Minnesota Hockey Magazine for Nov. 2016 (volume 4, issue 1)

NOVEMBER 2016 w MINNESOTAHOCKEYMAG.COM w VOL. 4, ISSUE 1 

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M A G A Z I N E .COM 

A LOOK AT THE MINNESOTA 

BOYS’ HIGH SCHOOL SEASON 

PREVIEW 

WHO WILL TAKE THE TITLES? 

FEATURES ON: 

THE STATE OF 

THE WILD 

ON THE FLY WITH 

BLAKE WHEELER 

GOPHERS’ MEN NOT EARNING 

STATE BRAGGING RIGHTS 

POTOMAK RISES FOR 

GOPHERS’ WOMEN 

BULLDOGS’ WOMEN SURGE 

BEHIND BRYKALIUK 

HUSKIES GET BOOST FROM 

SWISS MISS ALDER 

YOUTH: HOCKEY SHOULD BE 

FUN NOT FORCED 

BOOK OF THE MONTH 

DUKE PIEPER 

EXCERPTS FROM HIS 

INSPIRING STORY AND 

LONG RECOVERY 

HOCKEY HALL OF FAME 

WALTER BUSH 

AND MORE FEATURES ON: 

TRAINING 

HEALTH & WELLNESS 

HOCKEY MOM OF THE MONTH 

THE DEFINITIVE ONLINE HOCKEY MAGAZINE

FROM OUR PUBLISHER 

Welcome!! We are excited to announce that 

Minnesota Hockey Magazine is back in an all new 

digital magazine format. Once again, we will bring 

you the top stories from the state of hockey, featuring some 

of the best hockey writers and photographers around. 

You found us, now check us totally out, with a free offer for 

a limited time sample subscription. Just Click HERE to sign up 

for your free sample subscription. 

With the high school season just about to start, we will 

begin by taking a look at the upcoming season, with our 

special high school boys preview. 

Tim Kolehmainen from Breakdown 

Sports Media, Inc. looks in depth 

at this upcoming season and the 

teams that he expects will be 

competing for this year’s title. 

This month, we also will look at 

high school hockey in a different 

light, with the story of an amazing 

person and his personal dramatic 

story. You will read all about Duke 

Pieper, a young man who went 

from fighting to make a starting 

line up, to fighting for his life. His 

life was forever changed in a matter 

of minutes after being struck down 

by a rare disease while about to take the ice for the Hill- 

Murray Pioneers as a highly sought after freshman. His story 

is one for the ages, as he goes through all stages of life, and 

ends in hope as you see Duke is now on the road to recovery. 

We also will test your high school hockey knowledge with 

some high school hockey trivia from our long time writer Jim 

Hoey who has authored a great book called Puck Heaven. 

You will also find special coverage on the Minnesota Wild, 

college hockey, and a lot more. We hope you enjoy this 

month’s issue. 

Please do support our sponsors, who through their 

support, have made this magazine possible. 

If you like what you see, please share, and tell others. If you 

don’t, please tell me, and let me know how we can serve you 

better. 

Sincerely, 

Scott Tiffany 

President & Founder 

Minnesota Hockey Magazine 

scott@mnhockeymag.com 

Staff 

Executive Editor 

Brian Halverson 

President/Founder 

Scott Tiffany 

Contributors 

Bruce Brothers 

Tim Kolehmainen 

Dustin Nelson 

Eric Vegoe 

Hal Tearse 

Jim Hoey 

Jill Tiffany 

Chief Photographer 

Jeff Wegge 

Photo Contributors 

Jonny Watkins 

Brent Cizek 

Maddie MacFarlane 

Jaylynn Nash 

Dave Harwig 


Design/Production 


Social Media Manager 

Scott Ludwig 

Advertising 

advertise@mnhockeymag.com 

Website 

minnesotahockeymag.com 

E-Mail 

info@mnhockeymag.com 

Publisher 

MINNESOTA 

M A G A Z I N E .COM 

Tiffany Media Company 

President 

Scott Tiffany 

scott.tiffany@mnhockeymag.com 

(715) 222-6460 

Sr. Vice President/GM 

Bill Rossini 

bill@mnhockeymag.com 

Cover photo by Tim Kolehmainen 

MINNESOTA HOCKEY MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2016 

Return to Table of Contents 

1

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

ON THE COVER 

High School Hockey 

PREVIEWING THE 2016-17 SEASON 

Breakdown Sports Media’s Tim Kolehmainen takes a look at 

the key storylines, favorites, and top players for the upcoming 

2016-17 Minnesota boys’ high school hockey season. 

• PAGE 32 

National Hockey League 

STATE OF THE WILD 

Early returns are promising for this 

winter’s version of the Minnesota Wild. 

Also, Zach Parise scores his 300th career goal 

and MHM catches up with Blake Wheeler. 

• PAGE 4 

College Hockey 

GOPHERS NOT BRAGGING 

Lack of success against in-state rivals 

frustrating for University of Minnesota men. 

Also, women’s features on the Gophers’ 

Sarah Potomak, UMD’s Ashleigh 

Brykaliuk, and SCSU’s Janine Alder. 

Youth Hockey 

PASSION NOT FORCE 

Making hockey fun for youth is key to 

keeping them involved in the sport. 

• PAGE 14 

• PAGE 44 

Book of the Month 

I’M ALIVE 

Hill-Murray graduate Duke Pieper endured 

life-threatening illness but has overcome 

to form hope and courage foundation. 

• PAGE 38 

Hall of Fame 

WALTER BUSH 

The 1980 US Hockey 

Hall of Fame inductee 

recently passed away, but 

his legacy has not been 

forgotten around the state. 

• PAGE 54 

Hockey Moms 

TANYA SIMON 

The Anoka mother of 

two boys’ travel teamers 

and one non-playing girl 

is November’s Hockey 

Mom of the Month. 

• PAGE 52 

Health & Wellness 

HEALTHY HOLIDAYS 

Jill Tiffany gives some tips on 

enjoying the holidays without 

the post-holiday regrets... 

and offers up a tasty recipe. 

• PAGE 50 

Training 

THE LUMBERYARD 

A “soup to nuts” approach to 

training takes Lumberyard 

player from the beginning 

through to advanced hockey. 

• PAGE 48 



3

MINNESOTA WILD 

STATE OF THE WILD 

EARLY RETURNS 

BREED CONFIDENCE 

MINNESOTA WILD LAUNCH 2016-17 SEASON ON OPTIMISTIC NOTE 

By Bruce Brothers 

Early in almost any sporting 

season, optimism rises. So it is with 

the 2016-17 edition of the Minnesota Wild, 

who have given the Xcel Energy Center faithful 

reason to believe about a season that includes a 

new coach and a new top-line center. 

Heck, despite injuries to Zach Parise, Jared 

Spurgeon, Marco Scandela, Erik Haula and a few 

others plus some spotty play from backup goalie 

Darcy Kuemper, the Wild stood atop the NHL’s 

Central Division through nine games. 

That’s mighty early in a long season, but if you 

scroll through postgame utterances on the Wild’s 

website you will find the kinds of encouraging 

words expected from players on a team that began 

with a 6-2-1 record. 

Eric Staal, for one, a free agent signing who 

struggled a bit in his last two seasons in Carolina 

but put up four goals and seven points in his first 

nine games with Minnesota, took an immediate 

liking to his new environment. 

“We have a good group here that we feel we can 

compete with anybody,” he said. 

There’s no question that the Wild will be a 

work in progress for the early part of the season, 

as evidenced by a horrid first period of the home 

opener against the Winnipeg Jets and some equally 

awful stretches since. 

Although it was a bit shocking that Xcel fans 

booed the Wild off the ice after two late firstperiod 

goals gave the Jets a 2-0 lead in the home 

opener on Oct. 15, and although new coach Bruce 

Boudreau gave his guys an earful between periods, 

Boudreau was unfazed by the crowd’s reaction. 

After his team rallied for a 4-3 victory, he said, 

“I’ve been booed before.” 

There were enough fans demonstrating their 

impatience at the opener, and a few more have not 

been hesitant to rip the team with negative tweets 

here and there since. 

Fans have reason to be antsy because the Wild 

have been no better than a .500 team overall during 

“We have a good 

group here that 

we feel we can 

compete with 

anybody.” 

— Eric Staal 

the post-Jacques Lemaire era that started in 2009. 

Nothing, however, cures the anxiety levels of 

professional hockey partisans faster than winning. 

And nothing fosters winning more than team 

balance and solid goaltending. 

No fewer than 18 players scored at least one goal 

for the Wild during their first nine games, a league 

high. As well, 22 players had at least one point. 

At the other end of the ice, regular goalie Devan 

Dubnyk started by looking as reliable as Jacques 

Continued on next page 

Wild forward Chris Stewart 

angles for a wrap-around 

against the New York Rangers. 

