Northern Star: Hermantown Boys Hockey to Play in Hockey Day Minnesota

The Hawks will face off in a state tournament rematch Mahtomedi, Saturday for a 1 PM puck drop, in White Bear Lake. 

HERMANTOWN, Minn.- Hockey culture in Minnesota runs deep, after all it is the state of hockey, with the countries most elite high school and college programs around. So, what better way to celebrate the sport, than an entire weekend dedicated to it. The 16th annual Hockey Day Minnesota kicks off this weekend and one of the states best will take the ice, the Hermantown Hawks.

“It’s pretty much a lifestyle here, I mean, ever since we were able to walk we put on skates so I mean, being the state of hockey, it’s a huge deal. I think I’ve watched hockey day every year growing up,” says Hermantown senior captain George Peterson.

Hockey Day will be held on an outdoor rink in White Bear Lake. Giving the guys a taste of nostalgia back to their early days in Pewee Hockey.

“Us skating on the ice when we were little kids, you know, growing up skating on the outdoor rinks is obviously going to be fun but it’s just going to be awesome,” says senior forward Wyatt Carlson.

“I remember I played a Mite two game before the high schoolers here in 2010 and growing up we idolized all those guys and watched them, thought it was the coolest thing ever. It’s kind of surreal to be part of it now,” says Peterson.

This will be the first time since Hermantown hosted back in 2010, the Hawks will have their name on the card.

“Watching the prominence that this program has become and all the hard work that people have put in is really cool. So, I think Hockey Day and being asked to be a part of that is kind of a pinnacle or just kind of a reward for the whole program because I think there will be a lot of alumni and a lot of people that live around the state from Hermantown that are going to come watch the Hawks on such a cool big stage,” says head coach Patrick Andrews.

Regardless of the below freezing temperatures expected on Saturday, the guys are no stranger to the elements of skating outdoors.

“Have to wear a little extra layers that’s all. We’ve put thousands of hours on these rinks so nothing new for us,” says Peterson.

“It’s a different atmosphere than inside, and outside and everything can change outside with the weather and everything where inside you don’t have to look forward to that, but you just have to look at the day before and see how it goes,” says Carlson.

It won’t be all fun and games. The Hawks will look to take care of business against a team that beat them 3-2 in the 2020 State Championship game.

“It’ll be really special. Our two programs have been very successful at the Class A level and kind of set the bar in many ways for Class A hockey and I think it’s really fitting we get to play each other,” says Andrews.

“Usually they have a really good team defense so, we’re just going to have to crack through their defense, try to get to the net a little bit more. I don’t know they’re usually a really solid team when we play them. Well coached and stuff like that,” says senior forward Kade Kohanski.

“Obviously it’s a rivalry. They beat us a couple years ago in the state championship game, so we’ll have a good game against them and hopefully we come out on top,” says Carlson.

The Hawks will face off in a state tournament rematch Mahtomedi, Saturday for a 1 PM puck drop, in White Bear Lake.