Home/Links  |   Mark Janes  |   Team Pics/Bios  |   Ice Times/Teams  |   News  |   Articles  |   Contacts  |  

MJDHL News

March 30, 2024

December 1964: Soviet Hockey Team Plays the Mustangs in Rochester

Soviet hockey team in Rochester? It's a 1964 miracle on ice.

Detente was achieved as the game ended in a 1-1 tie.

Article by Thomas Weber, published in the Rochester Post-Bulletin on March 28, 2024.

The cryptic advertisements started appearing in the Post-Bulletin in early December 1964: "The Russians are coming!"

This was at the height of the Cold War, mind you, when the threat of a Russian invasion was nothing to take lightly.

In reality, though, this battle was going to take place on the ice. The touring national hockey team of the Soviet Union was scheduled to play against the Rochester Mustangs Dec. 22, 1964, at Mayo Civic Auditorium. It would be, said Post-Bulletin columnist Ben Sternberg, "the biggest hockey attraction ever presented locally."

Indeed, the USSR had won the gold medal in hockey at the 1964 Winter Olympics, and while none of the stars of that team would make the trip to Rochester, there was apparently enough Russian hockey talent to fill out a couple of national teams.

"They played about 60 games last year and never were beaten, and I haven't heard of anyone beating them this year, either," said Bill Reichart, a Mustang who had been captain of the 1964 U.S. Olympic team.

Aside from the game, though, this would also be a cultural event — a rare opportunity locally to come face-to-face with people who were supposed to be our sworn enemies.

The ice was broken the night before the game when the Russian players were guests at a dinner gathering at the home of Dr. J.M. Janes, a Mayo Clinic surgeon who was the Mustangs' team physician. A handful of local Russian speakers helped with the translations as the Russian players shared photos of their families back home. Then the players gathered around the hi-fi to listen to Beatles records spun by Bob and Mark Janes, the doctor's sons.

From there, the Russians boarded their team bus, which took them to the Lawler Theater to view the film "For Those Who Think Young," a beach movie starring Bob Denver, Nancy Sinatra and Paul Lynde. It was billed as "The swingingest young people's picture of the year."

The next morning, the Russian team worked out on the auditorium's ice rink, which was about 50 feet short of regulation size. "This is not a sports arena for hockey — for dancing maybe?" joked Nickoli Ephstein, the Russian coach. "But we will do our best, we hope."

After practice, it was time for the Russians to enjoy a taste of Christmas-season capitalism. They went shopping amid the holiday decorations at the Dayton's and JC Penney stores downtown and at Miracle Mile.

Finally, it was time for the game. Despite some local grousing about the ticket prices ($2.25 and $5), 2,000 of the available 2,300 seats were sold.

Leading up to the opening face off, there was much speculation that the unusual size of the rink would hamper the Russians, who liked to use precision passing and speedy skating to wear down opponents.

As the game developed, that appeared to be the case. "It definitely hurt them," said Mustangs defenseman Lou Nanne.

Still, when the Russians scored first, it looked like their high-flying offense would take control of the contest. Then, for the rest of the game, the Mustangs completely stifled the Russian scoring machine. The game ended in an improbable 1-1 tie.

Epshtein, the Russian coach summed up the result this way: "You happy, we happy."

After reading the above article, Joe Janes and Peter Janes shared the following comments.

Joe - "Very cool. I am sure Peter will chime in but this team came to the house on Pill Hill and the Janes's hosted them all for dinner. I remember stories about this from Grandpa, Dad and Pete. Very cool and very unusual for this time."

Peter - "Fascinating that Tom Weber would revisit that story. Actually, Joel Anderson (son of Mayo Cardiologist Milton Anderson & his wife, Charlotte) and I were there. We were nine years old, and I distinctly recall serving the Russian players their desert in our living room. And here is the original article for your review (see below).

Russian Visitors 'Talk Our Language'

By Pauline Walle, Family Fare Editor, Rochester Post-Bulletin, December 22, 1964

How do you talk with a room full of Russians when you don't speak Russian? You gesture and nod, share pictures of children, listen to a Beatle record or just smile over a plateful of food. And if you happen to spot a Russian-speaking "native", you gather around him in the knot of curious, newly-made aquaintances.

THE INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGE - Smiles, gifts and the warmth of a local home and families provided an international language for Russian hockey players and Rochesterites Monday night."

Above: Gregory Epihin, head of the Russian delegation, presents a flag pin to Mrs. Robert Fleming, a co-hostess with Mrs. J. M. Janes, left, of a buffet dinner and party. Far left is Igor Ditmriev, Nationals defenseman who speaks English. The other man is Dr. Victor Geselevich, the Russians' team physician.

Above: Many of the players are family men, finds Mrs. Gail Anderson, wife of the Post-Bulletin sports editor, admiring a picture of one of the National's children. The father, hidden behind Mrs. Anderson, is team captain Valeri Nikitin, 25, a Russian teacher. Five local persons who knew Russian were on hand. One of them, Jim Cavanaugh, managing director of the Rochester Civic Theater, found the visitors " warm and bouncy and awfully nice." The Russian team plays the Mustangs at Mayo Civic Auditorium Arena tonight.

In these ways Rochesterites "communicated" with the 25-man hockey delegation Monday at the J. M. Janes home. Janes, Mayo Clinic Surgeon and physician for the hosting Rochester Mustangs team, his wife and the Robert Flemings (he's the Amateur Hockey Assn. of the U.S. representative accompanying the Russians on their tour) held a dinner for the group and local friends in the Janes' holiday-decked English Tudor home.

It was a friendly group on a first-name basis. (Which is just as well when you consider some of the last names are Romishevski and Chichurin and Geselevich.)

About half the team are married men - one is a medical intern, several are in engineering or technical training at college and the captain teaches anatomy and physical education. The half who are married say their wives work as we do. One young man was still finishing high school.

Mrs. Janes and Mrs. Fleming had arrainged a hearty smorgasbord for the team which lived up to its promise of "eating like we play - strong."

One of the early ice-breakers was Jim Cavanaugh, managing director of Rochester Civic Theater and former Army translator. Eugene Craven, John Marshall Russian teacher, Dr. Edmund Burke and Mrs. Arthur Olson joined Ganske in interpreting along with the Russians' team interpreter Anatole Stankvich and one of the members, Igor Ditmriev, dashing defenseman whose enjoyment of the evening was apparent.

No liquor was served the delegation since they're "in training" but they do enjoy beer after the games. After the party last night they went off on a bus to the Lawler Theater where they saw "Those Who Think Young".

Their schedule today started early, especially for Victor Geselevich, team doctor, who was to tour Mayo Clinic at 7:45 a.m. with Dr. David Hoffman.

Then, just like a lot of Americans this Christmas season, they went on a shopping spree in downtown Rochester. It's all part of the international language.

Above: Some could converse. Eugene Ganske, center, Central Junior High instructor who learned Russian on a National Defense Education grant prior to teaching it next year, found a number of players gathered about him when they found he could speak Russian. From left are Vichesiav Jidkov, Valentin Senushkin, (Ganske) and Valanie Kozin.

SOME VIGNETTES

A group of the yougest teammates including 17-year-old forward Victor Irasolavcey in the stereo landing tapped their feet to records. "They started it," said teen Mark Janes of the spontaneous Russians. "They wanted to hear the Beatles and just about thought My brother (Bob, in a very Beatlish overhang) was one. "We tried to get him to cut his hair," said Mrs. Janes, but he said, 'You see, I broke the ice'".

Nationals captain Valeri Nikitin, oldest on the team at 25, reaching into his coat pocket for a photo of his youngster. He'd point to a dimple in his chin, then to the dimpled child. "Daddy", chorused the gathering, pointing to Nikitin. Also, "just happening to have" pictures of their children and sharing them with the Russian marrieds were Mrs. Gail Anderson, wife of the Post-Bulletin sports editor, and Eugene Ganske, Central Junior High teacher who helped interpret during the evening.

There was Nickoli Podrez, the Russian's trainer and masseur, who in a flair of old world gallantry, offered his chair to one of the women. A tap on the shoulder and a sweep of his arm was all it took.

March 14, 2024

2024 Minnesota Boys State High School Hockey Tournament (March 6-9)

One Shot - 2024 Boys High School State Tournament (video)

This was the 80th year for the Boys State High School tournament. In Class A, seven teams returned from the 2023 tournament, with New Ulm being the new team from Section Three. In Class AA, only Edina and Cretin-Derham Hall returned from last year's tournament.

Here is a summary of this year's tournament games.

Class A (Small Schools)

In the Quarterfinal games, the top four seeds won their games: #2 seed Warroad beat unseeded New Ulm 8-1; #3 seed St. Cloud Cathedral beat unseeded Northfield 5-1; #1 seed Hermantown beat unseeded Alexandria Area 6-0; and #4 seed Mahtomedi beat #5 seed Orono 5-2.

In the Semifinals, #3 St. Cloud Cathedral beat #2 Warroad 4-3 in overtime, and #1 Hermantown beat #4 Mahtomedi 7-6 in overtime. Mahtomedi battled back from being down 4-0 early in the game and down 6-4 with two minutes left in the game. Mahtomedi pulled their goalie twice and scored two goals to send the game into overtime.

In the Championship game, #3 seed St. Cloud Cathedral played a strong game and beat #1 Hermantown 3-1. St. Cloud Cathedral scored a goal in the first period and two in the third before giving up a goal late in the period.

Warroad beat Mahtomedi 4-1 for 3rd place. In the consolation bracket semi-final games, Northfield beat New Ulm 4-3, and Orono beat Alexandria 8-1. Orono beat Northfield 1-0 to win the Consolation Championship.

Class AA (Big Schools)

In the Quarterfinal games: #2 seed Chanhassen beat unseeded Rochester Century/JM 7-0. Chanhassen upset #1 ranked Minnetonka in the Section 2 final to make their first appearance at the state tournament. Rochester Century/JM stunned Lakeville South 4-1 in the Section 1 final to advance to the state tournament. #3 seed Centennial lost to unseeded Cretin-Derham Hall 4-3 in two overtimes; #1 seed Edina beat unseeded Elk River/Zimmerman 6-2; #5 seed Grand Rapids beat #4 seed White Bear Lake 2-1. Grand Rapids scored a goal about four minutes into the game that held up until there was 1:34 left in the 3rd when White Bear tied it up. With about 10 seconds left, Grand Rapids got control of the puck and entered the White Bear zone on the goalies left side. The player passed it to a teammate coming down the slot who made a move, and tucked the puck into the net behind the sprawled-out goalie with 1.6 seconds left in the period.

In the Semifinals, #2 Chanhassen beat Cretin-Derham Hall 6-1, and #1 Edina beat #5 Grand Rapids 5-2.

In the Championship game, #1 Edina beat #2 Chanhassen 2-1 in a hard fought fast paced game.

Cretin-Derham Hall beat Grand Rapids 6-3 for 3rd place. In the consolation bracket semi-final games, Centennial beat Rochester Century/JM 8-2, and Elk River/Zimmerman beat White Bear Lake 5-0. Centennial beat Elk River/Zimmerman 3-2 to win the Consolation Championship.

Lou Nanne

For the last 60 years, Lou has been in the broadcast booth adding his expert commentary during the games in the Boys State Hockey Tournament. He decided earlier in the year that this would be his last tournament. Here are a few videos of Lou where he shares his memories from over the years and his plans for the future. His family also shares some facts and stories about Lou.

"5 Facts: Lou Nanne"

"Last call for Lou Nanne: Family shares stories of man behind the mic"

"Thank you, Lou! Joe Schmidt's State Tourney chat with retiring legend Lou Nanne"

"Lou Nanne broadcasts final game at the Minnesota Boys State Hockey Tournament"

2024 All Hockey Hair Team

Click on the link below to watch the 2024 Minnesota State High School All Hockey Hair Team video. This year's theme is "Friends in Flow Places"

Edina twins help win state titles for boys, girls hockey teams.

Hannah and John Halverson have been putting on skates since they were toddlers. They're not only brother and sister, they're also twins. As WCCO's Jason Rantala reports, the two can now add state championships to their names.

January 9, 2024

Lou Nanne to call his last Minnesota Boys State High School Hockey Tournament this coming March.

  This coming March 6th-9th will be Lou's 60th year (and last) as part of the broadcasting team for the Minesota Boys State High School Hockey Tournament. Click on the link to read the story produced by "The Rink Live".

December 31, 2023

New Year's Eve Day Skate

  The turnout numbers were reminiscent of the first few years when the New Year's Eve Day Skate began (thanks to Greg and Tim promoting it). The numbers were almost equally represented between the two groups and the lines changed rapidly. The earlier Sunday skate time did not seem to be a deterrent.

  Most of the skaters stayed for the party after the skate and was nice to see a lot of new faces. The generous variety of foods and "adult beverages" was unique. To quote Greg, "it was what Mark envisioned when he founded the group: spirited, fun competition, and good fellowship."

  The entertainment was provided by "John Diffley and the Breakaways". The rag-tag band, starring John Diffley and Randy Nagel, was graced with its newest member Steve Jordan (who can even do an instrumental, crowd-pleasing break), but missing Tim Tarara's presence was officially christened by Randy Nagel.

  The band started off with last year's hit "The Time of Your Life"; sung to the tune "Good Riddance" by Green Day. They followed that up with their 2023 feature song "Tonight My Best Shot Let Me Down"; the theme and melody line coming from the national bar band anthem "Tonight the Bottle Let Me Down". The tune, as usual, singled out respective teammates for their trademark mannerisms on the ice. Here are the lyrics for this year's song.

"Tonight My Best Shot Let Me Down"

Each night I leave the ol' Rec when it's over

Just feelin' every pain at closing time

A stop at Glynner's left me much to sober

I kept playin' that game and goin' back in my mind

Tonight my best shot let me down

Fell on my face tryin' to chase Brett Edstrom down

Then Chezi barreled in - got his own rebound

Saw it all, cause I was just standin' around

I always had that one shot I could turn to

Tyler just laughed, flipped the puck away from me

I blocked Mac's shot before it reached the goalie

The ER said it's just a broken knee

Tonight I thought I was doin' fine - had a breakaway clear

Got tripped by that ol' blue line

Got heckled by Berton - I think it was a sign

Dougie chimed in, but he's just got a warped mind

Well I crashed that net - they all yelled that's encroaching

I just said I was following Tim Tarara's good coaching

Turn out the lights, the party's over

Another good skate!

Tonight my best shot let me down

Fell on my face tryin' to chase Forliti down

Got first place lookin' like an Ice Follies clown

Tonight my best shot let me down

  The band finished the program with a few lines from their very first effort "Sweet Home on the South Rink".

  As the festivities ended, it was apparent that there was still a sizeable amount of leftovers, which was divvied up by the skaters and Rec staff.

  Credit for this post goes to John Diffley for providing the recap of the event, and to Randy Sunnarborg for the pictures.

