Ryan Carter (No. 22) and fellow former Maverick David Backes await the ceremonial puck drop from current Minnesota State coach Mike Hastings prior to the Hockey Day Minnesota 2022 MSU alumni game. (David Faulkner / SPX Sports)

For the last three years, the longtime NHLer has been knee-deep in Hockey Day Minnesota festivities. With the event in Mankato in 2022, the former Minnesota State Maverick was one of the stars of the weekend, serving as a pseudo-ambassador, playing in the alumni game, broadcasting for Bally Sports North and generally running around like a chicken with his head cut off.

Things didn’t get much easier for him in 2023, with Hockey Day shifting north to his hometown, where the former White Bear Lake Bear is once again one of the starring attractions. 

Because the COVID-19 pandemic delayed Mankato’s day in the spotlight by 12 months, Carter has been essentially living and breathing Hockey Day for the last three years. 

Good thing he doesn’t have any connections in Warroad for 2024 … right?

“Time to take a Hockey Day breath,” Carter said with a chuckle.

The two Hockey Day experiences have been very different but equally satisfying for the affable Carter, who hasn’t turned down a single photo or interview request. 

Former Bears Ryan Carter (L) and Jon Anderson help Bally Sports North’s Marney Gellner reveal White Bear Lake as the 2023 Hockey Day Minnesota site on the ice in Mankato at the conclusion of HDM 2022.

“Last year, that was college alumni, people who supported the program, and lots of people close to the guys you played with,” Carter said. “So I knew a fair amount of people involved with running it [in Mankato].

“Here with this one though … top to bottom, I think I might know every face that comes through this place. It’s good this has finally come to White Bear. We’ve taken a lot of pride in this and I think we can all see why now with how it has turned out.”

Amazingly, Hockey Day Minnesota, celebrating its 17th annual event in 2023, had never ventured to White Bear Lake, which boasts one of the finest traditions in the State of Hockey. 

That’s certainly been the view of many in the community, including former alumni of the White Bear Lake Area High School program, which had so many former players take part in the alumni game, it had to create four teams just to get everybody involved.

“If you were to ask most people, they’d probably say, ‘White Bear hasn’t had it yet,'” Carter said. “It has created a lot of pride in our community, and as much as the other sports have had success, I might be biased, but this is a hockey town. To have the big marquee hockey event here in town is great.”

The last couple of years have provided Carter with a much different look at Hockey Day, who played on the unofficial hockey holiday as a member of the Wild at the tail end of his pro career.

But those Hockey Day experiences were very different, even as a native Minnesotan who was well aware of what this day means to so many.

“You’re kind of in your own world, concentrating on your own game, right?” Carter said. “Then you come out onside and you realize just how big of a deal this is, how big of a production it is and just how many people work so hard to make sure this event goes smoothly. It’s a big deal for these communities.”

Ryan Carter and fellow Bally Sports North personality Audra Martin talk Hockey Day Minnesota from the HDM 2023 Town Square at Polar Lakes Park in White Bear Township.

While Carter’s seemingly non-stop duties the last couple of Hockey Days have resulted in some long days and nights, he said he’ll do everything he can to try and soak in every last minute he can with his friends and family in White Bear Lake.

“I’d like to get things to slow down,” Carter said, “and just get a chance to talk to people and live a little bit more in the moment.

“Last year was such a scramble, trying to be everywhere, every minute. This year, I’ve tried to build in some time to just take it all in, chill and just hang out. It’s been great to catch up with so many people.”

The post Mr. Hockey Day appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

So now that Marvin is a broadcast analyst with Bally Sports North for Minnesota Wild games, this has to be a dream come true, right?

“I always enjoyed it, but I think if you talk to any Olympian, they don’t have a stack of options,” Marvin said. “I wasn’t ever thinking ‘Ooo, I can’t wait to get into this when I retire.’ It was always: ‘I want to be an Olympic champion.’ That was the only dream I’ve ever had.”

Gigi Marvin shown here suited up for Team USA in a Dec. 3, 2017 game vs. Team Canada at Xcel Energy Center. (MHM Photo / Jonny Watkins)

Marvin, a well-known Minnesota hockey talent, said she had her sights set on winning an Olympic gold medal since age 10. She fulfilled that dream in 2018 with the Team USA women’s hockey team winning gold in PyeongChang. She also won silver in 2010 and 2014. The 2005 Ms. Hockey winner, Gopher and professional hockey player with the Boston Pride has racked up the stats accolades throughout her career.