Photo by Jeff Wegge 

NOVEMBER 2016 MINNESOTA HOCKEY MAGAZINE MINNESOTA HOCKEY MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2016 

4 5 


Return to Table of Contents

MINNESOTA WILD LAUNCH 2016-17 SEASON ON OPTIMISTIC NOTE 

Continued from previous page 

Plante, posting a team-record three consecutive 

shutouts and a .952 save percentage. Dubnyk’s 

play allowed impatient fans to breathe much easier 

despite Kuemper’s early save percentage of .871. 

Defenseman Ryan Suter, surprisingly, was 

the Wild’s early leader in scoring with 10 points 

through nine games, but nine others had five 

or more. Another surprise was the two names 

leading in plus-minus through nine games: Young 

defenseman Christian Folin and speedy forward 

Jason Zucker. 

Some of these numbers may be attributable to 

the way Boudreau pulls the strings – not unlike the 

rampant re-pairings of players during Lemaire’s 

tenure. Both coaches came to town with resumes 

that gave them the freedom to hold even top 

veterans accountable. 

It’s a message that carries weight up and down 

the lineup. 

Lemaire arrived in Minnesota with more 

credibility than any of his players, and he soon 

developed a goal-scorer named Marian Gaborik. 

When Lemaire stepped away, general manager 

New Minnesota coach Bruce Boudreau checks out the action in the 

Wild’s game against Buffalo Tuesday night, Nov. 2, 2016. 

Photo by Jonny Watkins 

Doug Risebrough was fired and Gaborik also 

departed. 

New GM Chuck Fletcher had little choice but 

to send search parties out looking for offense. 

He imported Martin Havlat, Devin Setoguchi, 

Guillaume Latendresse, Petr Sykora, Matt Cullen, 

Parise, Jason Pominville, Dany Heatley, Thomas 

Vanek and others with varying success. Fletcher also 

went with young coaches in Todd Richards, Mike 

Yeo and interim John Torchetti. 

Under those three, Minnesota won 265 

regular-season games and lost 275 -- including 

61 losses that were worth a point for going past 

regulation. And with high-end talent such as Parise, 

Pominville, Suter, Mikko Koivu, Nino Niederreiter, 

Mikael Granlund, Charlie Coyle and a few others, 

Minnesota fans grew impatient. 

Fletcher responded by hiring Boudreau, who 

came to town with a coaching record of 409-192-80 

for the Washington Caps and Anaheim Ducks, and 

also added forwards Staal and “energy guy” Chris 

Stewart. 

Boudreau is as an emotional coach who, like 

Lemaire, has been quick to shuffle his lines or his 

lineup when he sees something he doesn’t like. 

After the first period of Minnesota’s first home 

game, he saw something he didn’t like, and it wasn’t 

a two-goal deficit. Even though there were still 40 

minutes to play, he said later, players leaving the ice 

“looked defeated. And we had to change that.” 

They did. 

Boudreau later talked in generalities about how 

hockey is a game that must be played with high 

levels of emotion. It’s his job, he stressed, to drive 

his guys to play with passion. 

At times, in the early going this season, passion 

seemed to be replaced by hesitancy up and down 

the Wild roster. 

Those moments have lessened, whether because 

of Boudreau’s intermission commentaries or 

because players are rapidly adjusting to the new 

personnel and the new system. 

That should mean a lot during the grind of a 

season where injuries, bad calls and unfortunate 

bounces can take a toll. 

A resilient team that rebounds from adversity 

engenders recurring optimism. Early on, the Wild 

have shown positive signs of becoming exactly that 

kind of a team. 6 

Wild goaltender Devan Dubnyk 

makes a save in a recent game. 



6 7 



MINNESOTA WILD 

ZACH PARISE 

THE PATH TO 300 

WILD’S VETERAN FORWARD HITS THE 300-GOAL MILESTONE EARLY IN SEASON 




9

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE 

Winnipeg’s Blake Wheeler 

keeps his head up — and in the 

game for the Jets. 

NOVEMBER 2016 MINNESOTA HOCKEY Photo MAGAZINE by Jeff Wegge 


10 11 


ON THE FLY 

BLAKE WHEELER 

MINNESOTA HOCKEY MAGAZINE ASKS FIVE QUESTIONS WITH PROMINENT HOCKEY FIGURE 

By Brian Halverson 

Blake Wheeler has been a 

household name in Minnesota 

hockey circles for roughly half 

his life dating back to his high school 

days starring for Breck High School. 

Wheeler posted 100 points (45-55—100) as a junior 

in leading the Mustangs to the 2004 Class 1A state 

title with a hat trick in Breck’s 7-2 win over Orono. 

The Plymouth native spent his senior season 

playing for the United States Hockey League’s 

Green bay Gamblers before embarking on a 

college career at the University of Minnesota. As 

a sophomore, Wheeler scored one of the most 

famous goals in Minnesota hockey history in a 

2007 WCHA Final Five championship game win 

over North Dakota. His diving, sliding shot from 

his belly in the left circle popped up and over UND 

goaltender Phillippe Lamoureux at 3:27 of overtime 

made national news on ESPN’s SportsCenter. 

Drafted in the first round (No. 5 overall) by the 

then Phoenix Coyotes, Wheeler is in his ninth NHL 

season with the Boston Bruins and the Atlanta 

Thrasher/Winnipeg Jets organization with more 

than 600 games and 400 points as a pro under his 

belt. His play earned him a spot on Team USA’s 

roster for the recent World Cup of hockey played in 

Toronto. 

On Aug. 31, 2016, Wheeler’s 30th birthday, the 

Jets named Wheeler the franchise’s second captain 

(Andrew Ladd) since its move from Atlanta to 

Winnipeg and its ninth overall. 

Wheeler was kind enough to give Minnesota 

Hockey Magazine a few minutes of his time 

following Winnipeg’s 4-3 loss to the Minnesota Wild 

on Oct. 15 at Xcel Energy Center. 

Q: Now in your ninth season in the league, do 

you still get a little extra jump in your step playing 


where you grew up? 

A: Always, yeah, I have great memories of this 

building pretty much at every level. It’s been a 

great place for me, it’s always nice to come back 

here and see friends and family. It’s always a great 

atmosphere too. 

Q: Speaking of the building, you scored, 

arguably, the most memorable goal in this place. 

What immediately comes to mind when you think 

back to that play? 

A: It’ll be one of the more special moments in my 

career. Helping the University of Minnesota hang 

a banner was such a great honor. Whenever I think 

back on that goal it still gives me goosebumps, it 

was such a great moment. 

Q: You’ve experienced a lot of success 

throughout your NHL career but things really took 

off for you in Winnipeg. What did that change do 

for you? 

A: Well, you know, everyone kind of matures at 

different paces. I think around that time I grew up as 

a person as well as a player. I just kind of came into 

my own and was given a great opportunity by the 

Jets to play a lot of minutes, have a big role, a big 

responsibility, and I was able to make the most of it. 

Q: While the 2016 World Cup didn’t turn out 

the way you would have liked in terms of team 

success, what did that experience mean to you 

personally and what did you take away from it? 

A: It was a great honor being selected. They have 

such a great pool of talent that they can choose 

from so to get the nod is always an honor. 

Q: What does it mean to a kid from Plymouth 

to be named captain of an NHL team? 

A: It’s tough to really describe it. I think once 

it’s all said and done I’ll look back on it and pinch 

myself but I’m just enjoying it right now, I’m 

enjoying be a leader of a team and we have a great 

group of guys so it makes it a really fun job. 6

MINNESOTA GOPHERS 

BIG TEN / GOPHERS 

‘THE U’ LAGGING 

IN BRAGGING 

RECENT STRUGGLES VERSUS IN-STATE RIVALS ‘UNACCEPTABLE’ TO GOPHERS 

By Eric Vegoe 

Rivalry games raise excitement, 

expectations, and when it comes 

to Minnesota college hockey, 

bragging rights for best program in the 

state of hockey. The University of Minnesota 

is riding a streak of five regular season conference 

titles, but after getting swept by St. Cloud State 

in October, the Gophers also are riding a streak of 

losses to in-state schools. 

The Gophers led both nights against the Huskies 

during the latest rivalry series, but St. Cloud State 

rallied for a series sweep, handing Minnesota their 

14th loss in their last 15 games against in-state 

rivals. The only Gopher victory in that span was a 

4-0 win over Minnesota State on Nov. 13, 2015. 

“I want to believe it has nothing to do with the 

in-state games or anything, we can’t finish,” Leon 

Bristedt said. “It’s all about executing; it’s all about 

finishing and winning games. Unfortunately, we 

haven’t found a way of really doing that with instate 

rivalries, but we can only look forward to new 

games coming up. We can look back and learn, but 

what’s happened, it’s in the past.” 

The past is hard to ignore with this group. 

Minnesota has sustained six of their 14 losses in 

the third period. The 2016 North Star College Cup 

saw the Gophers take a 2-1 lead against Bemidji 

State and lose 4-2, and the next day tie Minnesota 

State in the third period only to lose in overtime. 

Minnesota played the Huskies close in their Nov. 