March 12, 2023

2023 Minnesota Boys State High School Hockey Tournament (March 8 - 11)

This year's tournament had six overtime games: three in Class A and three in Class AA. Two games went to one overtime, three games went to two overtimes, and one game went to three overtimes.

Here is a summary of this year's tournament games.

Class A (Small Schools)

In the Quarterfinal games: #1 seed Warroad beat unseeded St. Cloud Cathedral 5-1; #2 seed Hermantown beat unseeded Luverne 6-0; #3 seed Mahtomedi beat unseeded Alexandria Area 6-3; and #4 seed Orono beat #5 seed Northfield 2-1 in overtime.

In the Semifinals, #1 seed Warroad beat #4 seed Orono 4-3 in two overtimes, and #3 seed Mahtomedi beat #2 seed Hermantown 2-1.

In the Championship game, #3 seed Mahtomedi beat #1 Warroad 6-5 at 4:56 of the second overtime. This is Mahtomedi's second championship. Their first one was in 2020.

Hermantown beat Orono 2-0 for 3rd place. In the consolation bracket semi-final games, Alexandria Area beat Luverne 7-3, and St. Cloud Cathedral beat Northfield 3-1. St. Cloud Cathedral beat Alexandria Area 4-1 to win the Consolation Championship.

Class AA (Big Schools)

In the Quarterfinal games: #1 seed Minnetonka beat unseeded Hill-Murray 4-3 in overtime; #2 seed Maple Grove was upset by unseeded Cretin-Derham Hall 3-1; #3 seed Edina beat unseeded Moorhead 7-6 in two overtimes; #4 seed Andover beat #5 seed Lakeville South 5-2.

In the Semifinals, #1 seed Minnetonka beat #4 seed Andover 4-1, and #3 seed Edina beat unseeded Cretin-Derham Hall 4-1.

In the Championship game, #1 seed Minnetonka beat #3 seed Edina 2-1. This is Minnetonka's second championship. Their first one was in 2018.

Andover beat Cretin-Derham Hall 5-3 for 3rd place. In the consolation bracket semi-final games, Maple Grove beat Moorhead 4-3, and Hill-Murray beat Lakeville South 4-3 in three overtimes. Hill-Murray beat Maple Grove 5-3 to win the Consolation Championship.

Click on the link below to watch the 2023 Minnesota State High School All Hockey Hair Team video. This year's theme is "May the Flow Be with You!"

Here's one final story that went viral at this year's tournament. During the team introductions in the quarterfinal game between Hermantown and Luverne, Brady Bork of Luverne put a new twist on his introduction. Instead of shaking his hockey hair, he had a prom proposal to his girlfriend that was written on the blade of his stick. Check out this video.

February 20, 2023

Let's Play Hockey!

  If you have been to a North Stars or Wild hockey game, or watched one of their games on TV, you have probably heard the phrase "Let's play hockey!" by the announcer, or fan(s), to kick off the start of the game. Ever wonder how and when this phrase originated? This article tells how it all started after a tragedy at a North Stars game back in 1968.

December 31, 2022

New Year's Eve Day Skate

  The annual New Year's Eve Day Skate was held at the Rec Center from 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM. There was a good combination of Tuesday and Thursday players with great goal tending. Food, drink, and music by the Diffley trio followed the skate.

  Some of the food and drink included: hot dogs for everyone, provided by Scott; Tim Tarara contributed some Elk sausage; and Dr. Ishitani brought some of his famous honey mead to enhance the beverages.

  The John Diffley Trio, with John Diffley and Randy Nagel on acoustic guitars and Tim Tarara on bass violin, once again got the toes tapping and voices singing. They started out by playing last year's song "On the Ice Again" (sung to the tune of "On the Road Again" by Willie Nelson) and then did this year's song "The Time of Your Life" (alternate name for the song "Good Riddance") by Green Day. Randy Nagel came up with the idea and the words while standing in the circle at center ice one Tuesday night. Here are the words to "The Time of Your Life", the MJDHL version.

"The Time of Your Life"

Another blizzard and I'm driving down the road

It's a Mark Janes hockey night and the Rec is never closed

I'll make the best of this trip and I won't whine

Once I hit the ice, everything'll work out fine

It's something that's exhilarating and if I don't score tonight

I'll still have the time of my life

We've got some younger skaters like this kid named Dave Albrecht

Others play like me, yeah, we're pretty much train wrecks

If you ask "who cares?" to any of these guys

It's all just for fun and some exercise

On every Tuesday, Thursday night, apologize to the wife

I know you'll have the time of your life

Kirky's passes are unpredictable and Billy wants to fight,

I know you'll have the time of your life.

The Thursday gals are here and Norm just comes for beer,

I know you'll have the time of your life.

Everyone's a winner, by the time they get to Glynner's,

I know you'll have the time of your life.

Bobby changed his jersey for the seventh time tonight,

I know you'll have the time of your life!

Thanks to Tim Tarara and John Diffley for contributing to this post.

"Every day is a great day for hockey!" Mario Lemieux

March 21, 2022

2022 Minnesota Boys State High School Hockey Tournament (March 9 - 12)

Here is a summary of this year's tournament.

Class A (Small Schools)

In the Quarterfinal games: #1 seed Hermantown beat unseeded New Prague 5-1; #2 seed Warroad beat unseeded Monticello 7-1; #3 seed Mahtomedi beat unseeded Mankato East/Loyola 4-1; and #5 seed Alexandria beat #4 seed Minneapolis 4-1. Minneapolis, a coop of 7 Minneapolis Schools, is the first Minneapolis school to play in the State Tournament since 1995.

In the Semifinals, #1 seed Hermantown beat #5 seed Alexandria 7-1, and #2 seed Warroad beat #3 seed Mahtomedi 5-4 in Overtime.

In the Championship game, #1 seed Hermantown beat #2 seed Warroad 3-2 in a hard-fought game to win their fourth Class A crown.

Mahtomedi beat Alexandria 4-2 for 3rd place. Minneapolis beat Monticello 4-1 to win the Consolation Championship.

Class AA (Big Schools)

In the Quarterfinal games: #1 seed Hill-Murray beat unseeded Lakeville South 3-2; #2 seed Cretin-Durham Hall was upset by unseeded Prior Lake 6-0 (Alex Bump of Prior Lake had 5 goals and an assist); #3 seed Maple Grove beat Edina 5-2; #5 seed Andover beat #4 seed Moorhead 2-1.

In the Semifinals, #5 seed Andover beat #1 seed Hill-Murray 4-2, and #3 seed Maple Grove beat unseeded Prior Lake 6-2.

In the Championship game, #5 seed Andover beat #3 seed Maple Grove 6-5 in a thrilling game that ended at 8:59 in the second overtime. It was Andover's first title. The game saw 5 goals in the first period, 1 in the second, 4 in the third, and one in overtime. Maple Grove had 51 shots on goal to Andover's 45. On a side note, the Andover girl's hockey team were the champions in the Class AA Girls State Hockey Tournament.

Hill-Murray beat Prior Lake 3-2 for 3rd place. Edina beat Moorhead 3-2 to win the Consolation Campionship.

Once again, the tournament had plenty of good hockey hair which is highlighted in the 2022 Minnesota State High School All Hockey Hair Team video presented by Duke Cannon.

April 5, 2021

2021 Minnesota Boys and Girls State High School Hockey Tournaments (March 26 - April 3)

  The 2020 - 2021 High School hockey season was unlike any other due to the Covid-19 virus pandemic that gripped the nation and world this past year. A normal season starts in late November and concludes with the girls state tournament the last week of February, and the boys state tournament the first week of March. This year, the season started in mid-January and wrapped up with the tournaments for both the boys and girls with the quarterfinal games the last week of March and the semifinal and title games the first week of April. Other changes included no consolation bracket in both of the tournaments, and a limited number of fans in attendance, which was mandated by the Minnesota Department of Health. Despite all the changes that happened this season, there was no change in the excitement of play or the talent that these young people brought to the Excel Energy Center.

Girls Tournament (Class A - small schools, Class AA - big schools)

Class A (Quarterfinal games March 26, Semifinal games April 1, Championship game April 3)

  In the upper bracket, #3 seed Proctor-Hermantown beat unseeded Luverne 8-0 and #2 seed Warroad 3-1 to reach the championship game. Unseeded Lourdes lost to Warroad in a quarterfinal game 10-0. In the lower bracket, #1 Gentry Academy beat unseeded River Lakes 4-1 and #4 seed Chisago Lakes 6-0 to reach the championship game.

  In the championship game, Proctor-Hermantown (5th tournament appearance) won their first championship in a hard-fought 3-2 win in 2 overtimes against Gentry Academy (1st tournament appearance) and finished their season a perfect 21-0-0. Gentry Academy outshot Procter-Hermantown 32-19.

Class AA (Quarterfinal games March 27, Semifinal games April 1, Championship game April 3)

  In the upper bracket, #2 seed Edina beat unseeded Centennial 1-0 (by Covid advancement) and #3 seed Minnetonka 4-0 to reach the championship game. In the lower bracket, #1 seed Andover beat unseeded Farmington 4-0 and #5 seed Eastview 7-0 to reach the championship game.

  In the championship game, Edina beat Andover, 2-1 to win their fourth state title in the last five years. They finished the season with a perfect 22-0-0 record. Andover only allowed 7 goals all season before entering the tournament.

Boys Tournament (Class A - small schools, Class AA - big schools)

Class A (Quarterfinal games March 30, Semifinal games April 2, Championship game April 3)

  In the upper bracket, #2 seed Gentry Academy (1st time entrant) beat unseeded Northern Lakes 8-0 and #3 seed East Grand Forks 5-3 to reach the championship game. In the lower bracket, unseeded Dodge County (1st time entrant) beat #1 seed Hermantown 7-3, that played mostly Junior Varsity players because the varsity team (except for three players out with injury) had to go into Covid-19 quarantine after they were exposed to an infected player on the team they beat in the section final game. Dodge County then beat #4 seed Little Falls 4-1 to reach the championship game.

  In the championship game, Gentry Academy dominated play over Dodge County and won 8-1, completing a perfect season at 19-0-0. Gentry Academy outshot Dodge County 54-9. Dodge County's Brody Lamb scored his 10th tournament goal early in the third period to make the score 4-1, but Gentry Academy would score the last four goals of the game. Brody Lamb scored 10 goals in the tournament with six against Hermantown, three against Little Falls, and one against Gentry Academy. For the season, Brody Lamb was 1st in the state in goals (52) and first in points (87).

Class AA (Quarterfinal games March 31, Semifinal games April 2, Championship game April 3)

  In the upper bracket, #3 seed Lakeville South beat unseeded Moorhead 4-2 and unseeded Wayzata 5-3 to reach the championship game. In the lower bracket, #1 seed Eden Prairie beat unseeded St. Thomas Academy 6-2 and #4 seed Maple Grove 6-5 in overtime to reach the championship game.

  In the championship game, Eden Prairie beat Lakeville South 2-1 in a double overtime thriller. This was Eden Prairie's third state title.

  Here is the link to view the 2021 Minnesota High School Boys All Hockey Hair Team.

February 14, 2021

Randy Nagel's Son Builds a Rink in His Barn

  Randy's youngest son Jeff, and his wife, live near Lake Crystal, which is just west of Mankato, MN. Jeff recently completed construction of an ice rink on the upper floor of his barn - very cool; no snow and no wind! He also has a net/goalie target at one end of the rink which is useful when practicing shots. The link below is a video that Randy took of Jeff and Brett (Randy's oldest son) skating around and taking shots on the target.

December 31, 2020

MJDHL Ends 2020 in Lockdown Due to the Covid-19 Virus Pandemic

  The annual New Year's Eve Day "Frozen Shrimp" Skate had to be canceled this year due to a state-wide lockdown imposed by Governor Walz because of the Covid-19 pandemic. A four-week lockdown was ordered in mid-November because of a surge in positive Covid-19 virus cases, and when the positivity rate of cases was still high in mid-December the lockdown was extended to January 10.

  2020 started out normal with both the Tuesday and Thursday groups skating each week from the start of the year until mid-March; when the initial lockdown was ordered by the Governor due to the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. Without a vaccine, the virus continued to spread which in turn extended the lockdown.

  During the summer and into early fall the pandemic conditions improved and lockdown restrictions were slowly lifted. Finally, in early October, the skates resumed on Tuesday nights with a combined group of players from the Tuesday and Thursday groups. Several players from both groups decided not to play until a vaccine becomes available. The Tuesday group got in six skates before the Governor ordered the lockdown in mid-November.

  In mid-December, the FDA approved a vaccine from the Pfizer company and a week later a vaccine from the Moderna company was approved. If all goes well with the vaccine rollout, both the Tuesday and Thursday groups will be skating on a regular schedule again sometime in the Spring of 2021 and singing "Sweet Home on the South Rink".

April 18, 2020

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Puts MJDHL Games "On Ice"

  It has been a little over a month since Tim Tarara sent out an email to the MJDHL group (March 14, 2020) that said, "the Rec Center and Graham Arena are closing until further notice in response to the Coronavirus". And, according to a KROC-AM news report, also on March 14, the city announced other closures that included the National Volleyball Center and the Quarry Hill Nature Center. The only way to get a hockey fix now is to watch game replays on the NHL Network, NBC, NBCSN, or FSN.

  On a state level, the Coronavirus affected both the Girls and Boys High School Basketball Tournaments. The Girls High School Basketball tournament was canceled after two days of competition and all of the Boys High School Tournament was canceled. As for the Spring High School sports programs, an article in the Star Tribune on April 5th had this to say, "With students statewide engaged in distance learning to help slow the spread of COVID-19, Governor Walz said at his daily briefing that he projected a 'relatively slim' chance students would return to their school buildings before the current academic year ends. On March 25, moments after Walz closed schools in favor of distance learning until May 4, the high school league moved quickly to extend its shutdown of spring sports for the same duration."

At the college level, the NCAA Basketball and Hockey tournaments were canceled due to the Coronavirus turning March Madness into March Sadness. I think Tim Tarara is the #4 seed in this bracket.

  At the pro level, the NHL and NBA seasons are on hold and the MLB and MLS seasons have delayed their start. In a Yahoo Sports article dated April 15, the NHL says it "has only pushed back its timetable on a return. It was announced Tuesday (April 14) that the mandated quarantine period for players had been extended by 15 days until April 30. With Bettman also stating this week that players would need two to three weeks to re-condition themselves, the earliest the NHL could potentially return is now late May. With an incomplete regular season as it stands as well as the desire to have next season remain whole while preserving the integrity of the Stanley Cup competition, it seems the NHL is quickly running out of runway on the calendar before having to make major concessions."

In the meantime, as we hopefully await the return of the NHL season, maintain your social distance and stay healthy!

March 22, 2020

Ontario Teen Shares "Hockey Jedi" Skill Videos

  "Hockey Jedi" Ontario Teen Shares Skill Videos So Good Even The NHL Is Impressed - Narcity

March 15, 2020

Colorado HS Goalie Ties National Record With 84 Saves

  Sam Simon stopped the first 84 shots he saw. The 85th found the back of the net in the fifth overtime period. Click on the link to read the full story from Sports Illustrated.

