On Frozen Pond

Volume XLVIII • Number 7 • Issue 1269

January 16, 2020

On Frozen Pond

Photo submitted by Molly Wingert (Waconia, Minn.)

Unstructured and unsupervised play develops instinct and skills... and it’s where some of the best memories are made.

IN THIS ISSUE KEVIN HARTZELL

ANDY NESS

Playing in the great outdoors ... pg. 6

Upper body positioning ... pg. 12

JACK BLATHERWICK

MAKING MIRACLE MEMORIES ... pg. 20

Pond play develops Intrinsic Motivation ... pg. 11

Schedule of events... pages 22-23

SUMMER 2020 HOCKEY TRAINING

full clinic line-up and registration @

WWW.MNMADEHOCKEYTRAINING.COM

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January 16, 2020

Let’s Play Hockey

HOCKEY. THE WAY NATURE INTENDED.

15 TH ANNIVERSARY LAKE NOKOMIS • MPLS • JANUARY 24-26, 2020 uspondhockey.com

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#FrozenMemories

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January 16, 2020

Let’s Play Hockey

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Frozen memories

by BRYAN ZOLLMAN

Let’s Play Hockey Publisher

I grew up about a mile away from the outdoor rink in Oakdale, Minn.

But that didn’t keep me from sliding my stick through my skate blades and resting my stick on my shoulder to make the hike after school.

Hockey was life back then and any frozen surface would suffice.

We also had a pond at the end of our road but you had to walk through tall reeds and woods to get to it and there were only a few early weeks where it was fresh and smooth before Mother Nature took its toll. But when it was playable, it was magical.

So to the outdoor rink we would go. Usually it was after practice so we wouldn’t have to sharpen our skates.

After an hour of whistles and instruction, we couldn’t wait to take off our pads and retie our skates and just be hockey players.

No more systems, no more chants of staying in our lane or getting pucks deep or staying net front.

We could just play.

And boy was it fun. You could pretend to be your favorite player working on their signature move or something you saw on the highlight reel that caught your eye. A droppass into the skate and then kicked back to your stick to trick the defenseman. A cut to the middle and then a big circle as you looked for a play to develop. You held onto the puck a bit longer and sometimes would be criti-

PHOTO SUBMITTED BY MEGAN HANSEN

Jackson Giel of Chaska, Minn., races down a frozen pond in Chaska. cized for not passing. You’d try to go through the legs rather than go wide and maybe try that one extra deke on the goalie. If there weren’t goalies, you played “pipes”and were forced to sharpen your accuracy. And I am pretty sure the toe drag was invented on outdoor ice.

And usually by the end of it, the initial sweat turned to icicles and you were frozen solid. I remember sticking my toes in front of the space heat-

er in the warming shack and fighting back tears as my little toes thawed out. The burning sensation was too much to handle, but it never kept us from doing it over and over and over again.

I played hockey through high school and was involved in more practices and games than I can count.

And I must say some of my fondest memories came on an outdoor sheet of ice. I remember my dad, who

couldn’t skate a lick, would play goalie in his winter boots. When I learned to raise the puck above those boots he decided he wasn’t going to be a goalie anymore. I remember a teammate of mine falling behind me and getting the sharp end of my skate blade just under his eye, sending him to the doctor for stitches. I gave stitches on the outdoor rink and I received some. I took a stick blade right above my eye resulting in six stitches. I remember the next day on the school bus how cool I felt to have a hockey scar.

But the best part about being on the outdoor ice was the camaraderie and the free spirit of it all. We’d toss our sticks in the middle – whoever’s team you ended up on that’s who you played with. Some teammates were five years older and some a few years younger. Sometimes fisticuffs would break out and kids had to be separated, and there was always an argument about whose puck was whose (there was always that kid who never showed up with a puck but always tried to leave with one.

My memories playing hockey in the great outdoors are some of the best of my childhood. As we venture into Hockey Day Minnesota this weekend, we dedicate this issue to outdoor hockey and all it brings. We hope you enjoy the stories, and we hope you lace up your skates and find the nearest frozen sheet of ice and enjoy the elements and beauty that is Minnesota.

March 6-7, 2020 • St. Paul RiverCentre The largest consumer hockey show in the WORLD! Our PPar ar tner artner tnerss

Managing Editor Managing Bryan Zollman •Editor (320) 333-3279

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Inside Minnesota Hockey www.minnesotahockey.org

Minnesota Hockey, an affiliate of USA Hockey, is the governing body of youth and amateur hockey in Minnesota and the premier developer of hockey players in the state. With over 67,000 registered players and coaches, it is the largest state governing body for amateur hockey in the United States.

Five qualities of great teammates Four keys to playing time concerns

by STEVE MANN Like all team sports, hockey requires a group of athletes from a variety of backgrounds and skill levels to work together in order to achieve success.

Squads loaded with “team players” – individuals willing to sacrifice for the benefit of the group – tend to have a leg up on their competition.

Ohio State University assistant women’s hockey coach Emily West has seen firsthand the value of teamwork throughout her career. As a former twotime Gopher captain, West was part of a national championship squad at the University of Minnesota in 2012 and fondly recalls the way her teammates stood up for one another and stuck together even during more challenging times.

“That was a special group,” said West, who was an American Development Model manager for USA Hockey prior to joining the Buckeyes’ staff. “No matter what, you knew the girl on your left and the girl on your right would do anything for you on and off the ice. It was a true family environment. Even when we stumbled, we were always there for each other.”

West shared her thoughts on what makes the ultimate teammate.

Inclusive and friendly to all “It’s important to include everyone and realize this is a game, this is for fun, these are my teammates and treat them how you would want to be treated. Anything your teammates would do for you, you should do for them. Even if there are smaller groups of friends off the ice, once you’re at the rink that should be null and void. You’re a team.

Just be kind to each other and have fun.

It’s that simple.”

Anti-bully Sometimes being inclusive and friendly to everyone actually requires standing up to teammates when they step out of line.

“Anyone who stands up and says, maybe it’s not popular, maybe it’s not what everyone else is doing, but that’s

The best teammates lead by example and are inclusive and friendly to all. not OK, that’s not how you treat people.

We need more of those kinds of teammates. It’s easy to think that’s not OK but not act on it. Players who are willing to put the popularity vote aside and stand up for someone else is so important in this world we live in.”

Picks you up when you’re down “If you can laugh with your teammates, and pick someone up when they’re frustrated, that’s a truly supportive environment. It’s so great to see a kid that skates over to another kid who missed a shot, give him or her a tap on the shin pads or tell a joke to make them laugh. It puts into perspective that this is just a game. That’s important at all levels. One of my favorite quotes is that people will forget the awards, trophies and accolades, but they will never forget how you made them feel.”

Leads by example “During a long season, there will be ebbs and flows and ups and downs and not everything will go your way. I admire players who don’t change their character no matter what’s happening. It’s expressed through their play and their actions. They don’t always say a lot, but they bring effort to each

practice and each game. That example speaks louder than words.”

Selfless “There’s a difference between someone who says the right things and someone who does the right things.

How the bench reacts after a goal is a good indicator. A great teammate supports their teammates and gets excited for them, gives taps on the shin pads for a good play or a good shift and lifts them up when they need help. On the 2012 team there were so many teammates willing to sacrifice on everyone’s behalf. I remember one player blocking a shot with her chest. She just dove in front of it. Seeing a player willing to go through pain to help the team win makes you want to do everything to pay it forward.”

Two examples of selflessness that are particularly evident at the youth levels are how willing players are to pass the puck and how they celebrate when goals are scored. Players who rush to celebrate their teammates’ goals and choose to celebrate their own goals with their teammates first and foremost are often great teammates.

It’s a topic of conversation every year, especially as teams near the end of the season and playoffs.

Jimmy has played almost the entire game, but George has hardly seen the ice.

Susie is out there for every power play.

Or on the opposite end, why in the world is the coach still rolling lines late in one-goal games? We should be playing our top five late in games, especially at this time of year!

Left unaddressed, these questions and anxieties can derail the focus of teams and frustration can mount quickly. But how are parents and coaches supposed to manage these concerns?

We caught up with ADM Regional Manager for USA Hockey and Blaine native Dan Jablonic to hear how playing time impacts child and player development and shine some light on the areas of the subject we should focus on.

“When kids sign up for a sport or parents are looking to get their kid into a sport, you sign up to play, not to sit the bench,” said Dan Jablonic, ADM Regional Manager for USA Hockey. “That’s first and foremost. Kids want to play.”

Jablonic, who is also a former Minnesota Duluth Bulldog, emphasizes the best coaches, at all age levels and in all sports, find ways to get their entire team involved in the game.

“One of the greatest coaches in Minnesota football history Dave Nelson [who coached 42 years and won state titles at Blaine and Minnetonka] just retired. He found a way with his great staff, and this is kind of amazing, to find 60 players a place to play every season. Obviously, there’s all kind of different skill sets, but he found a role, and I think that’s our responsibility as coaches is to find a place.

You’re a team member. You made that team for a reason.”

PLAYING TIME CONCERNS

continued on page 6

There is still time to register your team for Hiway Hockey Kids4Kids!

Hockey Parents, coaches, high school students: help raise funds for Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare by participating in Hiway Hockey Kids4Kids and your team could win a once in a lifetime prize at a Minnesota Wild game!

Hiway Hockey Kids4Kids, an award-winning community initiative that encourages youth hockey players throughout Minnesota to raise funds for kids with disabilities and complex medical conditions, makes its return. This innovative program is a collaboration between Hiway Federal Credit Union® (Hiway), the Minnesota Wild, Wild goaltender Devan Dubnyk, Minnesota Hockey and Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare in Saint Paul. Since inception, Hiway Hockey Kids4Kids has raised more than $40,000 for Gillette Children’s.

Teams that raise $500 or more will be qualified to win a one-of-a-kind team party in a suite at the Minnesota Wild – St. Louis Blues game on Sunday, Feb. 23, 2020. The winning team, selected at random, will also be feted with an exclusive pregame tour of the Xcel Energy Center, meet members of the Minnesota Wild and receive merchandise from the Wild and Hiway. All teams that participate in the program will be invited to a complimentary skate session at the Xcel Energy Center. Each member of any team that raises at least $500 will also receive a limited-edition Hockey Kids4Kids cap.

To register and find out more, visit hockeykids4kids.org.

ice

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January 16, 2020

Let’s Play Hockey

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Playing in the great outdoors

by KEVIN HARTZELL

Let’s Play Hockey Columnist

I have been thinking. It is time for someone else to take this space and speak for hockey, and more importantly for kids. I have been passionate about hockey and kids, and really that is why I have written all these years. And after all these years, I have said most of what I have wanted to say.

So before signing off, I am writing a series I am calling my Hockey Obit. This “Hockey Obit” is all about what has been important in my life and what has shaped this journey to where I am today. I haven’t figured out how many parts/chapters this might include. For now, it’s Chapter One and this time, my thoughts are stimulated

by Hockey Day in Minnesota. A time, a day set aside to honor our Minnesota tradition of outdoor hockey. It’s a great day in Minnesota and a day that reminds me that outdoor hockey is where my journey began and where my hockey foundation was formed.

I grew up really as part of the last generation of the rink rats. “Gen-rat” I like to call us. I played outdoor ONLY hockey all the way throught the eighth grade. I was so excited to make the high school team as a sophomore that I snuck out of the locker room between periods so I could see that it was indeed true, that the Zamboni was making fresh ice for our next period. Thrilling it was!

I transitioned from outdoor rink rat to the modern game. In college I played two years with no mask and then two years with a mask. The style of our game was played better before the mask was introduced. When the mask came to be mandated, the game got faster and more physical. Hits got higher. Today, we have way more brain injuries as well as head/neck injuries. Dentists who advocated for facemasks thought they were proven right, as more kids kept their teeth. We traded a crappy injury (teeth) and an occasional severe eye injury for what I think is worse – an abundance of brain injuries.

It was an outdoor rink rat upbringing that got me where I got. Outdoor hockey is playing with whoever shows up. Older kids. Younger kids. Kids with cockiness that you were left wondering from where this cockiness came. “Hot dogs” were kids who didn’t pass the puck. If on your team, you basically watched the “hot

PLAYING TIME CONCERNS continued from page 5

The grand scheme “When you look to the long-term, you don’t know where they will be at, but you want to make sure every member of that team at 10U is playing hockey later on in life,” said Jablonic. “That’s our long-term goal.”

While seemingly simple, Jablonic’s message is a hallmark of great youth sport organizations.

As Tom Farrey, director of the Aspen Institute’s Sports & Society Program, wrote in a recent New York Times article, “the most effective sports systems in the world don’t produce athletic talent as much as prevent it from being ruined before it ripens.”

“This is the whole premise behind the ADM,” said Jablonic. “You allow them to play, allow them to fail, allow them to learn, allow them to succeed. Those are taglines that should be carried out on a daily basis in your practices and your games.

That’s the true gift of playing a sport. Not just the lessons you get that are hockey related, but you’re getting better at understanding, maybe, I’m not so good in this situation. I need to go back and practice so when I am in that situation, I can do that.”

After all, children may have different athletic potential, but all of them can gain

This photo was submitted by Kelly Buckley, who’s brother Jeff, is No. 6. The picture was taken on Lake Pokegama in Grand Rapids, Minn., in the winter of 1980.

“We were the leaders, the organizers, the coach, players and referee. We learned to organize. We learned to negotiate and arbitrate. We learned the kind of lessons more easily learned with adult influence absent from our games.”

– Kevin Hartzell dog” hog the puck. If on the other team, you knew you had to physically take the puck away from the hot dog. Being I didn’t care for the hot dog and knew this was no way to play the game, I tried my best to neutralize/eliminate them from a game that would only work at the playground if no one cared. I cared!

I am of the opinion that if you cared and competed, you developed. I developed pretty good defensive instincts, and I think this development came from my competitiveness to not allow the players who maybe thought they were better than me (and “hot dogs”), not allow them to score or make successful plays. I wanted to earn their respect and I wasn’t going to be easy to play against. And, I liked to win…every day in every conceivable game; be it 2-on-2, 4-on-4, games of show-down, etc.

Let’s not forget outdoor boot hockey.

I played hours and hours of boot hockey on Galtier Street in St. Paul. If just one other showed up, we would put the goals pretty close together and take turns trying to score and trying to defend. If we had an odd number of players, I always manipulated things to be on the team with one

less player. I wanted the odds against me.

Being at a disadvantage motivated me to work harder.

I have said for a long time, that Minnesota’s big hockey advantage is that our 10,000 lakes all freeze. We have “readymade” competitive outdoor arena all throughout our state. In the fall, I knew where the ponds were that would be first to freeze. When they did, it was hockey time.

We were the leaders, the organizers, the coach, players and referee. We learned to organize. We learned to negotiate and arbitrate. We learned the kind of lessons more easily learned with adult influence absent from our games.

I still recall as a young kid playing on McCarrons Lake. The ice had just formed, no snow at all yet, with the very middle of the lake still open. I recall a bad pass that went well towards the middle of the lake. Retrieving the puck looked dangerous to me. I wasn’t going to retrieve it. I waited near the middle of our little rink just a few dozen yards from shore… because I knew that eventually the puck had to come back to our playing area and I would be waiting for it in the best defen-

lessons from participating in youth sports.

Then, down the road, they will still love our game and hopefully be involved in some capacity as coaches, administrators, adult league players, and parents of players.

Player development focus As adults, it’s easy to spot which players may show more current ability, but our role is to look beyond that and focus on the process of developing all of the kids.

“You’re nowhere near complete [as a player] at the youth level,” said Jablonic.

“It’s our job to make sure we’re inspiring these players. They’re having fun, they’re learning, and they want to keep coming back to the rink.”

“We cringe at USA Hockey when we hear a 10U coach say, ‘I have my top six players or my top six forwards.’ You chose them at tryouts. We have to develop all of those players.”

Kids learn by playing so including them in games and providing them opportunities to play in all situations, especially at the youth levels, is critically important.

“If those other kids don’t get that opportunity, then you’re limiting your so-called talent pool for the future,” said Jablonic. “More importantly, you’re limiting the confidence, and the ability to play for that other player.”

“Player development takes patience and working towards the players’ goals on a daily basis. As a coach and organization, putting the athlete first is crucial to long term success.”

Not just 10U Ensuring all kids have the opportunity to play isn’t just for Mites/8U or Squirts/10U age levels either. Jablonic emphasizes that even up through high school, playing hockey is still a youth sport, and kids are developing so much that even at 16U or 18U, it’s hard to predict where kids will end up.

“That’s one thing we’ve learned from the Swedes and the Finns,” said Jablonic.

“They have equal playing time all the way up to essentially 15. That’s all the way through their organizations. Once they start getting to 15-16, then they kind of build in a little bit of those other specialized kind of things. Within that, they’re communicating with the players and the parents and setting those expectations of where we’re going to take you on this team. You may not play first line power play, but you’re going to do other roles or situations that you’re going to play.”

As players advance to those older age groups, communication between players and coaches takes on added importance.

Players may not be used in all the same situations anymore, but they need to still play regularly and feel they’re a valuable member of the team.

“If you’re taking away opportunities from kids at that age, who knows?” said Jablonic. “Maybe they’re not going to develop the right way? Or even worse, maybe they’re not going to play next season.”

“It only takes a little bit of work, a little bit of confidence, and belief from the coaches and the organization that those

sive position to defend our goal.

Years later I would tell this story as to where I got my belief that Olympic rinks (which were/are wider) were nothing special…no matter how wide the rink, even as wide as McCarrons Lake, all one needed to do defensively was wait in the middle of the rink and wait for your opponent to bring the puck back to you. There was no need to spread out one’s defenses. It was an early first lesson in the neutral zone trap as well as good patient defensive hockey. It is amazing what can be learned if you are actually thinking about how to win.

We can reminisce about old times and good times, and whether old times are just good times and whether we can answer questions on whether these old times were indeed “better” times. There are things I am sure of. I believe that the pretty solid defensive forward I became, I earned through years of various outdoor competitions. Trial and error. Trying to win. And ultimately learning what I learned through my own lens. That is the lens one applies during a “real” hockey game. My lens showed me that defending a goal is every bit as important as creating a goal, and I developed accordingly.

There are lots of advantages in today’s hockey world and the training that is available for today’s modern players.

While today’s modern players skate and shoot better than ever, I don’t think the vision and resulting hockey smarts needed to play the game has kept pace with the various physical improvements.

This kid (me) that is a product of the outdoor ponds and rinks of the inner city of St. Paul, made it to a United States Junior National team and eventually a Gopher captain. I received some good coaching along the way, a subject for another chapter in my Hockey Obit.

But what I knew, what I could see with my own eyes and apply in real time, is what I learned at Sylvan Playground and the various frozen surfaces and sidestreets around the inner city of St. Paul.

This outdoor training ground continues to be one of our best ways to allow our young people to develop while keeping adults out of the kid’s game. Not sure it is all being utilized like it could. Hockey Day in Minnesota is such a reminder that sometimes, many times, kids being kids, learn as much or more on their own without adult interference. kids can turn into hockey players.”

Set the standards With all of that said, Jablonic also recognizes there are other factors that should affect playing time so it may not always be equal necessarily.

“I get it if they’re not showing up to practice,” said Jablonic. “The message should be as long you buy into our core values as a program, we’re going to allow you to play and allow you experiences to develop. You’re going to make mistakes.

That’s the beauty of our game. We’re going to instill confidence and teach you how to do the right things.”

Other situations involving poor behavior, language or attitude may also affect playing time, but with those areas, the key is setting standards, communicating them and sticking to them.

“We have to make sure we’re communicating and having that discussion of what we stand for as an organization,” said Jablonic. “If you’re not doing it on a daily basis and communicating it to the parents, that’s where the difficulties come in because, when not communicating, that raises red flags for the players and the parents. Have those conversations with your teams, and it’s not just once a season.

These are on-going.”

“It’s so easy to have a blanket statement, but it’s one of those things where your actions speak louder than your words as an organization and as a coach.”

www.stateofhockey.com

Let’s Play Hockey

January 16, 2020

COACHES’ GOLDEN RULES CORNER

by JOHN RUSSO

7

for Nutrition

To maximize your growth, your strength, and your energy, you must have a Nutrition Plan. Your nutrition plan is a guide – you won’t be perfect – but the goal is to achieve it at least 90 percent of the time.

Appropriate nutrition will not improve your hockey skills, but without it you will not be as strong as you could be, nor as fast, and you will tire more quickly than your peers.

1. A quick and simple physiology lesson: a. Carbohydrates are the body’s main fuel for hockey activity. b. Protein is necessary for muscle growth and repair of muscles following work-outs and games. c. Fats provide energy storage and body insulation (~20% of diet). d. Vitamins and minerals are not made in the body and are only available in your diet. They are important factors in the body working correctly. If taking these as supplements, do not exceed RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance) of each vitamin or mineral unless told otherwise by a health professional.

2. Carbohydrates (whole grain breads and pasta, rice, cereals, fruits, vegetables, energy bars) should represent 60 percent of your daily nutrition intake.

Not enough carbohydrate results in reduced energy, inability to maintain high intensity activity, and muscle breakdown. Carbohydrates should be part of all meals and snacks.

3. A growing, exercising player needs 0.7-0.9 grams of protein per pound of weight per day (a 100 pound player needs 70-90 grams of protein/day). Calculate the amount of protein you need daily: Your weight in lbs. ______ times 0.7-0.9 = _____ grams of protein to eat on a daily basis.

4. Protein is not stored in the body. It must be available when the muscle needs it for growth and repair. It is best to distribute your daily protein intake over 4-5 servings per day. Eating excess protein is not helpful – extra protein is either changed into carbohydrate or eliminated from the body.

5. Protein from food sources (lean meat, fish, milk, eggs, Greek yogurt) is superior to protein supplements because food contains additional substances (vitamins, minerals, fiber) that promote overall health.

6. Eat breakfast. This is often the most important meal of the day. Focus on liquids, carbohydrates, and some protein for this meal. Breakfast can be a real meal (eggs, cereal, pancakes, smoothie, milk) or can be as little as an energy bar and a glass of juice as you run out the door.

7. In order for your body to function at its highest level, you must be well-hydrated. A good way to measure your hydration is to observe your urine.

Urine the color of diluted lemonade is ideal. Darker urine (yellow to orange), like the color of urine the first thing in the morning, suggests the need for more fluid.

8. Hydration before and after workouts and games: a. Pre-activity 1. 4-6 hours before = ideally a well balanced meal (60% Carbs, 20% protein, 20% fat) 2. 1-2 hours before = high carbohydrate, low to moderate protein, low (or nonfat) snack plus approximately 10 oz. water per 100 pounds of body weight b. Post-activity 1. 1st hour is very important: re-hydrate plus a high carbohydrate, moderate protein snack (2% chocolate milk or a sports drink accompanied with protein bar) 2. 1-2 hours after eat a balanced meal. c. During activities frequent water intake is usually sufficient.

9. Plan your daily eating of meals and snacks... a. around exercise activities (pre-activity, during activity, recovery after activity). b. to achieve CHO and protein goals. c. do not skip meals.

10. Eating meals with your family is encouraged because it provides a more balanced meal.

March 6-7, 2020 • St. Paul RiverCentre The largest consumer hockey show in the WORLD!

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January 16, 2020

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US Pond Hockey Championships Jan. 23-26

The US Pond Hockey Championships will take place next weekend Jan. 23-26 on Lake Nokomis in Minneapolis. More than 300 teams will participate in the 4-day event. The event is in it's 15th year. For more information go to www. uspondhockey.com.

kobesportswear.com

HAT TRICK/ PLAYMAKER WALL PLAYER/TEAM ISABELLA MCNEE Shakopee 10B2 KAMRYN KRISEK Shakopee 10B2 BRIAR ROULEAU Winona 12UB ADDISON BURNS Winona 10UB KENNEDY MALMBERG Shakopee 10B2 BRIELLE GOODNATURE Owatonna 10UB CAYLEE JO SACHS Tartan 10B KADEN JULIK Centennial Squirt A Centennial Squirt A JONAH LUNSETTER Thief River Falls Bantam A GABE WINTER Thief River Falls Bantam A BRANDON GROESS Cottage Grove Peewee B1 Cottage Grove Peewee B1

OPPONENT

DATE

G-A-PTS SCORE

Bloomington White 12/4/19

1-4-5

12-0

Bloomington White 12/4/19

0-4-4

12-0

Le Sueur

11/16/19

3-0-0

3-0

Faribault

11/30/19

1-3-4

6-1

Minnetonka White

12/7/19

0-4-4

6-1

Western Wisc. Stars 12/8/19

4-1-5

6-7

Blackcats

12/7/19

3-0-3

3-3

Sioux Falls Sartell

11/22/19 11/24/19

3-0-3 3-1-4

6-1 6-4

Fergus Falls

11/22/19

4-0-4

6-4

Fergus Falls

1/22/19

0-3-3

6-4

Rosemount La Crescent

12/14/19 12/15/19

3-0-3 3-0-3

9-1 9-2

Know a youth hockey player who scored three goals or three assists in one game? Let us know for a chance to win gear from Kobe Sportswear!

E-mail the following information to editor@letsplayhockey.com: Player’s name, team name, level of play, opponent, date of game, number of goals/assists, final score, mailing address.

Submitted hat tricks/playmakers from recent games are below.

The complete list will appear on stateofhockey.com.

PLAYER/TEAM

Two players each week will be randomly chosen to win gear from Kobe.

OPPONENT

DATE

CLAUDIA RAWITZER St. Paul/Roseville Red 12UB2 Stillwater Red 12/15/19 ADDY STEVENS Shakopee 10UB Minnetonka White 12/7/19 AVILA MILLER Shakopee 10UB2 New Prague 12/14/19 LILY ROLFER Andover 12UB Anoka 11/30/19 Andover 12UB Elk River 12/20/19 Andover 12UB Coon Rapids 12/28/19 MARCCUS ANTTILA Duluth East White Peewee B Superior 1/2/20 3-0-3 8-1 TREVOR JOUPPI Duluth East Peewee B Superior 1/2/20 1-3-4 8-1 LAYLA BLAIR Albert lea 10UB Minneapolis Purple 1/10/20 3-1-4 10-0 MAX ARLT Thief River FallsBantam A Edina 1/11/20 Thief River Falls Bantam A International Falls 1/11/20 TYSEN LOEFFLER Thief River Falls Bantam A Monticello 1/12/20 JOEY SYLVESTER Sibley Area Bantam AA Brainerd 1/11/20

G-A-PTS SCORE 3-0-3

3-6

4-0-4

6-1

4-1-5

7-1

3-0-3 3-0-3 3-0-3

3-0 6-0 5-0

3-0-3 3-1-4

3-3 5-1

2-4-6

7-1

3-2-5

7-5

www.stateofhockey.com

school, Coach Russ Welch – another inspirational coach who sported a furry mustache – awarded gray hockLike many Gopher hockey fans, ey caps to the fastest forward skater, I was saddened to hear of the passing the fastest backward skater, the most of Minnesota hockey legend improved skater, and the Doug Woog. Most people best shooter. Everyone remember him for his ties to clapped for the kids that the University of Minnesoreceived caps (I didn’t ta, first as an All-American get one). Then we headplayer, then as a head coach, ed back to the locker and later as a television rooms. sportscaster. But I rememWhile Mom was unber him as a dedicated youth lacing my skates, Coach hockey coach who taught Woog tapped her on the at skating schools and sumshoulder and asked if he mer camps and instructional could have a quick word leagues. And what I rememwith me. I had no idea ber most about Coach Woog why he wanted to speak is the cap he wore during the Coach Doug Woog to me. Was I in trouble? summer of 1981.