27, 2015 series opener, but gave up two late goals 

to lose 3-2 and then lost a turnover filled affair 7-4 

in the second game of the series. The Gophers also 

took a 2-0 lead on Minnesota State Nov. 14, 2015 

only to give up two goals in the third period and 

lose in overtime 3-2. 

“It’s not like we take these games easier, or 

lighter than other games, we have these marked on 

our calendar as I assume they do too,” Justin Kloos 

said after North Star Cup last year. “But for some 

reason we’ve just came up short of the last almost 

year and a half now.” 

“We can look 

back and learn, 

but what’s 

happened, it’s 

happened in 

the past.” 

— Leon Bristedt 

The recipe for disappointment in many of the 

in-state games has been turnovers and poor 

special teams. In-state schools have outshot the 

Gophers 507-425 in this stretch and only twice did 

Minnesota have a shots-on-goal advantage. The 

power play scored on 10 of 50 chances during this 

stretch, but their penalty kill allowed 23 goals on 68 

opportunities—killing penalties at just 64 percent. 

Steve Johnson admitted that the recent record 

against in-state team is in their heads. 


The Gophers have struggled 

to beat in-state rivals in recent 

years, including St. Cloud State. 

Photo by Maddie MacFarlane 


14 15 



RECENT STRUGGLES VERSUS IN-STATE RIVALS ‘UNACCEPTABLE’ TO GOPHERS 


“Minnesota should be the best, it’s unacceptable. 

We’ve got to learn to play our game, get pucks 

deep, go to work, and play the game the right way” 

Johnson said. 

Gopher coach Don Lucia decided after the 

Huskies series that he would have to change the 

way they practice to change the way Minnesota 

performs in these rivalry games. 

“That’s obviously been a focus, and we talked 

to guys that we just have to change the way we 

practice,” Lucia said. “We have to be better along 

the walls, we have to be better below the circles 

on each end of the rink. We’re not getting enough 

in-zone offensive time for possession.” 

The emphasis was more five-on-five drills and 

small area drills in practice to change the mindset 

so players realize if they lose the puck, they’ve got 

to work to get it back. 

“The practices here have been way harder, not 

as much skating, but way more battling. Some guys 

have been almost on the edge of fighting, and I 

think that’s how practices should be,” Bristedt said. 

“Looking back at practice before we’ve done a lot of 

rushes and things, and you can see that’s where we 

score our goals off the rush and on the power play, 

but I think working down low and battling more is 

the recipe for winning more games.” 

Minnesota will get a chance against Minnesota 

State Nov. 18 and 19 for a home and home series, 

and then against Minnesota Duluth and either 

Bemidji State or St. Cloud State in the North Star 

College Cup Jan. 27 and 28 for a chance to redeem 

themselves. 

“I don’t feel any different when it comes to 

pressure. I notice the attention, I notice like, ‘Hey 

that this is a bigger game’ but as a player this is 

something you love and you want to be out there in 

these kind of games,” Bristedt said. 

“I think we’ve been passive a couple times and 

that’s where we get caught. If we can stay on the 

hunt, if we can act instead of react, I think that’s 

where we’re going to have success.” 6 

Minnesota State celebrates a goal against the Gophers. 

Photo by Brent Cizek 

16 

NOVEMBER 2016 

MINNESOTA HOCKEY MAGAZINE 


MINNESOTA GOPHERS WOMEN 

WCHA WOMEN / GOPHERS 

STEPPING UP 

SARAH POTOMAK READY FOR LARGER ROLE WITH GOPHERS 

Sarah Potomak skates up ice in a 

game against Bemidji State. 

Photos by Jaylynn Nash 

By Dustin Nelson 

It’s difficult to imagine how a 

player gets more in the spotlight 

than the Gophers’ Sarah Potomak 

was last year when she scored the 

overtime goal that sent Minnesota to 

the national championship. But that’s the 

case for Potomak, who scored three goals and five 

points as a rookie in the NCAA Tournament. 

The sophomore is now taking center stage in the 

absence of two of the biggest stars to ever wear 

maroon and gold, Hannah Brandt and Amanda 

Kessel. It’s been talked about ad nauseam, but 

that’s a testament to the impact those two had on 

the program. 

The shoes that need filling are large and it will 

take a team effort, from top-line upperclassmen 

Dani Cameranesi and Kelly Pannek to freshmen 

Lindsay Agnew and Alex Woken. Yet, just one year 

into her collegiate career, Potomak has the potential 

to be the difference-maker Minnesota needs. 

In some ways, the season started relatively quiet 

start for Potomak, who put up just one goal and 

four points in her first four games. 

Last season, her 1.42 points per game ranked 

eighth in the nation and her 54 points were the 

eighth most ever by a Gopher rookie. The team 

needs Potomak to build on that performance as 

lines start to coalesce and the team looks to quell 

some slow starts. 

Early in her second campaign, she’s delivering. 

That extra offense is especially important in a 

conference rife with outstanding goaltending. 

Ann-Renee Desbiens and Brittni Mowat are two of 

the best in the nation. Young netminders like Ohio 

State’s Kassidy Sauve, Duluth’s Maddie Rooney, St. 

Cloud’s Janine Alder, and North Dakota’s Lexie Shaw 

are all off to strong starts. Meanwhile, though the 

season is young, the Gophers are averaging just 3.2 

goals per game in conference play. That’s a good 

step down from last season’s 5.14. 

Since Minnesota’s Oct. 14-15 series against 

Minnesota-Duluth, Potomak has seen an offensive 

explosion. She leads the nation with 18 points in 

10 games, scoring a game-winning goal in half of 

those contests. 

“I’m just going 

to do my best 

to lead the 

freshmen and 

contribute 

everything 

I can.” 

— Sarah Potomak 

Coach Brad Frost started the season with 

Potomak at center. It was an experiment. If she 

could work there, it had the potential to give 

the Gophers depth that would be difficult for 

opponents to handle. While Potomak has played 

center previously for the Canadian national 

team, it was the first time she’d been given that 

responsibility with the Gophers. 

But in an effort to ignite some offense against 

Duluth, Frost moved her to wing on the top line 

with Cameranesi and Pannek, a trio that spent a 

bit of time together last season when Brandt was 

injured. It was the start of Potomak being able to 



18 19 



SARAH POTOMAK READY FOR LARGER ROLE WITH GOPHERS 


focus on offense and it’s paying dividends for 

the team. 

“I just really felt like we needed to get 

some scoring, from [Potomak] in particular,” 

Frost said of reuniting that line. “The first few 

games we were more of a balanced lineup. 

We tried to get our top players together here 

with Pannek, Potomak, and Cameranesi. It 

seemed to pay off.” 

It made the roster top heavy, but it 

certainly had the desired effect. In her first 

weekend after the line change, Potomak 

garnered WCHA Player of the Week honors. 

“It felt good. I thought that me and Kelly 

and Dani blended really well together,” 

Potomak said after an Oct. 28 win over St. 

Cloud State. “Center is more of a defensive 

responsibility. So, when I’m playing wing, 

I find that I’m more open to producing 

offense, especially with Kelly as a center. 

She’s so good there. It makes it easy.” 

Lines continue to be tinkered with, but 

like recent seasons, if you have a top-line 

powerhouse, things start to sort themselves 

out. 

“You know, in the past, you’ve had Hannah 

Brandt and Amanda Kessel, so it’s been 

pretty easy to figure out,” Frost said after an 

opening weekend tilt against Lindenwood. 

“Let’s put anybody with them and we’ll go 

from there. Well, we don’t have Hannah and 

we don’t have [Kessel], and quite frankly we 

have a multitude of forwards who are very 

talented, so a lot of people are getting some 

different opportunities.” 

Potomak has risen to the challenge of her 

sophomore year in the early going, again 

proving herself to be an adept skater at both 

ends of the rink and capable of providing 

clutch goals. “I don’t feel any additional 

pressure [this season],” she says. “I just think 

that there’s an expectation that I show up 

every day. I’m not a freshman anymore and 

I know what to expect. I’m just going to do 

my best to lead the freshmen and contribute 

everything I can.” 6 



21

R 

UMD BULLDOGS WOMEN 

WCHA WOMEN / BULLDOGS 

BRYKALIUK READY 

TO SURPRISE 

SENIOR CAPTAIN LEADING THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA-DULUTH’S RESURGENCE 

By Dustin Nelson 

The 2016-17 women’s hockey 

season has already brought a 

pleasant slate of surprises across 

the nation. Inside the WCHA, the dominance of 

Wisconsin and Minnesota is in question. Last year, 

only North Dakota was able to best them both. This 

year, early though it may be, the conference divide 

is not nearly as stark. 

One of the biggest challenges is the resurgence 

of the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs, who are ranked 

third in the USA Today/USA Hockey and USCHO 

coaches polls as of Halloween. 

That’s a significant rise for a team that was 

unranked to start the year. Their early schedule 

hasn’t been easy, but they’ve risen to the challenge, 

going 1-0-1 against Boston College, 0-1-1 against 

the Gophers, and taking series sweeps against 

Bemidji State (No. 10), Ohio State, and Minnesota 

State. 