  Tim Lincoln provided this story and said the most saves he had in a game was 76 in regulation in a 2-0 loss (twice, in two different tournaments). He also said there may have been some Thursday nights in the MJDHL league where he had more than 84 shots, but those would be unofficial.

March 14, 2020

Justin Bieber Teaches Jimmy Fallon How to Play Hockey

(by Randy Nagel)

  I was watching the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon tonight (March 13, 2020) and happened to see a video clip of Justin Bieber teaching Jimmy some hockey skills. I've always thought Justin Bieber was an annoying heartthrob - and I'm not wrong - BUT......I have a newfound respect for him on skates. Check out this video - he's got skills!! Now Jimmy Fallon, he can school me on a guitar, but pretty sure if he was playing D against me one on one, I'm probably going around him (well on a good night anyway - hahahaha).

March 14, 2020

2020 Minnesota Boys State High School Hockey Tournament (March 4-7)

  The Minnesota Boys State High School Hockey Tournament was held March 4-7 at the Excel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota.

  In the Class A quarterfinal games, the top four seeds won and advanced to the semifinal round. #2 seed St. Cloud Cathedral beat Mankato East/Loyola 11-2, #3 seed Hermantown beat Monticello 7-1, #1 seed Warroad beat Hutchinson 9-3, and #4 seed Mahtomedi beat #5 seed Delano 5-2.

  In the semifinal games, Hermantown beat St. Cloud Cathedral 6-2 and Mahtomedi upset Warroad 5-1.

  In the championship game, Mahtomedi took a 2-0 lead on power play goals, getting one in the first period and the other early in the second period. Hermantown cut the lead in half when they scored a goal later in the second period. Hermantown dominated play in the third and after pulling their goalie late in the period, they scored the game tying goal with 21.2 seconds left in regulation. In Overtime, Mahtomedi scored the game winning goal at 2:44 when Senior Colin Hagstrom chipped in a centering pass from J.D. Metz. This was Mahtomedi's first championship. According to a Star Tribune article, Mahtomedi was outshot 42-12 during the game. The 12 shots on goal was the fewest by a team winning the title. The previous low for a title-winning team in a championship game came in 1977 when Rochester John Marshall stunned Edina East 4-2. The Rockets had 14 shots on goal.

  In the Class 2A quarterfinal games, #2 seed Blake beat Maple Grove 7-5, #3 seed Eden Prairie beat Lakeville South 4-0, #1 seed Andover was upset by St. Thomas Academy 3-2, and #4 seed Moorhead lost to #5 seed Hill-Murray 5-1.

  In the semifinal games, Eden Prairie beat Blake 4-1, and Hill-Murray beat St. Thomas Academy 3-2. The attendance of 19,899 for these Friday evening games beat the attendance at all of the arenas where NHL games were played on this date.

  In the championship game, Hill-Murray got a power-play goal in the first period and took a 1-0 lead at the first intermission. Hill-Murray got two more goals in the second period and extended their lead to 3-0 after 2 periods. Eden Prairie made it a 3-1 game when they scored at 5:49 into the third period. Five minutes later, Hill-Murray added another goal to regain their three-goal lead. Eden Prairie pulled their goalie with a little over four minutes left in the game but Hill-Murray was up to the test and held on to win 4-1. This was Hill-Murray's fourth state championship, and the first since 2008.

  Here is the link to view the 2020 Minnesota High School Boys All Hockey Hair Team. The video from 2019 was supposed to be the last one but thanks to a $25,000 donation by Great Clips, the "Flow will go on!".

  Here is a news report from WCCO TV in Minneapolis titled: 'Hockey Hair' Tradition Alive & Well in 2020 Boys' State Tournament.

February 18, 2020

Two MJDHL Women Are 2020 Pond Hockey National Champions

  On the weekend of February 6-9, 2020, the Labatt Pond Hockey National Tournament was held in Eagle River, Wisconsin, which is located in north central Wisconsin about 20 miles from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The three-day event was moved to the World Championship Derby Complex due to unplayable conditions on Dollar Lake. There were 265 teams in 19 Divisions. This is the 15th year the 4-on-4 Tournament has been held.

  Jodi-Miller Hammes and Teresa McCormack played for the team Six Pack On Ice in the 30+ Women's Division. This was the 13th year the team has played in this tournament, and the second time they have won it. A few of the team members initially met playing in Rochester and then they added a few friends. Other members of the team are: Stephanie Wehr (Cincinnati, OH); Iris Iouto (team captain, Ypsilanti, MI); Phoebe Peterson (Rochester, MN); and Maureen Sanderson (Stillwater, MN).

  The team was undefeated in Pool Play of 3 games and with adequate hydration they landed in the Championship game at 11:00 AM on Sunday, February 9th. The game was played in a full snow globe against the Lady Labatts. The teams skated to a 5 - 5 tie in regulation. In a 5-minute, most goals overtime, Six Pack On Ice came away the champion scoring 2 more goals to win 7-5.

  In the picture below, the players from left to right are: Stephanie, Iris, Phoebe, Maureen, Jodi, Teresa.

February 16, 2020

Mark Janes Feature Video Shown at Ally Energy Solutions Sales Team Meeting

  A little over five years ago, the Mark Janes Feature Video "Hockey for all ages: Rochester Old-timers" was shown on Fox Sports North during Hockey Day in Minnesota 2015 between the two boys High School hockey games. The video featured Mark Janes and the old-timer hockey group that he started in January of 2006.

  This is how Fox Sports North listed it on the Hockey Day in Minnesota web page.

Hockey for all ages: An "old-timers" hockey league in Rochester is proof that hip and knee replacements, and even pacemakers, can't trump the love of the game.

Click on the link below the picture to watch the video.

  One of the key take-aways from this video, besides old guys playing hockey, was building strong friendships and camaraderie among the players.

  Fast forward to mid-January 2020. Joe Janes, Vice President of Key Accounts for Ally Energy Solutions in the Denver area, showed this video to his boss, and President of Sales, Shawn Rash. Shawn loved it so much that he asked Joe if it would be alright to show it to everyone at an upcoming Sales team meeting. He wanted to use it as an example of what a small idea can turn into and all the good that comes from sticking to a good idea. Shawn also wanted to know the ages of the oldest players so that he could do a good description of the video. Joe told Shawn that Norm Fitch, 76, has been skating with the group 14 years, and John Diffley, 78, has been skating with the group 10-1/2 years.

  In late January, Shawn presented the video at the Sales meeting and it went over very well. Joe said he received so many nice comments after the presentation. Joe also received an email from Shawn following the meeting which said, "This was an easy one. It was one of those moments that you know it when you see it. There are 'How To' books everywhere and lessons you can't learn by reading. When I was given the topic of 'Relationships' for our meeting, you just can't put the bullet points down for people to do, and the concept of 'Hey, let's focus on a relationship'; the rest falls into place is so foreign in the business world.

  So, knowing you, you know there had to be some good influencers out there. Your Dad and Mom must embody the word Trust! So when I saw the video it became clear to me that the walk your Dad walked (and sometimes skated) was the whole sum of what needed to be said. Life isn't just business, it is bringing joy to people. How many times in that video did people say we are having fun. The smiles make life just better. Your Dad brought a couple closer together (the goalies) and I know he didn't even start off with that intention. The by-products of doing the right thing flourishes. The group of hockey players have then for the past fourteen years honored your Dad's legend and legacy!"

In the pictures below: Joe Janes is in the picture on the left. In the middle picture are: Shawn Rash, President and a founding partner of Ally Energy Solutions; Brian Walterbach, Executive Vice President and a founding partner of Ally Energy Solutions. In the picture on the right are members of the Ally Energy Solutions Sales team.

  As Mark said in his MJDHL Mission Statement, on the homepage of the website, "Friendships and camaraderie are the only goals that we really care about and both will always be the cornerstones of the MJDHL."

January 29, 2020

MJDHL: Mid-Winter Skate at Soldiers Field Outdoor Rink, January 28, 2020

Norm Fitch reporting from Dunn Brothers . . . the whole story, the actual facts.

  It was 11:00 am, with an overcast sky and a temperature of 19 degrees, when four hearty MJDHL skaters hit the ice: Marty Cormack, Bill Meschke, Tim Tarara, and myself.

  After a half-hour of touch and goes, and red-line-blue-line drills, we decided to choose teams and play a little hockey. Tarara was smart enough to recognize that this was no ordinary sheet of ice. Not only was it very slippery but it had to be Olympic-size in length, so Tim moved the nets closer together.

  Tarara, being one of the captains lost the coin toss. Marty won first choice and chose Bill. Tim looked around for his choice and since no one was left he picked me.

  As we were about to face off, Bill pulled from deep in his breezers a ball he had used as a child, back in the early 40's. He dropped the ball at center ice, it bounced 3 feet into the air, and it was game on for the next hour. It was an amazing flurry of exploding skates, ice chips fogging the air, and the sound of bodies smashing against the boards. With just seconds remaining, team Good Guys (Tim and I) score, gloves about to fly. Then, I see Marty breaking for the other net. "Racing" toward Marty, but dropping further behind, I see Marty rip a shot toward the open net which is about 6 feet away. With one second to go, the ball hits the goal post and deflects into outer space. He probably realized that if he scored, the game would go into a fifteen-minute overtime period.

  We decide that was enough, but as long as we were down here we decided to skate the oval. The oval and the ground were freshly covered with an inch of powdery snow. From the rink parking lot, we skidded, slipped, and fell. After reaching the oval we made one lap. On my way around the oval I noticed that some a** had driven his vehicle on part of that beautiful oval. After the lap we all headed to Glynner's.

Kneeling: Norm. Standing: Marty, Tim, Bill.

January 18, 2020

Hockey Day in Minnesota 2020

The outside hockey games this year were played at Parade Stadium in Minneapolis. It was cold when the puck dropped at the first game of the morning with a temperature in the single digits and a wind chill of around -10. It was somewhat of an improvement over Hockey Day in Minnesota 2019 which set the record as the coldest day ever for this event, with a temperature of -26 degrees when the puck dropped for the first game.

Warroad vs. Minneapolis

  In the first High School Boys matchup, Warroad took a 4-0 lead after two periods and ended up winning the game 5-1 after trading goals with Minnapolis in the third. In the first picture below, the Mayor of Minneapolis does a ceremonial puck drop before the start of the game.

Blaine vs. Blake

  In the second Boys High School game, Blake won 3-2 when they scored on a deflection with five minutes left in the game.

Ohio State vs. Minnesota Gophers

  The Women Gophers rebounded from a loss to Ohio State on Friday night by defeating the Buckeyes 2-1, scoring the game-winning goal in the second period.

Dallas Stars vs. Minnesota Wild

  To cap off Hockey Day in Minnesota #14, the Wild crushed the Stars 7-0 at the Excel Energy Center. The 7-0 victory was the most lopsided win at home in franchise victory, according to Fox Sports North. The Wild are now 11-2-1 on Hockey Day in Minnesota.

Other News

  Click on the link below to see a video made by Fox Sports North called "HDM 2020: Minnesota Memories". Anthony LaPanta of Fox Sports North talks to Lou Nanne and Mike Modano about Modano's draft and NHL career.

  Click on the link to see a few pictures from Twitter and Fox Sports North of HDM 2020.

Hockey Day in Minnesota 2021

  Hockey Day in Minnesota 2021 will be held in Mankato.

December 31, 2019

New Year's Eve Day Skate and 2019 Mark Janes Cup MVP's

Here's a recap of the New Year's Eve Skate by Greg Gill.

  Very good 'Frozen Shrimp' skate for 18 of us on New Year's Eve. And more joined us for the party (lots of shrimp and great meatballs) and the debut of the fantastic DIFFLEY TRIO from Nashville. John Lennon on vocals, Diffley and Nagel on guitar and Ann on string base. I know that is four but use your imagination. Would be nice if we could get the video up or at least the lyrics for all to enjoy.

  Words of wisdom from our founder Mark Janes as we start a new year.

  "Friendships and camaraderie are the only goals that we really care about and both will always be the cornerstones of the MJDHL. The support, encouragement and respect that are exhibited by every player for each other will always be above and beyond reproach."

  Happy New Year, Greg

  The lyrics of the two songs performed at the party are shown below. John Diffley worked on the lyrics over the past year with input from Randy Nagel, and Ann Rohleder. Prior to the group performing the songs, John Diffley said to the group by way of introduction that "the MJDHL is a fertile field for quirks and off-beat behavior. I have been 'stealing' from popular and country music forever and setting my own words to the music."

  The first song is called "Sweet Home on the South Rink" (sung to the tune of "Sweet Home Alabama").

  Here's a video link of the song "Sweet Home Alabama" sung by the group Lynyrd Skynyrd, in case you aren't familiar with the tune, or haven't heard it in a while.

"Sweet Home on the South Rink" (sung to the tune of "Sweet Home Alabama")

Big wheels keep on turnin'- that ol' Zamboni's set to spin,

Tim and Greg have got us rollin' now - the Mark Janes dream's alive again...

and we're all in.

Chorus:

Sweet home on the south rink - where the blue lines are so blue

Sweet home on the south rink - Bobby's late, what else is new!

We don't keep score, we don't hold grudges - we just play for laughs and cheer,

You get chippy or a little trippy - you're gonna' buy the next case of beer...

and we'll all be here.

Chorus:

Sweet home on the south rink - where the blue lines are so blue

Sweet home on the south rink - Pilar just broke her stick in two!

Some folks say that we're all crazy - playin' a game that can maim and kill,

But no one here's in assisted living - ain't no one here that's over the hill...

and we know the drill.

Chorus:

Sweet home on the south rink - where the blue lines are so blue

Sweet home on the south rink - ain't Mike's dog fest overdue!

Now Graham's got a wind chill factor - hey, at least we're on inside ice,

Someone tell Brad which color he's wearin' - Boudreau won't listen to our advice...

Now let's play nice...

Chorus:

Sweet home on the south rink - where the blue lines are so blue

Sweet home on the south rink - sometimes the North rink's gotta' do!

  Here's a video link of the song "Sweet Home on the South Rink", sung by the Diffley Trio.

  The second song is called "Bombed, Bruised, and Busted" (with some of the words changed)

  According to John Diffley, "the second song has an interesting history in that it was written and performed by a fellow named James Paulsen; who was a 1961 graduate of JM. He became a disc jockey, and had a modest career in country music under the stage name of Joe Sun. He wrote "Bombed, Boozed and Busted" as a hard-driving, honky-tonk song which never made many waves on the charts, but became a cult song for every bar band in the country. He ended up playing the marinas in Florida and died on October 25, 2019, in Merritt Island, FL. He used to come up to Stewartville every summer to visit his brother, who farms just outside of Stewartville, and he and I would get together and play a few tunes. He had more stories about Nashville and all its characters than I could put in a book."

  Here's a video link of the song "Bombed, Bruised and Busted" sung by Joe Sun.