Did I knock over too passed away I was seven years old many cones? My heart Dec. 14, 2019 that summer. Ronald and raced in my chest. I tried Nancy Reagan lived in the to swallow but I couldn’t.

White House. Rubik’s cubes, Smurfs, Coach Woog sat down on the and BMX bikes were all the rage. And bench next to me and explained that the coolest place in Minnesota, in my he didn’t have any say in which playopinion, was Wakota ice arena, home ers received the caps – that had been of the South Saint Paul Packers, where Coach Welch’s job, but he had overI was enrolled in a hockey school looked the player with the most husheaded by coaches Art Miller and tle. Then Coach Woog doffed his cap Doug Woog. and donned it on my head. A perfect While I was standing in line, with fit. the other little Wayne Gretzky wanFlabbergasted, I stared at him nabes, waiting to skate down the ice, like a rabbit caught in headlights, my Coach Woog skated over to me and mouth open almost as wide as a hocksmiled. He wore glasses, leather hockey puck. ey skates, sweatpants, and a matching “Don’t you want to say sometop. He had dark hair and a gray basething to your coach,” Mom prompted. ball-style cap, with stitching on the vi“Thanks,” I said. sor. On the cap’s front panel were two “No need to thank me. You earned hockey sticks, crossed like the letter that hat. Now, go have Coach Phil sign X; ART MILLER was written on the it. He’s going to be famous one day.” top; DOUG WOOG, on the bottom; After I took off my equipment, HOCKEY SCHOOL, on one side; and Coach Phil Housley, a tall and lanky POWER SKATING on the other side. teenager, autographed my cap and told “Hey, Mike,” said Coach Woog, me to keep working on my backhand still smiling. “Do you know how trains shot. (He joined the Buffalo Sabres go fast?” two months later, and played in the I shrugged.

National Hockey League for the next “Pistons move the wheels. Here, twenty years.) hold your stick with one hand and I wore that cap proudly, and I move your arms like pistons.” wore it often. I wore it until it was He alternated pumping his arms, grimy and sweat-stained and coming as if jogging or boxing in place, and apart at the seams. when it was my turn to skate, I moved Since 2002, I have been following my arms back and forth like he had in the footsteps of the man for whom demonstrated. To my surprise, I skatWakota Arena was later renamed. I ed much faster. I was halfway between have been coaching youth hockey, the red line and the far blue line when first as a non-parent coach, and now I heard an approaching train whistle. as a coach for my son’s and daughter’s “Chu-chu,” said Coach Woog, as teams. I try to smile like Coach Woog he glided past me. “Now you’re chugsmiled. I try to be patient. I try to be ging.” positive. I try to explain the difference For two wonderful weeks, I skated between forechecking and backcheckforward and backwards, jumped over ing. And I try to make hockey fun for hockey sticks, raced around cones, the little Sidney Crosby and Kendall shot pucks into the net, and worked Coyne wannabes. on my inside and outside edges . From Even though Coach Woog’s cap time to time, I fell down on the ice. is long gone, it is still deep inside my Okay, to tell the truth, I fell down a heart. lot. But each time I fell, I got up again I wear it every time I step on the and skated even harder. And with each ice. drill, the coaches encouraged me to keep going, to keep trying, and to nevMichael DeBrule coaches hockey er be afraid of making mistakes. for the Bloomington Jefferson and the On the last day of the skating Bloomington Girls associations.

by MICHAEL DEBRULE

Let’s Play Hockey Contributor

9

Wild to host 16th annual Wild About Children Gala

Coach Woog’s cap

January 16, 2020

Let’s Play Hockey

SAINT PAUL, Minn. – The National Hockey League’s (NHL) Minnesota Wild will host Wild About Children, presented by West Bend, to benefit the Minnesota Wild Foundation and Children’s Minnesota at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 16, at Xcel Energy Center.

The Minnesota Wild Foundation’s mission is to grow the game of hockey and support pediatric medical related causes. The annual gala is its premiere fundraising event.

A portion of the funds raised will go to support Children’s Fetal Cardiology program. Since the first event in 2003, Wild About Children has raised over $2.3 million for charity with more than $1.5 million benefitting Children’s Minnesota.

The entire 2019-20 Minnesota Wild roster will serve as celebrity waiters and trade their jerseys for aprons to wait on the 400 guests expected to attend. During the event reception prior to dinner, guests will have the chance to enjoy a specialty cocktail mixed by your favorite Wild bartender, Zach Parise, enjoy fancy passed by Wild celebrity waiters, and peruse an amazing silent auction filled with unique sports memorabilia and other exciting packages. Guests will also have a chance to snap photos and get autographs from their favorite Wild players. The event program will be emceed by FOX Sports North’s Anthony LaPanta and Kevin Gorg.

Tickets for the gala are now available. Exclusive ticket upgrades are also available for this year’s event; the team is offering attendees unique options to attend small, pregala parties in some of the premium spaces at Xcel Energy Center with Wild celebrities.

For more information on the Wild About Children event, including pricing and package details, visit wild.com/wac.

The Minnesota Wild Foundation exists to support the game of hockey and improve the lives of families in the State of Hockey. With support from Wild players, fans and donors, the Minnesota Wild Foundation supports pediatric medical causes, serves as the largest non-member funding source for Minnesota Hockey, and provides fundraising opportunities for youth hockey associations across the state.

Since its inception in 2009, the Wild Foundation has distributed more than $4 million in grants to hockey organizations and children’s medical related charities and has dispersed over $2 million to local charities through its Split the Pot Raffle program. Together we create a Greater State of Hockey.

For more information and to make a donation visit www.wild.com/ foundation, email mnwildfoundation@ wild.com or call 651-602-6000.

Follow the Minnesota Wild Foundation on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

2020

CARROLL GOALIE SCHOOL success between the pipes

Improves skills, confidence, consistency and game performance Four programs: Intro to Goaltending, Intermediate Skills, Tryout Tune-up, Advanced Skills

NEW IMPR AND OV DRIL ED LS!

Weekend sessions, June-Sept.

www.stateofhockey.com Follow Let’s PlayHockey on Twitter @LetsPlay_ Hockey

‘Like’ Let’s Play Hockey on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ letsplayhockey

Boys, girls, ages 6-15 Five Twin Cities locations (Blaine, Eagan, Edina, Richfield, St. Michael-Albertville) /carrollgs

@carrollgoalieschool register online

carrollgs.com 612-703-2449

26th annual s p o n s o r e d by

Brian’s Custom Sports

10

January 16, 2020

Let’s Play Hockey

Raising a rink rat

Courtesy of Minnesota Hockey

Your kid might be a rink rat when …In the winter, they are at the outdoor rink so often, you only see them when they come home for supper before they head back for a nighttime skate. ...The sound of stickhandling in the basement has become soothing background noise. ...You’ve considered buying your own skate sharpener. ...Your life sometimes feels like a Terrence Fogarty painting.

What are some things parents do to foster their children’s love and passion for the sport? How do kids become rink rats?

Take it outside Minnesota is still a haven for outdoor hockey, but that tradition must be passed on. If you haven’t already, scope out the nearby parks and ponds, layer up the kids, have them call friends, and drop them off for some shinny hockey. All ages and skill levels are welcome with open arms on Minnesota’s outdoor rinks.

These are where skills are developed, creativity shines, and friendships bloom – just ask Pat Micheletti.

“My linemates since Squirts were the Hooper twins (Gary and Greg Hooper). We were the best line in the state. Honestly, the three of us must have skated together on the outdoor ice every day. We’d skate outside from morning until night,” Micheletti said. “When we got cold we just went inside for a bit, warmed up, had some hot cocoa, and went right back onto the ice. That’s how you got better. That’s how I got better!”

A special stick tap to all of the backyard rink operators who enable

their kids to experience this tradition right off their back step!

A carpool coordinator There are some kids who would spend all day, every day on the outdoor rink, whether they’re the only one out there or it’s filled with people. For many kids though, playing the game of hockey is only one component of the fun they have on the ice.

Next time your player is interested in heading to the local outdoor rink, invite the rest of his or her team and offer to carpool to the rink. The extra players will enhance the fun for everyone Create a stickhandling/shooting area It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, but an area in the basement or in the garage/driveway for kids is huge. This gives them the freedom and space to practice on their own, without pressure or direction from anyone else. It gives the athlete autonomy and an opportunity to take responsibility for their own development.

Here are a few ideas to help create a shooting/stickhandling space: • Hang up a tarp with a spraypainted net • Lay down a smooth surface for stickhandling/shooting • Collect a bucket of pucks and some golf/tennis balls • Leave out a mirror for them to work on keeping their head up • Put out a heater or fan to control the temperature • Speakers for music or a TV to watch the game and stream highlight reel plays If they’re looking for drill ideas, here are some off-ice stickhandling videos from USA Hockey: https://www. usahockey.com/stickhandling.

Find inspiration No one can deny kids today have more things competing for their attention than ever before. One thing that hasn’t changed though is kids’ imaginations are captured by special experiences that have the power to impact their behavior for days and weeks to come.

So if you’re hoping your son or daughter will fall in love with the game of hockey, providing them opportunities

www.stateofhockey.com

to experience events like Hockey Day Minnesota this weekend, the State High School Hockey Tournament, or many other examples may provide the moment of awe that hooks them on the game for life.

Ultimately, being a rink rat has to be each individual’s choice, but these four steps can expose them to how much fun it can really be.

Shakopee Lions 7th Annual

POND HOCKEY

TOURNAMENT Saturday, February 8 8am-4pm

Jackson Township Hall 1091 130th St W, Shakopee, MN

•Ice golf •Live music, •Beverages •Grill food • Teams with 4-8 players and must be at least 18 years old. Individuals are allowed and will be put on a team.

• 2 Brackets - Gold (competitive) and Silver (recreational) • Cost: $300 per team or $40 per individual.

All proceeds are donated locally to those in need.

• 1st Place Prizes: Winners receive their team name engraved on a traveling trophy.

All players and others in attendance are entered into a drawing and have a chance to win a trip for 2 to Las Vegas (valued at $800) and other cash prizes.

Register online: www.shakopeelionsclub.org or contact Perry Mulcrone at 952-457-6692 (email: pmulcrone14@gmail.com)or Tom Wood at 612-867-6281 (email: tom.stokely.wood@gmail.com)

www.stateofhockey.com

January 16, 2020

Let’s Play Hockey

11

Pond play develops Intrinsic Motivation

by JACK BLATHERWICK

Let’s Play Hockey Columnist

Our game has changed a lot in seventy years. Today, at every age, it is played by bigger, faster, stronger players. I’d add “more skillful players,” considering the assistance to children, shooting and passing with lighter, more flexible composite sticks.

However, the game is not played more skillfully than it was in the 1950s, when it was all about controlling the puck through the neutral zone and making plays with teammates on the fly.

Today, especially in the playoffs, it is, “Dump-and-Chase. Avoid turnovers.

No mistakes.” Yet, these are super-fast, wonderfully skilled players. We like to call it a kids’ game, but adults, not kids invented Dump-Chase hockey, and it wasn’t born on the Pond.

Why the change over time? Defensemen can all skate today – really skate. They maintain “in-your-face” tight gaps, while their forwards add relentless back-pressure in highly structured neutral zone “systems,” making it extremely hard to make plays at the offensive blue line.

The major wrench in our attempts to produce skillful hockey is this: COACHES DO NOT TOLERATE TURNOVERS AT ANY AGE not just in college and NHL hockey. Young players are not allowed to try any play that might possibly lead to a turnover. “Keep it simple.” Don’t experiment with eastwest movement, indirect pass-plays, drop-passes. “Get the puck deep.”

Even at the PeeWee level, coaches are determined to orchestrate mistake-free game plans, because this is what they learn from every college and NHL broadcast. But, if trial-and-error is eliminated from the learning process, how do children grow into brilliant playmakers like those that dazzled Gopher and Olympic fans in the 1950s – linemates John Mayasich, Dick Daughtery

“The Pond is all about intrinsic motivation: cool hockey moves, skating magically fast, creative playmaking, shots to the top shelf. External motivation is absent: trophies, league standings, individual awards, scoring stats, public recognition, even parental cheering and advice.”

– Jack Blatherwick

POND PHOTO SUBMITTED BY THE JACKSON FAMILY, VICTORIA, MINN.

and Gene Campbell? Or – at the NHL level – Stan Mikita and Bobby Hull; Alex Delvecchio and Gordie Howe?

All the top lines in the NHL made plays on the attack.

It doesn’t matter that youth teams practice skills by the hour – carrying the puck around cones, executing toe drags and spin-o-ramas, shooting in comfortable situations. If those skills are not honed in the chaos of competition, they will not produce skillful American hockey. By definition, a “Skillful player” makes the right move at the right instant to meet the unpredictable obstacles of competition.

How is this learned? Every skillful player in history learned it on the pond.

There were no adults to talk about mistakes – no sermons about turnovers.

There is no such thing as failure in Pond

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Hockey, and research in neuro-science tells us that FUN is important in the learning process.

The Pond is all about intrinsic motivation: cool hockey moves, skating magically fast, creative playmaking, shots to the top shelf. External motivation is absent: trophies, league standings, individual awards, scoring stats, public recognition, even parental cheering and advice.

The Pond does not need to be outside. To qualify as “Pond Hockey,” trial-and-error must be encouraged. For

example, Roseau, Warroad and other northern towns, built additions to their main arenas for “Pickup hockey.” Free for all kids. In the Twin Cities and suburbs, several down-sized ice sheets in smaller buildings provide low-stakes competition – for a fee, of course.

USA Hockey, the NHL, and mega-donors should consider inexpensive, smaller ice arenas around the country to promote hockey that is free of adult fear of mistakes – hockey like the 1950s.

SPRING CHECKING CLINIC ARCH 16-18

2 sessions - 5:30 or 7:00 be ready for the next level - master the physical side of hockey

Watch as the Lino Lakes Police Officers and Fire Fighters square off on the ice during this action packed event.

A FREE family-friendly event!

PROCEEDS SUPPORT

FEB. 27th 6:00PM - 9:00PM BLAINE SUPER RINK FEATURING NHL PLAYERS

Jamie McBain

Back for its 4th year, the Lino Lakes Public Safety is putting on their annual Guns-NHoses Hockey Game to benefit the Invisible Wounds Project. This game features local police personnel against fire personnel in a battle for the coveted bragging rights!

There is no cost to attend the game, but there will be plenty of opportunities to make donations to the cause! The Invisible Wounds Project is a local 501(c)(3) whose mission is to bring awareness and provide mental health services for veterans, first responders and their families struggling with PTSD, mental health and suicide.

TO LEARN MORE OR TO ORDER YOUR GUNS-N-HOSES APPAREL GO TO...

linolakes.us/police

Drew Stafford

OR

linolakes.us/fire

Minnesota Made Ice Center |

7300 Bush Lake Road |

information & registration @

Edina, MN

www.mnmadehockeytraining.com

12

January 16, 2020

Let’s Play Hockey

www.stateofhockey.com

Ness: Upper body positioning

By always focusing on what our lower body is doing when we skate we sometimes forget about our upper body. A skater’s upper body is so crucial when talking about skating in general.

Whether moving forward or backward or moving laterally, your upper body and stick positioning will either help or hinder how efficiently you can move.

When teaching skating, we always use the analogy of riding a bike. In order to turn you would need to turn your handle bars and lean in the direction you would like to go. The same principals would go for skating. You would rotate your stick, shoulders, MN Wild Skating & Skills Instructor head, and then lean on your edges. We try to keep the movements as simple and as efficient as possible. Next time you are on the ice you can try this.

You can take a couple of strides, glide forward, and turn your shoulders. Once your shoulders rotate you will notice the rest of your body will easily follow behind. The difficulty comes when young skaters try to turn left and their shoulders are facing right. The turn then becomes extremely difficult to execute when you have one part of your body going in one direction and one part going in the opposite direction.

When looking at stick positioning you can look at the photos of New Jersey Devil’s forward Travis Zajac. It is important to notice on the photos where his stick is when going to his forehand as opposed to going to his backhand.

Notice the common theme is still that his trunk is rotated. Also, notice that he is not in a “puck protection position”.

He is skating without a puck (as skaters typically skate without the puck the majority of their shift) which makes the upper body rotation that much more important.

You will notice in the third and fourth photos that Andy is performing a power turn. Again, notice how the

Andy Ness

Notice Tarvis Zajac’s stick position when going to his forehand and then going to his backhand. Keep in mind he is skating wihtout the puck. stick, shoulders, and head are rotated.

Remember, when you are turning you are going to look where you are going and not where you currently are. This would be important to remember on all turns, crossovers, or anything done laterally.

If you look to the ice your taking, you

can see what’s in front of you, especially if it’s a defenseman ready to lay a body check. That’s definitely something you want to see coming.

I will also be discussing upper body movement in conjunction with a forward stride and backward skating in future

5

AT I O N

PHOTOS BY NICK WOSIKA)

Again, notice how the stick, shoulders and head are rotated. Remember, when you are turning you are going to look where you are going and not where you currently are.

L OC

S

S

L OC

$ OFF

article, so stay tuned. Remember that stick and upper body positioning will greatly either help or hinder a skater’s balance. Skating 101 makes it very simple – rotate the body in the direction you are going and you will be in good shape.

AT I O N

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A SLICE OF THE

1954

‘Like’ Let’s Play Hockey on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ letsplayhockey

Follow Let’s Play Hockey on Twitter @LetsPlay_Hockey

www.stateofhockey.com

Let’s Play Hockey

January 16, 2020

2020 SUMMER

AAA TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

APRIL 3-5

EARLY TRAILBLAZER AAA Boys 2005 - Boys 2012 Girls U10 and U12

APRIL 17-19

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U16 Boys, Boys 2005-2012 Girls U8 - U14

APRIL 24-26

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MAY 1-3

MAY 8-10

SPRING STAMPEDE AAA Boys 2005 - Boys 2012 Girls U10 and U12

MAY 15-17

MIDWEST ICEBREAKER EARLY TRAILBLAZER ALEXANDRIA, MN AAA Girls U10 - Girls U14

U16 Boys, Boys 2005-2012 Girls U8 - U14

AUGUST 7-9

SUMMER ROUND-UP ALEXANDRIA, MN Boys 2008 - Boys 2010

AUGUST 14-16

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ALL TOURNAMENTS WILL INCLUDE: • 4 game minimum • 3, 15-minute stop time periods • Individual medals in each division for Champions, 2nd place and 3rd place • Tournaments will have a playoff round • On site Director & EMT at every arena • Excellent facilities and local accommodations • Online stats, schedules, box scores and standings

REGISTRATION IS OPEN! Go to www.mphtournaments.com for more information and to view our tournament information video

Midwest Hockey Program

(763) 225-7320 • dan@midwesthockey.net

13

14

January 16, 2020

Let’s Play Hockey

www.stateofhockey.com

NORDY’S BIRTHDAY TICKET PACK MON, JAN 20 • 7:00 PM

PACKAGE INCLUDES: PRE-GAME PARTY WITH NORDY AND HIS NHL FRIENDS BIRTHDAY CAKE, FACE PAINTING, CRAZY HAIR, BALLOON ANIMALS

WILD.COM/BIRTHDAY

LADIES NIGHT PRESENTED BY JACK DANIEL’S

WED, JAN 22 • 7:00 PM

INCLUDES TWO (2) COMPLIMENTARY DRINK TICKETS, A WINE AND WHISKEY TASTING, AND A $20 HOCKEY LODGE GIFT CARD

WILD.COM/LADIESNIGHT

GAMES AND PRIZES FOR THE KIDS

www.stateofhockey.com

Let’s Play Hockey

January 16, 2020

15

Pure Hockey becomes a Super Rink sponsor with help from local hockey family

by ISAIAH NEAL

National Sports Center

When visitors walk up the stairs of the National Sports Center’s Super Rink, a black and white Pure Hockey logo appears on the staircase that leads to an overlook of rinks one through four. Outside the rink, the addition of a newly hung decal greets those coming to skating sessions, games and practice.

This year, Pure Hockey became a sponsor of the Super Rink, reminding everyone that Pure Hockey, the #1 hockey retailer in the United States, is committed to serving the state of hockey and that the Super Rink is the perfect place to indulge in ice sports.

It seems like it was a no-brainer for Pure Hockey to become a sponsor of the Super Rink, a facility that draws more than 2.1 million visitors per year.

Both Pure Hockey and the NSC Super Rink implement ice hockey incentive programs that introduce young people to the sport. Pure Hockey’s Little Wild Learn to Play Program gears up Minnesota children with all the required hockey equipment, includes four skating sessions and a ticket to a Minnesota Wild game. The Super Rink, similarly, works to introduce young people to ice skating through the Learn to Skate program that offers classes slotted for halfhour skating lessons with professional instructors who have expertise and extensive backgrounds in ice skating.

David Nectow, co-owner and president of Pure Hockey, saw the love his son had for the sport and decided to open his first store in 1994 in Charleston, Massachusetts. Nectow’s business has now flourished into one of the largest ice hockey retailers in the country and

continues to grow.

One of Nectow’s newest retail stores happens to be located less than three blocks away from the Super Rink in a space that previously housed a different hockey store called Hockey Central. Hockey Central was owned by Blaine residents and National Sports Center employees Mike and Kathy Brodzinski until Pure Hockey acquired it this year. The Brodzinskis had been running Hockey Central for 13 years before the remodel took place, and Mike continues managing the store for Pure Hockey today.

“Pure Hockey is extremely happy and fortunate to be partners with the National Sports Center in Blaine. We watched the incredible activity at the Super Rink from afar for the past several years, and we’re very lucky to have met Mike Brodzinski, who had built up a

OFFICIALLY SPEAKING: Minutes count

Look, I know no one reads scorekeeper comes barreling this column to improve their out of the lobby and attempts knowledge of officiating. to ostracize me for starting the Rather, this space in Let’s clock.

Play Hockey really functions “Game doesn’t start till as a resource for discerning the 8:05,” she barks. “Stop touchreal lessons in life. You know, ing the clock.” like ensuring pre-game knowl“Let me explain someOfficially edge of the rink’s back door for thing to you,” I retort. The personal safety or polishing up SPEAKING rules require teams to be preby MARK on one’s debating skills for that pared up to fifteen minutes LICHTENFELD early.” next midnight encounter with beer league reform school dropShe’s scowling. Upset at out. me, but too embarrassed to So parents, be sure to clip this colstart chomping into her pizza that she umn’s topic for your offspring’s current scurried for between games. Like that’s lesson in negotiating 21st Century Amermy problem. ica.

“Further, here’s a lesson to take Time. They’re not making more of with you if you want to succeed in life,” it.

I continue.

That’s right. Just like land, there’s “If you’re on-time, you’re already only a finite amount of time in a single late.” lifespan.

She’s staring, but speechless.

I bring this up because of an inci“You see, it’s five minutes before dent that happened in last weekend’s puck drop and the officiating crew was tournament game. Specifically, the apready, the parents’ were anxious, the plication of tournament rules allowing a players were restless, and nobody wantgame to start up to fifteen minutes early. ed to wait for you to locate a pizza beHere’s what happened. We’re dotween ice slots.” ing a four-official, U18 AA quarter-final No way she got it. But you readers scheduled for 8:05 and the ice is ready do. Success in life often correlates with at 7:50. At 7:57, the entire officiating appropriate time management. Being crew skates out, awaiting the entrance prepared early is one way to guarantee a of teams. At 8:00, there’s still no skaters lifetime of success. out there and the scorekeeper’s nowhere It’s all about discipline. Organizato be found, so as one of the two guys tion. Like getting to the rink early and with orange stripes, I glide over to the finishing your task promptly. scorer’s table and buzz the horn to anMinutes count. And they’re not nounce that we’re ready. making more of them.

Immediately, the teams come to the Questions and comments can be ice and begin the warm up. sent to editor@letsplayhockey.com, via Two minutes later, the teenage Twitter @OSpeaking or through the Let’s Play Hockey Facebook page.

great business across the street. The timing couldn’t have been better for the both of us,” Mentioned Nectow. “We’ve been extraordinarily impressed with everyone we’ve worked with at the NSC and are looking forward to a long-term partnership.”

Mike was okay with the transition of his store to Pure Hockey. He still has loyal Hockey Central customers that now shop at Pure Hockey, and inventory has never been higher.

In addition to managing Pure Hockey, Mike also runs a popular hockey program called the Brodzinski Shooting School. The school teaches proper shooting and stick-handling skills.

If the Brodzinski name sounds familiar, it’s because the family has been a part of the Minnesota hockey community for almost 50 years now.

Kathy grew up in Blaine her entire life and works as the office administrator at the Super Rink. All four of Mike and Kathy’s kids have graduated through the Blaine Youth Hockey Association and were put to work at the hockey store.

In fact, the Brodzinski’s impact on hockey runs deep. Mike remembers carrying the bricks alongside his dad and brothers that eventually built Fogerty Arena, Blaine’s first hockey arena.

Keeping the Brodzinski name associated with the new Pure Hockey store is vital to David Nectow. One of the most important parts of the Pure Hockey and Super Rink deal was that Mike agreed to stay on as store manager and become a part of the Pure Hockey team.

The hockey season never stops for most Pure Hockey customers, and having a hockey store so close to the Super Rink has proved to be more than convenient over the years. Players who stay in the dorms at the NSC can walk across the street to the store to shop in between time spent at the rink.

Both Pure Hockey and the Super Rink aim to grow the game of hockey.

The next time you’re at the Super Rink, stop by Pure Hockey Blaine where you’ll most likely be greeted by Mike Brodzinski, who continues to equip hockey players from head to toe.

(In addition to Michael and Easton, Mike and Kathy have two other sons, Johnny and Bryce. Johnny plays in the NHL for the San Jose Sharks, and Bryce, the youngest of four brothers, was recently named the 35th annual Mr. Hockey Award winner, plays for the University of Minnesota and was drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers).

Minnesota Wild grants State of Hockey Legacy Award posthumously to Doug Woog SAINT PAUL, Minn. – The Minnesota Wild, in partnership with Minnesota Hockey and FOX Sports North, announced that Doug Woog is the posthumous recipient of the 2019-20 State of Hockey Legacy Award.

“Doug is a true Minnesota hockey treasure and we are proud to recognize him for nearly 50 years of dedication and service in the State of Hockey,” said Minnesota Wild Owner Craig Leipold.

Woog was born and raised in South Saint Paul, Minn., and graduated from South St. Paul High School in 1962.

He played in four Minnesota State High School Hockey Tournaments and earned all-state hockey honors three consecutive years. Woog went on to attend the University of Minnesota to play under John Mariucci, leading the team in scoring and earning All-American honors his junior year (1965), and captaining the Gophers his senior year.

Following graduation, he played for the U.S. National Team at the 1967 International Ice Hockey Federation Men’s World Championship and was a candidate for the 1968 U.S. Olympic Team.

