University of Minnesota Athletics
Discovering Hockeytown, USA
12/17/2001 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
It seemed like a typical road trip for the Golden Gophers, eating snacks on the bus, watching a movie and catching up on some sleep. Things changed as the team got closer to the Warroad city limits. Signs welcoming the two teams into the small community like "It's a Great Day for Women's Hockey" along with maroon and gold balloons highlighted the way into town. When the bus pulled up to The Gardens arena, a sign posting, 'The Puck Drops Here,' the team knew they were in the right spot.
"I got really pumped up to play in the game because I knew what a rich hockey tradition the town has and the fact that they went to such extremes to welcome both teams not just the USA, it made me feel like they were just as glad that U of M was there too," senior co-captain Tracy Engstrom said.
As the team unloaded their gear, local kids stood next to the bus and looked in awe as the Gophers would enter the facility and volunteered to carry the equipment down the stairs to the locker rooms. The team came into the entrance with streamers all around, red, white and blue posted on one side, maroon and gold on the other. On each of the of the tables in the entrance, a U.S. flag and a University of Minnesota flag fit nicely into a skate.
"The people in Warroad were extremely excited to see both our team and the National Team," head coach Laura Halldorson said. "We got a kick out of the signs along the road that welcomed us to their town and the decorations within the arena and the locker room. There was great hospitality there. Obviously, the people of Warroad took a lot of pride in putting on a first-class event in a first-class facility. It was a wonderful atmosphere for our game." The facility and town, population 1,170, sold over 1,700 tickets before the event, but ended selling out the place with standing room only for 2,180 fans. Prior to the game, USA Hockey recognized five members of past Olympic games, who call the Warroad area home. With the likes of 1960 gold medalists Roger and Bill Christian, 1980 gold medalist David Christian and son of Bill, 1972 Olympian and former North Star Henry Boucha, and Cal Marvin, founder of the Warroad Lakers, stood in front of the fans as Team USA presented them each with a authentic USA jersey. Along with a gift for the past Olympians, a gift was presented to both teams by the Warroad girls team, an embroidered towel for each one of the players and staff to remember the day the two teams played in Warroad, Minn.
A ceremonial puck drop, by Sue Ring Jarvi, who formed the first women's hockey club here at Minnesota was the final presentation until the game began. The captains from both teams, Laura Slominski from Minnesota and Cammi Granato from the U.S., each participated in the event.
Once all of the pomp and circumstance was completed, it was time to get down to some hockey. But, this time, the Gophers were playing against the best players in the world, on a team looking to repeat as the gold medalists. Minnesota held Team USA scoreless in the second period, but lost 6-0 to the team that would play in the 2002 Winter Olympics.
"I thought it was an honor to play against the best players in the world and really some of the greatest pioneers for women's hockey like Cammi Granato and Karyn Bye," Engstrom said. "The way we played against them in the second game really showed the heart, character and the talent that our team has, to hold the best team in the world to only two goals after two periods."
Minnesota as a team, saw former Gopher and first-team All-American Courtney Kennedy on the opposing side, since joining the team in August of last year. Kennedy had three assists in the first exhibition game.
"It was an added treat to get to play against Courtney and it was fun to see how she looks and I thought she looked as good as ever," Engstrom, who was a teammate of Kennedy's for three years, said. "It was fun to be able to look across at the other team and see a former teammate representing the USA and the University of Minnesota."
"After the game in Warroad, players from both teams mingled in the lobby to sign autographs and talk to the fans," Halldorson said. "That was my favorite part of the trip, to see young girls and boys look up to their hockey idols and get the chance to meet them. I think both teams made an impact on that community; and I know that community made an impact on both of the teams."
Written by Women's Athletics Sports Information Hockey Contact Michelle Traen After a loss to the U.S. National Team in Grand Forks, N.D., no one on the University of Minnesota women's hockey team wanted to get on a bus and travel even farther north to Warroad, Minn., a small town near the U.S./Canada border. The team and coaching staff soon learned however, that Warroad isn't just any town, it's Hockeytown, USA.
It seemed like a typical road trip for the Golden Gophers, eating snacks on the bus, watching a movie and catching up on some sleep. Things changed as the team got closer to the Warroad city limits. Signs welcoming the two teams into the small community like "It's a Great Day for Women's Hockey" along with maroon and gold balloons highlighted the way into town. When the bus pulled up to The Gardens arena, a sign posting, 'The Puck Drops Here,' the team knew they were in the right spot.
"I got really pumped up to play in the game because I knew what a rich hockey tradition the town has and the fact that they went to such extremes to welcome both teams not just the USA, it made me feel like they were just as glad that U of M was there too," senior co-captain Tracy Engstrom said.
As the team unloaded their gear, local kids stood next to the bus and looked in awe as the Gophers would enter the facility and volunteered to carry the equipment down the stairs to the locker rooms. The team came into the entrance with streamers all around, red, white and blue posted on one side, maroon and gold on the other. On each of the of the tables in the entrance, a U.S. flag and a University of Minnesota flag fit nicely into a skate.
"The people in Warroad were extremely excited to see both our team and the National Team," head coach Laura Halldorson said. "We got a kick out of the signs along the road that welcomed us to their town and the decorations within the arena and the locker room. There was great hospitality there. Obviously, the people of Warroad took a lot of pride in putting on a first-class event in a first-class facility. It was a wonderful atmosphere for our game." The facility and town, population 1,170, sold over 1,700 tickets before the event, but ended selling out the place with standing room only for 2,180 fans. Prior to the game, USA Hockey recognized five members of past Olympic games, who call the Warroad area home. With the likes of 1960 gold medalists Roger and Bill Christian, 1980 gold medalist David Christian and son of Bill, 1972 Olympian and former North Star Henry Boucha, and Cal Marvin, founder of the Warroad Lakers, stood in front of the fans as Team USA presented them each with a authentic USA jersey. Along with a gift for the past Olympians, a gift was presented to both teams by the Warroad girls team, an embroidered towel for each one of the players and staff to remember the day the two teams played in Warroad, Minn.
A ceremonial puck drop, by Sue Ring Jarvi, who formed the first women's hockey club here at Minnesota was the final presentation until the game began. The captains from both teams, Laura Slominski from Minnesota and Cammi Granato from the U.S., each participated in the event.
Once all of the pomp and circumstance was completed, it was time to get down to some hockey. But, this time, the Gophers were playing against the best players in the world, on a team looking to repeat as the gold medalists. Minnesota held Team USA scoreless in the second period, but lost 6-0 to the team that would play in the 2002 Winter Olympics.
"I thought it was an honor to play against the best players in the world and really some of the greatest pioneers for women's hockey like Cammi Granato and Karyn Bye," Engstrom said. "The way we played against them in the second game really showed the heart, character and the talent that our team has, to hold the best team in the world to only two goals after two periods."
Minnesota as a team, saw former Gopher and first-team All-American Courtney Kennedy on the opposing side, since joining the team in August of last year. Kennedy had three assists in the first exhibition game.
"It was an added treat to get to play against Courtney and it was fun to see how she looks and I thought she looked as good as ever," Engstrom, who was a teammate of Kennedy's for three years, said. "It was fun to be able to look across at the other team and see a former teammate representing the USA and the University of Minnesota."
"After the game in Warroad, players from both teams mingled in the lobby to sign autographs and talk to the fans," Halldorson said. "That was my favorite part of the trip, to see young girls and boys look up to their hockey idols and get the chance to meet them. I think both teams made an impact on that community; and I know that community made an impact on both of the teams."
Written by Women's Athletics Sports Information Hockey Contact Michelle Traen