Co-captain Ashleigh Brykaliuk is a big reason for 

their early success. 

Opening weekend the senior forward was named 

WCHA Offensive Player of the Week, scoring four 

goals and an assist against the then no. 3-ranked 

Boston College Eagles. “I think we’re surprising a 

lot of people in the country,” she said following 

an Oct. 14-15 series at Minnesota. “But I think we 

knew coming into the year, after a good summer of 

training, that we had a special team this year.” 

Her play in the early going has made her one of 

the conference’s most dangerous scoring threats 

on UMD’s top line with fellow standout Lara Stalder. 

“You hold your breath when Stalder and Brykaliuk 

have the puck,” Gophers coach Brad Frost said 

after a hard-fought win over the Bulldogs. Both are 

averaging over a point per game and rank among 

the top scorers in the nation. 

“I’ve said it before, I think this is the best team 

we’ve had since I’ve been here for my four years,” 

Brykaliuk said. “We have a lot of depth that we’ve 

lacked in the past. We have a lot of fast forwards 

“I think this is the 

best team we’ve 

had since I’ve 

been here for 

my four years.” 

— Ashleigh Brykaliuk 

up front. We have a lot of good D and our goalie 

(Maddie Rooney) has been huge for us this year. It’s 

definitely a lot better than it has been, I think that’s 

a huge part of our success this year.” 

The depth in Duluth is certainly an area of 

growth. Their scoring prowess goes beyond Stalder 

and Brykaliuk, with Katerina Mrázová, Katherine 

McGovern, and speedy freshman Sydney Brodt all 

proving to be threats early in the year. On defense, 

they’ve got rocks like Sidney Morin and they’re 


Minnesota-Duluth 

co-captain Ashleigh 

Brykaliuk celebrates 

a goal. 

Photo by Minnesota Duluth 

Athletics / Dave Harwig 


22 23 



R 

SENIOR CAPTAIN LEADING THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA-DULUTH’S RESURGENCE 

Minnesota-Duluth’s Ashleigh 

Brykaliuk turns the corner in her 

Think Pink Bulldogs’ jersey. 

Photo by Brent Cizek 


getting outstanding goaltending from 

sophomore Rooney. 

For Brykaliuk, it’s her last shot at bringing 

a title back to Duluth, a program whose 

five national championships rank second 

all-time. But they haven’t captured one 

since 2010 and have only qualified for the 

NCAA Tournament once in that span, an 

appearance in which they didn’t make it to 

the Frozen Four. They’re looking to turn that 

around under second-year coach Maura 

Crowell. 

“It’s more emotional this year when we 

go on road trips. Coming to these rinks 

for the last time definitely has a little more 

fire burning under my butt,” she said in 

Minneapolis. She describes herself as a 

“quiet leader” who leads by example, but 

she’s looking for ways to make sure the team 

capitalizes on their growth. “Our whole 

senior class, we have a strong class, we 

all feel that way. We’re trying to relay that 

feeling down to the rest of the girls, because 

it’s hard to feel unless you’re in that spot.” 

With the way the Bulldogs have managed 

to start the year, she’s not having trouble 

impressing on the younger players that 

there’s something special brewing in 

Duluth. “I think most of the girls know we 

have a special team this year,” she said. “I 

think that’s just a feeling you get when 

you’re on teams. All the girls, they’ve been 

on teams their whole lives. You know when 

you have something special. 

“It’s just the start of the year so far, but 

the coaches know it, we know it, even the 

younger girls, they feel it too. They’re on 

board with us.” 

Other teams around the conference 

know it as well. It’s clear many have 

underestimated the growth the program 

has gone through and the kind of force they 

could be this season. The modest co-captain 

knows teams have their eye on them, but 

she’s not one to overplay her hand. “I think 

we’re off to a decent start,” she said. 6 

24 




ST. CLOUD STATE WOMEN 

WCHA WOMEN / HUSKIES 

A SWISS MYSTERY 

NO MORE 

ST. CLOUD STATE OLYMPIAN MAKES SMOOTH TRANSITION FROM MEN’S TO WOMEN’S HOCKEY 

By Brian Halverson 

In leading the Saint Cloud State 

women’s hockey team to its 

highest win total in six seasons 

last year, goaltending was the least of 

coach Eric Rud’s concerns. With senior Katie 

Fitzgerald gobbling up nearly all of the available 

crease time, all Rud had to do in his second year 

behind the SCSU bench was send her out there and 

watch her backstop 12 of the Huskies’ 13 wins. 

But with Fitzgerald’s departure and subsequent 

signing of a pro contract with the NWHL’s New York 

Riveters, Rud spent the summer thinking a lot about 

his goaltending and how he was going to fill over 

2000 minutes between the pipes. 

“You don’t know what to expect when you have 

three goalies that, basically, you know, one that’s 

never played hockey in the United States at all 

and the other two hadn’t played any meaningful 

minutes in two years,” Rud said. 

The three goalies on Rud’s 2016-17 roster 

entered the season having combined to play the 

equivalent of just over eight full collegiate games 

since 2012, with only sophomore Taylor Crosby’s 

75 minutes coming in a Huskies sweater. Senior 

transfer student, and Edina native, Madeline 

Dahl’s experience came in two seasons with Union 

College prior to sitting out last season. 

That leaves freshman Janine Alder. 

All the 21-year-old Zürich, Switzerland native 

has done is rack up two WCHA Rookie of the Week 

honors in a three week span in her first month as 

a Husky. She stopped 51 of 52 shots in an Oct. 7-8 

split with North Dakota and followed that up two 

weeks later saving 56 of 58 shots in a sweep of 

Minnesota State. 

Those performances, combined with a pair of 

solid early-season Taylor Crosby starts, have Rud 

breathing a little easier heading into the season’s 

second month. 

“I think four 

years of this 

kind of hockey 

prepared me 

the best for 

being here and 

being ready.” 

— Janine Alder 

“So all summer … you’re excited to see who’s 

gonna take the ball and run with it,” Rud said. “And, 

so far, before Taylor got hurt she played a couple 

real nice games and Janine’s been very good back 

there.” 

Alder had never played hockey in the United 

States, much less NCAA Division I women’s hockey. 

In fact, other than international play, including 

winning an Olympic bronze medal in Sochi, Russia 

as a member of the Swiss team in 2014, her resume 


St. Cloud State 

goaltender Janine Alder 

has been a revelation 

for the Huskies. 

Photos by Maddie MacFarlane 


26 27 



ST. CLOUD STATE OLYMPIAN MAKES SMOOTH TRANSITION FROM MEN’S TO WOMEN’S HOCKEY 


included very little women’s hockey, relatively 

speaking. 

Alder honed her skills playing against men 

in suiting up for EHC Winterthur of the Swiss 

National Junior Elite B league, the second highest 

junior hockey league for men in Switzerland. That 

experience left her feeling well prepared for the 

rigors of WCHA women’s hockey. 

“It was very competitive and I really loved 

playing there because it’s such a fast game and 

hard shots and everything,” Alder said. “I think four 

years of this kind of hockey prepared me the best 

for being here and being ready.” 

Huskies assistant coach Steve MacDonald got his 

first look at Alder in the Czech Republic at the 2012 

IIHF World Women’s U18 Championship when he 

was an assistant to Shannon Miller at Minnesota- 

Duluth. MacDonald monitored her progress from 

afar and the pair kept in touch over the years 

primarily via Skype. 

When he arrived in St. Cloud MacDonald 

recommended her to Rud whose only exposure to 

Alder prior to her setting foot on campus was on 

video. 

“There wasn’t a lot of video on her against a lot 

of girls competition so the video we got was of 

a men’s league hockey in Switzerland,” Rud said. 

“The one thing we could see on the tape was her 

footwork. Her skating was excellent and it certainly 

gives her a chance to be square to the puck all the 

time even at her size.” 

According to Alder, by the time the offer came 

she required little convincing. 

“[MacDonald] just asked me if I want to join and 

I was like, ‘Yeah, St. Cloud would be the perfect 

team.’” 

“As a goalie, you don’t want to be on a team 

where you don’t get any shots,” Alder added. “Of 

course, everyone wants to win championships but 

I want to play hockey, that’s my biggest love, and I 

put my heart on the ice every time.” 

Some might suggest making the transition from 

men’s hockey to women’s hockey should make the 

move easier for someone like Alder but both she 

and her coach say otherwise. 

“In reality, sometimes it’s tough, that transition 

year, whether it’s the girls doing it from bantam 

hockey to high school hockey or this level,” 

Rud said. “The plays develop a little slower, it’s 

not coming quite as fast, so I think there is a 

development curve but she seemed to get through 

it pretty quick and has looked very good in there.” 

“The biggest adjustment was from men’s 

hockey adjusting to women’s hockey because it’s 

so different,” Alder said after stopping 33 of 38 

shots in her first start against defending NCAA 

champion Minnesota, a 5-2 loss on Oct. 27. “Today 

it was very close to men’s hockey so it was kind of 

like my game, my style of game, and I really enjoyed 

playing it.” 