Woog began his coaching career with the Minnesota Junior Stars in 1971 and helped lead the team to two Junior National titles in six seasons. He served as the boys’ hockey head coach for South St. Paul High School for six seasons beginning in 1977, helping the team win two conference titles and advance to four state tournaments. Woog also served in various coaching positions on many U.S. National Teams from 1978-1989. In 1985, he became the

head coach of the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers ice hockey team.

During his 14-season tenure he led the Gophers to 12 consecutive NCAA tournament appearances, six NCAA Final Four appearances, four regular-season conference championships and three conference playoff titles and coached Hobey Baker Award winners Robb Stauber (1988) and Brian Bonin (1996).

Following his retirement in 1999, Woog was inducted into the United State Hockey Hall of Fame in 2002.

The State of Hockey Legacy Award, presented by the Wild, Minnesota Hockey and FOX Sports North, recognizes individuals who have made extraordinary and long-term contributions to hockey in Minnesota. Past recipients are Larry Hendrickson (2019), Bob Naegele, Jr. (2018), Walter L. Bush, Jr. (2016), Bob O’Connor (2015), Lou Nanne (2014), Glen Sonmor (2012), Neal Broten (2011) and Lou Cotroneo (2010).

The Woog family will be presented with the State of Hockey Legacy Award during the second intermission of the Minnesota Wild game vs. the Dallas Stars on Saturday, Jan. 18.

Saturday’s game, presented by Wells Fargo, begins at 8 p.m. CT on FOX Sports North and KFAN 100.3 FM. Visit www.wild.com/pressbox for the latest news and information from the team including press releases, game notes, postgame multimedia and game day statistics.

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January 16, 2020

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USPHL.com

@USPHL

USPHL

NOTEBOOK A look at the USPHL’s Midwest West Division

by JOSHUA BOYD

USPHL.com

The stretch drive towards the end of the season in February is fully on for the nine Midwest West teams. Eight teams will make the playoffs, so one team will see an earlier end to its season than hoped for.

Four teams will be lucky enough to host at least one playoff round at their home rink, so with about five weeks left, there is a lot on the line.

Here, we take a look at where each team was as of Jan. 15, and the key matchups for each as they approach the stretch drive.

1) Hudson Havoc At 28-5-1-0, the Havoc’s 57 points give them a nine-point lead for first place in the Division. After a loss to the Southeast Division’s Charlotte Rush to open the 2020 portion of their season, the Havoc have won five in a row. The biggest matchup right now is coming at the end of January and start of February, a Jan. 31-Feb. 1 weekend against the Wisconsin Rapids Riverkings who are in hot pursuit and, like the Havoc, have only lost once in regulation over their last 10 games.

2) Wisconsin Rapids Riverkings With 48 points, the Riverkings are both chasing (the Havoc) and being chased (by the Rum River Mallards). They have a six-point lead on the Mallards, who play in Isanti, Minn. The Riverkings are most likely going to be able to secure at least home ice, but the four teams just below in the standings are all hankering for a chance at opening on home ice.

Along with the Riverkings’ weekend against the Havoc, they also face the Mallards on Feb. 15-16.

3) Rum River Mallards Checking in with 41 points, the Mallards are currently neck and neck with the Minnesota Mullets (40) for third place. In this race for home ice, the Mallards – led by new head coach Tristan Jensen, a midseason hire – have the second place River-

kings in their sights on Feb. 15-16, but are also going to have to face the Mullets one more time, as well as two other teams in the home ice race – the Minnesota Moose and Minnesota Blue Ox, twice apiece.

4) Minnesota Mullets The Twin Cities-based team was standing in fourth at 40 points as the middle weekend of January was about to get underway. Chris Walby’s team has league leaders and Midwest Players Of The Month up and down its roster, so they have the horses to potentially overtake the Mallards for third place and second place is not mathematically out of the question either.

Their Feb. 9 game against the Mallards is a huge one right now, but a lot could change before then, especially as they face teams three and four points behind them multiple times as well.

5) Minnesota Moose The two-time defending Division champions out of Blaine haven’t had it quite so easy this year. At 37 points, they are technically still in mathematical contention for first place, though that would take a lot of wins on their part and losses from other teams ahead of them. One thing they can certainly control is their own destiny and push for home ice at the very least.

Over three days (Jan. 17, 18 and 20), they will face the Mullets first for two games and then the Mallards, so their push towards home ice begins right now.

6) Minnesota Blue Ox At 36 points, the Coon Rapids-based Blue Ox are certainly in that crowded home ice mix, but they have an extremely tough road. They play only three games out of their final 11 against teams lower in the standings. They have two weekend series of four games total against the Riverkings – beginning with Jan. 19-20 – and they also face the Mullets and Havoc once apiece.

7) Steele County Blades Though not mathematically out of the equation for home ice as of Jan. 15, the Blades’ immediate concern is making the playoffs and working towards their best possible first round matchup, hoping for

PHOTO BY STEPHEN SPENCER / ACTION PHOTOGRAPHY

C.J. Hoyt and the Rum River Mallards traveled to Massachusetts for inter-divisional play against Eastern USPHL teams at the USPHL Winter Showcase, held from Jan. 3-6. fifth place if home ice possibilities vanish.

With 19 points, they are not yet solidified for a playoff spot, but they also have a relatively healthy lead on the ninth, non-playoff spot. Two of their next three games are against the Havoc, a team that blistered them earlier in the season, but the two teams had a closer 5-1 battle the last time they met.

Teams still ahead on the schedule that the Blades have beaten this season include the Mullets (Jan. 19, Feb. 8), Blue Ox (Jan. 31) and Riverkings (Feb. 21-22).

8) Dells Ducks The Ducks, with 16 points, cannot host a playoff round even if they were to win all of their final nine games. They are within striking distance of bypassing the Blades and making that team sweat it out at eighth, rather than the Ducks currently standing in the final playoff position.

The Ducks have the majority of their

remaining games against that crowd looking to lock up home ice, including four straight between Feb. 7 and 22 against the Moose. They can also gain distance on the ninth-place Rochester Vipers in a Jan. 31Feb. 1 series.

9) Rochester Vipers The Vipers stand with 10 points on the season and are in the fight for their playoff lives at this point. Every loss could be another roadblock preventing them from eighth place, which was six points away as of Jan. 15. In division play this year, the Vipers have only beaten the Blue Ox, Blades and Ducks once apiece.

Except for Jan. 31 through Feb. 7 when they face the Blades and Ducks (twice), all of their other games are against the Riverkings, well situated at second, or teams in the crowded third through sixth place pack, all hungry for two available home ice spots.

Hudson Havoc see two players commit to Chatham University

by JOSHUA BOYD

USPHL.com

The Hudson Havoc enjoyed some big news right off of their 3-1 performance at the USPHL Winter Showcase in Massachusetts.

Right after their return to Wisconsin, the Havoc announced that Evan Mitchell and Max Wigfield both committed to Chatham University in Pittsburgh, Pa. Mitchell, an ‘01 out of Liberty Township, Ohio, is the Havoc’s leading scorer with 16 goals and 45 points in 32 games played this season.

Wigfield, a ‘99 from Oak Park, Ill., has 20 goals and 37 points in 31 games in his second year with the Havoc. Overall, in two years with the team, he has scored 77 points in 71 contests.

The commitment to Chatham by Mitchell should come as no surprise to those close to him, as he had visited Chatham twice before making his commitment.

“I loved the school immediately.

It’s a great campus with a great location close to Pittsburgh,” Mitchell said. “Meeting Coach [Michael] Callan and Coach [Kane] Elliot was great, as they showed me around the campus and facilities.

“Getting to talk about the hockey program, as well as the education Chatham

provides, was a huge reason in deciding to commit,” Mitchell added. “I got to meet some of the guys on the team, and they talked to me about the season and the school.”

“I’m extremely excited to attend Chatham University,” added Wigfield. “I loved the campus and the city of Pittsburgh has many great things to offer. Coach Callan and Coach Elliot are building something special at Chatham and I am very excited to be a part of it.”

Both certainly felt deeply indebted to the Havoc for getting them to this point in their career, ahead of a pair of NCAA Division 3 careers, but not before praising

those who have been there since Day 1 – their families.

“Thank you to my family for always supporting me and making this opportunity possible for me,” said Wigfield.

“Thank you to all my former coaches and teammates, I wouldn’t be the player I am today without you.

Thanks to Coach [Brett] Wall and Coach [Ryan] Davis as well as the entire Hudson Havoc organization for helping me reach this goal of mine.

“Playing in Hudson has been the best Junior Hockey experience I could have asked for and I’m thankful for all the hard work and dedication that Coach Wall has given us as Havoc players,” added Wigfield.

Mitchell was equally grateful to those behind him from Day 1.

“I’m truly grateful for everyone who has helped me get to this point in my life and my hockey career,” added Mitchell.

“My family, especially these last two years

in Hudson, have always shown tremendous support, and have always been there for me when I need it most, whether it be hockey or in the classroom. My billet family has also been a great support system, as they welcomed me into their home, and have treated me as family during my time in Hudson.

“Also, I would like to thank Brett Wall and Ryan Davis for the past two years as well, as they coached and prepared me to be ready for the next level, as well as to perform at a high level during my junior career,” Mitchell added. “Also, I would like to thank my teammates for consistently pushing me to become better each and every day during practice and games.

“The past two years in Hudson have been amazing, as the community is very supportive of the team. The players have gotten the chance to help in the community, such as skating with the youth teams, which has been fun,” added Mitchell. “I’m just so grateful that I was able to come to an amazing place to follow and continue my dream of playing hockey, as well as furthering my education.”

He and Wigfield won’t be leaving the Hudson family behind entirely.

“I also got to talk with my former teammate Ben Lamm, who is a freshman at Chatham,” added Mitchell. “Knowing that I’ll be playing with him again going into the 2021-22 season is exciting.”

www.stateofhockey.com

Let’s Play Hockey

January 16, 2020

KEEPING IT FRESH

17

Successful coaches are always learning

John Harrington Minnesota State-Mankato

Brad Frost University of Minnesota

Maura Crowell University of Minnesota-Duluth

Jim Scanlan Bemidji State University

by SUSAN RENNIS MCPHERSON and

MARY LYNN MCPHERSON

Let’s Play Hockey Contributers

there is an area we can improve on.”

For other coaches, using the off-season as “an ever evolving process throughout the off-season months, culminating in certain action items that as a coaching staff you believe may improve on equipping your athletes to perform to the best of their abilities.”

Steve Macdonald noted that he reviews his own performance and, “Who am I being as a coach to enable my players to be successful?”

Maura Crowell and her staff read books, listen to podcasts and attend seminars and conventions as well as brainstorm with each other and the players.

Brainstorming and “thinking outside of the box” was a common, ongoing, year-long practice among all of the coaches that we interviewed. Brad Frost noted that, “As a staff, the brainstorming never stops. It is important for us to work collaboratively and be on the same page.”

Coach Crowell and her staff actually try to “get off campus every year to brainstorm ideas for the upcoming team and season. We like to get away from the rink for this so that we spend quality time solely focused on this specific task without distractions.”

Professional development conferences, coaching clinics and camps also provide arenas for coaches to discover new ideas.

Coach Scanlan has found that getting “together with friends who are also coaching at this level” and “talking hockey” is part of his brainstorming process.

As contributors for LPH, we often spend time at the end of the season trying to think creatively about the upcoming season. The coaches we interviewed were no different. Several of the coaches interviewed noted that spending time at camps with other coaches allows them to learn from others and creatively adapt

those ideas into concepts that fit with their team approach.

Coach Harrington noted that, “In the course of attending hockey clinics, camps, and conferences over the years, and discussing hockey with other coaches, that I have been able to take some of the ideas and concepts that have been used, and combine some of those various details to develop my own system for my teams.”

Coach Crowell has found that the time she spends with USA Hockey during the summer allows her to learn from other coaches and experts, which “is a great way to continue to improve myself as a coach and a person.”

Asking questions and having a “lifelong learning” approach has also been helpful in supporting creative thinking.

For Minnesota’s Brad Frost, inspiration and creativity comes from a slightly different avenue which involves seeing an idea “at another level or seeing something in a game or practice that you think might work. We try it and see what becomes of it.”

Having a trusted colleague with whom you can discuss ideas or problem-solve difficult situations is a part of many professions. Coach Crowell works closely with her coaching staff, as well as her fellow U18 coaches throughout the year. “We are constantly talking about strategy and development as it pertains to the U18 program, but also in general.”

Coach Harrington, who played on the 1980 Miracle team for Herb Brooks, developed a collegial relationship that was helpful to him in his early days of coaching. “Herb was very helpful to me.

I could call him and run my thoughts by him, or ask him specific questions about coaching, and he was very helpful in giving his opinion. What I most appreciated about these conversations was that Herb always stressed to me to have confidence

in my coaching style and delivery, and to have conviction in my ideas.”

Coach Scanlan depends on his “assistant coaches for sure but I also like to bounce ideas off of our Men’s team staff. Tom Serratore, Travis Winter and Eddie Olczhy are always willing to discuss drills, systems, concepts and offer suggestions. We have a great working relationship.”

Steve Macdonald, who is a new head coach for St. Cloud State University, noted that most coaches will have their “network” or “community of practice” that they rely on when looking to find alternate perspectives on certain aspects of the field. “I personally have a collection of individuals who I am grateful for their knowledge and willingness to share.”

Putting together the right team of individuals to reach a goal is not unique to coaching. However, there is probably no other profession in which having the right mix of players is critical to success.

Maura Crowell noted that “building a team is like putting a puzzle together,” noting that each year is “different based on who graduates, so our needs are always changing from a positional and stylistic standpoint.”

Several of the coaches noted that all programs are trying to find the “best players possible,” as well as players who fit into the culture of the team, both as an athlete and as a person.

Coach Harrington summarized many of the coaches’ sentiments noting, “The most skilled players make systems work better. I don’t think there is any system of play that will compensate for players that do not think the game well, do not pass or shoot well, or do not, or will not, support one another both offensively or defensively. And no system will compensate for the lack of the ability to skate.”

Individuals who work in professions such as the medical and allied healthcare fields, teaching or law, are required to attend continuing education courses designed to keep them informed of the most recent advances in that field. Such continuing education hopefully inspires those in the profession to change the way they practice or teach.

That led us to ask the question, how do head coaches, who are at the top of their profession, make innovations that keep up with changes in the game and advances in the sport? We asked head coaches for women’s hockey in the WCHA for their perspectives and these are their responses on how they keep it fresh. We received responses from Maura Crowell (University of Minnesota-Duluth), Brad Frost (University of Minnesota), John Harrington (Minnesota State University, Mankato), Steve Macdonald (St. Cloud State University) and Jim Scanlan (Bemidji State University).

Each of the coaches noted that improvement is an ongoing process that spans the season. However, the offseason provides an opportune time for reflection and thinking “outside of the box.” Reviewing individual and team performance and the effectiveness of team systems is a common off-season strategy of many of the coaches. The off-season provides the opportunity to determine what each player needs to do to improve their skill set and game as well experiment in moving players around, or discuss giving some players expanded opportunities when pre-season practice begins.

Reviewing games films was mentioned as a way to see “what goals we gave up, the goals we scored to see if

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NAHL alumni update

Arizona Coyotes President of Hockey Operations and General Manager John Chayka announced that the Coyotes have recalled former NAHL and Minnesota Magicians goaltender Ivan Prosvetov from the Tucson Roadrunners, the club’s American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate.

The 20-year-old Prosvetov has posted an 113-0 record with a 2.38 goals against average (GAA), a .931 save percentage (SV%) and a shutout in 15 games with the Roadrunners this season. The rookie netminder ranks third in the League in SV% and has the eighth-most wins of any AHL goaltender.

Prosvetov was originally drafted by the Coyotes in the fourth round (114th overall) in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. He played in the NAHL during the 2016-17 season for the Minnesota Magicians and also played in the 2017 NAHL Top Prospects Tournament.

Atlantic Hockey Goalie of the Month: Josh Benson, Sacred Heart (Fairbanks Ice Dogs) Josh Benson backstopped Sacred Heart to a 4-1-0 record in December, helping the Pioneers jump into the top spot in Atlantic Hockey and a national ranking. He ranked third in Atlantic Hockey amongst qualified goaltenders in both goals against average and save percentage, but he was first in those categories amongst goalies with more than two starts. Benson led the AHA and tied for the lead nationally with two shutouts, those coming at home against Robert Morris and Bentley. The shutouts were part of a six-game win streak that dated back to Nov. 22 and included four-straight wins in December. Benson’s month-high for saves was 32, which came in a 6-0 win over Robert Morris, and he had 20-plus saves in two other Sacred Heart victories. He also recorded his first career point, getting credit for an assist in a win over AIC. Atlantic Hockey Rookie of the Month: Anthony Firriolo, Army (Corpus Christi/Amarillo/WBS Knights) Anthony Firriolo entered December with two career points on two assists, but something clicked for the freshman blueliner, since in five December games, the rookie had seven points on three goals and four assists. He was the leading rookie and defenseman scorer in both Atlantic Hockey and the NCAA and tied for second and fourth, respectively, in scoring overall for the month. Firriolo had a three-game point streak to open the month, and overall, scored in four of five games. Army was 3-1-0 when Firriolo registered a point as he became yet another reliable defenseman in Army’s attack. He had two multi-point games, including his first multi-assist game, a three assist effort in a 4-0 win over Robert Morris.

ECAC Rookie of the Month: Nick Abruzzese, Harvard (New Jersey Titans) Abruzzese also registered six points in December, scoring goals in Harvard’s final four games of the month. He finished with four goals and six assists to lead the leagues rookies in scoring. In the series against nationally-ranked Arizona State on Dec. 28-29, Abruzzese scored a pair of goals and added an assist to help the Crimson to a 1-01 weekend.

ECAC Goaltender of the Month: Corbin Kaczperski, Yale (Lone Star Brahmas) Kaczperski was nothing short of spectacular during the month of December, earning consecutive MAC Goaltending Goalie of the Week honors on Dec. 9 and 16 for his performances. He ended the month ranked first in the league in both GAA (0.67) and save percentage (.979), going a perfect 3-0.

WCHA Defenseman of the Month: Eric Gotz, Michigan Tech (Minnesota Wilderness) Michigan Tech sophomore Eric Gotz led WCHA and shared the NCAA lead in

scoring among defensemen in December with seven points on a goal and six assists for the Huskies. The Hermantown, Minn., native netted the game-winning goal for MTU in a come-from-behind, 4-2, win over No. 18/UR Michigan State in the semifinals of the Great Lakes Invitational on Dec. 30 and added a pair of assists in the tourney to earn a berth on the all-tournament team.

Three of his seven points for the month came on the power play (three assists). Gotz also blocked seven shots and was +3 for the month. He enters the new year on a run of 12 points (3g-9a) over his last 12 contests.

Gotz ranks fifth in defensemen scoring in the WCHA this season with 13 points on four goals and nine assists. This is his first WCHA monthly award.

WCHA Goaltender of the Month: Matt Jurusik, Michigan Tech (Janesville Jets) Michigan Tech senior Matt Jurusik tied for the league lead with four wins in December, posting a 4-1-1 record with a 1.98 GAA and .925 save percentage. The La Grange, Ill., native was named to the Great Lakes Invitational All-Tournament Team after backstopping the Huskies to the tournament title with a pair of 4-2 wins over No. 18/UR Michigan State and Michigan.

The senior netminder stopped 62-of-66 shots in the two wins, including a WCHA period season-high 20 saves in the opening frame of the championship contest with the Wolverines. This is his first WCHA monthly honor.

Atlantic Hockey Rookie of the Week: Jacob Barczewski, Canisius (Janesville Jets) Jacob Barczewski extended his unbeaten streak to four games with a 1-0-1 weekend during a home-and-home series with RIT. He made 23 saves in a 1-1 road tie on Friday, then back at home on Saturday, the freshman netminder stopped 25 shots as the Golden Griffins pulled out a thirdperiod victory. Barczewski posted a 1.92 goals against average and a 0.923 save percentage.

B1G Second Star: Jack LaFontaine, Minnesota (Janesville Jets) LaFontaine backstopped the Gophers to the Mariucci Classic title, closing out 2019 with wins over Bemidji State and St. Cloud State. He made 52 saves on 55 shots over the weekend, posting a .945 save percentage and a 1.50 goals-against average. LaFontaine was named the

Former NAHL and Janesville Jets goalie Matt Jurusik was named the WCHA Goaltender of the Month in December.

Mariucci Classic Most Valuable Player and earned a spot on the Mariucci Classic AllTournament Team.

NCHC Forward of the Week: Cole Koepke, Minnesota-Duluth (Minnesota Wilderness) Koepke closed out the 2019 calendar year in strong fashion, racking up five points and scoring a goal in both games to lead the Bulldogs to a sweep at Merrimack on Sunday and Monday, Dec. 29-30. In the series opener on Dec. 29, the Tampa Bay Lightning draft pick tallied two points, scoring his first career short-handed goal to tie the game in the second period, while adding an assist on UMD’s final goal in a 4-1 victory. He was +2 with two shots on goal in Sunday’s win. The next day, Koepke compiled a career-high three points in a 5-1, sweep-clinching win. He opened the game’s scoring late in the first period with his second goal of the weekend, while handing out assists on the Bulldogs’ next two goals, including the game-winner.

He was named First Star of the Game last Monday, finishing +3 with six shots on goal. Koepke finished the series with the Warriors with two goals, three assists, a +5 plus/minus and eight shots on goal. He also

pushed his point streak to five games (5g, 4a), while he’s tied for third on the team with 16 points and is second for UMD with eight goals on the season.

NCHC Goalie of the Week: Hunter Shepard, Minnesota-Duluth (Bismarck Bobcats) Shepard was a rock in net against Merrimack on Dec. 29-30, allowing only one goal in each game, while backstopping the Bulldogs to a road sweep. In the series opener on Sunday, Dec. 29, the reigning NCHC Goaltender of the Year made 24 saves in a 4-1 victory, with the lone goal allowed coming on the power play. He was named First Star of the Game for his efforts, while making eight short-handed saves. A night later, Shepard compiled 16 saves in a 5-1 victory, while helping kill all three Merrimack power plays. He finished the series with a .952 save percentage and a 1.00 goals-against average, while totaling 40 saves on 42 shots in the two wins.

Shepard also made 11 of his saves shorthanded to help UMD’s penalty kill finish the weekend 6-for-7. On the season, he has started all 18 games in net for the Bulldogs, going 11-6-1 with two shutouts, a .906 save percentage and a 2.29 GAA.

Top 20 Scorers

#

Name

* indicates rookie

Pos Team GP G A PTS Pt/G PPG PPA SHG SHA GWG SOG PIM PIMPG +/- SH SH%

1 16 Christian Gorscak

F JHT 37 17 28 45 1.22 5 10 0 1 4 0 8 0.22 15 118 14.4

2 * 66 Noah Kane

F MNE 39 15 30 45 1.15 8 11 0 1

1

0

3 9 Dante Sheriff

F AUS 33 12 33 45 1.36 4 11 0 0

2

1 79 2.39 6 119 10.1

4 26 Mitch Machlitt

F NJT 32 20 23 43 1.34 6 6 2 1

3

2 12 0.38 22 85 23.5

5 24 Zach Krajnik

F KNR 37 13 30 43 1.16

2

0

6 52 Joey Baez

F LOS 37 24 16 40 1.08 3 4 0 0

5

0 12 0.32 25 93 25.8

7 22 Kyle Jeffers

F NJT 32 16 24 40 1.25 3 10 2 1 4 0 30 0.94 8 68 23.5

8 53 Matt Guerra

F LOS 35 10 30 40 1.14 0 16 1 2

1

0 75 2.14 13 68 14.7

9 15 Lincoln Hatten

F WBS 34 17 22 39 1.15 4 9 0 0

5

0 94 2.76 15 74 23.0

10 20 Matt Allen

F AMA 37 17 22 39 1.05 5 6 1 0 4 0 6 0.16 17 113 15.0

11 * 91 Max Kouznetsov

F JHT 31 13 26 39 1.26 4 7 0 0

2

0 12 0.39 16 68 19.1

12 12 Jordan Venegoni

F AMA 37 21 17 38 1.03 5 7

2 0

3

0

13 * 16 Theo Thrun

F KNR 38 17 21 38 1.00 8 9

0 0

4

0 20 0.53 5 117 14.5

14 * 44 Cannon Green

F MNE 39 16 22 38 0.97 7 9

0 0

0

0 17 0.44 9 117 13.7

4

15

2

0

35 0.90 1 124 12.1

51

1.38

10 106 12.3

15 0.41 15 128 16.4

15 21 Andranik Armstrong-Kingkade F MNT 34 21 15 36 1.06 7 3 1 0 2 1 6 0.18 9 96 21.9 16 17 Connor Szmul

F CHP 31 16 20 36 1.16 6 4 1 1 4 0 4 0.13 12 90 17.8

17 28 Jakob Breault

F ABD 34 13 23 36 1.06 3 3 1 0

4

0 36 1.06 11 75 17.3

18 19 Jack Johnston

F FAI 38 16 19 35 0.92 4 3

3 1

3

1

19 7 Matt Koethe

F FAI 38 12 23 35 0.92 0 5 3 1

4

0 30 0.79 28 135 8.9

20 7 Logan Ritchie

F KNR 38 15 19 34 0.89 2 4 1 1 2 0 6 0.16 9 82 18.3

32 0.84 19 120 13.3

www.stateofhockey.com

Let’s Play Hockey

January 16, 2020

nscsports.org/stickit

APRIL 17-19, 2020

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January 16, 2020

Let’s Play Hockey

www.stateofhockey.com

Making Miracle Memories St. Paul Johnson and St. Paul Highland park suit up to commemorate 1980 miracle matchup

by BRYAN ZOLLMAN

Let’s Play Hockey Publisher

The scene at Tria Rink Jan. 6 was reminiscent of the scene 40 years ago when Team USA took to the ice to take on the powerful Russian squad in Lake Placid.

Except this time the teams weren’t playing for a gold medal. They were playing for the St. Paul Cup. St. Paul Johnson suited up as Team USA while St. Paul Highland Park suited up with CCCP emblazoned across their chest. The idea was part of a senior project by Johnson team member Ty Neumann. He was talking to his coach Steve “Moose” Younghans about some ideas for a theme for the game.

“We realized the 40th anniversary was coming up for the Miracle on Ice,” said Neumann. “I also thought us being the Americans fit well because Herb Brooks is a Johnson alum and coached the 1980 team.”

“And I told them (St. Paul Highland Park) they had to be the Russians since they already wear red,” Younghans joked.

Neumann’s senior project involved three areas – the paper, the product and the oral presentation. The product had to take at least 15 hours of work and requires the student to work with a mentor. He chose his coach.

“Moose is more than just a coach,” said Neumann, a senior winger on the Johnson team that is ranked No. 13 in the latest Let’s Play Hockey poll. “He’s a best friend, a father figure, a mentor, and much more. He has supported me in anything I do in life and wants everyone to succeed. He truly cares about how you are doing in life.”

Neumann is a proud member of the Johnson squad.

His love for his team and his community made it a no-brainer to organize the USA vs. Russia game. Even though

PHOTOS BY CHRISTINE WISCH AND GREG NAYMAN Members of the St. Paul Johnson squad gathered around the St. Paul Cup, which they won Jan. 6 with a 5-1 win over St. Paul Highland Park. none of the players were close to being born when the Miracle on Ice occurred, they have all seen the movie and as hockey players, especially east side hockey players, know the story.

