Andrew Vitalis 2012

There Jeff Keacher was, standing in the hot Nevada sun, enjoying the Las Vegas strip. There he was taking in the sights and sounds of one of the most famous atmospheres in the world.

Fifty years. It’s been five decades since International Falls and Duluth East met for the Region VII final and the stories are still being told. It was, and continues to be, a “where were you when” moment for everyone associated with the game. Still today, Mike “Lefty” Curran, then a junior goaltender for International Falls, is asked about that historic night at the Hippodrome in Eveleth.

As it turns out, the Minnesota state high school hockey “experience” truly does cross borders, city limits and even time zones. Ben Gordon, a former Minnesota Mr. Hockey finalist and Gopher hockey standout, remembers being glued to his computer to watch the 2011 Minnesota State High School Hockey Tournament. As he puts it, the tournament consumed his day.

If you look in the Eden Prairie hockey dictionary under the name Rau, you will most likely find words like “tradition,” “dedication” and “dynasty.” Strong words, yes, but very appropriate.

When the St. Paul Highland Park Scots walked off the ice Tuesday night after falling toChisago Lakes 13-2 in the first round of the Section 4A playoffs, there wasn’t a single Park player who was hanging their head. 

When it’s all said and done, he’ll go down as one of the greatest assets the St. ThomasAcademy boys’ hockey team has ever had, and it has nothing to do with goals, assists or points. His name is A.J. Reid.

Eighty-nine body pounding games. Months on the road, staying in hotels, riding on buses. Add it all up and it equates to nearly nine full months of hockey without a break.

John Hamre, Blake head coach, describes himself as a no-nonsense guy, someone who doesn’t pull any punches and doesn’t throw around compliments unless they are deserved. That’s what made his comments about George Ordway, one of his senior captains and leading scorer, so profound.

If you want to know how unstable minor league hockey can be at times, just ask Wayzata native J.T. Wyman about a day in early January. When reached on the phone early on a Tuesday morning, Wyman had just enough time to spit out a sentence, “I’m at the airport, I was just sent down to Cincinnati.”

Talk about an unusual predicament. Last weekend, Brett Hammond found himself keeping one eye on the ice and one eye on the WCHA Final Five. The former Bulldog had a vested interest.

Sitting at the Xcel Energy Center last week watching his brother help lead Breck to a boys’ high school state hockey title, Casey Borer could only think of one other place he would rather be – on the ice himself. Unfortunately, that wasn’t an option.

It’s hard to believe that just one year ago, Joe Jensen was contemplating his hockey future. While playing with Wilkes-Barre of the AHL, Jensen remembers being told that he was being sent down to the East Coast Hockey League.

Ahh, the subtle tricks of the trade you learn along the way. There certainly are a lot of them to pay attention to when you’re a professional hockey player. Just ask Vadnais Heights native Luke Beaverson. Earlier this season, while on the road with the Florida Everblades of the ECHL, Beaverson got a quick lesson in being prepared.

In December of 2000, a rough old man looked at an inexperienced hockey announcer, pointed at the Sauk Rapids high school hockey roster, and made a bold statement. ”Wait until you see that kid, he’s something special.” That hockey announcer was me.

Talking to him on the phone, you can almost hear him smiling. Why not? As Derek Peltier openly admits, he’s living the dream. Playing for the Lake Erie Monsters of the AHL, a Colorado Avalanche affiliate, Peltier has been a monster on the ice.

Grant Potulny defines himself as a family man first. As for hockey? Call it 1A. Now married with two kids, the 28-year-old finds himself having to balance the two these days.

“I thought I could do anything after playing at Alaska, but I travel even more now. You find yourself on a lot of long bus rides,” laughed Kronschnabel.

It seems like Danny Irmen’s entire hockey career has been filled with big-time decisions. Big-time decisions by a big-time player.

Okay, so he’s not a native of Minnesota. When you look at his birth certificate, it actually says Quebec, but Junior Lessard certainly considers himself, at least, half Minnesotan anyway. After all, it was during his time in the land of 10,000 lakes that the name “Junior Lessard” became a household name, especially in Northern Minnesota.

Scorers, pure scorers, can’t really explain how they do it. Ask them about a magic formula and you won’t get an answer-they don’t have one. You can’t teach it, learn it or fake it. When asked, Roseville native and current Lake Erie Monster (AHL) Marty Sertich tries to explain things the best he can.

Planes, trains and automobiles- it’s not just a movie. To Matt Smaby, there have been times when it’s been reality. Take his 2007-08 season for example. Smaby started the season in the NHL with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Soon after, he was sent back to the AHL.

Most professional hockey players will tell you, finding the “right opportunity” is sometimes more elusive than locating Bigfoot himself. Just because someone gives you a shoe, or in this case, a skate, doesn’t mean it’s always going to fit.

He’s dealt with frustration in the past, but not this bad. Yes, Matt Hendricks finds himself in uncharted territory.

Jon Francisco doesn’t live in the past. Never has. It’s just not his style. When asked if he’s had any regrets, the Hermantown,Minn., native didn’t even have to think about it.