Off the ice, although she speaks five languages, 

Alder said it hasn’t always been easy dealing with a 

bit of a language barrier. 

“I speak German and adjusting with the language 

was really tiring in the beginning,” Alder said. “Just 

like translating everything and getting along with 

school. But I think I’m settled right now.” 

With tournament Most Valuable Player and Best 

Goaltender, Florence Schelling, ahead of her on the 

depth chart Alder did not play for Switzerland at 

the 2014 Sochi Games. But you wouldn’t know it by 

the way she lights up when talking about living her 

biggest dream as an athlete. 

“I wasn’t playing but my experience there was 

just huge,” Alder said. “Meeting all these big players 

and big sports people was amazing. Hopefully, I’ll 

experience it once more.” 

One person she met in Sochi who stood out from 

the others in Alder’s wide eyes was someone she 

met in line at the Olympic Village cafeteria, of all 

places, as they were each going through the buffet 

line. 

“I met Henrik Lundqvist, the Swedish goalie, and I 

think he was one of the nicest guys there and just so 

friendly and just so down to earth,” Alder said of the 

long-time New York Rangers goaltender. “He spoke 

to me like if he was like a normal person.” 

One weekend Alder has circled on her calendar 

is Dec 2-3, when Olympic teammate, Lara Stalder, 

and her Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs travel to St. 

Cloud for a set of games. Both players expressed 

excitement the potential first meeting between the 

WCHA’s lone Swiss players. 

“I’m very looking forward to facing her because 

she had some very good games recently and she 

will be on the top of her career I think,” Alder said. 

“She will be going to the NWHL next year so she’s 

one of the top players. I’m really close to her so I’ll 

be looking forward to this, it will be fun.” 

“It’s exciting because because everyone kind of 

like knows players on other teams from high school 

and now I finally know someone from Switzerland 

to play against,” said Stalder, a standout senior 

forward for the Bulldogs and Lucerne, Switzerland 

native. 

“I can’t wait to play against her and maybe put 

some goals behind her,” added Stalder with a 

chuckle. 

Historically, St. Cloud State has struggled to 

put pucks in the net. While that could eventually 

change under Rud’s leadership, keeping them out 

of their own goal will, in the meantime, remain 

that much more critical to any success the Huskies 

have. Goaltending, of course, will continue to play 

a huge role in that and Alder looks forward to the 

challenge. 

“St. Cloud is just in the middle and I think if we 

keep on working hard, we can push St. Cloud to 

the top teams and that’s what I’m looking for,” 

Alder said. “Hopefully I can be a big part of this 

development in St. Cloud to get the team closer to 

the top.” 6 


28 29 



HIGH SCHOOL HOCKEY 

SEASON PREVIEW 

GETTING OVER 

THE BLUES 

WAYZATA AND HERMANTOWN RETURN WITH STRONG TEAMS LOOKING TO REPEAT 

by Tim Kolehmainen 

Last year’s two state champions 

— Wayzata in Class AA and 

Hermantown in Class A — 

overcame disappointing streaks of 

different lengths to bring home the 

trophy. The Trojans claimed the program’s 

first-ever state championship with an upset of 

Eden Prairie, while Hermantown ended six years 

of runner-up finishes by rolling past Breck. So did 

those programs set a trend or will we have familiar 

faces in the winner’s circle? Maybe both. 

That’s a cop-out answer, but a look of our top-15 

programs in each class (see preseason rankings) 

show a great mix of blueblood programs and upand-coming 

powers that heralds a new golden era 

in Minnesota boys’ high school hockey. 

In Class AA, we expect Wayzata to remain 

relevant despite graduation losses and early 

departures, but it will be tough, even within its own 

section as Edina has a young and talented group 

rising in the system. Never count out the Hornets. 

Everyone’s preseason favorite team, Eden Prairie, 

brings back the overwhelming favorite to win Mr. 

Hockey in Casey Mittelstadt (see players to watch). 

He’ll be surrounded by plenty of talent in all three 

zones, anchored by defenseman Nicky Leivermann, 

fellow high-scoring forwards Nolan Sullivan and 

Hunter Johannes, and veteran goaltender Nick 

Wiencek. The Eagles seemingly have no questions. 

Stillwater, our surprise pick as the No. 1 team, 

does have some questions but coach Matt Doman 

might just have all the answers. Goaltender Seth 

Eisele will take over for graduated Josh Benson and 

despite lacking varsity experience, we think he’ll 

be just fine. If anyone can give Mittelstadt a run for 

Mr. Hockey, it could be the Ponies’ Noah Cates. He 

showed his explosive skills in an overtime winner 

against Hill-Murray last winter. But can the Ponies 

continue to knock out Hill-Murray in the section 

tourney? You can bet the Pioneers aren’t happy 

with missing state two of the last three years. 

Section 7AA could feature as many as four top- 

10 teams — Grand Rapids, Elk River, Duluth East, 

and a surprising Cloquet-Esko-Carlton team. The 

battle to get out of that section will be intense. The 

Thunderhawks are our pick based on an all-D1 first 

line. Also up north, Moorhead has been cultivating 

terrific junior and sophomore classes that are 

growing into a varsity powerhouse, but they must 

get the Bemidji monkey off their backs. 

In Class A, it appears to be a four-horse race in 

our eyes, as defending champion Hermantown 

leads a pack of thoroughbreds in Breck, St. Paul 

Academy, and Delano. The Hawks have veterans 

up and down the lineup and a coach who certainly 

knows how to get to the state tournament in Bruce 

Plante. 

Either Breck or Delano won’t be at state, as they 

play in the same section, which is disappointing. 

The Mustangs have held off Delano’s rise thanks 

to a strong offensive and defensive balance. The 

Tigers’ top line might be the best in Class A, led 

by Ben Meyers. It’ll be a great test of strength vs. 

strength in the probable Section 2A final. 

St. Paul Academy has taken over in Section 4A as 

the private school power after St. Thomas Academy 

moved up to Class A. The Spartans have had a 

young team over the past years — and now they’re 

veterans looking to win. 6 

Wayzata coach Pat 

O’Leary celebrates the 

program’s first state 

title last March. 

Photos by Tim Kolehmainen 


32 33 



PRESEASON RANKINGS 

CLASS AA 

1. Stillwater 

uu 

Led by Noah Cates, the Ponies return eight 

players who had double-digit points last year 

and top defensemen Jesse Bjugstad and Jack 

Mapstone. Losing Josh Benson in goal will hurt, 

but senior Seth Eisele should have a big year. 

2. Eden Prairie 

uu 

The Eagles feature the most highly 

anticipated senior season by a high school 

player since, well, Kyle Rau of Eden Prairie. 

Casey Mittelstadt returns to EP seeking that 

elusive state title, just as Rau returned six years 

ago to claim the crown. 

3. Edina 

uu 

Edina’s tradition — and depth — will be 

tested this year with graduation and early 

departures that might cripple most programs. 

But not the Hornets. Edina still had five Elite 

League selections and four players who were 

USA Select attendees over the summer. 

4. Grand Rapids 

uu 

The Thunderhawks graduated their top 

line — all of whom committed to elite college 

programs — but return a new top line with the 

same honors. Juniors Gavin Hain and Blake 

McLaughlin and senior Micah Miller have also 

all given verbals to D1 colleges. 

5. Wayzata 

uu 

The defending state champions might have 

bulletin board material by being picked behind 

Edina. There really doesn’t look like a drop off 

from last year’s team, as Reid Waszczenko 

should take over in goal for Alex Schilling and 

juniors Colin Schmidt, Griffin Ness, and Grant 

Anderson become the next two-way stars for 

coach Pat O’Leary. 

6. Elk River 

uu 

The Elks will be hot on Rapids’ heels with 

an equally deep returning lineup. New coach 

Ben Gustafson brings back six top scorers, 

including 24-goal sniper Max Michaelis. Senior 

defenseman Nick Perbix and sophomore 

forward Jack Perbix also committed to D1 

colleges in the offseason. 

7. Duluth East 

uu 

Veteran East coach Mike Randolph knows 

how to put together a playoff contender, and 

sometimes with much less talent than this 

year’s ‘Hounds. East has experienced talent 

in all three zones, including leading returning 

scorers Ian Mageau and Garret Worth. 

8. Lakeville South 

uu 

South coach AJ Bucchino can trot out five 

defensemen as good as any in the state, with 

three Elite Leaguers (seniors Josh Ess, Sam 

Malinski, and Jack Olsen) and two juniors who 

played for the USA 16s Select team (Dawson 

Klein and Zachary Zemlak). That’s some 

serious blue line depth. 

9. Minnetonka 

uu 

The Skippers could make some noise, as 

the program is bringing up a class of youngsters 

from back-to-back Bantam state championship 

teams. The Skippers might be a year away — 

or they might be ready now. 