“Being a part of the Johnson hockey program that has such rich history means everything to me,” he said. “It has been the best thing that has ever happened to me. I get to play for the best supporting cast out there. The East Side. Also being able to play for Moose, Greg, and Hoagie. These guys are more than just coaches; they really push you to succeed in life and to be good people.

Lastly to be able to play with my best

friends, a group of guys that are humble and always put each other first means a lot. I couldn’t be more proud to be a JHS boy.”

Neumann has had a defying story of his own. He played “B” level hockey most of his youth, but his resilience and his work ethic have earned him a spot on the varsity squad. Having the coaching staff and his teammates in his corner has meant the world to him.

“Last year it was a game day and it was the same day my grandpa passed away,” said Neumann. “Moose was the first person I contacted. Later that day I was entering school and the first per-

son that approached me was, of course, Moose. I don’t remember the exact words, but if it wasn’t for him I would have never have been able to play that day or make it through such a tough time.”

Johnson’s program has also defied some great odds as well. Younghans has not only kept the program alive despite changing demographics, he has continued the great tradition that is Johnson Hockey, and the program still thrives

MIRACLE MEMORIES continued on page 25

Members of the St. Paul Highland Park Scots played the Russian counterparts and adorned the CCCP reds. The game was played in front of a full crowd at Tria Rink in St. Paul.

www.stateofhockey.com

January 16, 2020

Let’s Play Hockey

NA3HL.com

@NA3HL

21

NA3HL

UPDATE The Alexandria Blizzard of the NA3HL are pleased to announce that defenseman Val Popowski has committed to play NCAA Division III hockey for Hamline University.

Popowski, 20, is in his second and final season playing junior hockey in the NA3HL. The 6’4/225 lbs. native of St. Michael, Minn., has 17 points (1 goal, 16 assists) in 27 games played so far during the 2019-20 season.

Last season, Popowski had 25 points in 46 games played. In his twoyear NA3HL career, he has recorded 42 points in 73 games played to date.

“We are very proud of Val and his commitment to develop and earn his spot at the next level. Val has been the mainstay of our defensive unit over the last couple years. Val shows up every day and competes at a high level. We look forward to watching Val continue to grow and develop at the next level,” said Blizzard head coach Jeff Crouse.

Two players get call to NAHL The Alexandria Blizzard of the NA3HL are pleased to announce that two players this past weekend were called up to the North American Hockey League (NAHL) to play for two different teams.

Blizzard forward Brandon Connett, 20, is the Blizzard leading scorer so far this season. The 6’0/185 lbs. native of Baldwin, Wis., has accumulated 18

Alexandria Blizzard players on the move

Alexandria Blizzard players on the move include Brandon Connett (left) who joined the Aberdeen Wings of the NAHL after leading his team in scoring through 28 games.

Val Popowski of the Blizzard recently Blizzard goaltender Bailey Rosch (right) got the call up to play for Minot. committed to play hockey at Hamline University. Popowski is a St. Michael nagoals and 17 assists for 35 points and is has averaged over a point per game in tive. a +15 in 28 games this season. his 79 career games with Alexandria.

Connett, who committed to play Blizzard goaltender Bailey Rosch, NCAA Division III hockey for the 19, has appeared in 11 games for the Rosch was called up to the Minot University of Wisconsin-Stout back in Blizzard this season, holding a 5-3- Minotauros this past weekend. This is November, joined the Aberdeen Wings 1 record. The 5’11/190 lbs. native Rosch’s second trip up the NAHL as of the NAHL for their game in Bismarck of Alexandria, Minn., has a 3.83 he spent a weekend last season with this past Saturday Night. Since joining goals against average and a .865 save the Brookings Blizzard. the Blizzard early last season, Connett percentage so far this season.

Registration for 2020 NAHL Combines now open

The 2020 NAHL Combines to take place in Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, California, New Jersey, and Minnesota DALLAS, TEXAS – The North American Hockey League (NAHL) has the announced the dates and locations for the 2020 Combines, which are now open for registration.

The NAHL Combines are driven by the North American Hockey League and operated by the NAHL’s professional staff in order to serve the most valuable asset to hockey… the players.

The goal is to provide the aspiring hockey player to take part in a one-of-a-kind experience that is designed to maximize exposure at grand-scale events that provide a true look and feel of the genuine NAHL Experience. NAHL Combines are carefully designed to provide an Education, Exposure, and Experience for prospects that strive to advance their hockey development at the junior hockey and college level.

There are combines for two three different age groups: Junior (2000 to 2004 birth years): Highlight exposure to scouts and junior coaches – Continue education about proven pathway to NCAA hockey via the NAHL’s Ladder of Development – Provide an experience that will help in the player’s next steps in pursuit of playing junior hockey.

16U (2004 or 2005 birth years): Reinforce education about the proven

pathway to the NCAA through junior hockey – Emphasize evaluation and further exposure to NAHL and NA3HL coaches and scouts – Provide a realistic experience of a junior tryout.

14U (2006 or 2007 birth years): Focus on educating players on USA Hockey’s path to junior and collegiate hockey as they enter high school – Provide exposure to junior hockey onice habits and tools for success – Offer evaluation from NAHL and NA3HL coaches, as well as exposure to scouts from all levels.

Register for NAHL Combines at http://nahl.com/combines/ Education ensures the players are provided knowledge about NCAA compliance and eligibility, recruiting processes, the correct and legitimate path to college hockey, as well as an in-depth look at the three different tiers of junior hockey. This includes seminars that discuss the NAHL junior hockey experience, the ladder of development, as well as, NCAA compliance seminars.

Exposure means that players compete in front of junior and college scouts and gain additional exposure through NAHL Central Scouting. With NAHL Tryout Camps and the NAHL Draft taking place from May through July, NAHL Combines are a perfect

indicator to evaluate just how ready they are for the next step and receive valuable feedback.

Experience means that players from all over North America and Europe will play multiple games against other NAHL and NCAA hockey prospects with team’s coached by staff members from NAHL, NAHL Central Scouting, and NA3HL teams, providing a top notch, professional, and memorable experience.

NAHL Combine dates and locations March 27-29, 2020 – Chicago, Illinois (14U and 16U players, 20042007) Played in conjunction with the NA3HL’s Fraser Cup Championship.

All NAHL teams in attendance.

April 3-5, 2020 – Attleboro, Massachusetts (First of two junior combines for junior-aged players, 2000-2004) Played during the same weekend as Maine Nordiques vs. Northeast Generals (NAHL) regular season games.

April 17-19, 2020 – Rochester, Michigan (Second of two junior combines for junior-aged players, 2000-2004) A combine that is exclusively for junior-aged players looking to play in

the NAHL or NA3HL. April 24-26, 2020 – Anaheim, California (14U and 16U players, 2004-2007) Great location for players on the West Coast and traditionally fills up very fast.

May 1-3, 2020 – Middletown, New Jersey (14U and 16U players, 2004-2007) New location for East Coast players.

May 8-10, 2020 – Blaine, Minnesota (16U players, 2004-2005) Played in conjunction with the NAHL’s Robertson Cup National Championship. Over 100 NCAA/NHL scouts.

Celebrating its 45th season in 2019-20, the NAHL, the only USA Hockey-sanctioned Tier II Junior league boasting 27 teams in 16 states from across North America. During the 2018-19 season, the NAHL set a new single-season record with 351 NCAA commitments, with over 66 percent of those being NCAA Division I commitments. In addition, six players with NAHL experience were selected in the 2019 NHL Draft. Currently, 34 percent of freshmen playing NCAA Division I hockey are alumni of the NAHL.

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January 16, 2020

www.stateofhockey.com

Let’s Play Hockey

14th Annual Hockey Day Minnesota Schedule of Events

THURSDAY, JAN. 16

As has become more common, this year’s Hockey Day Minnesota festivities will kick off a couple of days early with two girls’ high school hockey games being played at Parade Stadium.

Holy Angels vs Minneapolis – Girls 6 p.m. at Parade Stadium

The hometown Minneapolis girls will play host to Holy Angels in the first game of Thursday’s doubleheader. The familiar foes split their games last season and have had similar results against common opponents this year, setting the stage for a tightly contested tilt. The home squad will lean on freshman point leader Maddy Helmstetter and junior defenseman Julia Stevens to help start Hockey Day Minnesota 2020 with an opening night victory.

Grand Rapids-Greenway vs. Blake – Girls 8 p.m. at Parade Stadium

In the late game, perennial girls’ hockey power Blake will take on Grand Rapids-Greenway. The fifth-ranked Bears are led up front by senior standouts Adelaide Burton, Lily Delianedis and Audrey Wethington. The Lightning have some star power of their own though in Bemidji State bound Claire Vekich and have shown they can play with high end teams, dropping an overtime thriller to Holy Family early in the season. If you can’t make it to the game, you can still follow the action as both Thursday night games will be live streamed

by State of Hockey.

FRIDAY, JAN. 17

The events at Parade Stadium leading up to Hockey Day Minnesota 2020 continue on Friday with the State of Hockey Women’s All-Star Game and an NHL Alumni game. The two contests are set to feature an impressive list of Minnesota natives and professional standouts who have competed at the highest levels of the game including NCAA, NHL, NWHL and Olympics. The Women’s All-Star Game will start at 6 p.m., followed by the NHL Alumni game at 7:30 p.m.

Living in Minnesota, there are certain customs built into our culture. Deer hunting and fishing opener weekends are state holidays, even if they aren’t listed officially on calendars.

Summer weekends mean trips to the cabin. Try not to schedule anything in March because everyone is either on spring break or at The Tourney. And each January, we spend a full day embracing and cherishing our outdoor hockey heritage on Hockey Day Minnesota. This year is certainly no different, and with Hockey Day Minnesota 2020 set to kick off this week at Parade Stadium in Minneapolis, it’s time to take a closer look at the events that will highlight this year’s celebration

SATURDAY, JAN. 18

Tickets for single-day and three-day packages for the 14th Annual Hockey Day Minnesota are on-sale now at wild.com/HockeyDay. Free parking will be available at Dunwoody. However, local attendees are encouraged to utilize carpooling, Uber, Lyft, or public transportation if possible as congestion is expected. No public parking will be available at Parade Ice Garden.

Warroad vs Minneapolis – Boys 9:30 a.m. at Parade Stadium

The first of four televised games and a full day of original hockey programming on Fox Sports North, this matchup between the host Minneapolis and the Warroad Warriors officially kicks off Hockey Day Minnesota 2020. The key for the hometown team will be finding a way to slow down Warroad’s top line, led Northern Michigan recruit and the state’s top scorer, Grant Slukynsky. Minneapolis should enter the game with confidence though as they’re riding a four-game unbeaten streak.

Blaine vs Blake – Boys 1 p.m. at Parade Stadium

The afternoon game will feature two Class AA teams with the talent to make deep runs into March this season. Blake, who was considered a pre-season favorite, had an up-and-down start to the season, going 4-3 against a difficult schedule. The Bears have found their groove under new coach Rob McClanahan lately though, winning eight games in a row. Blaine also had an inconsistent first half of the year, but they have the ability, led by UNH recruit and NHL draft prospect Carsen Richels, to score in bunches and beat any team on a given night, creating what should be a high-flying and entertaining game.

Ohio State vs Minnesota – Women’s 4:30 p.m. at Parade Stadium

For the fourth consecutive year, Hockey Day Minnesota 2020 will feature a women’s college hockey game as top-ranked Minnesota, who are participating for the first time, will host fifth-ranked Ohio State. The Buckeyes have proven to be a tough opponent as they handed the Gophers their only regulation loss of the season back in October, thanks in part to a two-goal game by Mound native and breakout star Liz Schepers. However, the Gophers’ combination of a balanced attack and strong goaltending should give the hometown team a slight edge in this outdoor showdown.

Minnesota Wild vs Dallas Stars 8 p.m. at Xcel Energy Center

After a recent rough patch, the Wild are likely looking forward to their Hockey Day Minnesota tilt with the Dallas Stars. Whether it’s the special connection with the State of Hockey, seeing the enthusiasm from across the state for our great game, or the added energy the fans bring, Hockey Day Minnesota has been very good to the Wild over the years. They sport a 10-2-1 record on Hockey Day Minnesota, and their last loss at Xcel Energy Center during the state’s annual celebration was all the way back in 2009.

www.stateofhockey.com

January 16, 2020

Let’s Play Hockey

23

The State Of Hockey and College Hockey Minnesota and its unique community-based hockey model produce more NCAA Division I hockey players than any other state. A look at the numbers for the 2019-20 season: Division I Men’s Players Minnesota 205 Michigan 150 Massachusetts 107 New York 82 Illinois 76 Division I Women’s Players Minnesota 176 Massachusetts 98 New York 58 Illinois 42 Michigan 40 • Minnesota produces 12% of all Division I men’s hockey players and 17% of all Division I women’s players. Minnesotans make up 18% of Americans playing Division I men’s hockey and 27% of Americans playing Division I women’s hockey.

• 49 of the 60 Division I men’s teams (82%) feature at least one Minnesotan, including 18 of 20 teams in the current USCHO. com top 20 (Massachusetts and Northeastern are the exceptions).

• 33 of 41 Division I women’s teams (80%) feature at least one Minnesotan, including all 10 teams in the current USCHO. com top 10.

• 14 Division I men’s captains and eight Division I women’s captains hail from Minnesota.

• Providence (2015) is the only team this century to win a men’s national title without a Minnesotan on its roster (Maine, 1999, was the last).

• Of elite men’s players in Minnesota (those good enough to be playing NCAA Division I or CHL), 96% are currently on the NCAA path (201 of 210).

• Of the 48 Minnesota players to appear in the NHL this season (most of any state), 47 played NCAA hockey (98%).

8 Division I men’s coaches hail from Minnesota: Mike Hastings, Minnesota State Brett Larson, St. Cloud State Bob Motzko, Minnesota Mel Pearson, Michigan Steve Rohlik, Ohio State Scott Sandelin, Minnesota Duluth Frank Serratore, Air Force Tom Serratore, Bemidji State

HOCKEY & MINNESOTA

1 58 OF Y EVER

STATES WITH MOST

WHILE...

AMERICANS IS MINNESOTAN

1 5 OF Y EVER

HOBEY BAKER AWARD WINNERS

AMERICAN COLLEGE HOCKEY PLAYERS IS MINNESOTAN

9 6 MINN.

48 60

4

MASS.

MICH.

OF

“I admire how hockey happens in the state of Minnesota. Playing for community and high school programs is a special experience and the focus on development is proven to work.”

NCAA DI MEN’S TEAMS HAVE AT LEAST ONE MINNESOTAN

INCLUDING

VICH SCOTT PERUNO HIBBING

13

TADT CASEY MITTELS EDEN PRAIRIE

ODEEN TUFTO CHASKA

NATE LEAMAN

HEAD COACH/PROVIDENCE COLLEGE 2015 NCAA CHAMPION 2011 NCAA NATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR

TEAM CAPTAINS

RYAN POEHLING LAKEVILLE

HOCKEY & MINNESOTA WHERE MINNESOTANS IN THE NHL PLAYED DURING THEIR H.S. SENIOR YEAR ANDERS LEE EDINA

57

31

MINNESOTA HIGH SCHOOLS

MINNESOTANS PLAYED IN THE NHL

56 57 OF

T.J. OSHIE WARROAD

PLAYED COLLEGE HOCKEY

11 6

THE MOST OF ANY STATE

HEAD COACH/QUINNIPIAC UNIVERSITY 2016 NCAA NATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR

|

1

1

68

MINNESOTANS TO REACH THE NHL ALL PLAYED NCAA HOCKEY

“The best state at producing hockey players is Minnesota.

Nothing even comes close to touching the Minnesota youth and high school model.”

RAND PECKNOLD

COLLEGEHOCKEYINC.COM

7

THE LAST

@ C OL L EGE HOCKEY |

ER BLAKE WHEEL ROBBINSDALE

PROUD SUPPORTERS OF COLLEGE HOCKEY

*ALL STATISTICS BASED ON 2018-19 SEASON

CHI_Minnesota_Infographic_190606.indd 1

Top Minnesota-born point scorers in men’s Division I this season: Scott Perunovich, UMD Hibbing 3-22—25 Odeen Tufto, QU Chaska 3-20—23 Sam Hentges, SCSU New Brighton 7-15—22 Casey Dornbach, Harv.

Edina 9-12—21 Zach Risteau, SLU Lakeville 7-14—21 Noah Cates, UMD Stillwater 11-9—20 Cole Koepke, UMD Hermantown 8-11—19 Philip Beaulieu, NMU Duluth 3-16—19 Top Minnesota-born goaltenders in men’s Division I this season (by save pct.): Zach Driscoll, Bemidji St. Apple Valley .928, 11-5-2, 1.77 GAA Josh Benson, SHU Stillwater .920, 14-7-1, 2.17 GAA Darion Hanson, Union East Bethel .911, 6-15-2, 2.65 GAA Jared Moe, Minn.

New Prague .909, 4-4-1, 2.62 GAA Hunter Shepard, UMD Cohasset .909, 12-6-2, 2.35 GAA

6/11/19 12:57 PM

Top Minnesota-born point scorers in women’s Division I this season: Liz Schepers, OSU Mound 17-14—31 Grace Zumwinkle, Minn.

Excelsior 16-14—30 Taylor Heise, Minn.

Lake City 13-15—28 Carly Bullock, Princeton Eden Prairie 14-13—27 Gabbie Hughes, UMD Lino Lakes 11-16—27 Mekenzie Steffen, UW Centerville 5-19—24 Top Minnesota-born goaltenders in women’s Division I this season (by save pct.): Sydney Scobee, Minn.

Minnetrista .942, 18-1-3, 1.37 GAA Maddie Rooney, UMD Andover .927, 8-8-3, 2.04 GAA Lauren Bench, BSU Eagan .918, 10-8-0, 2.16 GAA Emma Polusny, SCSU Mound .916, 3-14-3, 2.93 GAA Clare Minnerath, Prov.

Sartell .902, 8-5-2, 2.22 GAA

Formed in 2009 in partnership with USA Hockey, College Hockey Inc. is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting Division I men’s college hockey to prospective players and fans. College Hockey Inc. serves as a resource to young aspiring players and their families deciding whether to pursue NCAA hockey or major junior hockey.

24

January 16, 2020

www.stateofhockey.com

Let’s Play Hockey

INSIDER WCHA.com

WCHA.com

Shoot your shot

@WCHA_MHockey

@WCHA_WHockey

WCHAHockey

WCHAWomensHockey

De Mey-zing

by ANDREW VITALIS Special to WCHA.com

Grace Zumwinkle’s game dominates discussions across the college landscape.

by ANDREW VITALIS Special to WCHA.com Emily Brown remembers one of her first impressions of Grace Zumwinkle.

Both prep hockey stars in the state of Minnesota at the time, they knew of each other, but Brown had never seen the Breck product and 2017 Ms. Hockey winner up close and personal before.

It’s fair to say Zumwinkle left a lasting impression.

“The first time we played on the same team was on the 2016 U-18 World Championships,” recalled Brown, a junior defenseman for the University of Minnesota. “We were also on the same team in Lake Placid one August for the U-18 Select Team (National Festival). I think we both kind of knew who each other were, being from different sides of the metro. One of practices leading up to camp I blocked one of her shots and I thought I was going to die. That was a nice first impression.”

A lasting (and painful) one. Right about now players from across the WCHA reading this are nodding their head in agreement. They can relate.

Right from the very beginning, Grace Zumwinkle has stood out amongst the rest. Before she ever donned a Golden Gopher uniform, University of Minnesota head hockey coach Brad Frost remembers watching Zumwinkle on the recruiting trail right around the same time the soon-to-be 2017 USA Hockey High School Sports All-USA Girls Hockey Player of the Year began to become part of everyday conversations around hockey rinks throughout the Land of 10,000 Lakes. She was a game-changer and everyone knew it.

“I think what stood out early are the same things that stick out now quite frankly: her size, speed and probably most notably her ability to shoot the puck,” mentioned Frost. “There are not too many young women in the women’s game that are threats from outside the top of circle and she is one of those players.”

Sixteen goals and 31 points as an eighth grader. Thirty-seven points, including 23 goals as a high school freshman. It was more of the same in 2014-15 (64 points in 28 games) and 2015-16 (36 goals in 23 games played).

By the time the Excelsior, Minn., native was a senior she had already amassed 114 goals and nearly 200 career points.

Then in her senior season, the future Gopher compiled 58 more giving her a

mind-numbing 241 career points in just 130 games played; including 156 markers.

Now three years later Zumwinkle’s game dominates discussions across the college landscape and what was once considered unlikely, her ability to light the lamp has grown even stronger.

When looking at her complete body of work you would be hard pressed not to find a game over the past two and a half years where the highlight reel doesn’t include a well-placed slap shot to the upper corner of the cage or a one-timer that explodes off her stick with only one destination in mind – the back of the net. Heck, even her first college goal was, what else, but a one-timer against Merrimack in her very first collegiate game. She opened up that season (201718) with goals in her first three games and tallied six points in her first six.

It was just the sign of things to come for the eventual All-WCHA First Team performer, WCHA All-Rookie Team honoree and 2017-18 WCHA scoring champion.

“I think she is unique in the sense that she has the ability to score from outside,” stated Frost. “It’s a special trait in women’s hockey because most players are always looking to get a little closer and improve their opportunity to score and for Grace with her shot, she has the ability to score from the outside and be more of a threat, whether it’s one-timing the puck, a regular slap shot, or a wrist shot. She just has that ability and that knack for being able to put the puck in the net. I look back at this past weekend (a Gopher sweep over Yale), she comes on a two-on-one and she shoots just inside of the top of the circle and scores and then her next goal is more of a two on one with the back-checker.The kid is all over her and ends up tripping her and she is still able to shoot and score. It’s just that knack for shooting the puck not only hard but being extremely accurate and she shows just how important that is.”

That goal was one of three Zumwinkle scored against the Bulldogs, helping Minnesota to a series sweep and wins 16 and 17 on the year. As for Zumwinkle, now with 16 goals on the season, #12 is fourth in the WCHA in overall goals scored (tied for first with 10 goals in league play) and sixth in overall points (28). The game against

– ZUMWINKLE –

continued on page 27

It was truly love at first site. There was no doubt about it.

Jorgen de Mey remembers the exact moment when his son Vincent fell in love with the game of hockey. As the saying goes the rest is history.

“One of my clients took us to a hockey game,” recalled the elder de Mey, an Vincent de Mey will tell you that he believes God has athletic and personal train- given him a special skill set and he intends to use it. er living in the Los Angeles area at the time. “Vincent ning. Two words sunk in immediately had already seen a little hockey here for Vincent de Mey and have continued and there and he got one of those litto be his road map to success even today tle mini hockey sticks and he brought it – hockey and health. to the game. He was about three years “I was already a trainer and I just old and he was right at the glass. Right wanted to expose him to physical activfrom the very beginning. When the (Los ity. He was just a little baby and I would Angeles) Kings started to warm up he take him to the park, just throwing balls was right there at the glass. He would around. He was able to hit a tennis rackjust sit there and watch the guys move et at 2-1/2 years old and I said okay, the puck around. That was his first real let’s try this out,” chuckled Jorgen de exposure to hockey. One of the proMey. “His hand-eye coordination was fessional players from the Kings who remarkable at that age.” was on the ice warming up, his name Skating lessons followed and then was Kelly Buchberger. He came over hockey gear. Jorgen remembers how to Vincent and banged his stick on the Vincent threw himself into any and glass while Vince was looking at him every hockey-related activity he could but Vincent didn’t flinch, he just kept think of including the art of shooting the looking at the guy. They continued their puck. It’s a skill that may look easy from warm-ups and Vincent kept just looking a distance but in reality, it’s far from it. and staring. Then right before they left It’s also an aspect of the game that many the ice to go back to the locker room can do but very few can master. When after warm-ups, he did it again. He it comes to thrusting the puck down came over specifically to Vincent and range, Vincent de Mey is masterful. Jorbanged his stick again really loudly on gen even recalls the moment when his the glass. Something happened there son, playing squirts at the time, caught between the two of them and ever since the eye of a professional basketball that moment Vincent decided he wanted player who was in attendance watching to play hockey.” his own son skate. That player was Pop“It was great. I fell in love with it eye Jones who played in the NBA from right away,” remembered Vincent, now 1993 to 2004. Jones’ two sons, Seth and a sophomore forward at Northern MichCaleb, currently play in the NHL. igan. “Kind of cliché but my face was “I remember him just looking at pressed against the glass watching the Vincent.

I still didn’t know much about puck as it flew around the ice, getting hockey and I remember him just lookpassed back and forth and obviously the ing at me and he said, ‘sniper’. That’s shooting was incredible. To sum it up all he said and he was very serious when in one word, it was mesmerizing. I just he said it,” laughed Jorgen. “Ever since fell in love with it and my dad said you then, everyone started calling Vincent can play hockey but that’s the only sport ‘sniper’. Even today, when he was back you can focus on. At the time I was for break we went downstairs and shot playing soccer, basketball and tennis so pucks and just talked about life. He’s he just told me to pick one and that’s the been relentless when it comes to him one I picked.” working on that part of his game.

Good choice.

“He was around three or four years Vincent de Mey will tell you that old.

We have a little carport downstairs he believes God has given him a special at our home, and we put up a net. The skill set and he intends to use it. After carport was really smooth so he would looking back at his journey – from his put on his roller blades and I would sit days in Brentwood, Calif., across the in net and he would start shooting those silky-smooth rinks of Faribault, Minn., soft plastic pucks and he developed as a 13-year-old skater for prestigious more of his shot. We did that almost evShattuck-St. Mary’s, through two seaery day, just shooting pucks and shootsons of junior hockey and eventually ing pucks,” Jorgen continued. “I didn’t the breathtaking campus of Northern know you had to do that to become a Michigan – it’s hard to argue with him. good shooter necessarily – we just did it No doubt, de Mey’s journey has been for fun. When he got older, he would go filled with hard work, determination, a downstairs and do some stick handling lot of practice and some faith-guided and always at the end, we would take twists and turns. Even down to the extwo or three buckets of pucks and work pertise of de Mey’s father Jorgen who on wrist shots, slap shots, one-timers, hammered home the importance of living well and living right in his son at – DE MEY – early age, the building blocks seemed to fall into place from the very begincontinued on page 27

www.stateofhockey.com

Let’s Play Hockey

January 16, 2020

25

MIRACLE MEMORIES

continued from page 20 today despite challenging numbers at the youth level.

“There was a time where this program was close to dying and he saved it,” said Neumann. “He’s definitely the heart of this program.”

When it came game time against the Scots (Russians), the kids got to pull on the Team USA jerseys, each with a player’s name and number from the 1980 team on the back. Neumann, fittingly, wore Mike Eruzione’s No. 21.

“It was a little different feeling for us to pull on the USA jerseys,” Neumann said. “Obviously we weren’t playing for our country, but we were playing for our community, the east side. We are down to two teams now in St. Paul.”

No, it wasn’t a gold medal, but the St. Paul Cup is of great importance to the teams who vie for it every year.

It isn’t about the trophy itself, but the pride that comes along with hoisting it, much like the 1980 team members did when they collectively held their pointer fingers high above their heads indicating their No. 1 standing in the world.