"Bombed, Bruised and Busted" (a tribute to our goalies)

I'm gettin' bombed, bruised and busted - livin' on north rink time,

I'm gettin' checked, wrecked and dusted - lord, it makes a mess of my mind.

I'm standing in these nets and feeling kind of hapless,

'Cause they're shootin' at me like it's north Minneapolis,

I'm gettin' bombed, bruised and busted, livin' on north rink time.

That slap shot makes my heart beat - it's the rhythm of my soul,

I drag my pads around to every rink in town - hopin' that they don't count goals,

Now Teresa slid one by me - but I stopped Marty cold,

I'm standing here between the pipes - hey, I got this game on hold.

I'm gettin' bombed, bruised and busted - livin' on north rink time,

I'm gettin' checked, wrecked and rusted - lord, it makes a mess of my mind.

I play Tuesday night and I barely survive - but Thursday comes 'round and I'm still alive,

I'm gettin' bombed, bruised and busted - livin' on Graham Three time.

  Here's a video link of the song "Bombed, Bruised and Busted", sung by John Diffley.

  Last but not least, the Mark Janes Cup MVP's for 2019 were announced with Derek Brothers being selected from the the Tuesday night group and Bill Meschke being selected from the Thursday night group. Congratulations Derek and Bill!

  Click on the link below to see pictures taken at the party after the skate.

June 8, 2019

Hard to top Florida Man

  When you're feeling stupid, just review the headlines of the Florida Man site and you will suddenly feel as smart as Stephen Hawking.

March 12, 2019

2019 Minnesota Boys State High School Hockey Tournament (March 6-9)

The 75th Minnesota boys high school hockey tournament. One of the best high school tournaments in the nation!

  Class 1A (small schools). In the upper bracket, #2 seed St. Cloud Cathedral advanced to the championship game by defeating unseeded North Branch 7-0 in the quarterfinal game followed by a 6-2 win over #3 seed East Grand Forks in the semifinal game.

  In the lower bracket, #4 seed Greenway/Nashwauk-Keewatin advanced to the championship game by defeating unseeded Delano 6-4 in the quarterfinal game followed by a 3-2 win in overtime against #1 seed Mahtomedi in the semifinal game. Greenway trailed Mahtomedi in the third period 2-1 but tied the game with 1:45 left in the period and then got the game winner 23 seconds into overtime.

  In the title game, St. Cloud Cathedral and Greenway were tied 2-2 after the first period but St. Cloud Cathedral scored the next three goals to claim their first Class A championship title.

  In the third place game, Mahtomedi defeated East Grand Forks 7-3 and in the Consolation game Delano beat North Branch 2-1.

  Class 2A (big schools). In the upper bracket, #3 seed Eden Prairie advanced to the championship game by defeating unseeded Lakeville South 3-2 in 3 overtimes in the quarterfinal game followed by a 4-3 win over #2 seed Blaine in the semifinal game.

  In the lower bracket, #1 seed Edina advanced to the championship game by defeating unseeded Moorhead 4-2 in the quarterfinal game followed by a 6-3 win against #4 seed St. Thomas Academy in the semifinal game.

  In the championship game, Edina won a hard fought matchup with Eden Prairie 3-2 in overtime to win the Class 2A title.

  In the third place game, Blaine beat St. Thomas Academy 5-1 and in the Consolation game Duluth East beat Lakeville South 5-0.

Total attendance for the 2019 tournament was 106,895.

  Here is the link to view the 2019 Minnesota High School Boys All Hockey Hair Team.

  This article, from the New Yorker magazine, is called "The Glories of Minnesota Hockey Hair, from the Mullet to the 'Portabella'".

  Here is a video from Minnesota Hockey that celebrates the best time of the year; the boys state hockey tournament.

To see more tournament related pictures from Twitter click on the link below.

February 22, 2019

2018 New Year's Eve Day Skate and 2018 Mark Janes Cup MVP's

  On New Year's Eve Day 2018, the annual Mark Janes Frozen Shrimp Skate was held from 1:15 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Rec Center and included players from both the Tuesday and Thursday night groups. Food and refreshments were enjoyed by all who attended the "after" party. The presentation of the 2018 MVP's was delayed until both players could be present to receive the Mark Janes Cup.

  The 2018 MVP's were officially announced the week of February 17th and they are: Jay Anderson (Tuesday night), and Kirk Colwell (Thursday night). Congratulations to Jay and Kirk, 2018 MVP's!

Kirk and Jay

January 19, 2019

Hockey Day in Minnesota 2019

The outside hockey games were played in Bemidji near the south shore of Lake Bemidji. Hockey Day in Minnesota 2019 set the record as the coldest day ever for this event with a temperature of -26 degrees when the puck dropped for the first game. It was 9 degrees colder than the Hockey Day in Minnesota at Baudette Bay in 2008.

#2 Andover vs. #1 Minnetonka

  The first outdoor game of the day featured the top two rated Class AA boys high school teams in the state. It was a close game through 2 periods with Minnetonka holding a 3-2 lead, but in the third, Minnetonka scored 2 more and won 5-2

Minnesota State vs. Bemidji State

  The second outdoor game was a Division 1 Women's college game that Mankato State won by a score of 2-1.

#12 Greenway vs. Bemidji

  The third and final outdoor game had two Class A boys high school teams on the ice. Bemidji scored a goal in each period to win 3-0.

Other Hockey Day games

  In other games played on Saturday: the UMD women beat #5 Ohio State at home 6-3; and #2 St. Cloud men beat visiting #10 Western Michigan 5-3. On Friday night, the first ever outdoor college men's game was held in frigid temperatures. Bemidji State skated to a thrilling 4-3 overtime win over Michigan Tech.

Minnesota Wild vs. Columbus Blue Jackets

  To cap off Hockey Day in Minnesota #13, the Wild beat the Blue Jackets 2-1 at home getting goals from Greenway and Parise. Dubnyk had 19 saves. The Wild are 10-2-1 on Hockey Day in Minnesota.

Other News

  Click on the link below to see a video made by Fox Sports North called "Highlights from a day to remember in Bemidji."

  Click on the link below to see a video made by Fox Sports North called "HDM 2019: Now D1 coaches, Serratore brothers reflect on growing up in the State of Hockey." Note: Frank Serratore coached the Rochester Mustangs from 1985-1987 and was a good friend of Mark Janes.

  Here are a few pictures that I pulled from Twitter.

Hockey Day in Minnesota 2020

  Hockey Day in Minnesota 2020 will be held at Parade Stadium in Minneapolis.

August 1, 2018

Norm's Road Trip to Florida

  Back in late July and early August, Norm Fitch, Randy Nagel, and the Tarara's drove down to the Tarara's home in Florida for a few days of rest, relaxation, sightseeing, and a little work. One of the first activites they did was a bike ride around the area, except for Randy, who was busy snoring on the porch. He must have really been tired to pass up a bike ride! Other activities included an airboat ride in the mangroves, swimming, and sweating (they had to unload the trucks). They also enjoyed several hours of Norm's favorite pastime...drinking beer! Cheers!

May 21, 2018

Day with the Cup: Warriors Hockey

  This video is about the Michigan Warriors hockey team made up of veterans and disabled veterans. Special guest is Kris Draper, former Detroit Red Wing player and four-time Stanley Cup champion.

March 10, 2018

2018 Minnesota Boys State High School Hockey Tournament (March 7-10)

  Class 1A (small schools). In the upper bracket, #3 seed Orono advanced to the championship game by defeating Litchfield-Dassel-Cokato 6-1 in the quarterfinal game followed by a 5-4 win in overtime against #2 seed Mahtomedi in the semifinal game. Orono had a 4-0 lead over Mahtomedi in the second period but Mahtomedi scored 4 unanswered goals in 5 minutes and 18 seconds to tie the game. In overtime, Orono got the game winning goal on a shot that bounced around in front of the net and slid past the goalie.

  In the lower bracket, #4 seed Alexandria advanced to the championship game by defeating Thief River Falls 1-0 in the quarterfinal game followed by the upset of the season when they beat #1 seed Hermantown 6-1 in the semifinal game.

  In the title game, Orono and Alexandria were tied 1-1 until Orono got the game winner seven minutes into the 3rd period. This was Orono's first championship in nine state appearances.

  Class 2A (big schools). In the upper bracket, #3 seed Duluth East advanced to the championship game by defeating St. Michael-Albertville 5-0 in the quarterfinal game followed by a 4-2 upset win over #2 seed Edina in the semifinal game.

  In the lower bracket, #1 seed Minnetonka defeated Hill-Murray 6-2 in the quarterfinal game followed by a 6-3 win against #5 seed Centennial in the semifinal game.

  In the championship game, Duluth East scored first but Minnetonka tallied the next three for a 3-1 lead. Duluth East scored a goal late in the second period to close the gap to one goal. Minnetonka scored a goal early in the third period and then got an empty net goal late in the game to seal the 5-2 victory. This was Minnetonka's first state championship.

  Here is the 2018 Minnesota State High School All-Hockey Hair Team.

January 26, 2018

Hockey Day Minnesota 2018

The outside hockey games were played at Eastman Regional Park, next to Lake George, in St. Cloud, Minnesota. There were also two pond hockey rinks on the lake for youth players. Under partly cloudy skies and a temperature of 37 degrees it was a great day for outdoor hockey.

St. Cloud vs. St. Cloud Cathedral

  The first outdoor game of the day featured two boys high school teams.    St. Cloud led St. Cloud Cathedral 3-2 part way through the second period but St. Cloud Cathedral scored the next 6 goals to win 8-3.

University of Minnesota - Duluth vs. St. Cloud State University

  The second outdoor game was the first-ever Division 1 Women's College hockey game played outdoors on a Hockey Day in Minnesota. The teams skated to a 1-1 tie through regulation and overtime. SCSU won the game in a Shootout.

Moorhead vs. Centennial

  The third outdoor game had two more boys high school teams on the ice; Moorhead and Centennial. Moorhead took a 2-0 lead in the first period but Centennial rallied for 2 goals in the second period to tie the game. Neither team scored in the third which sent the game into overtime. With less than a minute left in overtime, Moorhead got a goal to win the game.

Minnesota State University vs. St. Cloud State University

  In Division 1 Men's College action, two of the nation's top 10 teams played at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center. #9 MSU out skated #3 SCSU for the 5-2 victory. The Mavericks scored 2 in the first, 2 in the second, and 1 in the third and held the Huskies to just one goal in the first and one in the second.

Wild vs. Lightning

  To cap off Hockey Day in Minnesota #12, the Minnesota Wild played the Tampa Bay Lightning at the Excel Energy Center. To get the game started, Eric Monsrud got the crowd going with the "Let's play hockey!" cheer. Eric, a Rochester native, played hockey for John Marshall High School, the Rochester Mustangs, and Bemidji State University. He played in back-to-back Minnesota Boys State High School hockey tournaments with John Marshall and while he was with Bemidji State his team won three straight NCAA Division 2 national titles from 1993-1995. Eric is in his first season as head coach for the Bemidji boys high school team. Click on the link below to see Eric call out "Let's play hockey!"

  The Wild played three solid periods and beat the best team in the NHL 5-2. Minnesota-born Wild players played a big part in the game scoring four points. Zach Parise got his first goal of the season, Nate Prosser scored his second goal of the season (also the game winning goal), Matt Cullen got an assist (which gave him 700 career points), and Kyle Rau got an assist. The Wild are now 9-2-1 on Hockey Day in Minnesota.

Other Hockey Day News

  Hockey Day in Minnesota had a connection with the NHL Network this year as Jamie Hersch, host of NHL's "On the Fly" program, was in St. Cloud to attend the days events. Jamie used to be a Studio Host for FSN and also produced the video of our group in December of 2014 "Hockey for all ages:the Rochester 'Old Timers'", that aired on Hockey Day in Minnesota 2015. Click on the link below to watch Jamie as she joins NHL Tonight to talk about Hockey Day in Minnesota.

  In Rochester, the 8th annual "Outdoor Hockey Day" was held at the fairgrounds for kids from ages 4 to 12. It gave them a chance to play some outdoor hockey. Click on the link to watch KTTC's report on the event.

To see more pictures from Hockey Day Minnesota 2018 click on the link below. The pictures are from Twitter and FSN.

January 15, 2018

2017 New Year's Eve Day Skate and 2017 Mark Janes Cup MVP's

  On New Year's Eve Day 2017, a good turn out of skaters from the Tuesday and Thursday night groups participated in the Mark Janes Frozen Shrimp Skate from 1:00 p.m. to 2:39 p.m. at the Rec Center. The play was spirited with only one injury; John Lemanski suffered a "lower body" injury (pulled hamstring?). Aid for John was provided by Dr. Al Brown, who at that moment was unaware that he was about to be named Tuesday night MVP.

  After the skate, the players enjoyed a party at the Rec Center that included the presentation of the Mark Janes MVP Cup to the 2017 recipients. Out of the many players who were nominated, Dr. Al Brown (Tuesday group) and Bobby Sikkink (Thursday group) were selected as the MVP's. Bobby then started to deliver his acceptance speech but was cut off by a heckler saying "Great speech!", and everyone laughed and clapped. What he was going to say was "thank you for all the years of friendship and fun". Al acknowledged that he enjoys playing in the MJDHL and "really looks forward to skating on Tuesday nights". Bobby and Al then made a toast to Mark per tradition.

  Congratulations to Al and Bobby, 2017 MVP's!

Bobby and Al

January 6, 2018

Greatest Uniform in NHL History

  As part of the NHL's "100 Years" celebration, fans were asked to vote for their favorite uniform. After nearly 6 million votes the fans selected the Chicago Blackhawks uniform as #1. The Minnesota North Stars uniform was voted in at #5.

  The first link below is to an article from NHL.com that details the voting process and includes quotes and videos from former and current Blackhawk players. The second link lists the final standings of the top 25 uniforms. Click on the ">" to the right of the uniform to get the story behind it.

Mark Sertich, age 96, of Duluth, MN, is the World's Oldest Hockey Player

  Mark Sertich, grandfather and great grandfather, is still playing hockey at age 96. About 3 times a week he plays hockey at a nearby rink. Click on the link to watch a 3 minute ESPN video about Mark.

December 20, 2017

Greatest Moment in NHL History

  As part of the NHL's "100 Years" celebration, fans were asked to vote for their favorite hockey moment. The NHL selected 64 great moments to choose from and set them up in a playoff bracket.

After several weeks of voting the fans picked "Mario Lemieux scoring 5 different ways" as the greatest moment. On December 31, 1988, the Penguins were host to the New Jersey Devils. Mario's goals included an even strength goal, a short-handed goal, a power play goal, a goal on a penalty shot, and an empty net goal.

  Here's the link to the "Greatest Moments" bracket. Click on any "Hockey Moment" in the bracket to see a short video that describes that moment.

  This link is to a Yahoo Sports article about Mario's moment.

  Take some time to revisit the greatest players and hockey moments of the last 100 years.

