday, Jan. 13 when a Squirt team from Bemidji faced off against Walker in the first of nine days on the refrigerated rink. It will end on Monday, Jan. 21 with a game between

Welcome to Bemidji!

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Community Worship at Hockey Day Minnesota

In the general admission tent in the Sanford Center parking lot.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 20 9:30 AM

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All are welcome dress for winter!

Austin Monteith / Bemidji Pioneer

Kyle Martin instructs his Bemidji Mites players during practice Monday evening at the Hockey Day Minnesota outdoor rink.

Movie Prices Matinee $7 General $9 Children 3-12 $7 Senior 63+ $7

HERE IS THE SCHEDULE OF GAMES FROM WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY: WEDNESDAY JAN. 16

Bemidji High School girls JV vs. Woodbury, 4:30 p.m.

Bemidji High School boys JV vs. Greenway, 7 p.m.

Theater opens at 12:00 Friday

3D $2.25 more/ticket

THURSDAY JAN. 17

There is time to catch a movie before the next game!!

Bemidji High School girls varsity vs. Woodbury, 7 p.m.

FRIDAY JAN. 18

Bemidji State men vs. Michigan Tech, 7 p.m.

Bemidji Theater HWY 2. West of Bemidji

SATURDAY JAN. 19

Minnetonka boys vs. Andover, 9:30 a.m.

Bemidji State women vs. Minnesota State, 1 p.m.

Bemidji High Schools boys vs. Greenway, 4:30 p.m.

444-MOVI (6684) www.cectheatres.com

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SUNDAY JAN. 20

Bemidji Squirt A vs. East Grand Forks, 12 noon Bemidji Squirt B White vs. Greenway White, 1:45 p.m.

Bemidji Squirt B Blue vs. Greenway Green, 3:30 p.m.

Bemidji Bantam B Blue vs. Greenway, 5:15 p.m.

FOR YOUR TEAM UNIFORMS, T-SHIRTS, JACKETS AND ANYTHING ELSE YOU CAN THINK OF!

MONDAY JAN. 21

Bemidji Bantam AA vs. Greenway, 12 noon Bemidji Peewee AA vs. Greenway, 1:45 p.m.

Bemidji Peewee B White vs. Greenway, 3:30 p.m.

Bemidji 12U girls vs. Crookston, 5:15 p.m.

From Page B9

Hockey Day Minnesota began in 2007 on Baudette Bay on Lake of the Woods.

When the local high school boys team took the ice to face St. Paul Johnson on Jan. 20, the temperature was 22 above with winds of 10 mph.

A year later, at the same site, conditions were quite different. Two games were played that year, and when Roseau and Blaine took the ice that afternoon, it was 6 below zero with winds gusting to 26 mph. It felt like 30 to 40 below.

By contrast, in 2012 when Hockey Day was supposed to be played on Lake Minnetonka, games had to be moved to an indoor arena. The temps on game day were normal, but warm weather leading

up to the event caused havoc with ice conditions.

Eventually, it was decided that the event would require refrigerated ice equipment to ensure a good skating surface.

That puts more pressure on the local organizing committee, since it must pay for all expenses.

“The reason it’s gotten more expensive is we’re required to have refrigerated ice now,” Bissonette said. “Because they don’t want to go through all this effort and all this work and have it’s canceled because it’s too warm.”

Without the new policy, last year’s HDM in St. Cloud could have been in jeopardy, Bissonette said. It was 45 degrees the day before the event and in the upper 30s on game day.

Have a great weekend in Bemidji!

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B12

Sports

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

www. bemidjipioneer.com

The Bemidji Pioneer

BEMIDJI LUMBERJACKS IN THE NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE GARY SARGENT

KEITH HANSON

JOE MOTZKO

NHL stats: 402 games played, 61 goals, 161 assists, 222 points Los Angeles Kings (1975-78), Minnesota North Stars (1978-83) 1980 NHL All-Star No. 48 overall pick (Round 3) in 1974 NHL draft by Kings Played one season at Bemidji State (1972-73): 30 GP, 23g, 24a, 47 pts

NHL stats: 25 games played, 0 goals, 2 assists, 2 points Calgary Flames (1983-84) No. 145 overall pick (Round 9) in 1977 NHL draft by North Stars Played four seasons at Northern Michigan (1977-81): 148 GP, 34g, 66a, 100 pts NMU made the Frozen Four in junior (1980) and senior (1981) seasons

NHL stats: 25 games played, 4 goals, 2 assists, 6 points Columbus Blue Jackets (2003-04, 2005-07), Anaheim Ducks (200607), Washington Capitals (2007-08), Atlanta Thrashers (2008-09) Stanley Cup champion (2007) Played four seasons at St. Cloud State (1999-2003): 154 GP, 52g, 90a, 142 pts

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