10. Moorhead 

uu 

The Spuds not only have a strong junior 

class but also a core of sophomores who were 

part of a state runner-up Bantam AA team. Add 

them with sniping juniors Carter Randklev and 

Cole O’Connell and the smooth play of senior 

Carson Kosobud on the blue line. 

11. Holy Family Catholic 

12. Centennial 

13. Hill-Murray 

14. St. Thomas Academy 

15. Lakeville North 


34 35 


CLASS A 

1. Hermantown 

uu 

No Class A team arguably has the talent 

returning like the Hawks. From goaltender Cade 

McEwen to top defenseman Dylan Samberg, 

to high-scoring forwards Jesse Jacques, Matt 

Valure, Tyler Watkins and Ryan Sandelin, the 

Hawks are loaded again. 

2. Breck 

uu 

Coach Les Larson has a very talented team 

returning, with a veteran goaltender in junior 

Linden Olness and strong defense with Dalton 

Weigel, Nick Strom, and Josh Strom. 

3. St. Paul Academy 

uu 

There isn’t an obvious hole on the team. 

The forward lines are anchored by Matt 

Dahlseide, Jack Johnston, Dev McCabe , Will 

Kelly, and Riley Bowman, all of whom had 

between 11 and 28 goals last year. 

4. Delano 

uu 

With most of its top two lines, strong 

defensemen, and two goaltenders returning, 

Delano will be a strong contender to knock 


Breck out in the section tournament. The Tigers’ 

top line of Ben Meyers, John Keranen, and 

Brian Halonen all played in the Elite League 

and combined for 70 goals and 161 points a 

year ago. 

5. St. Cloud Cathedral 

6. Mahtomedi 

7. Greenway 

8. East Grand Forks 

9. Orono 

10. Alexandria 

11. Northfield 

12. Mankato West 

13. Totino-Grace 

14. Minnehaha Academy 

15. Warroad

PLAYERS TO WATCH 

• CASEY MITTELSTADT — EDEN PRAIRIE 

u u SR. F — 6’0, 190 

An offensively gifted player with hands, deft feet, laser sharp shooting, vision 

and now has upped his game with high end leadership skills. 

• NOAH CATES — STILLWATER 

u u SR. F — 5’11, 160 

Epitome of a rink-rat who is a crafty playmaker that an finish. His insane goal in 

overtime sums up his game: clutch, great hands, great feet, shifty, and creative. 

• BEN MEYERS — DELANO 

u u SR. F — 5’11, 190 

An elite skater with great vision and the ability to win battles in all areas of the 

ice. Can take over the game in all three zones or without the puck. 

• RYAN SANDELIN — HERMANTOWN 

u u SR. F — 6’1, 190 

Minnesota State recruit who is a relentless and tough power forward. Has 

excellent skating and vision on the ice. Competes all over the rink. 

• MATT ANDERSON — HOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC 

u u SR. D — 5’11, 180 

In his fifth year of high school hockey, the UM-Duluth recruit brings a ton of 

speed, skills, and hockey sense to the blue line. 

• HENRY ENEBAK — LAKEVILLE NORTH 

u u SR. F — 6’1, 185 

Will be counted on to provide big offense after scoring 20 goals as a junior. The 

St. Cloud State recruit is a tough and physical player. 

• GAVIN HAIN — GRAND RAPIDS 

u u JR. F — 5’11, 185 

North Dakota recruit who scored 18 goals as a sophomore for the state 

tourney-bound Thunderhawks. Ready to explode and lead Rapids back to the X. 

• JOSHUA ESS — LAKEVILLE SOUTH 

u u SR. D — 5’11, 182 

A two-year captain for South, can change the game with his skills or his head. 

Phenomenal skills and reliable in all situations, including special teams. 

• MATT DAHLSEIDE — ST. PAUL ACADEMY 

u u SR. F — 6’0, 175 

With a quick release and a hard, heavy shot, Dahlseide led SPA in scoring last 

year with 25 goals and 53 points. Good nose for the net. 

• JAKE BEGLEY — HILL-MURRAY 

u u SR. G — 6’1, 190 

Experienced goaltender with great athleticsm. Has quick feet, hands, 

anticipation, and great vision for the game around him. 

• LINDEN OLNESS — BRECK 

u u JR. G — 6’1, 195 

Second-year starter in goal for Breck, led the Mustangs to state as a sophomore. 

Has great size and squares up to the puck well. 

36 




BOOK OF THE MONTH 

DUKE PIEPER 

I’M ALIVE 

HILL-MURRAY GRADUATE’S INSPIRATIONAL STORY OF RECOVERING FROM SERIOUS ILLNESS 

My name is Duke Pieper 

and I graduated from 

Hill-Murray in 2012. I am 

the author of my book “I’m Alive Courage, 

Hope, and a Miracle.” My book was 

recently published by a company by the 

name of Triumph Books out of Chicago. 

I was a hockey player myself I played at 

Shattuck St. Mary’s and in 2008 I had a 

cavernous hemangioma. I came close 

to death multiple times. During the first 

surgery I actually had a 5% chance to live 

and on another occasion I was only hours 

away from dying. I also had multiple brain 

infections and the last one landed on my 

spinal cord paralyzing me from head to 

toe. From this point on I had to re-learn 

everything from walking to talking, eating 

to breathing. 

I believe the true reason I made 

it through those nine months in the 

hospital was to help other people! I truly 

believe that with the things that I had 

to experience and had overcome in my 

recovery it all was to share my story and 

help other people. 

So in my book along with telling my 

story on how I got through everything I 

put 15 bullet points in the back pertaining 

to how I overcame those challenges and 

adversities in my recovery. I made it real 

general though so anyone can relate to 

it no matter what the situation is or no 

matter what you’re trying to overcome. I 

have also started a Foundation “The Pieper Hope 

and Courage Foundation”. All the proceeds from 

the book go to my Foundation and the Foundation 

is looking to buy books for people who can not 

afford them or who are not in a position to buy one. 

My goal is then to go into hospitals and hand my 

book out and talk with them about whatever it is 

that they are trying to overcome. 

Along with book signings I also give speeches to 

churches, schools, and companies. I also have done 

events with companies sharing my story trying to 

assist others. 

Website: http://pieperfoundation.org 

Excerpt From: Duke Pieper with Jim Bruton. “I’m Alive.” 

CHAPTER 2. DOCTORS AND DENIALS 

My life was firing on all cylinders. 

In my own private world of sports, 

everything had been going well for me. I 

can’t think of a single thing that I would have wanted 

to be different. I lived and breathed sports. It was all I 

was interested in and all I wanted to do. It consumed 

me. Hockey was at the very top of the list—because I 

was really good at it and, more importantly, because 

I loved the sport, the arenas, the competition, and 

the speed of the game. It stimulated me. I was one of 

the best players on my Edina-area hockey team, and 

I was having a blast. 

And then one day, something changed. This 

day, things just didn’t seem right. I was in a hockey 

tournament in White Bear Lake, playing for our 

Peewee A-level team. Something was very wrong, 

but I didn’t know what it was. I couldn’t even explain 

it. At first I thought it was my skates that were the 

problem; they seemed to be really dull. I had taken 

a couple falls on the ice, which was very unusual for 

me. In fact, I rarely, if ever, fell during a game. When 

I went down a second time, I knew something was 

wrong. I was always in control of my body and my 

movements on the ice. For me, wearing skates was 

more comfortable than wearing shoes. If I could 

have been on them all the time, it would have been 

fine with me. 

So what on earth was going on? It had to be 

the skate blades. They must be dull, I reasoned. It 

seemed to me the only explanation. I remember 

coming off the ice and taking off my skates. I was in 

a mild panic. I yelled to my dad, “My skates must be 

dull. My skates must be dull!” Dad quickly got them 

sharpened at the arena, and I went back out on the 

ice. But I kept falling. I would stumble and seemingly 

lose control of what I was doing. If it wasn’t the 

skates, what was it? I didn’t know, and it scared me. 

Skating, handling the puck, moving up and 

down the ice was as natural for me as anything I 

ever did, and suddenly it seemed as if I had never 

done it before. For the first time in my life, it didn’t 

come naturally. I had always been an aggressive 

hockey player—always around the puck, handling 

the puck, playing the game as it should be played. I 

was a good defenseman and rarely let anyone score 

when I was on the ice. On the offensive side, I had to 

work a little harder, but overall I held my own. I had 

a good shot and good puck control. I shot from my 

left side and worked hard at all aspects of the game 

I loved. 

When I got the skates back, I thought the edge 

on my skate blades was gone completely. The 

arena sharpening hadn’t worked—and the small 

sharpening tool that we carried had no effect either. 

My thoughts changed course. If it’s not the skate 

blades, then what is it? Is it me? It’s hard to describe, 

but it felt like everything my body knew about the 

game of hockey had disappeared. Everything that 

had come so naturally to me was out of reach. My 

reactions were slow. My confidence was shattered. 

I had never had this feeling before. It shocked 

me. Suddenly all my skills seemed to disappear. My 

abilities, my confidence, my passion had gone in an 

instant. I didn’t even have the excited feeling that I 

“For the first 

time in my life, 

(hockey) didn’t 

come naturally.” 

