It's Tourney Time!

It's almost March and teams are gearing up for the big dance, a one weekend tournament were the players leave it all on the ice.

Oh, I am sorry did you think I meant March Madness? Well I don't mean to be misleading. However, this is Minnesota, the land of 10000 lakes, and when it comes to sports, hockey is our passion (especially when our "beloved" Gophers don't even have an outside shot of making NCAA Tourney).

In Minnesota, hockey players are bred young, starting at the ripe age of 4. All of the blood, sweat, and tears have been in preparation of this one moment, this one shot for glory. This may sound a little dramatic but the truth is, for the select number of players, fans, and schools that get to participate in this tournament each year, it is the bigger than the Superbowl.

Students, parents, extended family, and just plain old hockey fans pack the Excel Energy Center for some of the best competition around. During these games the Excel is turned into one of the most electrifying arenas I have ever been a part of. The place is more energized than it is for the Wild. Not one pair of eyes will be distracted from the non-stop action taking place on the ice. For the players it is the culmination of their dreams since they were little playing on the backyard pond.

So in Minnesota it is tourney time. Not the tournament you might have expected but, nevertheless, it comes jam packed with all the thrills, chills, and sometimes spills that a fan could ever want. Let's play hockey!

Going, going, gone
DeLa