July 11, 2017

Sand Between Their Toes, and Blades on Their Feet

  After reading the above headline you may be thinking this post is about Tim and Leslie Lincoln; who are currently residing in Flagler Beach, Florida, until their townhouse near Jacksonville is completed later this month. Actually, this New York Times article is about a group of Canadians living in the Cayman Islands who formed a team in the early 2000's to play in the World Pond Hockey Championships in Plaster Rock, New Brunswick, Canada. A couple of challenges they had was to find players and ice (there is no rink on Grand Cayman Island).

  Tim Lincoln can relate at a small level what it's like getting something going where hockey is not a consideration. It happened when he and Leslie were living in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia several years ago. Tim found a group of skaters that had not skated in many months and he became the driving force in finding ice and ice time...it was an adventure! (scroll down to the post on June 3, 2013 to read about Tim's experience at a 4-on-4 tournament in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia)

Click on the link to follow the adventures of the "Cayman Breakaway" pond hockey team.

March 19, 2017

40 Years Ago: John Marshall High School Hockey Team Wins the State Tournament

  On March 19, 1977, the John Marshall boys hockey team capped off a Cinderella season beating Edina East 4-2 to win the state championship. Below are links to a sports report by WCCO the day after JM won the title; a sports report ran by KTTC on March 17, 2017; a news article from the Pioneer Press; and a news article from the Post-Bulletin.

March 16, 2017

The 2017 Beer League All-Hockey Hair Team

  A group of beer league hockey players made this parody of the Minnesota High School All-Hockey Hair Team video.

March 12, 2017

2017 Minnesota Boys State High School Hockey Tournament (March 8-11)

  These are the team logos of the 16 teams that competed in the tournament.

  In Class 1A (small schools), Hermantown (rated #1 in the state going into the tournament) repeated as champion but they needed overtime periods in each game to retain the title. In the quarterfinal game, Hermantown defeated Luverne 3-2 in the first overtime, and against St. Cloud Cathedral in the semifinal game they won 6-5, also in the first overtime. On the other side of the bracket, Monticello/Annandale/Maple Lake (MAPL) defeated Delano (seeded #2 in the tournament) and Northfield by identical 3-2 scores to advance to the championship game against Hermantown.

  In the title game, MAPL had a 3-1 lead early in the third period but Hermantown got 2 goals later in the period to send it to overtime. No one scored in the first extra session. In the second overtime, Hermantown scored a goal at about 12 minutes into the period and the Hermantown team started celebrating the victory, but after a video review, the goal was disallowed due to goalie interference. After the ice was cleared, the game resumed and with 20 seconds left in the period, Hermantown got the winning goal from a slapshot just inside the blue line. They are the first team to win all three overtime games in the same tournament.

  Attendance at the championship game was 9,367.

  In Class 2A (big schools), two northern schools met in the championship game for the first time since 2007; Grand Rapids and Moorhead. Grand Rapids beat Maple Grove 6-4, and Eden Prairie (rated #1 in the state going into the tournament) 3-2 to reach the championship game. Moorhead beat Hill-Murray 4-2 and Lakeview South 3-2 to reach the chamionship game.

In the title game, Grand Rapids scored the first 4 goals before Moorhead tallied twice late in the second period to close the gap to two going into the third period. Halfway into the third period, Grand Rapids scored to take a 5-2 lead. A few minutes later Moorhead scored to make it 5-3. Late in the game Moorhead pulled their goalie in hopes to tie the game but Grand Rapids was able to get an empty net goal and won the game 6-3. Grand Rapids had an amazing run to win the Class 2AA title. Seeded fourth in their section playoffs, they beat #1 seed Elk River 5-3 and #2 seed Duluth East 3-2 in two overtimes. Grand Rapids last won the state title in 1980.

  Attendance for the game was 19,109. Total attendance for the entire tournament was 114,245.

  Here is the 2017 Minnesota State High School All-Hockey Hair Team.

To see more tournament related pictures pulled from Twitter click on the link below.

February 5, 2017

Dan Mersel attends 2017 NHL All-Star activities in Los Angeles, CA

  Dan Mersel, an original member of the MJDHL, was invited to attend the 2017 NHL All-Star activities in Los Angeles, CA. The activities took place at the Staples Center, home of the LA Kings. Here is how Dan described his weekend in LA.

  I was invited to the 2017 NHL All-Star Game, as well as the Skills Competition which were held on January 28th and 29th in Los Angeles at The Staples Center. The highlight for me was the introduction of those individuals named as the 100 best players in the NHL's history who hadn't already been named earlier this hockey season. Forty-six of these hockey legends were able to attend as well as Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane and Duncan Keith who were chosen to play in this year's All-Star game. What an experience for rookies Patrik Laine and Auston Matthews, as well as for Connor McDavid, who if he hadn't been injured last year, would have been making his second All-Star appearance.

  In the Skills Competition, Connor McDavid was named the fastest skater and given a chance to break Dylan Larkin's record set in 2016. Unfortunately, McDavid failed to do so. The highlight of the Four Line Challenge, which required members of each Division's team of All-Stars to shoot from four different locations on the ice, was Mike Smith who was representing the Pacific Division, shooting a puck from the far goal line, right through the five hole of the goal at the opposite end of the rink. Quite an accomplishment! Shea Weber, once again won the hardest shot contest at 102.8 mph barely edging out Patrik Laine, whose shot was only 1.1 mph slower.

  On Sunday, in front of an SRO crowd, the All-Star game, using a 3 on 3 format for only the second year, created a frenzy of cheering by fans of the four respective divisions competing for a $1,000,000 winner take-all prize. The first period saw the Pacific and Central Divisions playing each other while the Atlantic and Metropolitan Divisions played in the second period. Each period was split into two 10 minute times allowing for goalie changes. Following these two games, the winners of each, the Pacific and Metropolitan Divisions played for the championship in the third period. This game was much more competitive and closer in score then the first two games. Ultimately, the Metropolitan Division team prevailed, winning 4-3. Wayne Simmonds was named the All-Star MVP.

  Click on the link below to see pictures that Dan took at the Staples Center.

February 4, 2017

  The 100 greatest NHL players of all time have been selected to honor 100 years of NHL hockey. Click on the link below to see a picture and short bio of each player.

January 24, 2017

Hockey Day Minnesota 2017

  Hockey Day Minnesota 2017 was held on January 21, 2017, with the outdoor games being played at Lowell Park in Stillwater, Minnesota, on the banks of the St. Croix River. The weather was mild with an overcast sky and a temperature in the upper 30's. There was a little light rain during part of the morning's first game but it was dry after that.

  Click on the link below to view the outdoor venue for Hockey Day Minnesota 2017 at Lowell Park in Stillwater.

High School

  The first game featured two boys Class A teams, #5 Mahtomedi and Thief River Falls. Mahtomedi scored a goal in each period and shut out Thief River Falls to win 3-0.

  The second game was a marquee matchup of two boys Class AA teams, #6 Eden Prairie and #1 Stillwater. Eden Prairie won the hard fought game 4-1, scoring an empty net goal late in the third period.

  In the last outdoor game of the day, in foggy conditions, Class AA #10 ranked Minnetonka girls played the Class AA Stillwater girls. Stillwater scored two third period goals to upset Minnetonka 2-0.

College

  In college action, the St. Cloud State women defeated MSU-Mankato 4-3 in a shootout at St. Cloud. This was the first women's college game televised on a Hockey Day in Minnesota.

  In Madison, Wisconsin, Wisonsin's men's team downed Minnesota 5-3 to split the weekend series. After falling behind 2-1, Wisconsin scored 4 unanswered goals before Minnesota got an empty net goal with 55 seconds left in the game.

Pro

  To cap the day off, the Minnesota Wild played the Anaheim Ducks at the Excel Energy Center before 19,000 "Wild" fans. The Ducks held a 3-2 lead after 2 periods but in the third, the Wild scored 3 goals in just under two minutes to take the lead and send the crowd into a frenzy. The Wild held on for the 5-3 win. Eric Haula and Jason Zucker each had two goals.

To see more pictures from Hockey Day Minnesota 2017 click on the link below. The pictures are from the "Hockey Day Minnesota" Twitter feed, #HDM2017.

January 9, 2017

2016 New Year's Eve Day Skate and 2016 Mark Janes Cup MVP's

  On New Year's Eve Day 2016, 20+ skaters from the Tuesday and Thursday night groups participated in the Mark Janes Frozen Shrimp skate from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Rec Center. Tim and Leslie Lincoln had planned to play in the nets but were unable to play when they both became ill days before the skate. Chantal and Kaitlyn were recruited to fill in for the Lincolns and played very well during the fast paced skate.

  After the skate, the players enjoyed a party at the Rec and the presentation of the Mark Janes MVP Cup to the 2016 recipients. Mike Greve, 2015 Thursday night MVP, presented the Cup to Scott Seeger of the Tuesday night group. Mike went on to tell the story about how he and Scott collided, while on opposite teams, and Scott picking up Mike's stick and using it for about 30 feet until he noticed that it was a lefty stick.

Mike Greve presents the Mark Janes Cup to Scott Seeger

Scott Seeger

  Brad Anderson, 2015 Tuesday night MVP, was going to present the Cup to the Thursday night group co-MVP's Tim and Leslie Lincoln but because they were out due to illness the presentation was delayed until the Thursday night skate on January 5, 2017. On that night, prior to the start of the skate, Scott Seeger brought the MVP Cup out to center ice and surprised the Lincolns with it (they were unaware they had been selected until that night).

Tim and Leslie Lincoln

  Congratulations to Scott, Tim, and Leslie, 2016 MVP's!

January 2, 2017

A Goalie's Dream, and a Goalie's Nightmare

A Goalie's Dream . . .

  Have you ever heard of the NHL term EBUG? It stands for Emergency Backup Goalie. For those goalies who aren't playing in the NHL it is their dream to be an EBUG, and hopefully get the call to be a backup goalie in a NHL game.

  This first article, "NHL's emergency goalies live on edge", explains a little more about EBUGs and also mentions a few EBUGs who lived the dream.

  Here are four articles about EBUGs that lived the dream; three who suited up for NHL games and who one suited up for the LA Kings minor league team.

1. Paul Deutsch gets called to be EBUG for Wild game.

2. College goaltender is EBUG for a Vancouver Canuck's game.

3. Hurricanes equipment manager makes NHL debut in goal.

4. A father is an EBUG for his son who starts in his first AHL game.

A Goalie's Nightmare . . .

  Minnesota High School goalie Tony Bruns, a senior at Morris/Benson (Class 1A), has seen a lot of shots on goal in his career but in his team's first game of the season (11/26/2016) against Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato he made 98 saves in a 12-0 loss. His 98 save performance is believed to be a state and national record in a regulation game. Click on the link to read more about Tony's goaltending efforts.

August 14, 2016

Mark Janes Memorial Bench

  The Mark Janes Memorial Bench is now complete and installed at Cascade Lake Park. Peter Hoffman and Mary Janes have the following words to share about the bench.

  Dear family and friends,

        We are delighted to announce the installation of the Mark Janes memorial bench at Cascade Lake Park in northwest Rochester. It is a uniquely scenic and peaceful spot to rest on the two-mile trail circling the lake.

        The park was conceived while Mark was on the Park Board and when completed will be the most carefully planned and utilitarian park in southern Minnesota. We are confident he would love the park, the place, and the spirit of this remembrance. Please visit the site and spend a moment with Mark.

        Thank you for making this possible.

            Respectfully yours,

                Peter Hoffman and Mary Janes

May 22, 2016

Mark Janes Developmental Hockey League (MJDHL) Suits up Against the Rochester Mustangs Sled Hockey Team (May 1st)

By: Tim Lincoln

May 20, 2016

  The dictionary definition of perspective is roughly as follows; "a particular attitude toward or way of regarding something; a point of view." Well, when several members of the MJDHL squad took to the ice on Sunday morning to play the Rochester Mustangs Sled Hockey Team, what many of us certainly did not have was the perspective that the Rochester Mustangs have.

  The day started where every hockey day begins, in the locker room with the usual banter and occasional badgering. And as we prepared for the game, many of us kept one eye on how the Mustang players prepared for the game and were impressed with not just what it takes for them to prepare to play hockey, but what they have to go through just to get that far. It was obvious that the Mustang player's day started much earlier than ours.

  Once the MJDHL players took to the ice, we were in awe at the ease and speed with which the Mustang players moved in their sleds on the ice and we were all anxious, if not a little intimidated, to strap on a sled and give it a try. Many of the MJDHL'ers took right to the sled (Randy Nagel, because he has more metal in him than the sled was made of) and others had a bit more difficulty (no names to mention, Greg Gill), but once some adjustments were made, some questions asked and answered, we all settled in to adapting to the new way of moving on the ice determined to learn quickly. We had no choice. The Mustangs were more than ready to play and obviously more skilled. The MJDHL squad was like a fish out of water and it was humbling and awe inspiring at the same time. We really had no idea.

  Once the game started, we soon discovered just how far out of our depth we were. The game was scored by periods and we never won a period. It was really never close. The Mustangs moved with ease and speed and the game was mostly played in our end of the ice. The MJDHL squad only made one real rush the entire first period and not that many more through three periods. As the game moved on, we were starting to get a slightly better feel for the sleds, but by then fatigue was becoming a factor. Many of us swore to add upper body workouts to our workout routines. In spite of our lack of conditioning and skill, we actually managed to make a few plays and were able to get a couple of shots on goal. We may have actually woke their goalie up a time or two.

  That said, the Mustangs eventually took pity on us and for the third period they gave us one of their fastest players who tried his best to help level the playing field, but we were still soundly defeated on the scoreboard, but not in spirit or in admiration of the Mustangs.

  Out in the parking lot, Mike Vic prepared another one of his amazing dog fests and after the skate we made our way outside and witnessed what the Mustang players had to do just to get their gear, their sleds, and themselves to their vehicle and once again we were in awe. Steve Ormand commented that he would likely never complain about carrying his bag up and down the Rec Center stairs again knowing what the Mustangs have to endure just to get around.

  So, yes, the one big take away for all of us I believe was perspective. Hockey quite often allows us the privilege to discover things about ourselves, but the true privilege that hockey afforded us that Sunday morning was the privilege of learning about the Mustangs.

  We all look forward to playing sled hockey again with the Mustangs, we are grateful to them for allowing us a glimpse into their world, and thankful that once again, the amazing game of hockey has expanded the size of the MJDHL family.

  The Mustangs were founded by Dr. Michael Stuart of the Mayo Clinic because of his love for hockey and his interest in providing an opportunity for everyone having the chance to play. Dr. Stuart has two sons currently playing in the NHL.

  The Mustangs are coached by former MJDHL'er, Bob Ellinghysen and while there are numerous sled hockey teams in Minnesota, the Mustangs are the only sled hockey team in Rochester. The Mustangs currently have about a 10 player roster and each player certainly has a unique story to tell. That said, the primary uniting element that Sunday morning was the love of hockey.