Proceeds from the game will go, fittingly, to the Olympics – the Special Olympics. The jerseys will be auctioned off and most likely purchased by the parents of the kids who were fortunate enough to wear them.

Former 1980 Olympian Buzz

PHOTOS BY CHRISTINE WISCH AND GREG NAYMAN Johnson’s Drake Teal has an open net as Highland Park netminder Caden Frohm fights to get back to the crease. Teal had a goal and an assist and Frohm played stellar in goal stopping 29 shots.

Schneider dropped the ceremonial first puck and the teams skated hard with Johnson coming out on top 5-1. Blayde Progreba scored two goals, Hunter Fischbach had a goal and two assists and Drake Teal and Joey Moberg each had a goal and an assist. Jack Malek scored the lone goal for the Scots, assisted by Christian Landon.

Neumann was held off the score-

board. But as his coach says, he brings more to the table than just being a hockey player.

“Ty’s a great kid,” he said. “He’s incredible on the bench and he’s great in practice.”

As the team gathered around the net before the start of the game, Neumann, wearing the Eruzione jersey, can be seen leaping into the air. Just like Eruzione, he’s not the highest goal scorer or best playmaker, but he brings an enthusiasm to the bench, locker room and the ice.

“He was incredibly proud of that game and he should be,” said Moose.

“The building was full.”

It’s something Neumann will always remember. Just another great memory to add to long list of them.

“It was a really special night for us,” he said. “We won the St. Paul Cup, the stands were packed and we were also able to benefit the Special Olympics. It was a great night.”

And not just for the players, but for all involved.

“I am proud of the kids and the program,” said Moose. “They played as hard as they could and the whole community was there to watch. That’s St. Paul Hockey. There are still good things going on in St. Paul, and that is what I care about most.”

Highland Park scored their lone goal of the game in the first period when Jack Malek found the back of the net.

Ty Neumann (far right) leaps into the pile as the Johnson squad gets ready to take on Highland Park. Neumann organized the event as part of his senior project.

Two players fight for position in the game that helped raise money for the Special Olympics. The St. Paul Cup is in its third year.

The puck trickles past Johnson goalie Tobin Florhaug, who stopped 16 of 17 shots on the night to earn the win.

26

January 16, 2020

Let’s Play Hockey

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Tradition.

Community.

B reezers.

THE HOME ICE

ADVANTAGE.

SAUCE

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ZUMWINKLE continued from page 24

the Bulldogs already marked the sixth time this season when Zumwinkle has registered two or more goals in a game.

A product of the Scott Bjugstad Shooting School for the past several years, she will be the first one to tell you that shooting the puck is a continuous work in progress and numbers, while nice, tell only a small portion of the story. In other words, behind every goal are hours and hours of practice and preparation.

“He’s kind of the one who has taught me all of the fundamentals behind shooting,” remarked Zumwinkle when asked about Bjugstad, a former NHL veteran and uncle to former Gopher and current pro Nick Bjugstad. “I remember the first time showing up to his class with my sisters feeling like I knew how to shoot a puck and I don’t even know what more he could teach me. After the first session I was blown away by his knowledge and the basic things I didn’t know about shooting that goes into it.

“For me I just focus on the process and getting shots on net. With Scott, one of his big things he has taught me is to just get shots on net,” continued Zumwinkle. “If I focus on that rather than goals, the goals will come. For me it’s more focusing on the process rather than a quantitative number.”

“They say the harder you work the luckier you get,” added Brown, who along with Zumwinkle, has yet to miss a game in a Gopher uniform since stepping onto campus. “Sometimes to someone who doesn’t know that much about the game they will say she’s just in the right place at the right time. Well, that is that hockey IQ everyone always talks about. That’s all of that practice paying off and her instincts telling her where to be in those scenarios. Her work ethic, it is second to none and I think that’s what sets her apart – she’s always trying to do the little things right and put in extra work. After practices she will still be working on little things on the ice. Obviously, her slap shot, it didn’t get that lethal from sitting around; she works on it all the time. When it comes to those little things she has that tenacious work ethic and it’s paying off for her.”

And like any good player, when one goal is reached another appears on the horizon. For example, one of the areas the junior is now focusing on more than ever is being that “go-to” player when the game is on the line and the pressure in the arena is so tight you can barely breathe. During her first two seasons, Zumwinkle has been as good as they

DE MEY

continued from page 24 just all different variety of shots. We didn’t really even think about it we just shot pucks. He became really known for it.”

Don’t believe him? Vincent de Mey even won a national shooting competition in 2008, competing at the fourth annual “Ace’s Got Skills” National Competition which was held at Boston University. One of 13 competitors from Southern California, de Mey won the national title in accuracy, striking eight out of eight targets which at the time, broke an “Ace’s Got Skills” Nationals record. He also competed in the Hardest Shot and Top Skills events and was among 130 boys and girls pucksters from across the nation who qualified for the event. Now more than 11 years later, he’s still shooting, and people are still noticing.

“He’s mentally prepared for anything that comes at him all the time and his shot is incredible,” commented Griffin Loughran, Vincent de Mey’s Northern Michigan teammate and the Wildcats’ leading scorer heading into the second half of the season. “His shot

Let’s Play Hockey come during the first half of the year, but like with anyone, the grab and grind play of the WCHA eventual wears you down. As a freshman, Zumwinkle scored 25 points in her first 22 games; then in the second half (after the New Year) added 10 points in the Gophers’ final 13 games. In the WCHA Final Faceoff she struck for two goals and an assist helping Minnesota to a Final Faceoff title only to go scoreless in the first round of the NCAA Tournament the following week in a 4-0 loss to Wisconsin.

Last year, it was 26 points in her first 20 games and an additional 15 during the final 14 games of the regular season. In last year’s WCHA Final Faceoff, Zumwinkle did what she does – scoring in two games. Then during the NCAA Tournament, despite peppering the opposing goalie with six shots in three games (Princeton, Cornell, Wisconsin), none of them got through. Those three games without a goal turned out to be the longest stretch of the season for her where she did not light the lamp.

It not only marked the longest stretch of games in her career where she did not score a goal (it has happened twice – the other a three-game stretch when she was a freshman), it meant that Zumwinkle skated off the rink last March, after falling to Wisconsin in the NCAA Championship game, still without a career point in the NCAA Tournament. As the Gophers now embark on yet another stretch run this season – beginning this weekend at St. Cloud State, don’t think for a second that the two-time First Team All-WCHA performer isn’t aware of that.

“One of my biggest focuses down the stretch here is going to be more of a player who can produce in pressure situations. Going into the back half of the season that’s something myself and my line-mates are going to continue to work on,” replied Zumwinkle. “For our team to be successful everyone needs to perform a role and whatever your role might be, whether it’s playing defense or scoring goals, I think we need to own that and play it to the best of our ability.”

“I think quite frankly that’s been the biggest change for her this year and part of the reason why she’s been as successful as she has,” added Frost. “We have actually talked with her as a coaching staff to tell her the next step in her game is to start playing with more of an edge and have the mindset of ‘I’m going to try and be the best player on the ice each and every game.’ Instead of deferring, get out there and force other players to defer to you and she has really taken that step this year and done a great job with it.” is NHL level and even more than that, it’s just insane. He can literally put it through the net.”

“His shot is as good as maybe anyone I have ever coached and he does a great job of actually hitting the net. A lot of guys who really shoot it, sometimes it ends up elsewhere. It’s sometimes a little bit of an erratic shot but he’s got that down to a science,” added Grant Potulny, Northern Michigan head coach. “Those things don’t go away. If he can continue to play the right way and continue to get himself opportunities he will score. You look at goal scorers, a lot of times when they go into slumps it’s not because they forgot how to shoot, it’s because they are not getting themselves into positions to get the shot off. If Vinny continues to put himself in those spots I don’t think his offense is going to slow down.”

Per usual, Potulny is spot on. Heading into this weekend’s critical series against Bowling Green, de Mey finds himself tied for fifth in the conference in overall goals (nine) and is tied for 11th in points. The sophomore sniper has also struck five times on the power play helping the Wildcats to a 23 percent success rate with the extra skater, good enough for third in the league. De Mey has already surpassed his goal total

January 16, 2020

27

Hockey Doc: PCL injuries Question: I was checked and slid hard into by ROBERT the goalpost. My knee hit the post F. LAPRADE and immediately swelled up. The Let’s Play Hockey athletic trainer told me that I likely Contributor have an isolated tear of my posterior cruciate ligament. How long until I can return to playing hockey?

Answer: The mechanism you describe is a typical way that hockey players tear their posterior cruciate ligament, or PCL. The posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) is the strongest ligament in the knee, and its primary purpose is to prevent the shin bone (tibia) from sliding backwards in relation to the thigh bone (femur).

It is very important to make sure that you do not have any other major injuries to the ligaments around your knee. Because the PCL is the strongest ligament of the knee, we often find that there are other ligaments or soft tissues that are also damaged along with the PCL. When other ligaments are injured in combination with a PCL injury, it is often recommended that you have a surgical reconstruction of these ligaments and additional soft tissues within the first 2-3 weeks after the initial injury. Early surgery (within the first three weeks) gives the knee the best chance to heal properly. We recommend that all athletes with a diagnosis of a PCL tear be evaluated by a sports medicine physician and obtain stress x-rays and magnetic resonance imaging to verify that they have a correct diagnosis of their injury.

In your case, with an isolated tear of your PCL, we would recommend an intensive rehabilitation program once the swelling and pain in your knee diminishes. You should strive to achieve full range of motion in your injured knee early in the rehabilitation process. Concurrent with this you should use a dynamic PCL brace to try to hold your shinbone (tibia) forward and prevent it from slipping backwards relative to the femur. Without the brace, this slipping can be caused by either your physical activity or simply the effects of gravity. The next step would then be to work on strengthening your quadriceps muscles. The basic exercises that we recommend for this are an exercise bike, leg presses, squats and straight leg raises. You should avoid knee extension exercises with weights, because this exercise could cause significant knee irritation. Each of these exercises may need to be modified somewhat due to the fact that you have an injury to your PCL. The height of the seat on the exercise bike should be placed such that your lower leg is slightly flexed while sitting on the bike. When doing the leg press and squats, you should strive for only partial knee flexion (to about 70°) because full knee flexion puts extra stress on the healing PCL. It is important to remain cognizant to the fact that these exercises are meant to target quadriceps strengthening. Quadriceps strengthening is essential because these muscles pull through the front of the knee cap and shin bone which protects your PCL from unwanted tension. In general, hamstring exercises should be avoided during the early healing process, because activating these muscles can place extra stress on the PCL. Once you have rehabilitated your quadriceps muscles back into shape, there is an excellent chance that you could return to full activities in ice hockey. It is important to have full motion and strength of your knee prior to returning back to sports. I would anticipate that you could be able to return back to full activities in 6-8 weeks with a dedicated rehabilitation program.

If you continue to have problems, especially going down stairs or down hills, an evaluation and repeat PCL stress x-rays may be necessary to determine if you need surgery. It is essential to see a knee specialist if these problems persist because chronic PCL injuries can put significant strain on other parts of the knee and can lead to other ligament injuries and the rapid progression of osteoarthritis. In the event that your injury requires surgery, most PCL reconstructions are performed with two graft bundles and, if performed by a specialist in this technique, usually the procedure results in excellent outcomes. Following this type of ligament reconstruction, a hockey player can expect to return to hockey 9-12 months following the surgery, and can expect to be competing at or near their pre-injury level.

Robert F. LaPrade, M.D., Ph.D. is a complex knee and sports medicine surgeon at Twin Cities Orthopedics in Edina and Eagan, Minn. He is very active in research for the prevention and treatment of ice hockey injuries, from mini-Mites to the NHL. from all of last year and there is plenty more hockey to play.

“When I was young, we would go downstairs and I probably shot 1000 pucks in a month which is outrageous,” explained Vincent de Mey. “We would just shoot. We would shoot for corners or shoot for the five-hole, it was something I was always preparing for. I have always had that knack for picking corners and I feel like my dad really helped me hone that craft by helping me shoot day after day, over and over again. It has gotten me this far and I want to take advantage of it as much as possible. Some people believe they have a gift in certain things. I have always believed I have a gift and I just chose to stick with it and hopefully I can make it to the top one day.”

It’s a gift that never gets old and one Wildcat fans hope to open again and again in the year 2020 – and hopefully beyond. Fresh off a win over then-No. 1 Minnesota State their last time out, NMU finds themselves in sixth place in the conference standings, just two points behind this weekend’s opponent Bowling Green. After the Falcons, their next three conference opponents have a record at or below .500. In February, of the Wildcats final four squads they will see, only one currently has a losing record. If Potulny and company plan on making things count, now is the time.

If they do, you can bet Vincent de Mey will be in the mix. After all, he’s pretty good at picking his spots.

28

January 16, 2020

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All invitational tournaments held in Minnesota must first go through a district tournament coordinator before being sent to the Minnesota Hockey tournament coordinatir, Tim Sweezo, for final approval.

The list below is of Minnesota Hockey tournament coordinators for each district. Please call them if you need information about a certain tournament.

District 1 Tom Mickus (651) 248-3075; District 2 Jake Reinseth (651) 274-9023; District 3 Chad Nicholls (952) 544-0808; District 4 Kris Hohensee (507) 360-6787; District 5 Jeff Carlen (320) 274-3509; District 6 Brad Hewitt (952) 250-6431; District 8 Zac Dockter (612) 735-9703; District 9 Troy Marquardt (507) 384-7386; District 10 Mark Osmondson (612) 747-8308; District 11 Clark Coole (218) 590-0703; District 12 Craig Homula (218) 744-5566; District 15 Cyndi Young (218) 731-5899; District 16, Mark Dragich (218) 791-0229; Senior Women, Nancy Wefler (763) 537-7837.

Tournament entrants from outside Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota: Be informed that Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota Squirt, PeeWee and Bantam teams will likely have some players up to six months older than the USA Hockey age guidelines for those classifications. Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota are using a July 1 age cut-off date while USA Hockey is using a January 1 age cut-off date. If you are concerned about this issue, you should contact the tournament director immediately to determine whether or not you should register for the tournament.

JANUARY 2020 16-19 Anoka, MN: Anoka Classic, Bantam A/ AA, B1 & B2; Contact Kristi Robideau (651) 2533089 or anokatournaments@gmail.com or visit anoka.pucksystems2.com 16-19 White Bear Lake, MN: Moose Goheen Tournament, Bantam B1 & PeeWee B1; Contact Emily St. Martin (612) 636-1978 or tournaments@ wblhockey.com or visit www.wblhockey.com 17-19 Albert Lea, MN: Girls 12U A; Contact Darcy Hauser (641) 590-6000 or alyhatournamentdirector@ gmail.com or visit albertlea.pucksystems2.com 17-19 Albertville, MN: Knights Joust, PeeWee B2; Contact Mat Harrison at tournaments@stmayha.org or visit www.stmayha.org 17-19 Alexandria, MN: Big Ole Hockey Tournament, Bantam AA/A & PeeWee AA/A; Contact Mike Peterson (320) 760-1960 or mikepeterson1509@ gmail.com or visit www.alexhockey.org 17-19 Apple Valley, MN: Play for Patrick Tournament, Bantam AA; Contact Kanan Suzuya at ksuzuya@eastviewhockey.net or Tony Maurer at tmaurer@eastviewhockey.net or visit www.eastviewhockey.net 17-19 Bemidji, MN: PeeWee B1; Contact Jeff Loewe (612) 760-3228 or bemidjihockeytourney@ gmail.com or visit bemidjiyouthhockey.org 17-19 Brainerd, MN: Squirt C; Contact Mitch Hodgman (218) 838-2277 or visit www.brainerdhockey.com 17-19 Breezy Point, MN: Breezy Point Ice Fest, PeeWee B2; Contact Tony (218) 562-5678 or apertl@breezypointresort.com or visit www.breezypointsports.com 17-19 Brookings, SD: Dakota Premier Classic, Girls 19U B & 14U B; Contact tournamentdirector@ brookingsrangers.com or visit brookingsrangers. com 17-19 Brooklyn Park, MN: 37th annual January Pirate Classic, PeeWee B & C; Contact Amanda Naylor (612) 619-2691 or tournamentdirector@ nmyha.com or visit www.nmyha.com 17-19 Buffalo, MN: Jr. Gold B & 16U; Contact Jennifer Sabetti (612) 708-7701 or tournaments@ buffalohockey.net or visit buffalo.pucksystems2.com

17-19 Cloquet, MN: Bantam B2; Visit www.cloquethockey.org 17-19 Coleraine, MN: Buzz Guyer Memorial, Bantam A; Contact Rebecca Walker (218) 360-0157 or nwlamb@yahoo.com or visit www.gahamn.org 17-19 Crookston, MN: PeeWee B; Contact (218) 470-0423 or crookstonhockey@gmail.com or visit www.crookstonbluelinehockey.com 17-19 Devils Lake, ND: PeeWee A & B; Contact Terry Wallace (701) 662-8243 or twallacedlpb@ gondtc.com or visit www.dlparkboard.org 17-19 Duluth, MN: Gary Morgan Park Squirt Tournament, Squirt B; Contact Wade Backstrom (218) 310-2514 or backs1175@gmail.com or visit www.duluthhockey.com 17-19 Duluth, MN: St. Luke’s Icebreaker Invitational, Girls 15U A & B, 12U A & B, 10U A & B; Contact Clarke Coole (218) 590-0703 or icebreakertournament@ gmail.com or visit www.duluthhockey. com 17-19 Eveleth, MN: 33rd annual John Mariucci PeeWee A Tournament; Contact egyouthhockey@ gmail.com or visit www.evelethyouthhockey.com 17-19 Fargo, ND: Buffalo Wild Wings Woodchipper Classic, Bantam B1 & B; Contact Sommer Lockhart (701) 532-1728 or sommerl@fargohockey. org or visit www.fargohockey.org 17-19 Fergus Falls, MN: PeeWee B; Contact Darren Krein (701) 640-6980 or d3krein@gmail.com or visit fergusfallshockey.pucksystems.com 17-19 Forest Lake, MN: Ranger Classic, Girls 15U A; Contact Phil Wagstrom at tournaments@flhockey.org or visit www.flhockey.org 17-19 Grand Forks, ND: Grand Forks Squirt Classic, Squirt A, B1 & B; Contact Jessie Close (701) 787-0316 or jclose.gfyouthhockey@gmail. com or visit www.grandforksyouthhockey.com 17-19 Grand Rapids, MN: Star of the North Tournament, Bantam AA; Contact Colleen Forrest at grhockey55744@yahoo.com or visit www.grhockey. com 17-19 Hermantown, MN: Bantam A; Contact Amber Manion (218) 729-5493 or hawkdome@ isd700.org or visit www.hermantownhockey.com 17-19 Hibbing/Chisholm, MN: Bantam B2; Contact hibbingchisholmyouthhockey@gmail.com or visit www.hcyha.org 17-19 Hudson, WI: Raider Cup, Jr. Gold B & Jr. Gold 16; Contact Bob Mueller (715) 716-0606 or bobmhockey@gmail.com or visit www.hudsonhockey.com 17-19 Lino Lakes, MN: Centennial Boys Chill Classic, Junior Gold 16; Contacy Kath Gould (651) 216-5768 or kgould.cyha@gmail.com or visit www. centennialhockey.org 17-19 Mankato, MN: PeeWee B2 & Squirt A; Contact Jenny Pierskalla at mankatotcr58@gmail. com or visit www.mankatohockey.com 17-19 Marshall, MN: Prairie Shootout, PeeWee A/B; Contact Chris Foley (507) 828-0146 or cfoleyecowater@vastbb.net or visit marshall.pucksytems2.com 17-19 Moorhead, MN: Squirt C; Visit www. moorheadyouthhockey.com 17-19 Mora, MN: Mustang Showdown, Squirt B2; Contact Cristy Thomas (612) 390-5790 or morahockey@ yahoo.com or visit www.mayrasports.com 17-19 New Hope, MN: Knockdown at New Hope, Girls 12U B, 10U B1 & B2; Contact Susie Melynchuk (612) 940-8686 or smelynchuk@comcast. net or visit www.armstrongcooperhockey.org 17-19 Northfield, MN: Jesse James Showdown, PeeWee B; Contact Matt Geiger at mattgeiger1@ yahoo.com or visit www.northfieldhockey.net 17-19 Paynesville, MN: Girls 10U B; Contact Michelle Herickhoff (952) 484-5479 or riverlakestourneys@gmail.com or visit www.riverlakeshockey.com 17-19 Plymouth, MN: Wayzata Jr. Gold Invitational, Jr. Gold A; Contact Gary Turnquist at tournaments@wayzatahockey.org or visit www.wayzatahockey.org 17-19 Proctor, MN: PeeWee A; Contact Chris Simonson (218) 310-1338 or cjsimonson8@yahoo. com or visit www.proctorhockey.com 17-19 Richmond, MN: Girls 12U B; Contact Michelle Herickhoff (952) 484-5479 or riverlakestourneys@gmail.com or visit www.riverlakeshockey. com

17-19 River Falls, WI: PeeWee B (A WI) & C (B WI); Contact Marissa Feely (651) 983-6350 or rfhockeytourney@gmail.com or visit riverfalls. pucksystems.com 17-19 Rochester, MN: Bantam B1 & B2; Contact Rob Cothern at robertcothern@yahoo.com or visit ryha.pucksystems2.com 17-19 Rogers, MN: Rogers Bardown Classic, PeeWee AA/A; Contact Jeanette Rodgers (612) 296-3957 or visit www.rogershockey.com 17-19 Roseau, MN: Dick Johnson PeeWee A/ AA Tournament; Contact Bill Lund (218) 689-0636 or visit www.roseauhockeyonline.com 17-19 Sauk Rapids, MN: Storm on Ice, PeeWee B2; Contact Connie Pesta (320) 333-3860 or pestaconnie@gmail.com or visit www.saukrapidshockey.org 17-19 Silver Bay, MN: PeeWee B2; Contact Mike Guzzo (218) 226-4214 or silverbayarena@ hotmail.com or visit www.silverbayhockey.com 17-19 Siren, WI: PeeWee C (WI 3B/4A); Contact Michelle Nutter (715) 554-3826 or michelle@ northernwisconsintitlesearch.com or visit www.burnettyouthhockey.com 17-19 South St. Paul, MN: Cowtown Classic, PeeWee B2 & C; Contact Dan Nerka at sspyha.tournaments@gmail.com or visit sspyha.pucksystems2. com 17-19 Stillwater, MN: Stillwater Round-Up, PeeWee C & Squirt C; Contact Pete Waggoner (952) 769-6513 or pete@sportscontentmanagement.com or visit www.stillwaterhockey.net 17-19 St. Paul, MN: St. Paul Heartbreaker Tournament: Girls 10UB/10UB2. Girls 12UB. Register at www.stpaulcapitalshockey.com.

17-19 Superior, WI: Colder by the Lake Tournament, Bantam B; Visit superior.pucksystems2. com 17-19 Thief River Falls, MN: Squirt A; Contact Rick Nordhagen (218) 289-2408 or rntrfaha@mncable.net or visit www.trfaha.org 17-19 Winona, MN: Squirt A & B; Contact Ditlev Larsen (507) 454-5819 or dlarsen@winona. edu or visit winona.pucksystems2.com 17-20 Clearwater Beach, FL: Tampa Bay Jr. Lightning - MLK Invitational Tournament, U10-U18, AA, A, BB, B, Select; Contact James Zitmanis (877) 702-5701 or info@weekendhockey.com or visit www.weekendhockey.com 18 Somerset, WI: Mite Jamboree; Contact Dan Gilkerson (715) 222-2448 or dgilkerson@ somersethockey.com or visit www.somersethockey.com 18-19 Inver Grove Heights, MN: Girls 10U A & B; Contact ighhatourney@gmail.com or visit www. ighha.org 18-19 Sauk Centre, MN: I-94 Challenge, Squirt B; Contact Joelle Anderson (320) 219-3318 or Amy Lindquist (320) 333-2059 or scm.hockey.tournaments@gmail.com or visit saukcentremelrose. pucksystems.com 22-26 Bloomington, MN: Cupid Classic, Girls 15U B, 12U A, 12U B, 10U A & 10U B; Contact bahatourneys@gmail.com or visit www.bloomingtonhockey.com 23-25 St. Paul, MN: 61st Annual Langford Park Winter Classic Outdoor Squirt C Tournament; Contact Scott Hamilton (651) 329-8609 or scotth@ langfordparkhockey.com or visit www.langfordparkhockey.com 23-26 Eden Prairie, MN: Winter Classic, Bantam A & C; Contact Shelly Heggestad at tournaments@ ephockey.com or visit www.ephockey.com 23-26 Stillwater, MN: 17th Annual Skate for the Roses, Girls 15U A, 12U A, 12U B, 10U A & 10U B; Contact Cari McGlynn (952) 484-7252 or carimcglynn@ yahoo.com or visit www.stillwaterhockey.net 23-26 White Bear Lake, MN: Moose Goheen Tournament, Bantam AA & PeeWee AA; Contact Emily St. Martin (612) 636-1978 or tournaments@ wblhockey.com or visit www.wblhockey.com 24-26 Alexandria, MN: Big Ole Hockey Tournament, Girls 15U A & B; Contact Mike Peterson (320) 760-1960 or mikepeterson1509@gmail.com or visit www.alexhockey.org