She started in her role with Bally Sports North in March 2021 during the Wild season. That continued this season, too, before Marvin officially announced her retirement from the U.S. women’s national team in December, although that didn’t quite go as planned. Not wanting to make the announcement via Zoom last year, she waited and hoped to have one last hurrah in-person with teammates, family and friends at the U.S. vs. Team Canada women’s game Dec. 20 at Xcel Energy Center leading up to this year’s winter Olympics.

But the game was canceled at the last minute because of COVID-19 concerns.

“I had done three of those for three Olympics over 12 years,” said Marvin, who turns 35 in March. “So I thought it was a really special way to say thank you, to say goodbye. There’s just a ton of people that have supported me from Minnesota.”

Even before she retired, the communications major had already worked in the broadcast booth for Northeastern University women’s hockey games before joining Bally last season.

Broadcasting is a place where an analyst needs to be quick and concise when speaking, Marvin said, adding that she gets really excited with so many things to highlight with a successful Wild club this season, plus the Olympic features she’s done with her former teammates currently playing in Beijing. It can be hard and a process to condense all the things she wants to communicate to viewers, she said.

“There’s a lot to learn, and a lot of places I can improve, for sure,” Marvin said. “But it’s been a lot of fun so far.”

She splits time during the Wild season in the booth as the color analyst alongside play-by-play broadcaster Anthony LaPanta, or she’s at the pre/post-game show desk with host Audra Martin.

Marvin’s first game in the booth started out with LaPanta, plus former NHLer-turned-analyst, Ryan Carter. He helped Marvin right away, sharing notes, charts and tips he uses to prepare for games.

Marvin will sometimes pick up on things that perhaps Carter wouldn’t because of the different roles they had as players, Carter said. While Carter might focus on the physical aspects of the game, Carter said Marvin does a good job commenting on the offensive side, reading plays and situations.

“She’s certainly figured it out in a real big hurry,” Carter said. “It’s been fun to see. She’s got a great voice and good content.”

Martin enjoyed getting to know Marvin the very first game they worked together, sitting in a conference room watching the Wild game. The hockey knowledge was obviously there, but Marvin is a wonderful person, too, Martin said.

Besides talking hockey when the cameras turn on, the broadcasters have producers and directors in their earpieces, and they’re trying to remember everything they want to say in the moment and listen to the other person sitting at the desk. It’s nerve-wracking, and Martin knew Marvin was nervous about that.

“But the thing that impressed me about Gigi right off the bat was that her hockey knowledge is so apparent right off the get-go,” Martin said. “Whether she’s nervous, whether there’s technical difficulties with the broadcast, her hockey knowledge comes through so well.”

Martin works with multiple analysts throughout the season, like former NHL players Wes Walz, Mark Parrish and Carter. One of the things she’s found interesting during broadcasts is the reality of how men and women communicate differently.

For instance, Parrish or Walz might talk about a certain Wild player during a show, and then a couple days later Marvin will offer up a completely different perspective or explain something in a different way. Viewers are lucky to have so many different opinions from different analysts on any given game night, Martin said. Marvin is really good at explaining the little nuances that casual, or even diehard, hockey fans don’t notice, Martin said.

“It’s the game of hockey, and I’ve played it since I was 2,” Marvin said. “So it’s not foreign to me. It’s easily one of the most comfortable things.”

Marvin has coached hockey for at least 15 years as well, so she’s also used to breaking down plays, analyzing what makes a player special or looking ahead to matchups to beat the systems.  

In addition to broadcasting, Marvin also created her RinkRat 19 Hockey School for kids ages 3 through high school. This summer will mark year No. 15 for the camp with hockey, off-ice dryland training, stick handling, shooting and team building in her hometown of Warroad. One new aspect this summer is a Faith and Hockey camp which Marvin is excited about, as someone who has a strong faith.

And is it still unique for a woman to be in a broadcast booth calling men’s sports like the NHL? Sure. But being one of the first is a path Marvin has traveled nearly her entire hockey career.

“That’s not new to me at all,” Marvin said. “Because I’ve been doing that since I was young. Playing in tournaments where people would be yelling at me because I’m the only girl. I’m the only ponytail on the ice. I’m so used to that.”

