Hockey Day MN has turned into a full week spectacle of hockey, music, food, and fun. The week kicked off on Jan. 17 with the MN Warriors team scrimmage before a Saturday full of great varsity hockey games. Rochester Century/ John Marshall took on Rochester Mayo, winning 3-1. Maple Grove girls defeated Lakeville South 3-0 and Wayzata boys fell to Rogers 4-2 and in the nightcap, Rosemount took down Holy Angels 6-1.
The Sunday matchup saw two different scrimmage style games between teams made up of military members along with three different Hastings’ youth teams, Bantam A versus West St. Paul, Peewee AA versus Minnetonka and Bantam B1 vs Mounds View/Irondale. The scores were not shared, but the teams enjoyed their time on the ice despite the cold.
The cold, however, did seem to scare away some fans as temperatures dipped below zero and windchills pushed the temps even lower. The planning around hockey day did include routing several heat vents to the benches for the teams. The heat at the benches has been vital to help keep players and coaches safe from playing in subzero temps. Fans and volunteers are able to bring blankets as needed and encouraged to layer up with the personal hand and foot warmers, typical things that Minnesotans have for outdoor winter activities.
There are three large tents for fans to visit along with food trucks on the northwest side of the village. Each tent features a bar/beverage area, food and heat. The entertainment tent is where the various bands perform, the Rinkside Grille has a variety of food options, and the VIP tent is set up for those who purchased the VIP package which includes indoor heated viewing of the rink.
Parking has been relatively easy so far and as the marquee Saturday approaches, the parking situation will be tested. Thankfully, the planning committee has worked out the kinks of the onsite parking and applied that knowledge to the ancillary lots. The secondary lot closest to the village is located at the intersection of Ravenna Trail and Glendale Ave., walking distance from the village. The tertiary lot is behind Smead Manufacturing with a free shuttle to the village. Both lots will require some time outside in the elements, make sure to dress properly for the weather.
There is still time to get tickets for the marquee games on Saturday, January 24. Visit hockeydaymn.com.