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24-26 Austin, MN: PeeWee A, B & C; Contact Dave Lagerstedt (507) 438-2256 or dave@farmtech.com or visit austin.pucksystems2.com 24-26 Bemidji, MN: Squirt B; Contact Jeff Loewe (612) 760-3228 or bemidjihockeytourney@ gmail.com or visit bemidjiyouthhockey.org 24-26 Brainerd, MN: Girls 10U B1 & B2; Contact Mitch Hodgman (218) 838-2277 or visit www. brainerdhockey.com 24-26 Breezy Point, MN: Breezy Point Ice Fest, Girls 10U B; Contact Tony (218) 562-5678 or apertl@breezypointresort.com or visit www.breezypointsports.com 24-26 Brookings, SD: Dakota Premier Classic, Jr. Gold A; Contact tournamentdirector@ brookingsrangers.com or visit brookingsrangers.com 24-26 Cloquet, MN: PeeWee AA/A; Visit www. cloquethockey.org 24-26 Crookston, MN: Girls 10U B; Contact (218) 470-0423 or crookstonhockey@gmail.com or visit www.crookstonbluelinehockey.com 24-26 Duluth, MN: Portman Skate on the Edge, Squirt B; Contact Shawn Roed (218) 7306365 or roedwarrior13@gmail.com or visit www. duluthhockey.com 24-26 Duluth, MN: Woodland Outdoor Classic, Squirt B; Contact Dace Pearce (218) 349-0866 or maximjd@gmail.com or visit www.duluthhockey. com 24-26 Fargo, ND: Buffalo Wild Wings Woodchipper Classic, Bantam A & PeeWee A; Contact Sommer Lockhart (701) 532-1728 or sommerl@ fargohockey.org or visit www.fargohockey.org 24-26 Fergus Falls, MN: Bantam B; Contact Darren Krein (701) 640-6980 or d3krein@gmail.com or visit fergusfallshockey.pucksystems.com 24-26 Forest Lake, MN: Ranger Classic, Squirt B2 & C; Contact Phil Wagstrom at tournaments@flhockey.org or visit www.flhockey.org 24-26 Grand Forks, ND: Bantam B1; Contact Jessie Close (701) 787-0316 or jclose.gfyouthhockey@ gmail.com or visit www.grandforksyouthhockey.com 24-26 Grand Rapids, MN: Star of the North Tournament, Squirt A; Contact Colleen Forrest at grhockey55744@yahoo.com or visit www.grhockey. com 24-26 Hayward, WI: Hayward Chiller Challenge, Girls 14U & 12U; Contact Jill Gajewski (715) 634-4791 or haywardsports@cheqnet.net or visit www.haywardsportscenter.com 24-26 Hutchinson, MN: Bantam A & B; Contact Caleb Paulson (320) 292-4512 or caleb.m.paulson@ wellsfargo.com or visit www.hutchhockey. com 24-26 Lakeville, MN: Panther Classic, PeeWee B1; Contact Brian Peterson (612) 708-0336 or lhatourney@gmail.com or visit www.lakevillehockey. org 24-26 Little Falls, MN: Bantam A & B; Contact Kari Houle at runtbugy@gmail.com or visit littlefallsyha.pucksystems.com 24-26 Maple Grove/Osseo/Brooklyn Park, MN: Girls Cabin Fever Classic, Girls 12U B & B2; Contact Sara Grant (763) 442-7259 or tournamentchair@ omgha.com or visit www.omgha.com 24-26 Minneapolis, MN: Winter Storm Tournament, Girls 12U B & 10U B; Contact Ken Madden at kmadden5336@gmail.com or visit www.mplshockey.com 24-26 Monticello, MN: Iceberg Classic, Squirt B1 & C; Contact Sean Lawrance (612) 290-8547 or krazykustoms49@gmail.com or visit www.mooseyouthhockey.org 24-26 Mora, MN: Mustang Showdown, Bantam B2 & PeeWee B2; Contact Cristy Thomas (612) 390-5790 or morahockey@yahoo.com or visit www. mayrasports.com 24-26 New Richmond, WI: Cally Briggs Memorial, Girls 12U B & 10U B; Contact Barry Cunningham (651) 283-0072 or tournaments@nryha. net or visit www.nryha.net 24-26 New Ulm, MN: Squirt C; Contact Alissa Griebel (507) 276-5612 or bagriebel12@gmail.com or visit newulm.pucksystems2.com

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January 16, 2020

TOURNAMENT CALENDAR 24-26 Owatonna, MN: Squirt A, B & C; Contact Pat Cullen (507) 363-6594 or director@owatonnahockey.com or visit www.owatonnahockey.com 24-26 Plymouth, MN: Wayzata Classic, Jr. Gold B & 16; Contact Gary Turnquist at tournaments@ wayzatahockey.org or visit www.wayzatahockey.org 24-26 Proctor, MN: Bantam A; Contact Chris Simonson (218) 310-1338 or cjsimonson8@yahoo. com or visit www.proctorhockey.com 24-26 Richmond, MN: PeeWee A; Contact Michelle Herickhoff (952) 484-5479 or riverlakestourneys@gmail.com or visit www.riverlakeshockey. com 24-26 River Falls, WI: Squirt B (A WI) & C (B WI); Contact Marissa Feely (651) 983-6350 or rfhockeytourney@gmail.com or visit riverfalls. pucksystems.com 24-26 Rochester, MN: Shannon Cup, Girls 15U A, 12U B, 10U A & B; Contact Rob Cothern at robertcothern@yahoo.com or visit ryha.pucksystems2.com 24-26 Roseau, MN: Jon Wensloff PeeWee B Tournament; Contact Bill Lund (218) 689-0636 or visit www.roseauhockeyonline.com 24-26 Silver Bay, MN: Bantam B2; Contact Mike Guzzo (218) 226-4214 or silverbayarena@ hotmail.com or visit www.silverbayhockey.com 24-26 Superior, WI: Great Lakes Pond Hockey Classic, Adult Men & Women; Visit www.greatlakespondhockey.com 24-26 Thief River Falls, MN: Girls 10U B; Contact Rick Nordhagen (218) 289-2408 or rntrfaha@ mncable.net or visit www.trfaha.org 24-26 Two Harbors, MN: Girls 12U B & 10U B; Contact Jesse Lundgren (218) 834-8339 or thyouthhockey@gmail.com or visit www.twoharborsyouthhockey.org 24-26 Willmar, MN: Cardinal Classic, PeeWee B1; Contact Nick Pederson (763) 913-7657 or nicholaspederson21@gmail.com or visit www.willmarhockey.com 24-26 Worthington, MN: Girls 12U & 10U; Contact Charley Ahlers (507) 360-7183 or cahlers727@ hotmail.com or visit www.worthingtonhockey.com 25 Sauk Centre, MN: SCM Mite Jamboree; Contact Joelle Anderson (320) 219-3318 or Amy Lindquist (320) 333-2059 or scm.hockey.tournaments@gmail.com or visit saukcentremelrose. pucksystems.com 25-26 Coleraine, MN: Mite Jamboree; Contact Rebecca Walker (218) 360-0157 or nwlamb@yahoo.com or visit www.gahamn.org 25-26 Faribault, MN: Mite; Contact Michal Munoz at michaelmunoz@gmail.com or visit www. faribaulthockey.com 25-26 Hibbing/Chisholm, MN: Girls 8U/6U Jamboree; Contact hibbingchisholmyouthhockey@ gmail.com or visit www.hcyha.org 25-26 Moose Lake, MN: PeeWee B; Contact Heidi Oswald (218) 565-2488 or heidi3258@gmail. com or visit www.mlaharebels.com 26 Sauk Centre, MN: SCM Mighty Mite Jamboree; Contact Joelle Anderson (320) 219-3318 or Amy Lindquist (320) 333-2059 or scm.hockey. tournaments@ gmail.com or visit saukcentremelrose.pucksystems.com 26 Winona, MN: Mite Jamboree; Contact Ditlev Larsen (507) 454-5819 or dlarsen@winona. edu or visit winona.pucksystems2.com 31-2 Albert Lea, MN: Squirt A & B; Contact Darcy Hauser (641) 590-6000 or alyhatournamentdirector@ gmail.com or visit albertlea.pucksystems2.com 31-2 Alexandria, MN: Big Ole Hockey Tournament, PeeWee B2 & Squirt A; Contact Mike Peterson (320) 760-1960 or mikepeterson1509@ gmail.com or visit www.alexhockey.org 31-2 Austin, MN: Bantam A & B; Contact Dave Lagerstedt (507) 438-2256 or dave@farmtech.com or visit austin.pucksystems2.com 31-2 Bemidji, MN: PeeWee B2; Contact Jeff Loewe (612) 760-3228 or bemidjihockeytourney@ gmail.com or visit bemidjiyouthhockey.org 31-2 Brainerd, MN: Squirt B1 & B2; Contact Mitch Hodgman (218) 838-2277 or visit www.brainerdhockey.com 31-2 Breezy Point, MN: Breezy Point Ice Fest, PeeWee B1; Contact Tony (218) 562-5678 or apertl@breezypointresort.com or visit www.breezypointsports.com 31-2 Brookings, SD: Dakota Premier Classic, Girls 19U A; Contact tournamentdirector@ brookingsrangers.com or visit brookingsrangers. com 31-2 Cloquet, MN: Girls 10U B; Visit www. cloquethockey.org 31-2 Coleraine, MN: Bantam B; Contact Rebecca Walker (218) 360-0157 or nwlamb@yahoo. com or visit www.gahamn.org 31-2 Coon Rapids, MN: Cardinal Clash, Girls 12U B; Contact Steve Ellenson (763) 464-0690 or steveellenson@cryha.com or visit www.coonrapidshockey.com 31-2 Detroit Lakes, MN: Bantam A; Contact Britt Moore (218) 234-5763 or bwestrum20@gmail. com or visit www.dlyouthhockey.com 31-2 Duluth, MN: Zenith City Invitational, Bantam B2 & PeeWee B2; Contact Clare Markley (218) 260-6292 or markleyclare@gmail.com or visit www.duluthhockey.com 31-2 Eveleth, MN: 9th annual U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Squirt B Tournament; Contact egyouthhockey@ gmail.com or visit www.evelethyouthhockey.com

31-2 Fargo, ND: SCHEELS Girls International, Girls 15U; Contact Sommer Lockhart (701) 5321728 or sommerl@fargohockey.org or visit www. fargohockey.org 31-2 Faribault, MN: Squirt A & B; Contact Michal Munoz at michaelmunoz@gmail.com or visit www.faribaulthockey.com 31-2 Grand Rapids, MN: Star of the North Tournament, Jr. Gold B; Contact Colleen Forrest at grhockey55744@yahoo.com or visit www.grhockey. com 31-2 Hermantown, MN: PeeWee A; Contact Amber Manion (218) 729-5493 or hawkdome@ isd700.org or visit www.hermantownhockey.com 31-2 La Crescent, MN: Squirt B; Contact Bryan Waskow at bawaskow@gmail.com or visit www. lacrescenthockey.com 31-2 Luverne, MN: Mite/Mini-Mite Jamboree; Contact Eric Edstrom (507) 380-1002 or ericedstrom@ hotmail.com or visit luvernehockey.sportngin.com 31-2 Mankato, MN: Squirt B1 & B2; Contact Jenny Pierskalla at mankatotcr58@gmail.com or visit www.mankatohockey.com 31-2 Maple Grove/Osseo/Brooklyn Park, MN: Girls Cabin Fever Classic, Girls 10U B & B2; Contact Sara Grant (763) 442-7259 or tournamentchair@ omgha.com or visit www.omgha.com 31-2 Marshall, MN: Squadron Classic, Squirt A/B; Contact Chris Foley (507) 828-0146 or cfoleyecowater@vastbb.net or visit marshall.pucksytems2. com 31-2 New Ulm, MN: Girls 10U B & 12U B; Contact Alissa Griebel (507) 276-5612 or bagriebel12@ gmail.com or visit newulm.pucksystems2. com 31-2 Paynesville, MN: PeeWee B2; Contact Michelle Herickhoff (952) 484-5479 or riverlakestourneys@gmail.com or visit www.riverlakeshockey.com 31-2 Proctor, MN: Bantam B; Contact Chris Simonson (218) 310-1338 or cjsimonson8@yahoo. com or visit www.proctorhockey.com 31-2 Roseau, MN: Girls 10U A & B; Contact Bill Lund (218) 689-0636 or visit www.roseauhockeyonline.com 31-2 Sauk Rapids, MN: Storm on Ice, Bantam B2; Contact Connie Pesta (320) 333-3860 or pestaconnie@gmail.com or visit www.saukrapidshockey.org 31-2 Shakopee, MN: Saber Paw Classic, Jr. Gold B; Contact Jason Vega (612) 321-1734 or shakohockey08@gmail.com or visit www.shakopeehockey.com 31-2 Thief River Falls, MN: PeeWee B; Contact Rick Nordhagen (218) 289-2408 or rntrfaha@ mncable.net or visit www.trfaha.org 31-2 Walker, MN: City on the Bay Hockey Tournament, Squirt B2; Contact Mitch Loomis at loomis@shoresofleechlake.com or visit www.walkeryouthhockey.com 31-2 Warroad, MN: Hockeytown USA Bantam B Tournament; Contact Robin Marvin (218) 452-0185 or rmarvin05@gmail.com or visit www. warroadhockey.com 31-2 Waseca, MN: Tracy Rae Jevning 12U/10U Tournament; Contact whatournamentdirector@gmail.com or visit www.wasecahockey.org 31-2 Winona, MN: PeeWee B; Contact Ditlev Larsen (507) 454-5819 or dlarsen@winona.edu or visit winona.pucksystems2.com

FEBRUARY 2020 1-2 Moose Lake, MN: Squirt B; Contact Heidi Oswald (218) 565-2488 or heidi3258@gmail.com or visit www.mlaharebels.com 1-2 Silver Bay, MN: Girls 10 U B; Contact Mike Guzzo (218) 226-4214 or silverbayarena@ hotmail.com or visit www.silverbayhockey.com 5-9 Edina, MN: 35th Annual Bob O’Connor Tournament, Bantam B2 & C, PeeWee B2 & C, Squirt A, B1, B2 & C; Contact Pete Waggoner (952) 769-6513 or pete@sportscontentmanagement.com or visit www.edinahockeyassociation.com/ourtournaments 6-8 New Ulm, MN: Mite Jamboree; Contact Alissa Griebel (507) 276-5612 or bagriebel12@ gmail.com or visit newulm.pucksystems2.com 6-9 Eden Prairie, MN: Prelude to the Playoffs, Girls 15U A & B; Contact Shelly Heggestad at tournaments@ephockey.com or visit www.ephockey.com 6-9 White Bear Lake, MN: Moose Goheen Tournament, Girls 12U A & B; Contact Emily St. Martin (612) 636-1978 or tournaments@wblhockey.com or visit www.wblhockey.com 7-9 Albert Lea, MN: Squirt C; Contact Darcy Hauser (641) 590-6000 or alyhatournamentdirector@ gmail.com or visit albertlea.pucksystems2. com 7-9 Breezy Point, MN: Breezy Point Ice Fest, Squirt C; Contact Tony (218) 562-5678 or apertl@breezypointresort.com or visit www.breezypointsports.com 7-9 Brookings, SD: Dakota Premier Classic, Squirt A; Contact tournamentdirector@ brookingsrangers.com or visit brookingsrangers.com 7-9 Cloquet, MN: Girls 12U B; Visit www. cloquethockey.org

7-9 Coleraine, MN: “Misky” Memorial, Squirt B; Contact Rebecca Walker (218) 360-0157 or nwlamb@yahoo.com or visit www.gahamn.org 7-9 Detroit Lakes, MN: Girls 12U B; Contact Britt Moore (218) 234-5763 or bwestrum20@gmail. com or visit www.dlyouthhockey.com 7-9 Devils Lake, ND: John & Pat Olsen Memorial Squirt Tournament, Squirt A & B; Contact Terry Wallace (701) 662-8243 or twallacedlpb@gondtc. com or visit www.dlparkboard.org 7-9 Duluth, MN/Superior, WI: Twin Ports Jr. Gold B Tournament; Contact Jason Watt (218) 728-8000 or jason@duluthhockey.com or visit www. duluthhockey.com 7-9 Grand Forks, ND: Bantam A & PeeWee A; Contact Jessie Close (701) 787-0316 or jclose. gfyouthhockey@gmail.com or visit www.grandforksyouthhockey.com 7-9 Grand Rapids, MN: Star of the North Tournament, Squirt B; Contact Colleen Forrest at grhockey55744@yahoo.com or visit www.grhockey. com 7-9 Hermantown, MN: Girls 10U B; Contact Amber Manion (218) 729-5493 or hawkdome@ isd700.org or visit www.hermantownhockey.com 7-9 Hibbing/Chisholm, MN: Mite & MiniMite Jamboree; Contact hibbingchisholmyouthhockey@ gmail.com or visit www.hcyha.org 7-9 Lakeville, MN: Cougar Classic, Bantam B1; Contact Brian Peterson (612) 708-0336 or lhatourney@ gmail.com or visit www.lakevillehockey. org 7-9 Luverne, MN: Squirt B; Contact Eric Edstrom (507) 380-1002 or ericedstrom@hotmail.com or visit luvernehockey.sportngin.com 7-9 Mason City, IA: J2K Tournament, Bantam/PeeWee; Contact Ashley Page at mchockeytournament@ gmail.com or visit www.mcmohawkhockey.com 7-9 Moorhead, MN: Girls 12U A; Visit www. moorheadyouthhockey.com 7-9 New Hope, MN: 33rd annual New Hope Invitational, Bantam A, PeeWee A, Squirt A; Contact Susie Melynchuk (612) 940-8686 or smelynchuk@ comcast.net or visit www.armstrongcooperhockey. org 7-9 River Falls, WI: Bantam C (B WI); Contact Marissa Feely (651) 983-6350 or rfhockeytourney@gmail.com or visit riverfalls.pucksystems.com 7-9 Siren, WI: Bantam C (WI 3B/4A); Contact Michelle Nutter (715) 554-3826 or michelle@ northernwisconsintitlesearch.com or visit www.burnettyouthhockey.com 7-9 Warroad, MN: Hockeytown USA Girls 10U & 12U Tournament; Contact Robin Marvin (218) 452-0185 or rmarvin05@gmail.com or visit www. warroadhockey.com 7-9 Worthington, MN: PeeWee A/B; Contact Charley Ahlers (507) 360-7183 or cahlers727@ hotmail.com or visit www.worthingtonhockey.com 8-9 Hudson, WI: Girls U8 Jamboree; Contact Bob Mueller (715) 716-0606 or bobmhockey@ gmail.com or visit www.hudsonhockey.com 8-9 Inver Grove Heights, MN: Squirt B & C; Contact ighhatourney@gmail.com or visit www. ighha.org 8-9 Silver Bay, MN: Squirt B; Contact Mike Guzzo (218) 226-4214 or silverbayarena@hotmail. com or visit www.silverbayhockey.com 8-9 Waseca, MN: Al Kunz Memorial Mite Jambroee; Contact whatournamentdirector@gmail. com or visit www.wasecahockey.org 13-16 Fargo, ND: Squirt International B; Contact Sommer Lockhart (701) 532-1728 or sommerl@ fargohockey.org or visit www.fargohockey.org 13-16 Somerset, WI: Jr. Gold B & Jr. Gold 16; Contact Jim Urquhart (763) 218-1385 or jurq121@ icloud.com or visit www.somersethockey.com 13-16 White Bear Lake, MN: Moose Goheen Tournament, Jr. Gold A & B; Contact Emily St. Martin (612) 636-1978 or tournaments@wblhockey.com or visit www.wblhockey.com 14-16 Amery, WI: PeeWee B (WI 3A/2B/1C) & C (WI 3B/4A); Contact Kari Stinson (715) 338-7843 or karilee521@yahoo.com or visit www.ameryhockey.com 14-16 Breezy Point, MN: Breezy Point Ice Fest, PeeWee C; Contact Tony (218) 562-5678 or apertl@breezypointresort.com or visit www.breezypointsports.com 14-16 Cloquet, MN: Mite Jamboree; Visit www. cloquethockey.org 14-19 Cloquet, MN: Girls 8U Jamboree; Visit www.cloquethockey.org 14-16 Duluth, MN: Northern Blades of Steel, Squirt B; Contact Lynden Medlin (218) 343-5030 or congdonparkhockey@gmail.com or visit www.duluthhockey.com 14-16 Eden Prairie, MN: Prairie Madness, PeeWee C & Squirt C; Contact Shelly Heggestad at tournaments@ephockey.com or visit www.ephockey.com 14-16 Hayward, WI: Hayward Chiller Challenge, Squirt B1/B2 (WI 2A/3A) & Squirt 2B/4A; Contact Jill Gajewski (715) 634-4791 or haywardsports@cheqnet.net or visit www.haywardsportscenter.com 14-16 Hermantown, MN: Mite 1 Jamboree; Contact Amber Manion (218) 729-5493 or hawkdome@ isd700.org or visit www.hermantownhockey.com 14-16 River Falls, WI: Bantam B (A WI); Contact Marissa Feely (651) 983-6350 or rfhockeytourney@gmail.com or visit riverfalls.pucksystems.com 14-17 St. Louis, MO: OneHockey St. Louis: 18U AA/HS Varsity. 16U AA/HSJV, 14U AA, 14U A, 12U AA, 10U AA, 12U A, 10U A, 14U B, 12U B, 10U B. Contact sebastienf@onehockey.com. www.onehockey.com.

29

continued

14-16 Superior, WI: Colder by the Lake Tournament, Squirt B; Visit superior.pucksystems2.com 14-17 Southern CA: OneHockey California: AA- 18U/16U/14U. A – 14U/12U/10U. B – 14U/12U/10U. A/B/Gretzky – 8U half Ice. Contact sebastienf@onehockey.com. www.onehockey.com.

14-17 Wake Forest, NC: OneHockey Raleigh: AA- 18U/16U/14U/12U/10U. Upper Level A - 18U/16U/14U/12U/10U. Lower Level A/B 16U/14U/12U/10U. A&B – 8U half ice. Contact sebastienf@onehockey.com. www.onehockey.com.

14-16 Warroad, MN: Hockeytown USA Squirt A & B Tournament; Contact Robin Marvin (218) 452-0185 or rmarvin05@gmail.com or visit www. warroadhockey.com 15-16 Alexandria, MN: Mite Jamboree; Contact Mike Peterson (320) 760-1960 or mikepeterson1509@ gmail.com or visit www.alexhockey.org 15-16 Hudson, WI: Raider Classic, Bantam A; Contact Bob Mueller (715) 716-0606 or bobmhockey@ gmail.com or visit www.hudsonhockey.com 15-16 New Richmond, WI: Mite Invitational; Contact Wendy Melchert at mitehockey_nr@yahoo. com or visit www.nryha.net 20-23 Fargo, ND: Squirt International B1; Contact Sommer Lockhart (701) 532-1728 or sommerl@ fargohockey.org or visit www.fargohockey.org 21-23 Breezy Point, MN: Breezy Point Ice Fest, Squirt B; Contact Tony (218) 562-5678 or apertl@breezypointresort.com or visit www.breezypointsports.com 21-23 Devils Lake, ND: Mikal Wakefield Memorial Mite Jamboree, Mite A, B & C; Contact Terry Wallace (701) 662-8243 or twallacedlpb@gondtc. com or visit www.dlparkboard.org 21-23 Eden Prairie, MN: Prairie Meltdown, Girls 10U A & B1; Contact Shelly Heggestad at tournaments@ ephockey.com or visit www.ephockey. com 21-23 Eveleth, MN: 24th annual Nick Vincent Memorial Mite Jamboree; Contact egyouthhockey@ gmail.com or visit www.evelethyouthhockey.com 21-23 Faribault, MN: Squirt C; Contact Michal Munoz at michaelmunoz@gmail.com or visit www. faribaulthockey.com 21-23 Grand Rapids, MN: Star of the North Tournament, Girls 10U B; Contact Colleen Forrest at grhockey55744@yahoo.com or visit www.grhockey. com 21-23 Hermantown, MN: Mite 2 Jamboree; Contact Amber Manion (218) 729-5493 or hawkdome@ isd700.org or visit www.hermantownhockey.com 21-23 Moorhead, MN: Bantam C & PeeWee C; Visit www.moorheadyouthhockey.com 21-23 Owatonna, MN: Bantam C & PeeWee C; Contact Pat Cullen (507) 363-6594 or director@ owatonnahockey.com or visit www.owatonnahockey.com 17-19 Siren, WI: Jr. Gold B (WI A); Contact Michelle Nutter (715) 554-3826 or michelle@ northernwisconsintitlesearch.com or visit www.burnettyouthhockey.com 21-23 Superior, WI: Colder by the Lake Tournament, Mite 2; Visit superior.pucksystems2.com 21-23 Virginia, MN: Eric Marwick Squirt B Tournament; Contact Naomi Ranisate at vaha.reg@ gmail.com or visit virginiabluedevilhockey.com 21-23 Winona, MN: PeeWee C & Squirt C; Contact Ditlev Larsen (507) 454-5819 or dlarsen@ winona.edu or visit winona.pucksystems2.com 22-23 Silver Bay, MN: Mite Jamboree; Contact Mike Guzzo (218) 226-4214 or silverbayarena@ hotmail.com or visit www.silverbayhockey.com 27-1 Fargo, ND: Squirt International A; Contact Sommer Lockhart (701) 532-1728 or sommerl@ fargohockey.org or visit www.fargohockey.org 28-1 Amery, WI: Squirt B (WI 3A/2B/1C) & C (WI 3B/4A); Contact Kari Stinson (715) 338-7843 or karilee521@yahoo.com or visit www.ameryhockey. com 28-1 Breezy Point, MN: Breezy Point Ice Fest, Squirt C; Contact Tony (218) 562-5678 or apertl@breezypointresort.com or visit www.breezypointsports.com 29-1 Coleraine, MN: Darrell Leen Memorial, Mini-Mite Jamboree; Contact Rebecca Walker (218) 360-0157 or nwlamb@yahoo.com or visit www.gahamn.org 29-1 Hayward, WI: Hayward Chiller Challenge, 8U Mite; Contact Jill Gajewski (715) 6344791 or haywardsports@cheqn et.net or visit www. haywardsportscenter.com

MARCH 2020 6-8 Middletown, NJ: OneHockey New Jersey: AA – 16U, 14U, 12U, 10U. A – 16U/14U/12U/10U. B – 14U/12U/10U. A & B – 8U half ice. Contact sebastienf@onehockey.com. www. onehockey.com.

7-8 Silver Bay, MN: Mite Jamboree; Contact Mike Guzzo (218) 226-4214 or silverbayarena@ hotmail.com or visit www.silverbayhockey.com 13-15 Marshall, MN; Marshall MAdness 6-on-6 Men 19+. Register at https://bit.ly/marshallmadness.

Or Call 507-537-6767.

13-15 Marshall, MN: Tiger Classic, Mites/MiniMites; Chris Foley (507) 828-0146 or cfoleyecowater@vastbb.net or visit marshall.pucksytems2.com

30

January 16, 2020

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Let’s Play Hockey

TOURNAMENT CALENDAR 13-15 Moorhead, MN: North American College Hockey Showcase. Girls High School Ages. register at 222.nachstournament.com.

13-15 New Richmond, WI: Senior Men’s (no check), Open & Over 35-40; Contact Barry Cunningham (651) 283-0072 or tournaments@nryha. net or visit www.nryha.net 13-15 River Falls, WI: Mites Shamrock Shootout; Contact Marissa Feely (651) 983-6350 or rfhockeytourney@gmail.com or visit riverfalls. pucksystems.com 13-15 Worthington, MN: Mite/Mini-Mite Jamboree; Contact Charley Ahlers (507) 360-7183 or cahlers727@hotmail.com or visit www.worthingtonhockey.com 20-22 River Falls, WI: Fat Boys, 40+; Contact Doug Black at ddblack@vector1776.com or visit riverfalls.pucksystems.com 27-29 Blaine, MN. AAA Opener. Boys 2012/11, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006. Contact Randy Peake at randy@northlandhockeygroup.com. Register at www.aaatournaments.com.

27-29 Sioux Falls, SD. AAA Opener. Boys Open 2012.11, 2010, 2009. Contact Randy Peake at randy@northlandhockeygroup.com. Register at www.aaatournaments.com.

27-29 Barrie, ON: Barrie Colts Novice AAA Tournament, U8, AAA; Contact James Zitmanis (877) 702-5701 or info@weekendhockey.com or visit www.weekendhockey.com 27-29 Superior, WI: The Gilby Senior Hockey Tournament; Adult Men; Visit superior.pucksystems2.com

3-5 Twin Cities, MN. Early Trailblazer AAA. Boys 2005-2012. Girls 10U/12U. Contact dan@midwesthockey.net. www.midwesthockey.net.

16-19 Edina and Burnsville, MN. Under Armour Face-Off. AAA Open - 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012. Contact: Adam Hauser adamh@mnmadehockey.com or 952-641-6887.

Register at www.mnmadehockeytournaments.com.