Carter gives Marvin a lot of credit for blazing that trail. Carter is thankful that the Wild and Bally Sports North have taken a step in that direction with Marvin in the booth. If leaves the possibility open for young girls watching to grow up thinking that they want to – and can – broadcast a Wild game someday.

“I’ve got all daughters, and I think that they’d rather listen to Gigi on there than their own father,” Carter said. “The fact that girls can relate to it, the game is growing at the youth level with the girls. To get more involved, I think it just makes a lot of sense from a broadcast perspective.”

Martin knows the role of a broadcaster is a tough job, though it doesn’t stop viewers from criticizing or failing to recognize everything that goes into the job. But Marvin has taken that in stride, Martin said.

“She takes a lot of pride in her work, the same way she took a lot of pride in her play on the ice,” Martin said. “It’s how she is when she prepares. She comes in with ideas all the time. She comes in with notes ready to go before the game even starts. You can tell that she loves that this is the next part of her hockey journey.”

The post Marvin on the Mic appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

“Well, I was still playing last year,” Backes said. “So if it was last year, I would have missed out on it. Now with the delay, I’m retired and able to come to a cool event like this.”

Backes played for Minnesota State men’s hockey for three seasons from 2003-06, scoring 46 goals and 119 points in 115 games. From there, he played with St. Louis, Boston and Anaheim in the NHL and played in two Olympics before announcing his retirement this past September after 965 career NHL games.

He returned to the Minnesota State campus for the Hockey Day Minnesota weekend; he said he hadn’t seen a game in Mankato since he left and looked forward to watching the current Minnesota State Mavericks take on St. Thomas outdoors.

Backes also laced up his skates for the Minnesota State alumni game on a Friday night with falling snow and frigid temperatures creating quite the hockey atmosphere. The Spring Lake Park native was the captain for Team Blue, named for longtime former assistant coach Darren Blue. Brooklyn Park native Tim Jackman joined Backes on the team as well.

On the other bench, former Wild player Ryan Carter was the captain for Team Brose, named for former and legendary Minnesota State coach Don Brose, who was also on hand for the game. Brose started with the program as a coach in 1969 before his final season in 1999-2000, a team that finished 21-14-4.

“Oh, I had a lot of fun,” Brose said after the alumni game. “I hadn’t been on the bench for 21 years. To see the camaraderie and the talking, the trash-talking back and forth, it was fun. And I didn’t get a bench penalty.”

The score of the game (played in a pair of 25-minute, running-time halves) was secondary – 5-4 in favor of Team Blue – to the atmosphere and camaraderie on the ice. Although Team Brose came oh-so-close to tying it up in the closing seconds on a shot from Shane Joseph. That pipe at the end was a favorite moment for Brose, he said.

Pat Carroll, class of 1985, played on Team Blue with former NHLers Backes and Jackman. Carroll is an Edina native and currently assistant coach for the Gustavus Adolphus College women’s hockey team. His brother, Mike Carroll, is the head coach and brother Steve Carroll is another assistant.

The alumni game was a fun opportunity for Pat Carroll.

“Everybody seemed to check their ego at the door,” Carroll said. “It was a lot of fun, no matter if you played in the ‘70s, ‘80s or two years ago. It was a lot of fun.”

Carter got close to a goal a couple of times but didn’t quite convert on a goal in the game. He stood out on the ice, in the first half wearing a camera on his helmet to take in the action as he skated. He also wore his Wild-green gloves and breezers with his MSU yellow jersey.

“I tell you what, I was scrambling for some gear,” Carter said. “I didn’t want to wear my Wild gear, but I don’t skate a lot, I don’t play a lot. It’s the only gear I really have.”

Backes actually had a productive night on the ice, scoring a goal and two assists.

“That’s a blind squirrel finding a nut,” Backes said. “You know what? It was fun to be out there, and guys were having a blast, and that’s kind of what it’s all about. We’ve got a couple generations of Mavericks here.”

Not only did both Carter and Backes have success in the NHL, they also played together at Minnesota State. Carter played at MSU for two seasons (2004-06). The Mavericks were 13-19-6 in 2004-05 and 17-18-4 in 2005-06 under Troy Jutting. The Mavericks had four straight losing seasons before Hastings took over behind the bench in 2012-13. Since then, the winning percentages have all been above the .500 mark.