— Duke Pieper 

normally had when on the ice. Worse, I was scared. 

I was playing as a defenseman during the game, 

but I had difficulty going forward and backward. 

This was new to me. I was trying to figure out exactly 

what I was doing wrong. 

Meanwhile, something else was happening. I had 

a lot of pressure in my head. It was like that feeling 

you sometimes get on an airplane, when your ears 

get plugged and you feel like they are ready to pop 

at any second, but the pressure keeps building and 

building. My mind raced. I remembered that earlier 

in the season I played in a few games when a milder 

version of this occurred, but I had dismissed it. 

There was another game, after which I came 

off the ice and told my mom, “Mom, there is really 

something wrong with me. We are going to have 

to figure out what it is, because I don’t feel right 



38 39 



Excerpt From: Duke Pieper with Jim Bruton. “I’m Alive.” 


out there on the ice. I don’t know what it is but 

something is not right. I don’t feel good at all.” But 

then I was okay for a while so I quickly forgot about 

it—until it started happening again. The worst 

part was that I couldn’t even explain what was 

happening because it was difficult to describe. All I 

knew was that I had lost my hockey skills, my ability 

to play the game the way I had been taught and the 

way I excelled at it. 

The pressure was constant. My balance on the 

ice was terrible. And when I tried to go backward 

I would fall down. The best way I can describe it 

is that it felt like I had forgotten to take my skate 

guards off. That’s the way it seemed to me at the 

time. 

Everything about hockey had long been 

routine for me. It was comfortable. It was what I 

had done for years and years with no issues, no 

problems. I could do anything in my skates. I was so 

accustomed to wearing my skates that I could sense 

if the slightest thing was off—a blade was dull, a 

skate wasn’t tight enough, that kind of thing. My 

skates were like an extension of my body. 

At first, my mom thought it was some kind of 

a sinus problem because of the head pressure I 

was experiencing. After the game, she made an 

appointment for me to see an ear doctor first to 

find out what might be causing that pressure. Later, 

I had a CT scan, which identified the real problem. 

I call it a “ball of blood,” but it is more commonly 

referred to as a brain bleed. The official name for 

what was discovered is cavernous hemangioma. 

So we had a reason for the problem. It was a little 

more clear, but I wasn’t willing to accept it at first. I 

remember coming out into the waiting room after 

the test and saying to my mom, “Come on, let’s 

go. It’s nothing. Let’s go home. It’s no big deal.” I 

wanted out of there. I didn’t want to hear any bad 

news. 

My mom looked up at me and said, “Duke, sit 

down. I need to talk with you.” I remember asking, 

“Wait, why do I need to sit down? Aren’t we going 

home? What’s wrong?” She was really quiet and 

said, “Duke, you need to sit down. I need to talk 

with you. There is something seriously wrong.” I 

didn’t want to hear it. I wanted no part of any bad 

news. 

I didn’t know what she was talking about. And 

frankly, I didn’t want to know. I had just finished 

playing in a hockey tournament and felt halfway 

fine again—I mean, nothing serious. I felt like 

whatever I had experienced was no big deal. Sure, 

I was having some problems on the ice that were 

concerning to me, no question about that, but 

something seriously wrong? No way! I had a lot 

more hockey to play, and I was not going to let a 

problem in one game derail me from what was 

“There is 

nothing wrong, 

everything is 

fine, I remember 

thinking. I knew 

it...I suppose I 

was in denial.” 

— Duke Pieper 

ahead. 

My mom didn’t get into the details of what had 

been found on the test, but she kept clearly saying 

to me that there was a serious problem that had 

been discovered. We ended up leaving the clinic 

where I had the test and driving directly to the 

hospital. I still had not been told what exactly was 

wrong. All I knew was we were on the way to the 

hospital for more tests. Tests? Why do I need more 

tests? I’m okay. There is nothing wrong, everything 

is fine, I remember thinking. I knew it. At least I think 

I did. I suppose I was in denial. 

I was admitted into the hospital and they began 

to run a series of tests on me. Even so, I wasn’t 

concerned. I figured it was just some kind of minor 

setback. During the night, the medical staff checked 

on me seemingly constantly because I had a low 

heart rate and they suspected that something 

might be wrong. But the low rate was caused by 

the good condition my body was in from being 

an athlete, nothing more. It made me feel good 

to know that I was in great shape; it was a little 

consolation considering the position I was in at the 

time. 6Excerpt From: Duke Pieper with Jim Bruton. “I’m Alive.” 


40 41 



715-796-2500

YOUTH HOCKEY 

YOUTH HOCKEY 

FUELED BY PASSION 

YOUTH HOCKEY SHOULDN’T BE RULED BY FORCE, BUT BY A LOVE OF THE GAME 

by Hal Tearse 

My son is a first year mite and he 

is crying and does not want to 

participate when I take him to 

the rink.” 

“My daughter is a first year player and cannot 

skate as well as the other kids and does not pay 

attention to the coach.” 

“My child keeps coming over to the edge of the 

rink door to talk to me during practice. What should 

I do?” 

These are questions that parents ask and wonder 

how to handle. Not surprisingly, some kids take to 

hockey like a duck to water, but many kids will need 

to take time to develop a love and passion for the 

game. And some will not regardless of what the 

parents want. 

As parents it is important to recognize that early 

year mite skaters are very young children and many 

are likely not ready to meet the expectations of 

parents or coaches. Since we start kids in some 

program as early as 4 years old, it would be foolish 

to have any expectations on their performance, 

interest levels, and skills. 

The primary goal at these younger ages is to 

simply have fun and develop skating skills while 

they are engaged in activities that are suited to 

their views of the world. In other words simple play 

with pucks, balls, or other play objects that are 

familiar to them. 

It is amazing to watch first year skaters improve 

each and every time they come to the rink just by 

being out there. Each week they improve, their 

confidence builds and before you know it they are 

actually skating around the rink having a great time. 

But what if my child really is unhappy at the rink? 

Take the child home. 

Forcing a youngster to go to the rink is not a 

good beginning. Many parents feel that if their 

child does not start at the same age as other kids it 

will be too late to catch up. That notion is fostered 

by other well‐meaning parents but the evidence 

shows that it is false and there are many examples 

that illustrate it. 

I know of one particular college player who 

refused his father’s best intentions to have him play 

mite hockey. He wanted nothing to do with it. He 

cried and thrashed around on his first day of mites. 

He refused to participate. 

“Forcing a 

youngster to 

go to the rink 

is not a good 

beginning.” 

— Hal Tearse 

He did not return to the rink to play, by his own 

decision, until four years later as a squirt. This 

youngster missed the first four years of hockey 

but he went on to play high school hockey, juniors 

and college hockey. He needed to decide that he 

wanted to play and once he did he caught up with 

his peers within a couple years. 

There are many such examples of kids starting 

a few years later and catching up with the other 

kids very quickly. As a high school coach I have 

also witnessed several low skilled players dedicate 

themselves to improvement and ultimately 

achieved far more than one would think possible. 

Player development is a twenty year process. 

As a parent it is important to understand that at 

any age, a child can developmentally be as many 

as four years older or four years younger than the 

average child for that age. A 12-year-old could have 

the physical and mental maturity of a 16 year old, 

and of course the opposite is true. Coaches will 

attest that at any age group some players are far 

more advanced than others. 

Most kids will likely fall into the middle range 

and a few are outside the averages. The A levels 

in youth hockey are populated by players who 

developmentally are ahead of the rest of the kids in 

their group at that time period. As kids get older the 

differences narrow and very often the perennial “A” 

player gets passed up by players who took a couple 

more years to develop physically and mentally. 

Photo by Kent Lungstrom 

The first couple years of mite hockey should be 

all about having fun and developing a passion for 

games on ice. Parents need not worry about paying 

attention to coaches nor be concerned about 

children who do not want to be there. 

Put yourself in their tiny skates or shoes and do 

the right thing. If they are miserable take them 

home. They will tell you when they want to return. 

If they love the experience take them more often. 

6 


44 45 



TRAINING 

IN THE TRAINING ROOM 

THE LUMBERYARD 

THE LUMBERYARD HOCKEY TRAINING PHILOSOPHY STRESSES ‘SOUP TO NUTS’ 

When it comes to hockey, The 

LumberYard takes a ‘soup to 

nuts’ approach — providing a 

full slate of training options that take 

players from the preschool years all 

the way up to the golden years. 

OUR ADM PHILOSOPHY 

All of The LumberYard hockey training programs 

closely follow the American Development Model 

endorsed by USA Hockey. 

THE WOODWAY BLADE 

SKATING TREADMILL 

Our unique skating treadmill allows our 

trainers to teach correct skating technique while 

emphasizing proper shooting and puck handling. 

The ability to multi-task while skating allows all 

athletes to be pushed to the edge. 