17-19 Blaine, MN. AAA Opener. Boys Open 2005, 2004. Contact Randy Peake at randy@northlandhockeygroup.com. Register at www.aaatournaments.com.

17-19 St. Cloud, MN. Girls Open 10U, 12U, 14U. Contact Randy Peake at randy@northlandhockeygroup.com. Register at www.aaatournaments.com.

17-19 Twin Cities, MN. Early Trailblazer AA. U16 Boys, Boys 2005-2012. Girls U8-U14. Contact dan@midwesthockey.net. www.midwesthockey.net.

24-26 Alexandria, MN. Midwest Icebreaker: Boys 2008-2010. Contact dan@midwesthockey.net. www.midwesthockey.net.

24-26 St. Cloud. MN. Mountain Dew Blast.

Boys Open 2012/11, 2010, 2009. Contact Randy Peake at randy@northlandhockeygroup.com. Register at www.aaatournaments.com.

24-26 Fargo/Moorhead. Mountain Dew Blast.

Boys Open 2012/11, 2010, 2009, 2008. Contact Randy Peake at randy@northlandhockeygroup. com. Register at www.aaatournaments.com.

30-3 Minneapolis, MN. Stars and Stripes AAA Hockey Tournament. Boys ‘05, ‘06, ‘07, ‘08, ‘09, ‘10, ‘11, ‘12, 13’. Tier I and Tier II Girls 16U, 14U, 12U, 10U, 8U. Contact: Adam Hauser adamh@mnmadehockey.com or 952-641-6887. Register at www. mnmadehockeytournaments.com.

April 2020 3-5 Northfield, MN. North American College Hockey Showacase. Open to all current HS Girls. register at www.nachstournament.com.

3-5 Sioux Falls, SD. AAA Opener. Boys Open 2008, 2007, 2006.

3-5 Northfield, MN. North American College Hockey Showacase. Open to all current HS Girls. register at www.nachstournament.com.

1-3 Fargo/Moorhead. Mountain Dew Blast.

Girls Open 10U, 12U, 14U. Contact Randy Peake at randy@northlandhockeygroup.com. Register at www.aaatournaments.com.

1-3 St. Cloud, MN. Mountain Dew Blast.

Boys Open 2008, 2007, 2006. Contact Randy Peake at randy@northlandhockeygroup.com. Register at www.aaatournaments.com.

8-10 Spring Stampede AAA: Boys 2005-2012.

Girls U10 and U12. Contact dan@midwesthockey. net. www.midwesthockey.net.

15-17 St. Cloud, MN. Mountain Dew Blast.

Boys Open 2005. Contact Randy Peake at randy@ northlandhockeygroup.com. Register at www.aaatournaments.com.

15-17 Twin Cities, MN. Mountain Dew Blast.

Boys Open 2012/11, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006.

Contact Randy Peake at randy@northlandhockeygroup.com. Register at www.aaatournaments. com.

15-17 Twin Cities, MN. Spring Stampede AA: U16 Boys, Boys 2005-2012. Girls U8-U14. Contact dan@midwesthockey.net. www.midwesthockey.net.

15-17 Edmonton, AB: OneHockey Edmonton: AAA Elite, AAA Gold, AAA Silver 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012. Contact sebastienf@onehockey. com. www.onehockey.com.

22-24 Duluth, MN: MN Female Elite Prospects Tournament, Girls 16U & U19; Contact Kevin Mudrak (218) 522-1375 or kmudrak@yahoo.com or visit www.mnfemalehockey.com 22-25 Southern CA: OneHockey California:Midget A/JV High School, Midget Tier/Varsity, 14UA, 14UAA, 12UA, 12UAA, 12UB, 10UA, 10UB. 8U – A/B/Gretzky half ice. Contact sebastienf@onehockey.com. www.onehockey.com.

29-31 Blaine, MN. Mountain Dew Blast. Boys and Girls High School Prep. Contact Randy Peake at randy@northlandhockeygroup.com. Register at www.aaatournaments.com.

MAY 2020 1-3 Alexandria, MN. Midwest Icebreaker: Girls U10-U14. Contact dan@midwesthockey.net. www.midwesthockey.net.

1-3 Blaine, MN. Mountain Dew Blast. Boys Open 2004. Contact Randy Peake at randy@northlandhockeygroup.com. Register at www.aaatournaments.com.

2020 HOCKEY TOURNAMENTS BORDER BATTLE TOURNAMENT • April 17-19 •

JUNE 2020 4-7 Rapid City, SD. Rushmore Cup. Boys Open 2010, 2009, 2008. Girls Open 12U. Contact Dave Druk at dave@northlandhockeygroup.com.

Register at www.aaatournaments.com.

5-7 Blaine, MN: OneHockey Minneapolis: AAA – 2001/2002/2003 (19U). 2004/2005 (16U), 1006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 . Contact sebastienf@onehockey.com. www.onehockey.com.

11-14 Rapid City, SD. Rushmore Cup. Boys Open 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004. Contact Dave Druk at dave@northlandhockeygroup.com. Register at www.aaatournaments.com.

19-21 Willmar, MN. North American College Hockey Showcase. Open to all current HS Girls.

Register at www.nachstournament.com.

26-28 Blaine, MN. Lettermen Cup. Boys Open 2012/11, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007. Contact Randy Peake at randy@northlandhockeygroup.com. Register at www.aaatournaments.com.

26-28 Plymouth/Maple Grove, MN. Lettermen Cup. Boys Open 2006, 2005, 2004. Girls Open 10U 12U. Contact Randy Peake at randy@northlandhockeygroup.com. Register at www.aaatournaments.com.

East Metro MN and Western WI

continued

JULY 2020 17-19 Duluth, MN: 15th Annual Northern Exposure AAA Hockey Tournament, 2003/04-2010/11; Contact Kasey Yoder (651) 432-1840 or kaseyyoder@gmail.com or visit www.northernexposureaaahockey.com 24-26 Aston, P: OneHockey Philadelphia: AAA – 20U, 18U, 16U, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012. Contact sebastienf@onehockey.com. www.onehockey.com.

31-Aug 2 Sioux Falls, SD. Combat Cup. Boys Open 2011-2012, 2010, 2009. Contact Randy Peake at randy@northlandhockeygroup.com. Register at www.aaatournaments.com.

AUGUST 2020 6-9 Edina and Burnsville, MN. Rumble at the Rink. Boys 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012. Contact: Adam Hauser adamh@mnmadehockey.com or 952641-6887. Register at www.mnmadehockeytournaments.com.

7-9 Alexandria, MN. Summer Round-Up. Boys 2008-2010. Contact dan@midwesthockey.net. www.midwesthockey.net.

7-9 Twn Cities, MN. AAA Combat Cup. Boys Open 20012/11, 2010, 2009, 208, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004. Contact Randy Peake at randy@northlandhockeygroup.com. Register at www.aaatournaments.com.

14-16 Sioux Falls, SD. Combat Cup. Boys Open 2008, 2007, 206. Contact Randy Peake at randy@northlandhockeygroup.com. Register at www.aaatournaments.com.

14-16 Woodbury and Stillwater, MN. Combat Cup. Girls Open 10U, 12U, 14U. Contact Randy Peake at randy@northlandhockeygroup.com. Register at www.aaatournaments.com.

14-16 Summer Round-Up AA. U16 Boys, Boys 2005-2012. Girls U8-U14. Contact dan@midwesthockey.net. www.midwesthockey.net.

14-16 Alexandria, MN. Summer Round-Up. Girls U10-U14. Contact dan@midwesthockey.net. www.midwesthockey.net.

21-23 Summer Round Up. Boys 2005-2012.

Girls U10 and U12. Contact dan@midwesthockey. net. www.midwesthockey.net.

28-30 Blaine, MN. Combat Cup. Boys and Girls High School Prep. Contact Randy Peake at randy@northlandhockeygroup.com. Register at www.aaatournaments.com.

SEPTEMBER 2020 4-6 Columbus, OH: OneHockey Columbus: AA- 18U/16U/14U. A – 14U/12U/10U. B – 14U/12U/10U. A/B/Gretzky – 8U half Ice. Contact sebastienf@onehockey.com. www.onehockey.com.

2012- U-16 Boys & U-8, U-10, U12 and U14 Girls Divisions

No portion of the tournament calendar may be copied, reproduced or transmitted without written permission from Let’s Play Hockey and its publisher.

BLAZE CUP

• August 7-9 • East Metro MN and Western WI 2012 through 2005 boys birth years & U-16 Boys

2020

www.blazehockey.net For more information and to register, contact Dan Gilkerson 715.222.2448 dgilkerson@somersethockey.com

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– NOTEBOOK – USA Olympic Youth squad opens with win

ROMANSHORN, Switzerland – Led by a three-point performance from Cruz Lucius (Grant, Minn.) the U.S. Youth Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team defeated Switzerland, 4-0, in a pre-tournament tune up ahead of the 2020 Youth Olympic Games at EZO Romanshorn.

The U.S. opens preliminary round play Saturday (Jan. 18) against Finland in Lausanne, Switzerland. Puck drop is slated for 2 p.m. ET and a live stream of the game can be accessed at https://www.teamusa.org/lausanne-2020-winter-youth-olympicgames/watch-live.

“I thought it was a really good opening game for our team,” said head coach Scott Paluch (Bowling Green, Ohio). “I loved the intensity of our players, and the ability to possess the puck and make plays was very good. I think it was a good first building block and a very positive beginning.”

After a quiet first period, the U.S. broke through in the opening seconds of the middle frame when Jimmy Snuggerud (Chaska, Minn.) fired a feed from Rutger McGroarty (Lincoln, Neb.) at the left circle past Swiss goaltender Alessio Beglieri to make it 1-0.

Lane Hutson (North Barrington, Ill.) also picked up an assist on the tic-tac-toe play.

The U.S. struck again with 6:11 remaining in the second period when Ike Howard (Hudson, Wis.) slotted a loose rebound in the crease to Lucius who was waiting at the back door to bury the feed past Beglieri and give Team USA a 2-0 advantage.

Howard tallied a goal of his own just 26 seconds later to extend Team USA’s lead to 3-0, and Ryan Chesley (Mahtomedi, Minn.) rounded out the scoring for the U.S. late in the third period to seal the 4-0 victory.

Dylan Silverstein (Calabasas, Calif.) and Arthur Smith (Farmington, Conn.) combined efforts in goal to record the shutout for Team USA. NOTES: Seven skaters tallied points in the victory … Cruz Lucius led all U.S. skaters with three points (1G, 2A), followed by Ike Howard and Maddox Fleming who each recorded two assists.

January 16, 2020

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The U.S. captures its sixthconsecutive Para Hockey Cup title

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee announced today that the U.S. National Sled Hockey team has earned Best of December accolades for the Team USA Awards, which recognize the outstanding achievements of Team USA athletes from last month.

Last month at the 2019 Canadian Tire Para Hockey Cup, the U.S. National Sled Hockey team skated to a perfect 5-0-0-0 (W-OTW-OTL-L) record for a third-straight year at this event and outscored its opponents 25-2.

The U.S. defeated Canada 2-1 in the championship game to secure its sixth-straight Para Hockey Cup title. Declan Farmer (Tampa, Fla.) and Josh Hargis (Colorado Springs, Colo.) each tallied a goal to help lead the U.S. to a record seventh title and 13th podium finish since the event began in 2007.

Brody Roybal (Northlake, Ill.) led the tournament with 10 points (3-7) while Farmer led the way with six goals, including his 100th Team USA career goal against Russia in the opening game of the tournament.

The U.S. National Sled Team is back in action Feb. 11-16, 2020 for a two-game series with Canada in Elmira, Ont. NOTES: Brody Roybal (Northlake, Ill.), Josh Pauls (Green Brook, N.J.), Rico Roman (Portland, Ore.), Kevin McKee (Chicago, Ill.) and Declan Farmer (Tampa, Fla.) each earned U.S. Player of the Game honors at the 2019 Para Hockey Cup ... The 2019 Para Hockey Cup took place at the Paradise Double Ice Complex in Paradise, Newfoundland.

Remember the Miracle event slated for MSU-Mankato women’s program Feb. 6

Mankato, Minn. – Forty years ago this February, Minnesota State women’s hockey coach John Harrington was in Lake Placid, N.Y., with the United States Men’s Olympic Hockey Team. So was University of Wisconsin women’s hockey coach Mark Johnson.

This year, they’ll both be in Mankato for the 40th Anniversary of the event, reliving the resilience, fortitude and commitment of the team that made history by defeating the Soviet Union on its way to capturing a gold medal.

Minnesota State Athletics has put together an opportunity to share memories of the 1980 Miracle on Ice with Coach Harrington, Coach Johnson and several of their teammates at an intimate fundraising event for the Maverick women’s hockey program on Thursday, Feb. 6, at the Mayo Clinic Health Service Event Center.

The evening features opportunities to socialize with players as well as a program featuring members of the 1980 Olympic team.

A limited number of $500 ticket packages are available that include: • Admission for two guests • One 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey replica team jersey • Complimentary pre-event hor d’oeuvres and cash bar • Post-event cash bar and exclusive opportunity to interact with Miracle on Ice team members • Four tickets for one of the Minnesota State vs. Wisconsin women’s hockey games (choice of either Friday, Feb. 7 or Saturday, Feb. 8) To register for the event, please visit www.msumavericks.com/miracle.

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January 16, 2020

Let’s Play Hockey

www.stateofhockey.com

31st Annual

MARCH 6-7, 2020

Saint Paul RiverCentre, St. Paul, MN mer u s n o c t s e g r a The l LD! R O W e h t n i w hockey sho

• Fun and challenging interactives • Celebrity Appearances • Exhibitors • Giveaways • Coupons • Much more!

Volume XLVII •

Number 9 • Issue

1250

January 10, 2019

Photos by Nick Wosika, Mike Thill and Christine Wisch

THE TREK A Midseason Review TO THE X: pages 20-21

E

Predicting the e 15 2019 champions pag esota 2019 Hockey Day Minn 17 e a week away pag

ALSO IN THIS ISSU

JOHN RUSSO Stats & concepts

ANDY NESS e habits ... pg. 8

g ... pg. 4

for better shootin

Building practic

E ... pg. 9 JOSH LEVINelitism with young athletes The danger of

GH KIM MCCULLOU 6 more goals ... pg.

5 ways to score

ERWICK board ... pg. 7 JACK BLATHnce on the slide

said … pg. 17

HAL TEARSE Coach 18 to college ... pg.

KEVIN KURTT Off

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opmenty. ining &prepaDeredvel ckey Tra to meet the enem r 2019toHo than to be well Summe produce victory nothing so likely There is

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Let’s Play Hockey Magazine... the longest running hockey publication in the country and available at your local hockey arena FREE!

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33

Youth Hockey Report presented by Chaska/Chanhassen Bantam A Purple capture The Big Chill Hockey tournament championship

Chaska/Chanhassen Bantam A Purple captured the championship of The Big Chill Hockey Tournament in Hastings on Jan. 3-5, going a perfect 3-0 to claim its third tournament title this season. En route to the championship, CC Purple defeated Mounds View 1-0, Mahtomedi 2-0 and Hibbing 3-1. Purple had previously won the Woodbury Rumble in November and Burnsville Thanksgiving Classic in December.

Former Minnesota Wild player Antti Laaksonen is the team’s head coach. Players include Nicklas Azanov, Jack Christ, Ben Curtis, Mason Fasching, Evan Flynn, Hunter Fredrich, Caleb Heil, Alex Jensen, Thomas Laaksonen, Mason Lang, Billy McNeeley, Henry Muench, Jake Risch and Henry Sohn.

Eden Prairie/Chaska/Chanhassen 15U A finish third at Super Rink Spectacular

Eden Prairie/Chaska/Chanhassen 15U A finished in third place at the Super Rink Spectacular Jan. 3-5 in Blaine for the team’s first trophy of the season. EP/CC went 1-0-2 in pool play with a win over the North East Metro Stars (7-1) and a pair of 2-2 ties to Minnetonka Blue and Andover. In bracket play, EP/CC edged Minnetonka Blue 3-2 in the semifinals before falling to Lakeville White 6-5 in the championship game. Players include (front, from left) Coach Steph Strapple, Abby Lendzyk, Paige Sommerfeld, Lucy Guild, Haley Schiel; (back) Gianna Kowalkowski, Erinn Kocouruk, Sofia Hedlund, Ashley Claver, Lizzie Swartout, Berit Berggren, Sarah Heiberg, Ava Stewart and Ella Martin.

Chaska/Chanhassen Squirt B1 Gold’s finishes second at Squirt Extravaganza

Chaska/Chanhassen Squirt B1 Gold finished in second place at the Osseo/Maple Grove Squirt Extravaganza on Dec. 27-29, going 3-2. After a Friday night loss to Forest Lake, CCHA Gold posted victories on Saturday against Elk River (4-1) and Osseo/Maple Grove Gold (4-2). On Sunday in the semifinals, goaltender Nathan Brandt backstopped the Stormhawks to a 3-0 shutout of Stillwater, a team that had Youth Hockey Report outscored its opponents 14-3 during the tournament.

With the win, CCHA Gold headed to the championship game for a rematch with Forest Lake, a team that had scored 18 goals during the tournament. In a defensive battle, Gold held Forest Lake to a single goal, but was unable to solve the Rangers’ goaltender in a 1-0 title game loss.

Chaska/Chanhassen’s Oscar Waisanen, Griffin Nutter, Nicholas Carlson and Theo Koubeck all ended the tournament on the leaderboard for either points or goals.

This was CCHA Gold’s second time earning tournament hardware this season after taking first at the Brick City Classic in November.

Players include goalie Nathan Brandt, (front, from left) Theo Koubeck, Aiden Gerding, Sam Tessmer, Sean Hokkanen, Griffin Friedrich, Casey Becker, Nicholas Carlson, (second row) Tyler Hromatka, Griffin Nutter, Marco Tobin, Oscar Waisanen, Brody Ferrell, Bennett Musolf, Reid McGinn, (back) Coaches Erik Hromatka, Brian Carlson, Derek Nutter and Tom Becker. Not pictured: Paul Koubeck.

Chaska/Chanhassen Bantam B2 Gold take third place at Shakopee Hot Headed Hockey Invite

Woodbury U12 B White team takes first in Breezy Point IceFest tourney

Chaska/Chanhassen Bantam B2 Gold took third place at the Shakopee Hot Headed Hockey Invite on Jan. 3-5. CC Gold had wins over Rochester White (11-0) and Lakeville North (8-2), and a narrow 3-2 loss to Sibley. In the third place game, Chaska/ Chanhassen defeated fellow District 6 rival Waconia 7-4. Players include (front, from left) Brander Lovig, Grayson Buckley, Danny Fahey; (back) Matt Fahey, Will Kester, Dylan Spalding, Sam Strand, Joey Schmidt, Rafe Gisel, Ryan Schutter, Charlie Thorpe, AJ Charbonneau, Ethan Sekeres, Kristian Palattao, Dan Charbonneau and Ken Palattao.

The Woodbury U12 B White team took first place in the Breezy Point IceFest Tournament Jan. 5 with a 2-1 win over Hutchinson. Woodbury battled for the puck in four games, defeating Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato, Thunder Bay, Hudson and Hutchinson to take home the Championship Cup. Players include (front) Lila Rose (goalie), Addi Barone, Lexi Penton, Lily Olson, Gracia Munoz, Morgan Kittelson, Malia Mauer, (back)Emerson Millington, Avery Thole, Megan Kittelson, Kylee Paul and coaches Olson, Penton and Munoz.

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January 16, 2020

Let’s Play Hockey

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January 16, 2020

Let’s Play Hockey

4TH ANNUAL

WORLD CUP

OF YOUTH HOCKEY “A unique hockey tournament experience like no other”

SPRING

March 20-22: Super Rink Blaine, MN NEW! ➤ April 24-26: Marshall, MN NEW! ➤ Your Location Here

FALL

Aug. 21-23: Sioux Falls, SD Aug. 21-23: Duluth, MN (Amsoil Arena) Aug. 21-23: West Fargo, ND NEW! ➤ Sept. 11-13: Wisconsin Dells, WI

Play For One Of These Teams

United States FEATURES

Russia

✔ Three mini games in a jamboree style format on Friday ✔ Players will be put on teams at a draft later in the day on Friday to balance the teams ✔ Three World Cup games followed by the Medal Presentation on the ice. ✔ A sublimated jersey of one of the four countries represented. ✔ Smaller rosters: 13 skaters and 1 goalie (goalie must be a AAA or A level winter goalie)

Sweden

Canada

TESTIMONIALS My boy had a blast playing in this tournament. The Medal presentation was great!

–Steve from Roseville Best tournament of the summer. We will be back again next year.

–Gwen from Mason City You made an impact on my sons life, I can’t thank you enough.

–Margaret from Duluth

REGISTER NOW! This Will Fill Up Fast!

northlandhockeygroup.com Contact us at info@northlandhockeygroup.com Like “Northland Hockey Group” on Facebook

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January 16, 2020

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Youth Hockey Report presented by Chaska/Chanhassen Bantam B2 Purple finish second at Big Ole Hockey Tournament

Chaska/Chanhassen Bantam B2 Purple finished in second place at the Big Ole Hockey Tournament in Alexandria Jan. 3-5, outscoring its opponents 24-8. CC Purple went 2-0-1 in pool play with wins over Eagan (4-0) and Sibley (14-1), and a tie with Orono (5-5). In the title game, Chaska/Chanhassen was edged 2-1 by District 6 rival Minnetonka. This is Purple’s second runner-up finish of the season after taking second at the Woodbury Rumble in November. Players include Nathan Bellmont, Caden Bigelbach, Xavier Harvieux, Davis Hudnut, Breckin Jones, Max Maginnis, Samuel Marek, Jacob McCoy, Cody Nahan, Grant Penttinen, Elijah Quernemoen, Chase Rasmusen, Leo Smalley, Benjamin Vernier, Mateo Waisanen, Peter Worre, and Owen Zick. Coaches are Matt Smalley, Shawn Nahan, Mike Bellmont, Matt Hudnut and Jonathan Worre.

Chaska/Chanhassen PeeWee B2 Gold wins Brainerd tournament

Chaska/Chanhassen PeeWee B2 Gold captured first place at the Brainerd PeeWee B2 Tournament, defeating Farmington 6-1 in the title game. En route to the championship tilt, CC Gold downed St. Cloud 11-0, Eden Prairie 7-1 and Woodbury Black 5-3. Every Gold player tallied at least one point during the tournament to help the team earn its second trophy of the season after a second-place finish at the Stillwater Stampede in November. Players include (front, from left) Kieran Kurtt, Charlie Thomas; (second row) Benett Hallman, Christian Jackson, Mason Gutowsky, Colby Stewart, Sam Swanson, (third row) Thomas Toohey, Coleman Zielinski, Quinn Reding, Wyatt Brastad, Parker Mancini, Samuel Copen. Coaches are (from left) Eric Hallman, Mike Mancini and Jason Brastad.

Mounds View Irondale Mustangs win Hastings Bantam B Big Chill Invitational

The Bantam B1 Mustangs spoiled tournament host Hastings’ hopes with a 3-1 defeat in the championship game barnburner on Jan. 5. It was a wellearned, bruising victory for the Youth Hockey Report Mustangs who were determined to win despite the hard-hitting Raider’s efforts. The Mustangs lost in the championship game in their own tournament back at Thanksgiving at the Super Rink. So when Hastings reduced the Mustang lead to one goal, they were ready. The Mustangs ground down the clock in the third period with outstanding control, team defense and discipline. Goalie Alex Sabev kept it tidy, making saves and vacuuming up rebounds.

This is the second tournament championship for the team this year, having won the Battle at the Baron in Marshall in December. The team has played more games this season than any Bantam team in the state, with a 2713-2 record.

Next up are games with Osseo Maple Grove, Stillwater and games with up north teams from Grand Rapids and Warroad.

Bantam B1 Mustangs players include Max Young, Max Schulze, Nick Schulte, Alex Sabev, Justin Roberts, Zach Baird, Daniel Koch, Sam Hood (not pictured), Michael Hope, Andrew Hermes, Andrew Heaberlin, Coleman Halstead, Cole Friedman, Gavin Fagerlee, Clayton Derr, Zach Boryczka and Alec Bjork.

Eagan Wildcats Bantam B1 take third at Detroit Lakes Youth Hockey Report

Pictured are (left to right) Head Coach Russ Haun, Nate McKinnon (9), David Gutierrez (85), Harrison Ziebarth (21), Jack Greenberg (5), Trent Graupman (11), Jacob Johnson (50), Riley Paulus (91), Dylan Pahl (27), Michael DeMarchis (97), Michael Krahn (87), Karson Thissen (28), Zeke Swedock (84), Noah Falteysek (6), Edward More (44), Aidan Zilge (86), Isaac Martin (92), Griffin Joas (4), Coach Nick Harris, Coach Chris Haun, Jack Schneiderhan (32).

Eagan Bantam B1 finished in third place at the 2019 Detroit Lakes Bantam tournament Nov. 29-Dec. 1, going 3-1 and setting a high scoring trend.

Eagan defeated Crookston 11-5 and St. Vitale, MB 9-3 in the start of the series. After a 7-5 loss to Blaine, Eagan dominated against Langdon, N.D., winning 5-0 to take home a third place honor. The offensive pressure and defensive work of the team contributed to solid play and led to the team racking up 30 goals, including hat tricks from Trent Graupman (D) and Michael Krahn (C).

Eagan’s goalkeeper, Jack Schneiderhan finished the tourney strong by posting a shutout.

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January 16, 2020

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Youth Hockey Report presented by

Otter 10U A Hockey competes against top talent at 10U International

Chaska/Chanhassen PeeWee B2 Purple captures runner-up honors at PeeWee Showdown

PHOTO BY JENNY OLSON

Evelyn Wedll plays a puck off the boards before scoring for the Otters.

The Prairie’s Edge Dental 10U Hockey Team traveled to Fargo Jan. 3-5, kicking off 2020 with the 10U International Tournament. Sixteen teams from the state of Minnesota and Canada were in competition for the A trophy, with 16 each competing at 10U B, 12U A and 12U B. Friday’s matchup for the Otters was a gun-slinging OsseoMaple Grove squad. OMGHA scored first at the halfway point Youth Hockey Report of the first period. Midway through the second, Evelyn Wedll snuck past two defenders, banking the puck off the boards before tying the score for Fergus. The Otters kept pace with the OMGHA team through the first and most of the second, but Osseo-Maple Grove ran away with the game in the final 15, winning 8-1. Otter goalie, Mia Olson, earned a season-record 32 saves in a stunning turn in the crease, against the eventual tournament champions.

Early Saturday morning, Fergus faced off against Champlin Park-Coon Rapids.

No goals were scored in the first period, but CPCR strung together three quick ones in the second. Next, Maddison Brimhall scored an unassisted short-hander for the Otters, but the opponents answered back with a PowerPlay goal shortly thereafter, and another to close the period. Maggie Greenagel and Averie Tonneson earned goals number 2 and 3 for the Maroon & Gold (Brimhall assisted on the Tonneson goal), but CPCR’s offensive burst proved too much to overcome, and the score ended 5-3.

In a turn of events from game one, shots on goal were relatively low on both sides of the ice.