The Mavericks are a notable team in the conference and on a national level. They’ve played in six NCAA tournaments and have won multiple MacNaughton Cups, the trophy for the team that wins the WCHA each season. The Mavericks were a program that had reached 20 wins in a season only twice in its first 16 seasons in Division I hockey, but Hastings’s squads have won no fewer than 21 games during his tenure.

It’s seen plenty of growth since Jutting arrived on campus, first as a player.

“When I got here in 1983, it was all cornfields out past here and we played in a small rink,” Jutting said. “To see where this hockey program’s grown to is just phenomenal.”

Hastings has done a great job as a coach who motivates people, Carter said.

“Hasty does a great job,” Carter said. “He cares about the guys, and in return they put it all out there on the ice for him. The end result is usually a positive one.”

Backes, too, said he takes pride in the growth of the Mavericks program, while acknowledging that he was part of that growth. Carter is proud, too, and doesn’t mind the bragging rights in conversations either, as a Maverick alum.

“You think about the old WCHA, and it was Minnesota, North Dakota, Duluth, St. Cloud and is was kind of like, ‘Oh, you go to Mankato? Oh. Good for you,’” Carter said. “And it’s taken time, but now it’s like, ‘Oh man, you’re lucky. You go to Mankato.’”

Carter gives credit to all the players who’ve come up under Hastings to help produce on the ice and for bragging rights.

Seeing the Mavericks turn into a perennial contender and ranked nationally over the past decade under coach Hastings is a source of pride for guys like Carter and Backes, who said he has his “pom-poms out supporting them” whenever the Mavericks reach the national tournament.

The post Family Reunion appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

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Hockey Mom’s USA philanthropic mission is to give the gift of hockey to every child. They assist families with the high costs associated with hockey, to both current as well as prospective players. In addition, they promote and support local, state and national youth hockey organizations.

Hockey Mom’s USA also will provide financial assistance, equipment and hockey camps spots to those who qualify. To see if you qualify for a grant, please call or email them at: 651.333.0379 hockeymomsusa@yahoo.com Know someone that needs help? We help with registration fees, camp spots and equipment. Give us a Call!  The 2016 Camp runs from August 15-19, at the White Bear Sports Center.

Last year’s camp special instructor was White Bear Lake and current Minnesota Wild player Ryan Carter.

Minnesota Wild and White Bear Lake graduate Ryan Carter

Carter was very gracious with his time. He was on the ice and attended every session, and with the help of others, the kids all had a great time.

In the course of the last 3 years, the MN Hockey Magazine Foundation , has sent 40 + kids to various hockey camps.  We do this through our golf tournament.   Our goal this year is to send 50+ kids, and in order to send the 50 kids, we need 100 golfers to come join us July 29th in Hammond, WI at Pheasant Hills Golf Club.

Pheasant Hills in Hammond WI to host on July 29th

If you can’t physically join us, please consider signing up as a hole sponsor, and  you will also receive 2 months advertising on MN Hockey Magazine.com.

We will also be having several raffles for the opportunity to win some very nice prizes.   If you would like to donate a quality prize contact the tournament host, Scott Tiffany at either 715-222-6460 or email him at scott@mnhockeymag.com.

This 4th annual tournament is the best deal around, with the cost of a foursome registering before July 1st being only $280 which includes golf, cart, dinner, and on course games with prizes.  For details see our flyer below.

2016 flyer for MHM charity golf tourney

The post Join Us – Kids to Camp Golf Outing July 29th appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

Minneapolis — The NHL made its first regular-season foray into outdoor hockey with the inaugural Winter Classic on Jan. 1, 2008 featuring the Buffalo Sabres hosting the Pittsburgh Penguins. Minnesota hockey fans waited eight long years and and watched 15 more outdoor games for their chance see one played in the State of Hockey.

It turned out to be worth the wait as Minnesota-bred players and college stars combined for three goals and five assists to lead the Minnesota Wild to a 6-1 NHL Stadium series game win over the Chicago Blackhawks in front of 50,426 at TCF Bank Stadium.

Former Gopher Erik Haula led the way for Minnesota-tied contingent with a pair of second-period assists in addition to being awarded his seventh goal of the season when Chicago’s Patrick Kane pulled him down on a breakaway with the Blackhawks’ net empty.