  The following information was taken from the USA Hockey web site. "Sled hockey (sledge hockey, as it's referred to outside the United States) was invented at a Stockholm, Sweden rehabilitation center in the early 1960s by a group of Swedes who, despite their physical disability, wanted to continue playing hockey.

  Sled hockey follows most of the typical ice hockey rules with the exception of some of the equipment. Players sit in specially designed sleds that sit on top of two hockey skate blades. There are two short sticks that have a unique blade angle for each player instead of one and the sticks have metal pics on the butt ends for players to propel themselves. Goalies wear basically the same equipment but do make modifications to the trapper (a metal plate with picks is sewn into the backside of the trapper) and they use a slightly different sled that rides on rubber blocks instead of blades to enhance lateral mobility.

  Only a few rinks around the country are sled accessible. Sled accessible rinks allow players to remain in their sleds and skate off the ice into the bench area. This requires that the bench area is flush with the ice and clear plexiglass replaces the white boards.

  Sled hockey provides opportunity for many types of disabilities and there are opportunities available in local areas for recreation/competition all the way to the National Sled Team that plays in the Paralympics. Sled hockey is rapidly growing in the US and players are "hooked" once they touch the ice the first time."

  And every able bodied player who suited up Sunday would now agree to at least two things; One, it was one of the toughest things we have ever done. Two, every one of us would all do it over again.

  Perspective.

Rochester Mustangs

Mark Janes Developmental Hockey League (MJDHL)

Click on the link below to view pictures of the sled hockey action.

Click on the links below to view video clips of the sled hockey action. The first video clip was taken by Marty Cormack (MJDHL) using a GoPro camera mounted to his helmet. The rest of the video clips were taken by Lori Ormand.

May 18, 2016

Minneflowta - A Hockey Hair Chronicle (E:60 Segment from ESPN)

  Barry Melrose presents Minneflowta, a hockey hair chronicle (ESPN). This video highlights how hockey hair has grown in popularity at the Minnesota Boys State High School Hockey Tournament over the last several years.

On the ice with the MJDHL

  A few weeks ago at a Thursday night MJDHL skate, Marty Cormack shot some video of the action using his GoPro camera that was mounted to his helmet.

March 23, 2016

Minnesota Gopher Women's Hockey Team Wins 7th National Title

  The University of Minnesota Gopher Women's hockey team defeated Boston College 3-1 this past Sunday to claim their 7th national title. The Gophers (#3 seed) beat Princeton 6-2, and Wisconsin (#2 seed) 3-2 in overtime, to reach the title game. Boston College (#1 seed) beat Northeastern 5-1, and Clarkson 3-2, to reach the title game.

  For game details and video highlights click on the link below.

March 17, 2016

"You're never too old to pick up the game of hockey", Coach Q

Check out this great video! Coach Quenneville, of the Chicago Blackhawks, and a few of his friends bring the game of hockey to a few seniors at an activity center.

New Summer Uniforms?

Tim Lincoln is wondering if we should look at getting some lighter weight uniforms for play this summer. Check out the picture on the link.

          Here is Tim's summer outfit.

March 7, 2016

2016 Minnesota Boys State High School Hockey Tournament (March 2-5)

  In the Class 1A (small schools) championship game, Hermantown, a city near Duluth, played Breck, an independent school from the Minneapolis suburb of Golden Valley. Hermantown won by a score of 5-0, scoring 3 goals in the first and one each in the final two periods. After being the state runner-up the previous 6 seasons, Hermantown broke the jinx to win their second state title.

  In the Class 2A (big schools) championship game, Wayzata played Eden Prairie. These two schools are the biggest in Minnesota and are in suburbs west of Minneapolis. Wayzata, trailing 3-1 with about 5 minutes left in the second period scored 2 quick goals late in the second to tie the game, and then scored 2 in the third (the last one an empty net goal) to win 5-3. It was Wayzata's first state title.

  On a lighter note, from the Land of 10,000 Locks, here is the 2016 Minnesota State High School All Hockey Hair Team.

February 27, 2016

Stadium Series 2016: Outdoor Games in Minnesota

  Two outdoor games were played this past weekend at TCF Bank Stadium, home of the University of Minnesota Gophers, as part of the NHL's Stadium Series games. On Saturday, February 20, the Alumni game was played between retired players from the Chicago Blackhawks and retired players from the North Stars and Wild. In that game, the North Stars/Wild defeated the Blackhawks 6-4 before 37,922 fans. On Sunday, February 21, the Minnesota Wild throttled the Chicago Blackhawks 6-1 in a regular season game before 50,426.

  The links below provide a recap of the two games with articles, videos, and pictures.

Blackhawks vs. North Stars/Wild Alumni game

  This link is to an article of the Alumni game by Jason Gonzalez of the Star Tribune.

  This link is to a Fox Sports North highlight video of the Alumni game.

  This link is to a collection of pictures from Twitter.

Blackhawks vs. Wild game

  This link is to an article of the Blackhawks vs. Wild game by Michael Russo of the Star Tribune.

  This link is to a Fox Sports North highlight video of the Blackhawk vs. Wild game.

  This link is to a collection of pictures from Twitter.

February 15, 2016

"Wild fire head coach Mike Yeo"

  I think we all knew something had to change with the Wild to try and snap them out of their month long slump. After losing 4-2 to the Boston Bruins on Saturday (their 13 loss in the last 14 games and 8th home loss in a row) Wild General Manager Chuck Fletcher fired head coach Mike Yeo. According to this article written by Chip Scoggins (StarTribune), now that Yeo is gone, the bullseye is on Fletcher and his hand-picked roster to right the ship.

"Boston Bruins goalie prospect has larynx fractured by warm-up shot"

  Tim Lincoln sent me this article about Boston Bruins goalie prospect Malcolm Subban, who plays for the Providence Bruins AHL team. He took a warm-up shot to the throat on Saturday, February 6th, that fractured his larynx. As a result of Subban's injury, a beer league goalie was called to be the backup goalie for the game (Tim Linclon's dream). According to a team statement, Subban will be out indefinitely.

February 9, 2016

Hockey Day Minnesota 2016

  Hockey Day in Minnesota 2016 was held on February 6, 2016. Here is how Fox Sports North (FSN) described the event on their website.

Hockey Day Minnesota 2016 on FOX Sports North will be the 10th annual celebration of hockey from peewees to pros. Thousands are expected to attend Saturday's event at Bayfront Park, the site of the outdoor games. Duluth's Iconic Aerial Lift Bridge horn will signal goals for the two home teams, Duluth Denfeld and Duluth East. The horn is typically used to communicate with approaching ships that need the bridge to lift, but on Feb. 6, it will signal a goal. "We wanted to make Hockey Day Minnesota unique to Duluth, and nothing is more 'Duluth' than our beloved lift bridge," said Jeremy Downs, Director of the Local Organizing Committee. The Lift Bridge operator will have direct radio contact with rink personnel.

  It was a near perfect day for outside hockey with light winds and a temperature near 30. The two pictures below are from the FSN website.

Fox Sports North television broadcast two High School games from Bayfront Park:

      10:00 AM - Eveleth-Gilbert vs. Duluth Denfeld (boys game; Duluth Denfeld won 5-2).

       1:30 PM - Lakeville North vs. Duluth East (boys game; Lakeville North won 3-2). This game was a rematch of last year's State High School Championship game that saw Lakeville North defeat Duluth East 4-1 and finish their season a perfect 31-0.

After the High School games FSN broadcast the Gopher game from Mariucci arena and the Wild game from St. Louis.

       4:00 PM - Penn State vs. Minnesota Gophers (Penn State won 5-3).

       7:00 PM - Minnesota Wild vs. the St. Louis Blues (St. Louis won 4-1).

To see more pictures from Hockey Day in Minnesota 2016 click on the link below. The pictures are from the "Hockey Day Minnesota" Twitter page, HDM2016.

For complete coverage of Hockey Day in Minnesota 2016 click on the link below.

(Sources for pictures and some text: Fox Sports North Hockey Day in Minnesota website and Twitter website)

January 20, 2016

Colorado Old Timer Hockey with an MJDHL Connection

January 20, 2016

  Before Tim Lincoln moved to Minnesota from the Colorado Front Range area in 2004 and before he started playing with the MJDHL in 2009, he was a charter member of the Colorado PuckHawgs. Tim Lincoln and the PuckHawgs recently participated (January 15th - 17th, 2016) in the Pacific Cup in Victoria, British Columbia. The PuckHawgs have played in this tourney nearly every year since 2001. This was Tim's fourth appearance in this tourney.

  The Pacific Cup is the largest provincial tournament in Canada and brings in teams from all over the world. (click on link for details)

  In round robin play, the PuckHawgs went 2-1 with a 3-1 win over the Esquimalt Blooze and a 4-1 win over Denali Drilling. Their only round robin loss was to the North Vancouver Trojans. The Trojans and PuckHawgs faced each other again in the finals where the PuckHawgs made a better show of it, but still lost 3-0. The Trojans are the typical Canadian team and have played together for the better part of 20 years.

  As always, the tourney, team meals and local travel were big fun, with many laughs, many memories shared and many new memories made.

  The PuckHawgs were formed in 1996/97 by players who wanted to combine their love of hockey with motorcycles. In February 1987, Ft. Collins, Colorado, finally opened an indoor ice rink. John Molenar and Mike Siler met and started playing against each other there as well as together in Ft Collins men's leagues and various local tournaments. Frank Schreiner and Tim Lincoln moved to the Ft Collins area in the early 90's and they began playing with and against each other as well. Frank had also played in Denver with Tom Davis and Scott Jones. In 1997, Mike and John officially started the "Puck Hogs" (note spelling), when they bought some yellow jerseys for the group to use in tournaments and inline hockey. Around 1998, John started talking to the boys about them getting back into riding motorcycles. John hadn't ever been without one since he was 18 and he especially liked the Harleys. The group originally rented bikes for their rides but eventually all bought their own. They renamed the "Puck Hogs" to "PuckHawgs" and had one of the guys, who is a graphic artist, create a Harley-looking logo, coming up with the current PuckHawgs patch. They even have their own beer, "Strictly Legal Lager"!

  The team has played in ice and inline hockey tournaments (and winning their share) in Las Vegas, Florida, Wyoming (Rock Springs, Laramie, Casper, Jackson), Colorado (Aspen, Vail, Denver, Pueblo, Colorado Springs, Steamboat, Greeley, Ft Collins), Hawaii (2000), Finland, Victoria, BC, and Austria.

  Mike Siler is still an active player and currently recovering from knee surgery, and John Molenar is now retired (mostly) and travels the world playing in 65 and over tournaments. The PuckHawgs are steadily moving through the age brackets as well, having started out in the 35 and over divisions and now currently playing in the 50 and over divisions.

  The PuckHawgs are looking forward to possibly playing in Zel Am See, Austria, in the Old Timer's Classic. There is precedent for the PuckHawgs to play there as John Molenar, Mike Siler, Tom Davis, Frank Schreiner, and Scott Jones have all played in the tourney before with great success. (click on link for details)

  And much like any Minnesota sports team, the PuckHawgs can always say, there's always next year ...

January 10, 2016

  Reporting for the 2015 New Year's Eve Day Frozen Shrimp Skate was rink side reporter, Tuesday night MJDHL player, and Master of Ceremonies for the Mark Jane's Cup MVP presentation, John Diffley. The skate was held at the Rec Center from 2:00 - 3:30 p.m. Here is John's recap.

  There seemed to be a fairly decent representation from both the Tuesday and Thursday groups. Even though a lot of fellows had to work, players were coming and going as their respective schedules allowed. We were changing lines even faster than usual, had four goalies, and Tim Lincoln was actually skating and shooting (in full equipment) towards the end of the skate. In all there were about 25 players.

  In that Mary Janes had a previous commitment, I was asked by Greg Gill to make the trophy presentations. Both recipients, Brad Anderson and Mike Greve, gave Oscar-like acceptance speeches. Of course, Mike Vik took it upon himself to spice up the afternoon's ceremonies with some "adult content" observations directed towards those players who dawdled too long in the locker room and held up the proceedings with their tardiness.

  The array of food and drink could have well made the gourmet pages of the Post-Bulletin - and that's no exaggeration! Frank was sharing his Chevas Regal with anyone who had a glass; he had to have gone home with an empty bottle. I don't know how much food was left over but it could not have been much.

  The Mark Janes Cup, the result of an idea by Scott Seeger with the input of Mark Janes, is a travelling trophy awarded every New Year's Eve to the player or players that best demonstrate the spirit of play that Mark Janes envisioned. On the back of the trophy base is an engraved plate with a statement about the league and the qualities of the players who receive the trophy. Smaller engraved plates that include the year and MVP winner(s) will be mounted on another side of the base.

Engraved plate on back of trophy base.

Brad and Mike

December 6, 2015

Lorne Grosso, Rochester Mayo High School Boys hockey coach, to retire after 50 seasons.

  Lorne Grosso, the winningest boys high school hockey coach in Minnesota history, will retire at the end of this hockey season; having coached all 50 seasons at Mayo. He also has a connection with the MJDHL: there are some guys who played for him, as well as some guys who played against him.

  The Post-Bulletin recently published four articles about his teaching and coaching legacy which can be read by clicking on the link below. In one of the articles, Mike McCormack's father Neil (a multi-sport coach at Mayo) comments on the summer and fall hockey schools where he helped out Lorne and Gene Sack (boys head hockey coach at Rochester John Marshall High School). According to Mike, who plays with the MJDHL on Tuesday nights, his father was an assistant coach for Lorne in the 1980's and an assistant coach with the Mayo Girls hockey team for 10 seasons after that.

  In one of the articles there is a quote of Lorne's that sums up his philosophy: "If you're not teaching as a coach, then you're not coaching," he said. "I try to teach so much more than hockey. We teach values and respect - respect your opponent, the officials, your teammates - and carry yourself with class."

November 26, 2015

Fox Sports North (FSN): Updates

  There have been a couple of changes at FSN this fall.

  On September 13, 2015, Jamie Hersch (FSN host and reporter) tweeted that it was her last day with FSN and would reveal the next chapter in her life in a couple of weeks; so excited about her new opportunity, but sad to leave FSN.

  When I found out that she was leaving FSN, I sent her a tweet from all the MJDHL old-timers. This is her reply.

  On September 22nd, Jamie announced that she was going to make New York City her new home and would be joining the NHL Network as host of the "On the Fly" program. Here is a description of the program taken from the NHL Network website:

  "On The Fly provides a recap of all the games by way of highlights, comprehensive analysis, interviews, press conferences and news. Make On The Fly your one stop to catch up on every game, every night."

  Shown below is Jamie's bio as posted on the NHL Network website and a picture of her on the set at the studio.

  To follow Jamie on Twitter go to @JamieHersch.