After a lunch break and a team photo shoot, it was the Canadian team, Brandon Wheat Kings, which was the Otters’ next foe. It would be the girls from the South scoring first, with Greenagel sinking a rebound goal from Tonneson. Greenagel then set the stage for Brimhall to put the Otters up 2-0. Brandon scored once before the close of the first period, but Tonneson answered back in the second with an unassisted biscuit. After one more Wheat Kings goal, Brimhall and Greenagel each scored unassisted once more, for a final of 5-2 Otters. In addition to the five reaching the netting, Brandon’s goalie turned away 32 Otter shots on goal.

In the final game of the tournament on Sunday, the Otters drew Bloomington as a competitor. Brimhall took the first faceoff of the game and marched straight down to light the lamp, scoring just eight seconds in. Two more Otter goals would hit the scoreboard in the first, before Bloomington’s only score of the matchup. With a final score of 9-1, the Otters showed their dominance throughout the game. Scoring goals were Brimhall (3), Greenagel (3), Kynzie Zender, Tonneson and Aubree Nelson.

Assists went to Greenagel (2) and Nelson.

Next up for the 11-5-1 Otters is a double-header against Alexandria on home ice Saturday, Jan. 11.

Duluth Denfeld Bantam A team wins Lake Superior Classic

The Duluth Denfeld Bantam A team won the Lake Superior Classic tournament for the second year in a row. They defeated Stillwater 5-1 at Amsoil Arena on Dec. 22, 2019, for the championship. Pictured are (front, from left) Brady McGinn, Martin Hoffmann, Blake Imhoff, Peter Smith, Jaden Ibriks; (middle) Brendan Flaig, Evan Regas, Jonas Martinelli, Jake Feiro, JJ Davis, Jacob Jarvi, Coach Max Holm; (back) Joe Stauber, Coach Tim Kleiman, Ryan Nephew, Mathias MacMillan, Nolan Udd, Sam Kartch, Tyler Stuart, Brendan Friday, Andy Larson and Owen Hindermann. Not pictured: Coach Nolan Meyer and Coach Ryker Holm.

Chaska/Chanhassen PeeWee B2 Purple captured runner-up honors at the Bloomington PeeWee Showdown Dec. 27-29, going 3-1 and outscoring its opponents 20-3. In pool play, CCHA Purple defeated Woodbury 5-1, Bloomington Jefferson 3-0 and Sartell 10-0 with goalie Max Worthington earning a pair of shutouts, and Will Bushey and Ryder Herrmann picking up hat tricks. The Stormhawks fell 3-2 to Minnetonka in the championship game with the winning goal scored in the contest’s final minutes. Players include Dylan Rucker, Michael Azanov, Tyler Evans, Josh Lund, Ryder Herrmann, Gavin Harvey, Griffin Miller, Grayson Endres, Gavin Schmid, Tommy Hawley, Caden Thorpe, Riley Nahan, and Will Bushey. Goalie: Max Worthington. Coaches: Steve Bushey, Shawn Nahan, Eric Miller, Jason Endres.

Forest Lake Squirt B1 brings home the Championship at OMGHA Squirt Extravaganza

Submitted by Erika Siverhus Game 1 was against undefeated Chaska-Chanhassen. Rangers battled and won that game 5-1. Goals were scored by Kellen Melberg, two by Colton Stang, Brixton Kraft and Brody Meister. Assists by Owen Siverhus, Levi Daley, Brody Meister and 2 assists by Kellen Melberg.

Game 2 was against the home team, OMG Gold, and ended in another win for the Rangers with a score of 3-1. Those goals were scored by Max Meister, Brody Meister and Derrick Loomis. Assists were by Brixton Kraft, Jack Pavlas and Kellen Melberg.

Game 3 was against Elk River and ended in another win for the Rangers with the score of 2-0. Kellen Melberg scored the first goal, assisted by Max Meister, and the second goal was scored

by Brody Meister and assisted by Colton Stang. Great job to goalie Gage Winkler on the shut out!

Game 4 was agaist the hometown OMG White. Rangers pulled off another win with a score of 8-3. Those goals were scored by Leo Schipper, Brixton Kraft, Kellen Melberg, Blake Langer, Brody Meister, and a hat trick by Colton Stang.

Youth Hockey Report Assists were by Levi Daley, Colton Stang, Blake Langer, Max Meister and Owen Siverhus.

Game 5 ended up being a rematch against Chaska/Chanhassen for the championship. They came hungry for revenge. The first period ended 0-0. In the second period, Derrick Loomis shot one of his notorious power shots and Brody Meister was there and ready for the rebound with 0.8 seconds left in the period, making it 1-0. The entire third period the Rangers were able to hold that score even after CC pulled their goalie in hopes of scoring with six skaters.

NOPE! Between the strong goalie Gage Winkler and the championship on the minds of the Rangers they won the game with a score of 1-0.

Way to go Rangers! They received compliments from other teams on how they play as a team and are fun to watch!

Great representation of Forest Lake.

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January 16, 2020

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Otter 10UA Girls win one in West Fargo, split on home ice Youth Hockey Report Submitted by Amy Wedll The Prairie’s Edge Dental 10U Hockey Team traveled to West Fargo on Dec. 15 to face the Stampede’s 10UA. Only five minutes passed with a 0-0 score, when Maggie Greenagel scored an unassisted goal in the first period.

She would then provide the assist for Maddison Brimhall to close the second, putting the Otters up 2-0. After holding the shut-out for 11 minutes of the third period, the Stampede snuck one over the line to make it 2-1. Despite pulling their goalie for an extra attacker, West Fargo was not able to balance the scales; instead, Kynzie Zender scored the unassisted empty-netter for the Otters for a final score of 3-1. Goalie Celia Smith, in her second start, earned 9 saves for the Otters.

The following weekend, the 10U Otters hosted the Fargo Freeze 10UA for a double-header at the Fergus Falls Community Arena. In game one, the Freeze caught the home team off guard

PHOTOS BY JENNY OLSON Above, Lydia Johnson scores on the rebound from Evelyn Wedll. At right, Anna Sem battles for the puck along the boards. in the first period, scoring four times. The Otters tightened up the defense in period two, but allowed an additional goal in the final minute for a score of 5-0. In the third and final period, Greenagel marched past the defense and scored unassisted for the only Otter goal. With a final score of 7-1, it was back to the drawing board for the Otters.

Later that same day, the teams returned to the ice for a rematch. It was

Chaska/Chanhassen Squirt B1 Purple takes third in Eden Prairie

Chaska/Chanhassen Squirt B1 Purple placed third in the Prairie Shootout in Eden Prairie Dec. 19-22, going 3-0-1. CCHA defeated Minnetonka Black 6-2 and Centennial 6-4, and tied Stillwater Black 3-3 in pool play. Missing the championship game on tie breaker criteria, the Stormhawks blanked White Bear Lake Orange 5-0 in a spirited game to place third in the tournament. Pictured are (front, from left) Jake Campbell, goalie Frank Petz, Tysen Herrmann; (second row) Noah Reeb, Jack Lundgren, Jake Wolf; (third row) Griffin Stein, Cole Stokes Jr., Beckett Eide, Baron Bogucki, Drew Lindell, Luke Sorensen; (back)Coach Jeff Campbell, Charles Rice, Henryk Krzmarzick, Dylon Olson, Coach Dana Sorensen and Assistant Coach Reg Stein.

Chaska/Chanhassen PeeWee C Gold earn second at Bloomington Peewee Showdown Chaska/Chanhassen PeeWee C Gold earned second place at the Bloomington Peewee Showdown on Dec. 27-29. During the tournament, the Stormhawks had decisive victories over Kennedy-Richfield, Wayzata and Woodbury during pool play. The team beat Wayzata on Saturday 6-3 behind a four-goal contribution from Matthew Tyler. Mike Parrington was strong in net as always. They advanced to the championship game on Sunday and lost a hard-fought game against Stillwater, making it a fun and exciting weekend of PeeWee hockey. Pictured are (front, from left) Blake Patka, Desmond McPhillips, Mike Parrington, Zavi Tobin, Jack Popa, Luke Tarral and Matthew Tyler; (middle) Henry Johnson, Barrett ‘Bear’ Nelson, Ethan Williams, Leo Duff, Ryan Gonsalves, Isaac Anderson; (back) Coaches Jason Bruyere, Chris Patka, Chris McPhillips and Kurt Johnson.

clear early on that the Prairie’s Edge Otters were ready to avenge their prior loss.

For the fourth game in a row, Greenagel outskated the defenders and scored unassisted for the Otters. This would be the only goal of the first period. In the final minute of the second, the Otters put together an impressive offensive rush, with Evelyn Wedll assisting a rebound goal by Lydia Johnson. Finally, in the third, Brimhall earned goal #3 with

Greenagel earning the assist. Goalie Mia Olson was lights-out in game 2, earning her second shutout win of the season.

With a 9-3-1 record on the season, the 10UA Otters will next participate in Fargo’s 10UA International Tournament.

They will face off against Osseo-Maple Grove Champlin-Coon Rapids and Brandon Wheat Kings.

Chaska/Chanhassen PeeWee A takes third in Roseau

Chaska/Chanhassen PeeWee A finished in third place at the Paul Broten PeeWee A/ AA Tournament in Roseau, Minn., on Dec. 19-22. The Stormhawks went 3-0 in pool play, defeating Warroad 8-3, Fargo Blue 6-1, and Woodbury 7-6 before falling to Roseau’s AA team 3-2 in the semifinalis. CC bounced back in the third-place game to edge Bemidji AA 4-3 with the game-winning goal scored with only 8.9 seconds remaining in overtime. Chaska/Chanhassen has now earned hardware in both of their tournaments after taking second in Burnsville in November. Pictured are (top row, from left) Head Coach Jason Notermann, Assistant Coach Andrew Syverson, Riley Syverson, Griffin Newman, Bennett McGinley, Zoe Zielinski, Assistant Coach Dan Kennedy, Carson Uhlenkamp, Assistant Coach Josh Schmieg; (middle) Brayden Soderstrom, Jack Gleason, Tyler Nesheim, Wyatt Florek, Ty Smith; (front) Tyler Schmieg, Noah Galvin, Kalen Balliet, Wyatt Tauer and Blake Kennedy.

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Youth Hockey Report presented by

Cloquet, Wayzata, Minnetonka, Stillwater win PeeWee Showdown championship

PHOTOS BY CYNDI NIGHTENGALE/CYNBADMEDIA.

Not even sheets of ice on the roads could stop the fun on the sheets of ice at BIG during the Bloomington Amateur Hockey Association’s Peewee Showdown. The tournament consisted of 32 teams, 468 players, and nearly 70 hours of ice on 3 rinks over 3 busy days. Peewee A Champions: Cloquet, Runner Up - Rosemount; Peewee B1 Champions: Wayzata, Runner Up - Rosemount; Peewee B2 Champions: Minnetonka, Runner Up - Chaska Chanhassen; Peewee C Champions: Stillwater, Runner Up Chaska/Chanhassen. Registration for the 2020 Peewee Showdown opens June 1, 2020, at bloomingtonhockey.com.

Chaska/Chanhassen PeeWee C Purple take second place at Lucas Decker Ultimate Showdown Chaska/Chanhassen PeeWee C Purple bring home hardware for the second week in a row, taking second place at the Lucas Decker Ultimate Showdown tournament on Dec. 6-8. The team posted 16 goals over five games and offered up a shutout over the Sioux Falls Flyers. Pictured are (front, from left) James Connors, Nolan Scofield, John Barghini, Jacob Bellmont, Dawson Perry, Bennet Pierce, John Parrington; (back) Otto Reinhardt, Cullen Wendolek, Wyatt Asanovich, Noah Pabich, Coach Craig Pabich, Colten Kinneman, Coach Mike Bellmont, Coach Joe Donato, Dominic Donato and Coach Ryan Connors.

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Youth Hockey Report presented by Rosemount PeeWee B2 White wins New Hope Classic

Rosemount PeeWee B2 White took first place in the 9th annual New Hope Classic in early December. They beat Mound West Tonka 7- 2 in the first game, Centennial 4-2 in the second game and Roseville 7-2 in the third game. In the championship, Rosemount battled it out with ACYHA in a 7-2 final score.

Eden Prairie PeeWeeB1 Champions at Prairie Faceoff

The Eagles claimed the Championship trophy in the Prairie Faceoff, Dec. 5-9. Eden Prairie faced great competition throughout the tournament, besting both Sibley and Edina White in the first rounds before facing Wayzata White in the Championship.

With a tie game going late into the 3rd, EP sent another to the back of the net with minutes left, only to have Wayzata match shortly after. The teams stayed locked at even as regular time expired. The tense 4-on-4 overtime went down to the wire before EP clinched the game for good in a 4-3 (OT) victory. Pictured are (front) Bennett Wilmer, (middle) Ethan Cayo, Becker Curry, Gavin Zick, Carson Stidger, Logan Johnson, Evan Bretz, (back) Carter Ginal, Cole Pitzl, Owen Schliesman, Matthew Wiedman, Cameron Rice and Nicholas Baukleke.

Elk River U15B hockey team wins Shakopee Hot Headed Invite

Over the weekend of Jan. 4-5, the Elk River U15B hockey team competed in the Shakopee Hot Headed Invite Tournament. The Elks went a perfect 4-0, defeating Lakeville 6-0, Eden Prairie/Chaska/Chanhassen 8-0, North Wright County 6-0 and finally Stillwater 5-0 to win the championship. Team members are Addison Brandt (goalie), Sophie Stanislowski, Kaila Swart, Majalisa Hjort, Lexi Jimenez, Lauren Kammann, Haylee Kammann, Sarah Leaser, Addison Wehmeyer, Katya Schmidt, Sommer Peterson, Carley Fischer and Tatum Hupalo.

North Shore PeeWees Great Lakes Skate Champs

The North Shore PeeWee B’s, a cooperative team with Silver Bay and Grand Marais, took first at the Two Harbors’ Great Lakes Skate. Eight teams from the Duluth area and around the state competed in this tournament with the championship game being between the North Shore Storm and Stillwater.

Elk River U15B team wins Centennial Super Chill tourney

Over the weekend of Dec. 6-8, the Elk River U15B team took the championship of the Centennial Super Chill Tournament by defeating Minnetonka 3-0, Anoka/Rogers 4-1, Grand Rapids/Greenway 2-1, OMGHA 3-1, and finally Edina 3-0. Team members include goalie Addison Brandt, skaters Sophie Stanislowski, Kaila Swart, Majalisa Hjort, Lexi Jimenez, Lauren Kammann, Haylee Kammann, Sarah Leaser, Addison Wehmeyer, Katya Schmidt, Sommer Peterson, Carley Fischer and Tatum Hupalo.

Minnetonka PeeWee B1 Blue wins Carter Weber Memorial Cup

Despite a no travel advisory Dec. 28, the Minnetonka PeeWee B1 Blue hockey team braved the ice storm and fierce competition to win the Carter Weber Memorial Cup. Chay Simons (right) was bound and determined to make it to the 11:10 a.m. Saturday tourney game despite unforgiving roads.

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Carroll Goalie School/Brian’s

SHUTOUT WALL www. carrollgs .com PLAYER/TEAM LYKAN SCHAFFER White Bear Lake Squirt B Black RAY CONLIN White Bear Lake Peewee B2 White Bear Lake Peewee B2 White Bear Lake Peewee B2 GAVIN KARELS St. Micahel-Albertville Squirt C DREW OTTEN Wisconsin Jr. Gamblers ‘09 Wisconsin Jr. Gamblers ‘09 Wisconsin Jr. Gamblers ‘09 Wisconsin Jr. Gamblers AMELIA FISCHER White Bear Lake U10B Orange CALEB BETTS White Bear Lake Squirt C Orange White Bear Lake Squirt C Orange GRANT FEST Bloomington Jefferson Squirt B HEIDI MERRIMAN Brookings Rangers 14U ZANDER GRAY Lakeville North Bantam B1 Lakeville North Bantam B1 LAUREN VANVICKLE Sauk Rapids/Sartell 15U Sauk Rapids/Sartell 12U NIKLAS HUSON Shakopee Peewee B1 WILL SCHMIDT Edina Bantam B2 HARLOW TORMANEN St. Paul Roseville 10UB1 St. Paul Roseville 10UB1 AYDEN BEDNAREK Brainerd Peewee B1 Brainerd Peewee B1 HAYDEN BROWN Sauk Rapids Peewee B2 ADDISON LARSON St. Paul Roseville Red 12B2 TANNER EDSTROM White Bear Lake Black Peewee B1 ERICAH FOLDEN Brainerd 12UA Brainerd 12UA Brainerd 12UA Brainerd 12UA NOLAN ANDERSON Apple Valley/Burnsville Bantam C Apple Valley/Burnsville Bantam C ZACH STOKES Woodbury Bantam A Woodbury Bantam A GEORGE WILHELMI Champlin Park Peewee B1

www. goalies-only .com OPPONENT

DATE

SAVES SCORE

Mahtomedi

12/15/19 29

8-0

River Falls Forest Lake Gold Stillwater Black

11/2/19 8 11/20/19 24 11/27/19 18

9-0 6-0 5-0

Wayzata Gold

12/5/19

8

7-0

Chicago Fury Chicago Fury Madison Capitals Cleveland Barons

9/28/19 10/5/19 10/12/19 11/3/19

NA NA NA NA

7-0 7-0 18-0 6-0

Wayzata

12/15/19

6

8-0

Baldwin Hawks Baldwin Black

12/22/19 11 12/23/19 11

7-0 7-0

Edina

12/21/19 20

0-0

Sioux Center

12/21/19 17

3-0

Rochester 11/30/19 15 Inver Grove Heights 12/22/19 11

2-0 8-0

Elk River 12/22/19 18 Brainerd/Little Falls 12/28/19 12

1-0 7-0

Eden Prairie

12/22/19 21

0-0

Faribault

12/19/19

9

6-0

Superior Hayward

12/21/19 12/22/19

1 1

16-0 4-0

Detroit Lakes Sartell

12/21/19 21 12/15/19 35

6-0 3-0

Hutchinson

11/2/19

6

7-0

St Paul Roseville Black 12/21/19 19

4-0

Roseville

12/21/19

8

6-0

Elk River Moorhead Mankato Duluth

11/21/19 12/22/19 1/10/20 1/3/20

NA 48 NA 35

2-0 0-0 4-0 2-0

Sibley Hastings

12/14/19 27 12/15/19 14

8-0 3-0

Eagan International Falls

12/29/19 23 1/11/20 28

3-0 4-0

Northern Edge

12/29/19 24

2-0

January 16, 2020

KEATON WALOCK Northfield Bantam A Rochester Black 12/22/19 Northfield Bantam A Minnesota River 12/29/19 ELEANOR CARLSON Apple Valley/Burnsville U10A Rosemount 12/29/19 MADILYN CRABTREE Cottage Grove 10UB Sibley Warriors 12/21/19 BENNETT WILMER Eden Prairie Peewee B1 Waconia 11/16/19 ALIYA GRICIUS Winona 12UB Onalaska/West Salem 12/21/19 Winona 12UB Mankato 12/29/19 Winona 12UB Rochester Black 1/11/20 KIERA ROSE Winona 10UB Dodge County 12/29/19 Winona 10UB Dodge County 1/11/20 NICOLE SCHUMM North Wright County 12U Duluth 12/28/19 JACOB BISSEN St. Michael-Albertville Bantam B2 Champlin Park 12/28/19 HENRY DIMICH Armstrong Cooper Bantam A Superior Wis. 12/14/19 Armstrong Cooper Bantam A Cambridge-Isanti 12/15/19 Armstrong Cooper Bantam A Osseo-Maple Grove 12/21/19 Armstrong Cooper Bantam A Coon Rapids 12/29/19 RILEY BURNETT Mankato Bantam A Owatonna 11/30/19 Mankato Bantam A Andover 11/30/19 Mankato Bantam A Rochester Black 12/21/19 Mankato Bantam A Albert Lea 12/22/19 Mankato Bantam A Kansas City 12/27/19 Mankato Bantam A Dodge County 12/28/19 Mankato Bantam A Shakopee 1/4/20 CONNOR ROFF Thief River Falls Bantam A Grand Forks Blue 12/28/19 MIKEY SHROAT Minneapolis Bantam A Hopkins 1/2/20 MARCUS BONITA Eagan PeeWee C River Falls 1/4/20 MADILYN CRABTREE Cottage Grove 10UB Rosemount Blue 1/5/20 Cottage Grove 10U B1 Lakeville 1/9/20 Cottage Grove 10U B1 Buffalo Purple 1/10/20 WILL SCHMIDT Edina White Bantam B2 St. Paul Captials 1/5/20 ALEX SABEV Mounds View/Irondale Bantam B1 Prior Lake 1/4/20 Mounds View/Irondale Bantam B1 Minnesota River 12/14/19 ANNIKA MULLEN Cottage Grove Wolfpack 10UB2 Inver Grove Heights Blue 1/5/20 EMMA MATACK Wayzata 10UA Minneapolis 1/5/20 EI CHARNEY St. Louis Park Peewee AA Edina 1/8/20 St. Louis Park Peewee AA Wayzata 1/7/20 RAYNE BARBO PEDERSON Duluth East Peewee B Two Harbors 12/21/19 WILSON MCMURRY Eden Prairie Peewee B2 St. Cloud 1/4/20 DRAKE BOWMAN/JACKSON HARTIGAN New Richmond Squirt A Hudson Squirt B 6/20 NATHAN PEARSON Burnsville/Apple Valley Peewee B2 Farmington Black 1/8/20 ANDREW SABIN Wayzata Peewee B2 Eastview 1/10/20 JOEY NEUMEYER Arrowhead Squirt B Washington County 1/11/20 ELIAS TOMASKA Woodbury Peewee B2 Sibley 1/9/20 ALAYNA ADAMEZ Cottage Grove Green 12UB Hastings 1/12/20 ADDY WALZ Stillwater Black 10UB River Falls Black 12/8/19 NA 8-0 Stillwater Black 10UB River Falls Black 1/3/20 NA 3-0 Stillwater Black 10UB Mounds View Green 1/8/20 NA 4-0 Stillwater Black 10UB Buffalo 1/11/20 NA 1-0

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27 14

2-0 4-0

14

1-0

12

8-0

14

3-0

12 22 23

8-0 1-0 1-0

15 20

2-0 0-0

24

1-0

15

7-0

NA NA 36 16

8-0 10-0 2-0 6-0

NA NA NA NA NA NA 28

NA NA NA NA NA NA 3-0

25

4-0

8

7-0

7

0-0

10 13 7

1-0 2-0 6-0

18

3-0

20 22

5-0 3-0

6

5-0

14

0-0

NA NA

4-0 3-0

11

6-0

5

4-0

10

9-0

18

2-0

14

7-0

17

6-0

NA

4-0

11

3-0

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January 16, 2020

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EDEN PRAIRIE Andover Rosemount Moorhead Maple Grove White Bear Lake Cretin-Derham Hall Blake Lakeville South Wayzata Benilde-St. Margaret’s Lakeville North Hill-Murray Minnetonka Stillwater Roseau Prior Lake Burnsville Edina Grand Rapids

HS BOYS A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

BANTAM AA 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

OSSEO-MAPLE GROVE Hermantown Moorhead Rogers Minnetonka Wayzata Edina Champlin Park Lakeville South Stillwater Chaska/Chanhassen Mahtomedi Duluth East Andover Eden Prairie Prior Lake Brainerd Roseau Rosemount Buffalo

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LAKEVILLE Blaine Osseo-Maple Grove Stillwater Edina White Edina Green Hastings Mahtomedi Rosemount Thomas Academy

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

EDINA Andover Minnetonka Eden Prairie Maple Grove Blake Stillwater Holy Family Catholic North Wright County Forest Lake Apple Valley Hill-Murray Brainerd/Little Falls Burnsville Benilde-St. Margaret’s Lakeville South Rogers Wayzata Farmington Eastview

BANTAM A

BANTAM B1

1 ROCHESTER RED 2 Tartan Chaska/Chanhassen Purple 3 4 Alexandria 5 Chisago Lakes 6 Mankato 7 East Grand Forks Chaska/Chanhassen Gold 8 9 Warroad 10 Minnetonka 11 Apple Valley-Burnsville 12 Virginia 13 Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato 14 Armstrong Cooper 15 Edina 16 Shakopee 17 Northfield 18 Thief River Falls 19 Stillwater 20 Coon Rapids

ALEXANDRIA BLACK Eastview Bemidji Minnetonka Sibley Dodge County Black Stillwater Moorhead Black Lakeville South Mahtomedi Edina Green Edina White Prairie Centre Wayzata Hermantown Moose Lake Prior Lake White Bear Lake Mounds View/Irondale Detroit Lakes

JUNIOR GOLD 16U 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

HS GIRLS AA

GIRLS 15U A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

ANOKA-ROGERS Minnetonka Black Elk River Edina Wayzata North Wright County Lakeville Osseo-Maple Grove Duluth Forest Lake

HS GIRLS A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

RECK B Warroad Cloquet-Esko Carlton South St. Paul Hutchinson Proctor/Hermantown Mound Westonka Chisago Lakes Area Rochester Lourdes Mahtomedi Faribault Duluth Marshall Simley Willmar St. Paul United River Lakes Orono Thief River Falls Litchfield-Dassel Cokato Luverne

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

PEEWEE AA 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

WOODBURY White Bear Lake Osseo/Maple Grove Stillwater Moorhead Shakopee Eden Prairie St. Louis Park Rosemount Minnetonka Edina Chaska/Chanhassen Rogers Orono Duluth East Mahtomedi Champlin Park Hermantown Bemidji Rochester

GIRLS 15U B 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

JUNIOR GOLD A

ELK RIVER Stillwater Minneapolis Forest Lake Sartell/Sauk Rapids Edina Chaska/Chanhassen Osseo-Maple Grove Anoka-Rogers Lakeville

EDINA Eden Prairie Thomas Academy Stillwater White Bear Lake Prior Lake Louis Park Centennial Wayzata Minnetonka

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

PEEWEE A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

EAST GRAND FORKS Roseville Edina Northfield Faribault Sartell Apple Valley/Burnsville Armstrong Cooper Delano New Ulm/Sleepy Eye Bloomington Jefferson Osseo-Maple Grove New Prague Detroit Lakes Hastings Lake of the Woods Rogers Moorhead Minneapolis Monticello

GIRLS 12U A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

JUNIOR GOLD B

ANDOVER Eagan/Inver Grove Heights Osseo-Maple Grove Moorhead Edina Rosemount Roseville Alexandria Anoka-Rogers Centennial

EDINA GREEN Rosemount Lakeville Wayzata Blue Osseo-Maple Grove Elk River Black Thomas Academy St Michael-Albertville Gold Edina White Orono Blue

PEEWEE B1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

MAHTOMEDI Shakopee Thief River Falls Osseo-Maple Grove Minnetonka Blue Mankato Black Grand Rapids Champlin Park Buffalo Minnetonka Black Moorhead Black Johnson/Como Area Minneapolis Orange Wayzata East Grand Forks Red North Shore White Bear Lake Black White Bear Lake Orange Lake of the Woods New Ulm/Sleepy Eye

GIRLS 12U B 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

STILLWATER BLACK Edina Black River Lakes Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato Dodge County Moorhead Black Eveleth-Gilbert/Virginia/Mesabi East Anoka-Rogers Alexandria Osseo-Maple Grove

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