“I had a chance,” Haula said. “But Torch said that will be the easiest goal I’ll ever score and I’ll take it.”

The goal came nearly three years to the day since Haula last scored on the University of Minnesota campus on Feb. 22, 2013 against Minnesota Duluth across Oak Street at Mariucci Arena. Ironically, it was an empty-net goal.

“What a feeling,” Haula said. “First to get the win and the whole team to play that well and having 50,000 people being back where you, kind of where you started.”

White Bear Lake’s Ryan Carter assisted on Matt Dumba’s first-period goal to open the scoring and his sixth goal of the season made it 5-0 early in the third. Haula’s fellow former Gophers Thomas Vanek (goal) and Mike Reilly (assist) chipped in as did Minnesota-Duluth’s Justin Fontaine who added an assist of his own on Dumba’s goal.

In a strange twist, Bloomington’s Zach Parise, tied with Charlie Coyle for the team lead in goals, was kept off the score sheet.

“It was fun seeing those guys score,” Wild defenseman Ryan Suter said. “I think Haulsy was really loving it after the game. But it’s good to see those guys have fun here back where it all started for them.”

Vanek’s second-period power play goal gave the Wild a 2-0 lead just past the seven minute mark. It was Vanek’s first goal on campus since a March 12, 2004 6-1 WCHA first-round playoff game win over St. Cloud State. The proud Gopher enjoyed an uncharacteristically animated goal celebration.

“It’s been a while but it feels good to be back,” said Vanek who has seven points (3-4–7) in his past seven games. “I usually don’t celebrate too much but today here, back on campus, big game, big crowd, it was fun.”

Reilly, who along with Jason Pominville assisted on the the goal, said it was exciting for him and his fellow alums to contribute to such an important win.

“Vanek did a great job tipping that puck for the shot by [Pominville] and Haula played really well as well,” said Reilly who now has three assists in his past two games. “It’s great to have the alumni like us to kind of carry on the tradition a little bit.”

The players soaked in what was described as an incredible atmosphere and left with lasting memories.

“Definitely a few goosebumps, for sure, walking out there,” Reilly said.

“It’s something you’ll probably never forget,” Haula added. “And then to have, to play it here is extra special for sure.”

Carter, one of two native Minnesotans along with Parise (Reilly was born in Chicago) to play in the game called the experience “awesome” and took the time to reflect on  a lifetime of memories as the day wore on.

“Being back home and the setting was kind of set; the snow flew in the first,” Carter said. “I look up in the stands, there’s a group of White Bear jerseys too.  And you hear the band playing and it brings you back to your college days a little bit.  It was kind of like a time warp through my career and into pro hockey.  And in the third there we got up, what was it, 5-0 or something like that, 6-1, and I sat back and said this is pretty cool.  This is pretty neat.”

The post Home ice advantage appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

MINNEAPOLIS — Ryan Carter called it a “time warp.”

The snow falling Sunday afternoon at TCF Bank Stadium reminded the Wild winger and Minnesota native of the early mornings and late nights he spent learning to skate as a youngster. At one point, he looked up in the stands and noticed a group of kids sporting White Bear Lake jerseys, conjuring images of his youth and high school hockey days. And the University of Minnesota marching band’s rendition of “Back in Black” as the Wild entered the NHL Stadium Series rink had Carter thinking back to his two seasons of college pucks (nevermind that he spent them in Mankato).

“It was awesome,” said Carter, who had a goal and an assist in Minnesota’s 6-1, outdoor drubbing of loathed Chicago. “In the third there we got up, what was it, 5-0 or something like that, 6-1, and I sat back and said, ‘This is pretty cool.’”

Devan Dubnyk tried to tune it all out. But afterward, he stayed on the ice awhile to take it all in.

“During the game, you don’t get a chance to look around and realize the atmosphere and the size of the stadium that you’re in,” Dubnyk said. “I try not to look around to much in (the) Excel (Energy Center). I think if you look a little too high, sometimes you get a little startled by how many people are actually in there. Today was another one of those days I waited till the game was over to have a good look around.”

Matt Dumba couldn’t wait that long. The scene, the snow, the fireworks, the flames shooting skyward during player introductions — it all engulfed the 21-year-old defenseman. The adrenaline proved useful, as his rebound goal off a Carter breakaway and ensuing open-ice hit on Andrew Desjardins set up an afternoon in which the Blackhawks had zero answers for the woebegone club they’ve knocked out of the past three Stanley Cup playoffs.