  It was just last December at the Rec Center when the Thursday night MJDHL group had the pleasure of meeting Jamie (FSN Host and Reporter) and Ralph Gasow (FSN Videographer). Jamie and Ralph did several interviews and took video of the group in action. The resulting video "Hockey for all ages: the Rochester 'Old-timers'" aired on "Hockey Day in Minnesota 2015". (To watch the video, scroll down to the story on January 17, 2015).

  The other change at FSN is a new program called "The State of Hockey" that aired its premier show on November 19, 2015. Here is a description of the program taken from the FSN website:

"Designed to highlight the role hockey plays in the lives of Minnesotans across the region, the show will feature inspirational and informational stories, as well as a weekly "Growing the Game" feature presented by Minnesota Hockey."

  As it turns out, in the preview video for this program, there are two clips from the "Hockey for all ages: the Rochester 'Old-timers'" video: a short clip of Norm Fitch getting pumped up by Frank Fawcett to go another shift; and a picture of Mark Janes and Mike Vik. How cool is that!! Here is a link to that video.

  To find out more about "The State of Hockey" program click on the link below.

September 25, 2015

The Ultimate Hockey FanCave

  A Chicago Blackhawks Fan, family members, and friends have made the Ultimate Hockey Fancave. Check out this story and video from "The Hockey News".

June 2015

'65 graduation launched largest class into new world

(Source: Rochester Post-Bulletin, June 13-14, 2015. By Tom Weber)

  Fifty years ago this week, the 718 members of the largest high school graduating class in Rochester history received their diplomas and were launched into a world that was rapidly changing.

  The 373 boys and 345 girls who graduated on Friday, June 11, 1965, from John Marshall High School, then the city's only public high school, were leaving a relatively safe, affluent and insulated community for a larger world that was on the verge of becoming seemingly unhinged.

  Selma, Vietnam, riots and protests, the Cold War, radically new ideas about dress and behavior, new religions, new gender roles, music and popular culture becoming more edgy - all caused nearly everything the members of this graduating class had been brought up to believe to eventually be sifted through, examined, questioned, and in many cases discarded.

  "I think we were aware of the turmoil in the world, the dramatic changes underway in the country, but I expect many of my classmates, for good or not so good, were a bit insulated from all that," said David Daugherty, of Rochester, who graduated from John Marshall that night in 1965.

  "It was really a time of innocence, and all of a sudden we were supposed to be adults," said Peter Hoffman, of Rochester, another Class of 1965 graduate.

  Or, as Colin Gentling, of Rochester, another class member, said, "It was a very carefree time. You were just trying to get into college."

  The graduation ceremony took place at the John Marshall football stadium, outside of the high school that had opened only seven years earlier and was already overcrowded. The graduates were seated neatly in rows of chairs set up on the grass of the football field, while an estimated 4,500 onlookers crowded into the bleachers.

  As graduates walked across the stage to receive their diplomas, their names were read aloud by Mark Janes, star of the hockey team and well-liked class president.

  Janes, like so many of his classmates, left town to attend college and returned to raise a family and spend a professional career here. His death in December 2013 was, perhaps, an uncomfortable reminder of mortality for a class whose members today are entering their late 60s.

  "Losing Mark was really a tough one," said Nancy Slocumb, of Rochester, a member of the Class of 1965.

  Hoffman, who was a high school and college hockey teammate and close friend of Janes, said, "He was really a leader. He lead the way in a lot of things."

  Death and sadness, though, were probably not on the minds of the graduates that June night in 1965. More immediately, there was the post-graduation all-night party at the Rochester Golf & County Club. The party was due to start at about 10 p.m., with live music, dancing, door prizes, breakfast and swimming at 5 a.m. in the heated pool.

  Dress code for the party was sun dresses for girls, and suits or sport coats for boys, although, the student newspaper helpfully noted, "Girls will be able to change to shorts or slacks before the breakfast."

  When the sun came up the next morning, it was a new day in a new world.

  "With the class ahead of us and the class behind us, we were the vanguard for that new time," Hoffman said.

March 14, 2015

  Last week, March 4-7, the Minnesota State High School Boys Hockey Tournament was held at the Excel Energy Center in St. Paul and Mariucci Arena (consolation games) in Minneapolis. Once again, the tournament lived up to the hype in both the Class A (small school) and Class AA (big school) brackets.

  In the Class A field, Hermantown was the #1 seed and they beat Spring Lake Park 8-0 and St. Cloud Apollo 2-0 to reach the championship game. On the other side of the bracket, East Grand Forks, the defending state champion, was the #3 seed and they beat New Prague 4-0 and Mahtomedi, the #2 seed, 5-2 to reach the championship game.

  In the championship game, East Grand Forks took a 2-0 lead before Hermantown rallied to tie it up at 2 after one period. East Grand Forks got a goal in the second period and another one in the third period and lead 4-2 with less than a minute remaining in the game. It appeared the game would end in regulation but Hermantown got two goals within 17 seconds to tie the game and send it into overtime. At 3:34 of overtime East Grand Forks got the game winner and won their second championship in a row. It was Hermantown's sixth consecutive loss in the Class A championship game.

  In the Class AA field, Lakeville North was the #1 seed with a 28-0 record and they beat Hill-Murray 4-1 and Eden Prairie 6-2 to reach the championship game. On the other side of the bracket, unseeded Duluth East was down 5-2 to St. Thomas Academy, the 3# seed, going into the third period but scored three goals in the third to send it into overtime. At 1:31 of overtime Duluth East got the game winner to reach the semi-final game against Edina, the #2 seed and two-time defending state champion. Earlier in the season, on December 30th, Edina beat Duluth East 7-1 but Duluth rose to the challenge and beat Edina 3-1 sending them to the championship game.

  In the final game, Duluth East's Cinderella story ended with a 4-1 loss to Lakeville North. Lakeville North completed their season with a perfect 31-0 record and won their first state championship.

  The tournament set six attendance records; here are three of them. Overall attendance for all games at the Excel Energy Center and Mariucci Arena was 135,618 topping the old record of 129,643 set in 2008. The Friday night Class AA session had 21,609, the most ever to attend an indoor hockey game in Minnesota (note: capacity at the Excel Energy Center is listed at 18,064). Saturday evening's Class AA session was 19,495.

KSTC-TV in Minneapolis broadcast the tournament and put together a video of the sights and sounds of the tournament action. Click on the link below to watch it.

On a lighter note, the following video is of the "All Hockey Hair Team" of 2015.

Here are three pictures from the tournament that were posted on Twitter.

Caption: No place in the world does high school hockey better than the state of Minnesota. Best time of the year. #TheTourney

Caption: This was the most attended tourney in history with 135,618 fans! Previous record was 129,643.

Here is a very good article about the tournament by Dave Schwartz of Minnesota Hockey Magazine. The title of the article is "The Magic of the Tourney".

January 17, 2015

  The setting for Hockey Day in Minnesota 2015 was Holman Field, St. Paul's downtown airport. Bleachers for 6,000 fans surrounded a refrigerated rink located on the tarmac of the fully functional airfield. Also near the rink was a C130 cargo jet, a Chinook helicopter, and a Blackhawk helicopter. In the background was the state capitol building and the skyline of downtown St. Paul.

  Fox Sports North television broadcast three High School games from Holman Field:

      10:00 AM - Luverne vs. St. Paul Johnson (boys game; St. Paul Johnson won 6-5).

        1:30 PM - Hill Murray vs. St. Thomas Academy (boys game; Hill Murray won 3-2 in overtime).

      11:00 PM - Duluth Northern Stars vs. Cretin-Durham Hall (girls game; Cretin-Durham Hall won 5-4; tape delayed).

  FSN also televised the Wisconsin vs. Minnesota mens game at Mariucci Arena at 5:00 P.M. and the Arizona vs. Wild game at the Xcel Energy Center at 8:00 P.M. The Gophers beat the Badgers 5-2 and the Wild beat Arizona 3-1.

  Besides all the hockey games covered by FSN in Minnesota there was also a special spotlight on Minnesota's men and women serving in the military overseas. Jamie Hersch reported from the Camp Beuhring military base in Kuwait and had the honor of interacting with deployed soldiers of the Minnesota National Guard. Jamie interviewed a number of special guests and provided coverage of a floor hockey game played by members of the 34th Combat Aviation Brigade.

  But the highlight of the day was the feature story of the MJDHL that aired between the two High School boys hockey games. This is how FSN listed it on the Hockey Day in Minnesota web page.

Hockey for all ages: An "old-timers" hockey league in Rochester is proof that hip and knee replacements, and even pacemakers, can't trump the love of the game.

Click on the link below the picture to watch the video.

  To see more pictures from Hockey Day in Minnesota 2015 click on the link below. The pictures are from the "Hockey Day Minnesota" Twitter page, HDM2015.

(Sources for pictures and some text: Fox Sports North Hockey Day in Minnesota website and Twitter website)

January 11, 2015

MJDHL skates at the Xcel Energy Center

  On Sunday, January 11, 2015, a group of 28 MJDHL players had the opportunity to skate at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota; home of the Minnesota Wild. Tim Tarara made the arrangements to get an hour of ice time from 3:15 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. and Mike Vic lined up a coach bus for transportation from the Rec Center to the Xcel. There were also several family members of the players who made the trip to watch the action.

  After the skate, the group went to Tom Reid's Hockey City Pub and enjoyed supper in the Event Room, which has a huge collection of hockey photos and memorabilia on the exposed brick walls.

Click on the link below to see action pictures taken by Josh Harness (Son-in-law of Tim and Leslie Lincoln).

Click on the link below to see a video of the skate taken by Marty Cormack's wife Ginni.

Click on the links below to see videos of the skate taken by Patricia Harness (Tim and Leslie Lincoln's daughter).

January 5, 2015

  On New Year's Eve Day 2014, 20+ skaters participated in the Mark Janes Frozen Shrimp skate from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Recreation Center. After the skate, Mary Janes awarded the Mark Janes cup to the MVP's (Most Venerable Players) of 2014: John Diffley, and Steve Ormand. John participated in the New Years Eve skate but Steve was out of town. After the Award ceremony, the players had a party and enjoyed frozen shrimp and other refreshments.

  The Mark Janes Cup, the result of an idea by Scott Seeger with the input of Mark Janes, is a travelling trophy awarded every New Year's Eve to the player or players that best demonstrate the spirit of play that Mark Janes envisioned. On the back of the trophy base is an engraved plate with a statement about the league and the qualities of the players who receive the trophy. Smaller engraved plates that include the year and MVP winner will be mounted on another side of the base.

The Mark Janes Cup is housed in a beautiful wood cabinet made by master craftsman Mike Vik and is lined with red felt.

Engraved plate on back of trophy base.

John and Mary

Steve and John

December 18, 2014

Fox Sports North visits the MJDHL

  On October 31, 2014, Steve Ormand sent an email to Fox Sports North (FSN) television in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to see if they would be interested in doing a story for "Hockey Day in Minnesota 2015" about Mark Janes, his contributions to hockey in Rochester, and the old-timer hockey league that he started (now called the Mark Janes Developmental Hockey League; MJDHL).

  Over the next few weeks, several emails were exchanged between Steve and FSN. On December 9th, FSN notified Steve that they were going to send a crew to the Rec Center on December 18, 2014, to do a few interviews and shoot video of the MJDHL in action for a "Hockey Day in Minnesota 2015" story.

  Jamie Hersch (Host and Reporter) and Ralph Gasow (Videographer) from FSN arrived at the Rec Center about 7 p.m. on the 18th. They set up their equipment and proceeded to interview Tim Tarara (head coordinator of the MJDHL), Tim and Leslie Lincoln (husband-wife goal tenders on Thursday nights), Steve Ormand, and Frank Fawcett.

  When the interviews were complete Steve mentioned to Jamie and Ralph that one of the players had a request for when the story airs on Hockey Day, Saturday, January 17, 2015. Mike Greve was wondering if the video portion of the skating action could be put on fast forward so that it makes us look like we are moving fast like the pros. They got a good laugh out of that.

  Following the interviews, Jamie and Ralph went into the bench areas during the skate to talk to the players, shoot video of the action, and take pictures. The guys all had a good time showing off their hockey talents and chatting with Jamie and Ralph. At one point the "white bench" was concerned when Norm Fitch came off the ice exhausted after one of his blazing shifts. A couple of the guys were ready to perform CPR on him but to their relief he caught his breath and said he was alright.

  About half way through the skate Jamie and Ralph headed back to Minneapolis after saying goodbye to the MJDHL players.

  Later that evening, after the skate, Bobby and Marty sent tweets to Jamie and she replied on the 19th with a tweet and a picture.

Here are a few additional pictures that Jamie took of the MJDHL in action.

December 13, 2014

Janes Memorial Night

  On the evening of December 13, 2014, at the Recreation Center in Rochester, the dedication ceremony of the Joe and Mark Janes plaque took place after the first period of the JM versus Mayo Boys High School hockey game. Peter Hoffman shares the following words about the ceremony.

Greetings family and friends:

Here are pictures from the Joe and Mark Janes plaque dedication ceremony which occurred during the Mayo/ JM varsity game.

The master of ceremonies was Steve Skogen, a former radio personality, who worked with Mark in hockey play by play. He pointed out that all of the current Rochester public high school coaches are part of the Janes' legacy.

Speakers included:

    Jay Ness, a former Mustang, NCAA hockey champion and current JM coach. He emphasized the number of players     given an opportunity to play in college because of Mark and the Mustangs organization.

    Peter Hoffman, as a lifelong friend of Mark and the Janes', spoke of Dr. Joe's Mustangs and their contribution to this     community. Also, that the plaque is an acknowledgement and tribute to all those who have quietly done so much for us.

    Frank Fawcett related how the Mark Janes Development League has encouraged its "experienced" skaters to share a     passion for hockey and develop unique and binding friendships.

Mary Janes and Mark's siblings Peter and Janet were present to accept the plaque. The red jerseys are worn by members of the adult hockey group. It was a great night for hockey. The local newspaper did a lengthy piece (Post Bulletin December 12th) and the event was covered on television. The plaque has since been installed in a prominent place in the entry of the Recreation Center.

Thank you for making this possible. We are fortunate to have had these fine men in our lives.

The Memorial Committee

          Peter Hoffman

            Plaque mounted in east entry of the Rec Center

                     Peter Hoffman and Jay Ness

                          Steve Skogen speaking

                 Mary Janes, Janet Janes, Peter Janes

  Mark Janes senior league players in red and white jerseys

        Steve Skogen reading the inscription on the plaque

              Steve Skogen talking about the plaque

      Frank Fawcett speaking

Mary Janes holds the plaque honoring her late husband Mark Janes and his father Dr. Joe Janes as she is embraced by Frank Fawcett following dedication ceremonies at the Rochester Recreation Center Saturday night, December 13, 2014 between periods of the John Marshall vs. Mayo boys hockey game. (Photo by Scott Jacobson, Post-Bulletin)

    After the dedication ceremony, JM and Mayo resumed their hockey game. Mayo got off to a fast start in the first period scoring 4 goals to JM's 1. In the second period Mayo scored twice while JM could only tally 1. The third period was scoreless giving Mayo a 6-2 victory.

