Wild Shines Spotlight On Youth

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For the fourth straight year a pair of youth hockey teams received the NHL experience in the Minnesota Wild’s annual Youth Hockey Spotlight Game Presented by U.S. Bank. Peewee B1 teams from Cottage Grove and Eagan received the surprise of their lives at Eagan Civic Arena on Tuesday night when they were greeted by Wild-themed locker rooms upon arrival with custom game jerseys waiting for them in stalls bearing their names on Wild-themed placards.

Each hockey player also received an Adidas duffle bag,  a Wild and U.S. Bank branded water bottle and hat along with a commemorative puck. 

It was all part of the Wild’s yearly effort to spread the Wild game experience beyond the confines of Xcel Energy Center by treating youth teams to many of the team’s traditional NHL game elements. That included Wild In-Arena Announcer Adam Abrams and Wild National Anthem Singer John deCausmeaker taking their talents to Eagan on Tuesday, much to the delight of the packed house on hand for the game.

Minnesota Assistant Coach Darby Hendrickson and Goaltending Coach Bob Mason served as honorary coaches for the game while Wild President Matt Majka appeared with team dog Breezer and Wild Mascot Nordy joined in on the fun as well. Jack Vitek, younger brother of Patric Vitek, the 13-year-old Eagan youth player struck and killed by a car on his way to school on Nov. 1, 2019, made the Let’s Play Hockey! announcement. 

All fans in attendance received a Spotlight Rally Towel and a Chuck-A-Puck was held at the end of the game. Proceeds from the event were split between the Patric Vitek Memorial Fund, and the Eagan and Cottage Grove Youth Hockey Associations.