On Saturday, January 19th, the State of Hockey celebrated their 13th annual Hockey Day Minnesota hosted in Bemidji, MN. I was lucky enough to be a part of it. This is a day where high school and college hockey teams get the privilege to play hockey on an outdoor rink. Ever since I was a youth hockey player I have always dreamt of experiencing and watching this day in person any hockey connoisseur would love to be a part of. From waking up at 5:30 am to spending the full day watching hockey until 10 pm, it was a day to remember for sure.
The highest the temperatures got Saturday was just shy of zero degrees. Both my boyfriend and I bundled up in layers and layers of clothes, socks and mittens and off we went to the outdoor rink. We arrived in time to watch the Bemidji State University and Minnesota State University, Mankato women’s hockey teams take the ice. The MSU Mavericks ended up taking the win 2-1, woohoo! During periods of the game there were a lot of bonfires and warming houses to warm up in, vendors to eat at and merchandise to shop for. The atmosphere was like no other; it’s hard to put into words. Although it was bitterly cold, you could tell everyone was happy to be there and it ended up being a record-breaking year for Hockey Day Minnesota.
If you at all like hockey, this is a day you want to be a part of. It went beyond my expectations and I would do it over and over again despite the cold. Happy Belated Hockey Day Minnesota 2019!