“It’s kind of overwhelming,” said Dumba, sporting thick triangles of eye black under his eyes, which he said were inspired by Ray Lewis. “I was excited all day. Right when I got on the ice, I just had this energy. I just wanted to use it the right way.”

Many of the 50,426 that paid top dollar to witness Sunday’s spectacle waited years and years for it to come to fruition. The NHL powers that be finally awarded the State of Hockey one of its made-for-TV affairs that burst at the seams with nostalgia, and a team that saw its coach shown the door a little more than a week ago delivered.

But this party featured more than just the headlining act.

On a day dubbed Hockey Day in America by the league, USA Hockey and broadcast provider NBC, tailgaters lined the lots surrounding the Golden Gophers’ football stadium, some slapping pucks across the concrete and into miniature goals. The Spectator Plaza on Southeast Oak Street brimmed with Wild and Blackhawks sweaters — from the special-issue Stadium Series threads worn by players Sunday to more off-color homages, including a pair dressed as Steve Hanson and Ogie Ogilthorpe from “Slap Shot” — Coke-bottle glasses and afro wig included. Bookended by giant inflatable tabletop hockey players, the beer garden in front of Mariucci Arena was packed leading up to the opening faceoff. So was the Buffalo Wild Wings next door.

When the gates opened, they lined the concourses of this 52,525-seat stadium. It was only the second of 17 outdoor NHL games to not sell out, but the decibel levels didn’t lend much evidence to that shortcoming. Other than an F-16 flyover after Jazmine Sullivan’s national anthem rendition, and Cheap Trick’s first-intermission performance, the day’s loudest cacophonies came from steamed-up Wild fans.

And if you thought 18,000-plus singing Joe Satriani’s “Crowd Chant” after goals or chanting “Craw-ford” at the Chicago netminder was loud, try more than double that.

“They did a great job,” Dumba said of the fans, “and we put on a great show.”

So did the crew that installed and maintained the event’s makeshift sheet, according to players. With the ice lined by potted evergreen trees, gargantuan team, league and sponsorship insignia, and an auxiliary rink for youth teams, there was plenty of pomp and circumstance to go around. Apple Valley goalie Taylor DeForrest, who made 111 saves in a game earlier this winter, was honored alongside Minnesota hockey legends Aaron Broten, Neal Broten, Dave Christian, Phil Housley, Jamie Langenbrunner and Reed Larson, the University of Minnesota’s women’s hockey team and Wright Homes/FHIT, winners of the 2016 National Pond Hockey Championships open division, during the second intermission. Other participants in Saturday’s alumni game featuring past North Stars, Wild and Blackhawks greats were on hand, too; victorious coach Lou Nanne was still wearing his letterman-style North Stars jacket from the day before.

Truth is, the Wild have been in need of such a distraction.

Only eight days removed from coach Mike Yeo’s firing, Minnesota (27-22-10) won its fourth game in a row after dropping eight straight and three of 19 to start 2016. With goals from six different players, 31 saves from Dubnyk and three points apiece from Erik Haula and Jason Pominville, the Wild coldcocked Western Conference leader Chicago (38-19-5) in their most dominant performance of a season gone awry thus far. Concern still hangs heavy, even with Minnesota currently a point out of playoff contention, and players have said they’re largely responsible for Yeo losing his job.

“I think it’s up to them,” said interim coach John Torchetti, still unblemished since his call-up from Iowa to replace Yeo on an interim basis. “It’s not me. That’s the bottom line. Once you make a commitment as a teammate and your other teammates see you play at that level, then it’s up to myself and then the other players to hold everyone else accountable to that style of play.”

Said Ryan Suter: “It’s been a rollercoaster.”

Suter brought his young son Brooks to the press-conference podium Sunday. As the pair got up to leave, and fans beyond the TCF Bank Stadium walls headed for their vehicles or Dinkytown watering holes to cap the weekend, a reporter asked for Brooks’ favorite part about Minnesota’s long-time-coming outdoor extravaganza.

“The win,” Brooks said.

The post State of Hockey heaven appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

Past and present players team up with fans in the great outdoors

  [See image gallery at minnesotahockeymag.com]
Photo gallery by Nick Wosika for MHM.

