Mike Lundin: Living the dream

Details: Last Updated on Sunday, 27 May 2012 23:31

By Pete Waggoner

Honing his skills at the local parks and playing numerous game 7’s in neighborhood street hockey games, former Apple Valley Eagle and current Minnesota Wild defenseman Mike Lundin looks to his youth and high school experience as the cornerstone to his development that took him from high school hockey all the way to the National Hockey League.

Lundin reflected on his childhood and remembered watching North Stars and Gopher games with his father. Meanwhile, his memory of high school hockey stretches back even further as he recalled watching the State High School Hockey Tournament while at day care.

It is the exposure to the game from his father and competitive nature of hockey that drew the fire to play hockey from Lundin that still burns in him today.

Jackman making the type of marks he once left

Details: Last Updated on Sunday, 27 May 2012 23:31

By Nick Clark
Sun Newspapers

The hole that was once butt-ended out of the glass surrounding the ice rink inside the Brooklyn Park Community Center was fixed long ago, but if you look close enough, there are remnants of its originator.
BPCC’s rink is now home to the North Metro high school programs, but a little more than a decade ago, Park Center played its home hockey games there, a time when the Pirates had a realistic opportunity to play for a state boys championship in the 1999-2000 season.

The optimism stemmed from a week in January, when Park Center beat then-No. 1-ranked Elk River and No. 2 Blaine. And it was around then when that hole was punched through the glass – courtesy of one Tim Jackman.

Slow and Steady Development

Details: Last Updated on Sunday, 27 May 2012 23:31

Former Eden Prairie standout defenseman Chris Berenguer advanced and excelled his way up the hockey ladder

By Tim Kolehmainen

Breakdown Sports USA

Once is an anomaly. Twice might be signaling a trend.

Earlier this year, former Eden Prairie and Hamline standout defenseman Chris Berenguer became the second straight Minnesota high school hockey product – and second consecutive MIAC player — to win the Sid Watson Trophy as Division III national player of the year.

Two years ago, Gustavus Adolphus’ David Martinson (St. Louis Park) took home the award. Like Berenguer, Martinson also played through his senior season of high school before moving up the ladder.

Osseo grad Bonner finding his groove in USHL

Details: Last Updated on Sunday, 27 May 2012 23:31

By Nick Clark
Sun Newspapers

It wasn’t that long ago that a statistics sheet would do plenty to prove Tim Bonner’s worth to a hockey team.

In high school, the Osseo graduate filled it almost nightly, to the point that after four years of playing varsity hockey for the Orioles, he graduated in 2011 as the all-time leading goal scorer and point producer at Osseo.

Before then, it was much the same, as his high-powered youth numbers had him debuting with the Osseo varsity as a ninth-grader.

But then came this season, his first in the United States Hockey League, where patience was going to do even more for his pedigree than points.

In Familiar Territory

Details: Last Updated on Sunday, 27 May 2012 23:31

Last year’s state runner-up, Duluth East is ranked No. 1 in Class AA and ready to claim its first title since 1998

By Andrew Vitalis

Mike Randolph remembers the ride back home to Duluth from St. Paul last year, fresh off their overtime defeat to Eden Prairie in the state final. He remembers talking to his coaches, predicting how the 2011 season was going to start. His prediction was, well, right on.

“We expected it,” Randolph said when asked about the Greyhounds’ No. 1 ranking in Class AA. “I remember talking at the end of last year and we figured we were going to be targeted out of the gates, considering who was coming back. We’ve been down this road before and we as coaches know that rankings don’t mean anything. Over the years we’ve developed a schedule that includes a bunch of great opponents, opponents who have become big rivalries, so no matter what we’re ranked, our opponents are going to be coming after us every night.”

The target on their sweater is the size of Lake Superior. Not only did East finish as state runner-ups, but they return arguably the best scoring line in the state.