    Later that evening on KTTC sports, they played the following video that recapped the day's sports action and dedication ceremony of the Mark and Dr. Joe Janes plaque.

December 10, 2014

  The MJDHL is glad to report that Randy Nagel has returned from the injured reserve list after breaking his leg during a skate this past June. It seems like it was only a couple of weeks ago when he was dragged along the ice the full length of the South Rink to be seen by paramedics and get a ride to St. Mary's Hospital for treatment. To warn the other skaters which leg was injured, he will have yellow caution tape wrapped around it so they will know which one not to slash.

  Is there a doctor in the house? The picture at right is Randy Nagel's elbow and he is wondering if it is broken. He says his hand only feels funny when he moves his fingers. In Randy's own words, "this is the result of last night's yard sale behind the net with Ron Ness, who coincidentally, is on my team." Randy plans to skate this Thursday night and says, "I'll be there with the MacGyver cage that I'm building for my elbow". Expect to see yellow caution tape wrapped around it.

October 14, 2014

Mark Janes Memorial **UPDATE**

The Memorial plaque for Mark Janes and Dr. Joe Janes is now complete. Here is a short note from Peter Hoffman regarding the plaque and memorial park bench.

Dear Family & Friends,

Attached are pictures of the plaque that you made possible. It will have a prominent location in the entry at the Recreation Center. You will be notified about the installation celebration. The Memorial bench will be placed next year as the park nears completion.

Respectfully Yours, Peter Hoffman for the Mark Janes Memorial Group

July 7, 2014

Mark Janes Memorial **UPDATE**

Here is a short update on the plans for the Mark Janes Memorial.

Mary Janes was recently informed by Peter Hoffman that the Mark Janes Memorial Fund has received donations of $3,200 so far, or 80% of the targeted goal of $4,000! Mary is amazed and humbled at people's generosity.

Mary and Peter plan to meet with Kyle at the Monument Company this week to make some final decisions as to how the plaque will look. Mary said it will be great and that Mark would be proud! She says that is what it is all about; honoring Mark along with his father Joe. Hockey was their passion!

Thank you very much for your kindness and continued support of the Janes family.

May 28, 2014

Mark Janes Memorial

Plans are being made to create a Memorial for Mark Janes. Peter Hoffman, life-long friend of Mark, shares the details in his message below.

    Dear friends and family of Mark Janes:

    It has been a few months since Mark's death. Even as we struggle with our loss, we may have an opportunity to create a tribute to his remarkable life. This would be a simple reminder of his generosity and service.

    Permission has been given for a memorial plaque to be installed at the Recreation Center. This plain memorial speaks of Mark and his father Joe's joyful spirit and love for hockey. In addition, a bench would be placed along the path at Cascade Park - a recreation area proudly commissioned during Mark's tenure on the Park Board.

    The cost of these projects would be approximately $4,000. Any surplus funds would be used to purchase equipment for entry level players through an appropriate youth organization. It is hoped that this gesture could be sustained through an annual hockey game, community skate or other dedicated event.

    This is an opportunity to remember Mark and celebrate his contribution to our lives; it is a chance to establish a lasting memorial consistent with his nature.

    Thank you for your consideration.

Memorial Fund contacts:

Aaron McGrath  aaron.mcgrath@hfsb.com

Peter Hoffman  phoffy2010@gmail.com

Bill Meschke  troutfox1@gmail.com

Please forward this message to anyone who might wish to be involved.

Please send checks payable to:

Mark Janes Memorial Fund

c/o Home Federal Bank

1201 S. Broadway Suite 54, Attn: Aaron McGrath

Rochester, MN  55904

April 27, 2014

Mark Janes honored at the Summit Hockey Classic in Breckenridge, CO

On April 4th and 5th, 2014, the Eighth Annual Summit Hockey Classic was held in Breckenridge, CO. At the tournament, Mark Janes was honored prior to the start of each of the four games. The following words, provided by Peter Janes, were shared by the announcer to the audience:

  "The entire Mark Janes' family would like to thank each and every player tonight for wearing the number seven on your jersey. Mark very much enjoyed playing with all of you in 2008 and 2009, and he wishes that he could be here. Thank you all for honoring a fellow player, and let's play hockey."

Here are some details about this year's Summit Hockey Classic.

Milan Hejduk to skate in hockey classic!

The Eighth Annual Summit Hockey Classic will take to the ice on Friday, April 4th, and Saturday, April 5th, at the Stephen C. West Ice Arena in Breckenridge. Vail Summit Orthopaedics, Peak One Surgery Center, Copper Mountain Resort and Beaver Run Resort will battle for the trophy. Each team has drafted players from a pool of hockey celebrities from the NHL and Division I colleges, in addition to local Summit County hockey players, to form teams of 16 players.

This year Milan Hejduk, a Colorado Avalanche player for 14 years and Stanley Cup Champion, will participate in the tournament. "It is a great opportunity for Summit Youth Hockey to have Milan join the event this year. He will add a level of excitement for all the fans to enjoy" states Brad Dickerson, President of Summit Youth Hockey. "We have former players from Division I schools such as Colorado College and University of Denver, in addition to players who have participated in professional hockey at various levels. We have our first Celebrity Lady Player, Shannon Webster, from Boston College joining us this year" adds Dickerson. Each one of the Celebrities contributes to the fast action pace of these games and provides great hockey entertainment. The local pool of players are Summit Youth Hockey coaches, parents and youth hockey alumni.

2014 Celebrity Line Up:

• Rick Berry - Colorado Avalanche, Pittsburg Penguins, Washington Capitals
• Rick Boh - Colorado College; Minnesota North Stars
• Max Bull - University of Denver - NCAA Champion; Denver Pioneers
• Dan Brennan - Colorado College, played professionally for Team Sweden.
• Brian Canady - University of North Dakota
• Jason Grahame - University of Denver
• Milan Hejduk - Colorado Avalanche, Stanley Cup Champion
• Nick Larson - University of Denver - NCAA Champion
• Trevor Pochipinski - Colorado College; LA Kings
• Rom Reimann - University of Maine, played professionally in Europe
• Brandon Straub - Colorado College, ECHL and AHL hockey
• Marty Wakely - Colorado College
• Shannon Webster - Boston College

Summit Youth Hockey, a non-profit organization, offers the opportunity for boys and girls to participate in both recreational and competitive hockey programs. In addition to individual development, Summit Hockey seeks to foster the development of the whole child including such life skills as sportsmanship, mutual respect, integrity, responsibility, teamwork, and friendship. "As an organization, Summit Hockey is dedicated to providing opportunities for all kids in Summit County to participate in hockey. In order to do so, fundraising is a key ingredient to the success of the organization" states Dickerson. "We fundraise so that registration fees can stay affordable for all families in addition to providing scholarship opportunities for families in need" adds Dickerson, "we want hockey to be available to anyone who wants to play".

A "Puck Huck" competition will take place each evening. All spectators will receive a puck upon entry that will be tossed on to the ice during an intermission. With the generosity of local individuals and businesses, there will be a silent auction held in the lobby of the outside rink both evenings. On Friday evening, the "Real Estate Musical Chair Challenge" will take place between games. On Saturday evening the "Celebrity Shootout" will take place between the consolation game and the championship game, approximately 7:00 pm. The celebrity skaters will shoot out on all four of the Hockey Classic goalies.

Game tickets are $5.00 per evening and available at the door. We hope to see all hockey fans on April 4th and 5th to support Summit County Youth Hockey.

Summit Hockey Classic Schedule

Friday, April 4th, 2014

5:30 PM Peak One Surgery Center vs. Beaver Run Resort

7:00 PM Real Estate Musical Chair Challenge

7:30 PM Vail Summit Orthopaedics vs. Copper Mountain Resort

Saturday, April 5th, 2014

5:00 PM Consolation game

7:00 PM Celebrity Shootout

7:30 PM Championship game

Results of the tournament were as follows: in the Consolation game, Vail Summit Orthopaedics (Hejduk, hat trick) beat Beaver Run Resort; in the Championship game, Copper Mountain Resort beat Peak One Surgery Center 3-2.

Joe Janes and Peter Janes did not play in the Classic this year. Joe was unable to make it and Peter did not play due to an elbow injury but he did help coach the red team.

Here are some pictures of Milan Hejduk in action and of the four teams. Note: In the team pictures, Milan Hejduk is on the white team, back row, 6th from the left. He wore jersey #7. In the picture of the red team, Peter Janes is the coach on the far left. Next to him is Dan Brennon, Director of USA Inline and Sled Hockey. He received a Gold Medal with the USA sled team at the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

Pictures provided by Peter Janes.

February 28, 2014

  As we get ready for March Madness and the Minnesota State Boys Hockey Tournament next week, I thought I would share these two links.

  The first link is to a story I read in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune last week about the "State of Hockey". It is a Burnsville parent's letter to the editor wondering if the commitment to playing hockey is too excessive.

  The second link, sent to me from John Diffley, is a short video about why people love hockey. A great lead-in to all the hockey playoff action, High School, College, and Pro that we will enjoy watching over the next few months.

January 12, 2014

  As the MJDHL skaters resumed play in the new year of 2014, they also started a new tradition. Before each skate, all the skaters circle up at center ice and raise their sticks up high to salute, and honor Mark Janes, founder of the MJDHL. The picture below shows the salute given by the Thursday night group that skated on January 9th.

  On another note, January 19th will mark the 8th anniversary of the MJDHL.

January 5, 2014

  On New Year's Eve Day 2013, 24 skaters participated in the Mark Janes Frozen Shrimp skate from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Recreation Center. After the skate, the players had a party and enjoyed frozen shrimp, other snacks, and their favorite cold beverage. There were also a couple of other old-timers, a few player's wives, and Mary Janes who joined the festivities at the party.

  Another highlight of the afternoon was the presentation of the new Mark Janes Cup to Mike Vik. The cup, a travelling trophy, is to be awarded every New Year's Eve to the player or players that best demonstrate the spirit of play that Mark Janes envisioned. Mike toasted Mark and the group by drinking the 1st toast from the "cup". It is a beautiful trophy designed by Scott Seeger with Mike's name being the 1st engraved on it.

  The Mark Janes Cup is the result of an idea by Scott Seeger with input from Mark Janes.

  On the back of the trophy base is a plaque with a statement about the league and the qualities of the players who receive the trophy.

  Mike brought the trophy to the Thursday night skate on January 2nd and later took it to Glynner's to enjoy a drink from the cup. Pictured with Mike is Missy, a waitress at Glynner's. According to Scott Seeger, who joined Mike at Glynner's, the cup now smells like Lagavulin 16.

December 6, 2013

The MJDHL Thursday night group had two special skaters that joined them on the ice last night, Peter Janes and Joe Janes. Peter (Mark Janes younger brother) and Joe (Mark Janes son) are in Rochester visiting Mark Janes, who is at home in hospice care. Peter played defense on the "White" team and Joe played forward on the "Red" team. Both Peter and Joe wore Mark's #7 jerseys.

Here's how Joe described the evening (from his post on Mark's Caring Bridge website dated December 6, 2013).

Peter and I went to hockey and played against each other in Dad's sweaters and had a great time with the crew. Capacity crowd for the event included Erin, Brandon, Pete Hoffman and a janitor who seemed uninterested in our abilities. We went to Glynners after and solved a few of the world's bigger problems in a spirited dialogue led by the enigmatic orator himself...one Mr. Mike Vik.

November 6, 2013

Rochester Youth Hockey got its start approximately 60 years ago by "several interested fathers and enthusiastic youngsters". One of the interested fathers was Dr. Joe Janes, Mark Janes father. Click on the link to read more.

October 19, 2013

On Saturday, October 12, 2013, Mike and Roxie Vik hosted a party at Rancho Roxie for MJDHL players, wives, and friends. After a pot-luck meal the group settled in around the bonfire to visit. Pictures provided by Dan Mersel.

Below the party pictures are links to the following articles: "Researchers Press for Broad Ban on Hockey Fights", and "The Science Behind a Call for Safer Hockey".

The following articles came from a conference on concussions held at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN.

Click on the link below to read the article "Researchers Press for Broad Ban on Hockey Fights".

Click on the link below to read the article "The Science Behind a Call for Safer Hockey".

October 4, 2013

Adam Gill, Hockey Analytics/Video Analyst for the Chicago Blackhawks, not only got to hold the Stanley Cup after the Blackhawks won the playoffs in June but he also received a Stanley Cup ring. See related story about Adam on this page dated July 12, 2013.

Click on the link below for more detailed information on the Blackhawks 2010 and 2013 Stanley Cup rings.

September 18, 2013

Check out the growth of hockey in the U.S. from 2003 - 2013 on a state by state basis. Click on the link below. Note: clicking on this link will take you away from the MJDHL website.

August 14, 2013

Click on the link to read about Joe Wieners and his reflections on lessons from the bench.

July 16, 2013

From The New York Times:

FREQUENT FLIER: When the Stanley Cup Missed its Connection

Phil Pritchard is curator of the Hockey Hall of Fame and Keeper of the Stanley Cup, which he transports to games and events.

Thanks to Dan Mersel for supplying the link to this article.

July 12, 2013

Adam Gill (Kirk Gill's son) was fitted for a Stanley Cup ring last week. Click on the link below to read the story posted in the July 9, 2013, edition of the Post-Bulletin.

June 17, 2013

Do you remember watching the Rochester Mustangs play hockey at the Mayo Civic Auditorium? The picture below is of the 1964 team. Player names are listed below.

Back Row (L-R): Ted Stehli, Dick Haug, Ken Johannson, Louis Nanne, Brad "Pud" Teal, Bert Aiken

Front Row (L-R): Dick Carpenter, Len Lillyholm, Bill Reichert, Tom Yurkovich, Ron King, Dave Frank, Andre Beaulieu

June 3, 2013

Tim Lincoln and the Red Sea Sabres participated this past weekend in the Saad Falcons Frozen 4-on-4 hockey tournament in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia. There were 6 teams in the tournament: two from Dhammam (Saad Falcons 1 and 2), and one each from Riyadh, Bahrain, Hofuf, and the Red Sea Sabres from Jeddah. It was a 4-on-4 tournament with two 20 minute run time periods.

The Sabres lost the first three games by scores of 3-1, 4-2, and 9-1. They won the consolation game by forfeit. Tim saw 40 plus shots in each of the three games they played.

Tim will be back home in July and is looking forward to playing some real hockey with the MJDHL.

Tim also wants you to know that the Red Sea Sabres are on Facebook so tell your family and friends to search for "Red Sea Sabres".

April 18, 2013

About 70 friends of local hockey legend Mark Janes gathered at Glynner's Pub to honor their hockey commissioner by changing the name of their hockey league to the Mark Janes Developmental Hockey League (MJDHL). At the party, players wore their new red and white jerseys and presented Mark with his "Captain" jersey, #7. Here are a few pictures of players, spouses, and friends celebrating the event. For the full story see "Senior hockey league changes name; friends honor founder" on the "Articles" page.