Hugo, Minn. – Retired Minnesota Wild player Wes Walz suited up with gear. Not skates and hockey pads but in bright-orange hunting gear, ready for an afternoon of pheasant hunting.

Well, after a quick shooting lesson and some practice, that is. After all, he described himself as a “very novice hunter.”

Walz joined fellow Wild alum Keith Ballard, and current players Ryan Carter and Marco Scandella, Dec. 2 for the fourth annual Hunt with the Wild pheasant outing sweepstakes event hosted by Gander Mountain. Novice hunter or not, Walz was excited to finally get the opportunity to be part of the hunt.

“It’s always something that I’ve wanted to do, to knock off my bucket list,” Walz said.

They went on a guided pheasant hunt with four randomly-selected sweepstakes winners who were chosen from thousands of entries for the sweepstakes on Facebook throughout the month of November. Each winner and a guest went out hunting with the Wild players at Wild Wings of Oneka Hunt Club in Hugo. The afternoon event included catered lunch and dinner, plus an array of gifts and hunting gear.

Walz had some simple goals for the afternoon, mainly to stay safe, not hurt anybody and have fun. It’s all about getting out and meeting people.

“It’s huge because the fans are what make the organization what they are,” he said.

Walz was teamed up with contest winner Scott Nelson, of Austin, Minn., who brought along his dad Mike Nelson. An avid hunter and Wild fan, Scott was excited to find out he was one of the lucky winners.

“Not very often you get a chance to hunt with some of the Wild players,” Scott said. “That’s really nice of them to take time out to come and do this with other people and fans.”

Carter and Scandella made it out to the hunt after hockey practice. Scandella, a newbie to hunting, came dressed for the part, in dark-blue camo jeans and tan work boots perfect for tromping through the fields.

For someone that said he’s only shot a few times before, he had no problem hitting the practice targets before the hunt.

“Sweet,” Scandella said, after hitting his first target. “Honestly, that was awesome.”

After the first pass through the field, and a couple of birds in tow, Scandella smiled and deemed himself “a natural.”
“I play ‘Call of Duty,’” he said, grinning. “I don’t know if that helps.”

Contest winner and longtime hunter Jason Deiss, of River Falls, Wis., certainly thought Scandella did “pretty good for a first-timer.” Deiss brought his father Bob Deiss along for the hunt. The one-on-one time with a Wild player like Scandella was exciting for the Wild season ticket holder.

“Opportunity of a lifetime, really,” Jason said. “Can’t hope for any more.”

For Ballard, he’s been a hunter since he nabbed his first duck at age 6 or 7. He missed it during his hockey career, but he actually started hunting a lot more during the NHL lockout year in 2012, he said.

This was his third time participating in the event. He likes the small, intimate environment of the event.

“It’s not a big golf tournament, where there’s hundreds of people,” he said. “You can sit down after and talk to people… and have a more personal conversation with them.”

The post Wild enjoy time in the hunt appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

Wild start fast and finish off Chicago in third

Every one of the 19,140 customers at the Xcel Energy Center Friday night received a particularly high quotient of entertainment.

Of course.

The Chicago Blackhawks were in town.

The visitors ended Minnesota’s NHL season the past three years in a row, ratcheting the rivalry between the Central Division teams back into the vicinity it was when Neal Broten and Dino Ciccarelli played for the North Stars against Chicago guys named Secord, Savard and Sutter.

Consequently, it was appropriate that the Wild brought in former North Stars goalie Don Beaupre to lead the “let’s play hockey” cheer.

And this one started with a bang: Just 18 seconds after the opening faceoff, Jason Zucker drilled one for Minnesota.

Zucker’s early goal was his second on game’s the first shift in a week. Mikko Koivu recorded three assists to up his point total to a team-high 11, Marco Scandella picked up two assists, Zucker added an assist and goalie Devan Dubnyk stopped 25 of 29 shots to raise his record to 7-2.

Minnesota’s 5-4 victory, which included the Wild getting the game-winner from Nino Niederreiter just 32 seconds into the final period, had something for everyone.

Of course.

The foe was the defending Stanley Cup champion Blackhawks.

Beating those guys, Dubnyk said, “always feels good.”

Each matchup between Chicago and Minnesota seems to offer a little extra appeal.