We provide one-on-one feedback on skating 

technique and mechanics immediately to the 

athletes as they train on the treadmill. Our qualified 

trainers are able to analyze and provide timely 

feedback to maximize every athlete’s time and 

effort. 

We provide multiple repetitions of hockeyspecific 

skill training. This includes: catching, 

shooting, and puck-handling while skating, vision 

training (eyes up, head up), and decision-making 

with the puck. 

Hockey is the fastest game in the world. We train 

athletes to make good decisions with and without 

the puck at game speed. Athletes will receive 

more touches with the puck in 30 minutes at The 

LumberYard than a typical 60-minute practice. 

The fun and challenging learning environment 

at The LumberYard is a perfect complement to an 

athlete’s on-ice development. Getting kids out 

of the rink to advance them athletically provides 

them with a wider variety of experiences leading 

to greater success on the ice. We train athletes to 

become the best hockey players they can be. 

MITES/U8 

We put the FUN in fundamentals. The Mite/ 

U8 phase of development is critical for young 

athletes to learn and build simple sports skills and 

overall motor skills. These skills include hand-eye 

coordination, balance, agility, and speed. These 

fundamentals are specifically developed by 

structuring games, activities, and training to focus 

on quality repetitions and consistent feedback. 

Skipping over the specialized skill development 

that occurs during this stage can have a detrimental 

effect on the child’s future athletic development. 

SQUIRTS/U10 

During this stage of development young athletes 

begin to learn how to train. Speed, agility and 

coordination are still developing very rapidly at this 

time. Core strength can begin to be introduced. 

It is essential for athletes to learn the importance 

of physical conditioning, hockey skills, and the 

development of proper decision making in simple 

game situations. We develop decision making by 

including complementary sports off the ice. There 

can be a significant difference in every individual’s 

development during this stage, so we tailor each 

individual athlete’s training to his or her needs. 

PEEWEE/U12 

We continue our focus on developing the 

understanding of what training is, and the 

importance of developing overall hockey skills. 

This is a key phase to learning good technique 

through quality training. Good technique will 

be the foundation for future strength and skill 

development. Core strength can begin to be 

mastered during this developmental stage. 

Athletes are also developing a greater mental 

capacity to execute good decision-making skills 

in more complex game situations. Once again all 

programs are tailored to specific needs of each 

athlete, due to the wide variances in physical 

development. 

BANTAM/U14 

At this stage of development it is critical for 

athletes to develop many different aspects of 

fitness. We begin to see greater potential for 

muscle development, and a greater capacity to 

handle shorter bursts of high intensity training 

required for the game of hockey. As with the earlier 

stages of development it is crucial to continue 

the development of sport specific skills. We also 

begin to develop decision making in realistic game 

scenarios under increased pressure. 

HIGH SCHOOL 

This stage of development is where athletes 

focus on and learn how to compete. Programs 

are developed with a high level of commitment 

required to be a high-end athlete. We use 

competition to reinforce skills being learned, and 

the dedication needed to have success in the game 

of hockey. We also continue to see the capacity 

for great gains in strength and overall fitness level. 

Athletes at this stage should have the ability to 

make good decisions in game scenarios with gamelike 

pressure. We can now begin to teach tactical 

game strategies that put every athlete in the best 

position for success as possible. 6 

Photo courtesy of The Lumberyard 


48 49 





HEALTHY HOLIDAYS 

TIPS FOR CELEBRATING THE HOLIDAYS...WITHOUT GOING OVERBOARD 

by Jill Tiffany, CN, CPT 

The holidays are a time for celebrating with those 

we love. They are times of sharing old memories 

and making new ones. They are a time of love 

and joy. However, as the holidays approach, many 

people start to feel anxious as they recall their past 

experiences of overeating and weight gain. Here 

are my tips so you can enjoy the holiday season 

without guilt…and without sabotaging your weight 

and health! 

Jill’s Top 10 Holiday Eating Tips 

FOLLOW the PFF-Rule (eat Protein, Fat, & Fiber in 

every meal to feel satiated). 

BEGIN your meal with raw food (even just a bite 

or two); the live enzymes in raw food help promote 

digestion. 

USE a small plate = less food. 

GIVE yourself rules before you get to a party 

(having just one drink, just one plate, etc.) 

START with veggies, lean meat, etc, leave bread 

for last (or avoid altogether). 

BRING along a healthy treat to share like 

“Coconut Chocolate Chip Bars” (recipe below). 

EAT slowly (food digests better and you’ll feel full 

sooner). 

PUT your fork down between bites. 

TAKE time to converse with others; you will 

probably eat less food. 

AVOID overdoing it on alcohol and fancy drinks 

which which can be loaded with sugar and calories. 

COCONUT CHOCOLATE CHIP BARS 

Ingredients 

• 2 eggs 

• 2 T coconut oil, melted 

• 2 T pure maple syrup 

• 1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract 

• 2 cups finely shredded unsweetened coconut 

• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips 

Instructions 

Mix all ingredients and bake in greased 9x9 pan 

at 350°F for about 20 minutes until golden brown. 

Helping you live more! 

Jill Tiffany runs a private practice in Baldwin, WI, as a Clinical 

Nutritionist and Certified Personal Trainer. She has been a 

health educator for 25 years coaching high school athletics, 

teaching Physical Education, serving as a consultant for athletic 

teams, and implementing wellness plans for corporations. Jill 

is a nutrition and fitness writer for MinnesotaHockeyMagazine. 

com & has contributed to Midwest Events Magazine. She also 

serves on the Health Advisory Board for Supplement Spot. 

50 




HOCKEY MOM OF THE MONTH 

HOCKEY MOM 

TANYA SIMON 

ANOKA MOTHER OF THREE NAMED NOVEMBER’S HOCKEY MOM OF THE MONTH 

Congrats to Tanya Simon from 

Anoka, MN on being our Hockey 

Mom of the Month. Tanya has two 

boys in hockey, Alex plays Bantam A for Anoka 

and Nate plays SL3 at Minnesota Made, team 

Nordiques. Her daughter Kenzie stopped playing 

two years ago. 

Being a mom with one player is crazy enough, 

so I can’t imagine how Tanya does it with two 

in hockey. She has been team mom in previous 

years, makes the door tags for the out-of-town 

tournaments. Her room tends to be the “party 

room” for the boys during those tournaments. If 

your kids need a ride to hockey, you can pretty 

much count on Tanya, she is always willing to 

drive. 

Tanya is also the mom that we all turn to for 

pictures. She is the team photographer and we 

love her for it. With her endless trips out to Edina 

for Nate and back to Anoka for Alex for practices 

and games she is also driving Kenzie to volleyball. 

This mom is one busy lady! Congrats on being 

Hockey Moms USA, Hockey Mom of the Month. 

6 

Photo courtesy of Hockey Moms 

52 




U.S. HOCKEY HALL OF FAME 

HALL OF FAMER 

WALTER L. BUSH, JR 

1980 UNITED STATES HOCKEY HALL OF FAME ENSHRINEE 

Known widely as the primary 

founder of the Minnesota 

North Stars, Walter Bush has 

pursued hockey as a prep school 

player, college and amateur player, 

amateur coach and Olympic manager, 

before getting into the executive 

side of the professional aspect of the 

sport. 

The Minneapolis native began his hockey career 

at Breck School and continued at Dartmouth. 

While working on his law degree at the University 

of Minnesota, he kept his skates in practice playing 

senior hockey and helping to organize the U.S. 

Central League. 

He then became active on the international 

scene, managing the 1959 U.S. National Team and 

the 1964 U.S. Olympic Team, serving on the U.S. 

Olympic Committee in 1963, and later a four year 

term on the USOC’s Hockey Section. He has also 

participated as president and vice president of the 

Minnesota Amateur Hockey Association and as a 

director of the Amateur Hockey Association of the 

United States. 

Instrumental in bringing professional hockey to 

Minnesota in the form of the Minneapolis Bruins, 

Bush later put all his credentials to work in securing 

an NHL franchise for Minnesota. That effort was a 

major step in the road to October 21, 1967, when 

the Minnesota North Stars played their first game 

against California at the Metropolitan Sports 

Center. Bush was the first “grass roots American” to 

win the Lester Pat4rick Trophy, which he received in 

1973, as well as being named NHL Executive of the 

Year in 1972 by the Hockey News. 

Hockey has been a major force in the life of 

Walter Bush during most of his years on this earth. 

That means that Bush is delighted to spend every 

minute of each day dealing with the sport he loves 

Photo courtesy of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame 

best. When control of the North Stars passed 

to George and Gordon Gund, the new owners 

chose Bush as vice president. They recognized his 

devotion to hockey, his wide range of knowledge of 

the sport and its people, and his experience as club 

founder and chief executive officer. He has served 

as governor or alternate governor of the team in 

every year of its existence. 

Sadly, the Minnesota and USA Hockey 

communities lost one of its greatest champions 

when Bush passed away on Sept. 22, 2016 at the age 

of 86. 6 

54

Minnesota Hockey Magazine for Nov. 2016 (volume 4, issue 1)

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