“It seems like every game will be 1-0 or 5-4,” Dubnyk noted. “It’s a fun challenge, and we obviously were beaten in the playoffs, so any chance we can get one against them is always good.”

The teams careened through 40 minutes with a 4-4 score that had the crowd anticipating something significant at any moment.

“The game was up and down,” said Ryan Carter, who scored his second goal in the past four games. “As a player, these are fun games. I don’t know about the coaching staff – I think they like the 3-2 games more than the 5-4. It’s a fun game; that’s a good team. We have confidence in this locker room, too. I don’t think we want to win every game 5-4, but we’ll take that one.”

Koivu beamed after his team raised its record to 7-2-1.

“We knew the challenge coming in and the type of team they are and the success they had last year, so for sure it’s always a good one to get,” he said.

“A good win,” Wild coach Mike Yeo said. “The crowd was pretty into it tonight.”

Many booed after forward Justin Fontaine took a knee-on-knee hit from Andrew Desjardins and hobbled off, because Desjardins was issued only a minor penalty. Yeo sided with the fans and said later he believed a major penalty should have been called.

Hawks forward Marian Hossa also left the game with a lower-body injury, but both teams juggled their forward lines and Hawks captain Jonathan Toews netted two goals to help Chicago forge the tie through two periods.

The universal opinion in the Minnesota locker room was about the importance of two points against a division opponent because, as Yeo noted, maybe five Central Division teams would be at or near the top of one of the other divisions.

And, of course, this win came against the Blackhawks.

But Yeo cautioned that one win versus Chicago is no cause for celebration.

“We beat them in the regular season last year,” he said. “Until we end their season like they’ve ended ours, I don’t take a whole lot out of it.”

The post Not much beats a win over Blackhawks appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

Wild forward gives back and smiles abound at Hockey Moms USA Camp

Minnesota Hockey Magazine.com joined forces this month with Hockey Moms USA, the Herb Brooks Foundation and special guest instructor Ryan Carter of the Minnesota Wild to provide kids in need with an unforgettable hockey camp experience.

“I was extremely proud to be a part of the camp that Hockey Moms USA put on,” Carter said. “It was refreshing to see the energy the kids had playing the very game I grew up loving.”

Ryan Carter gives instruction to players at the Hockey Moms USA Hockey Camp. (Photo by Scott Tiffany)

Carter headlined a group of local instructors in the three-day Hockey Moms USA Hockey Camp the week of Aug. 10-14 for junior gold, bantam, peewee and squirt aged players at the White Bear Lake Sports Center. Players from Minneapolis, St. Paul Cottage Grove, North St. Paul and White Bear Lake participated along with western Wisconsin skaters from Baldwin, New Richmond and Roberts.

Many of the 60 campers on hand were there thanks to scholarships they received to attend.

“The campers skated hard, but it was hockey at its purest, it was played for fun,” Carter said. “It is a great thing Hockey Moms USA is doing to grow the game of hockey and make it accessible to everyone.”

Becki Boldt, founder of Hockey Moms USA, an organization dedicated to providing financial assistance to families wishing to participate in hockey, is proud of success of the inaugural event and thankful for the work done by Carter and fellow staff members Paul Ballis, Kelly Rittenhouse and Pete Schauer.

“We couldn’t have asked for a better first year with the camp,” Boldt said. “I know both the parents and the kids were pleased.”

The camp received donations from DeOdorBox and the White Bear Lake VFW while Shock Doctor, Black Biscuit and Dick’s Sporting Goods made contributions which went into a goodie bag each player received. Lunch was provided to the campers on the final day as well.

“So, not your typical hockey camp, because most hockey camps don’t do that; we wanted to make it special for the kids,” Boldt said. “I’ll be putting together a scrapbook of all the pictures [taken at the camp] for every kid. We took a ton of them.”

Winwell/Warrior and the National Hockey League Players’ Association donated jerseys to the camp.

Minnesota Hockey Magazine.com founder Scott Tiffany was thrilled to be involved with the event and praised Boldt’s work.

“Becki Boldt did an amazing job putting this camp together and getting Ryan Carter to be a part of it,” Tiffany said. “We are looking forward to building out the Hockey Moms USA brand on our website and are looking forward to being a part of the camp next year.”

Carter (back left) and fellow coaches take a moment to enjoy a photo opportunity with camp participants. (Photo by Scott Tiffany)

The post Carter goes to camp appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.