The fan cooling Breck in the state tournament locker room blows lucky air.
Mustangs coach Les Larson carries a fan that belonged to his mother to every trip Breck makes to Xcel Energy Center. Though many of the current Breck players don't know of its significance, it's special to Larson and several of his graduated teams. A good luck charm, superstition, or tradition, whichever one helps the Mustangs advance that day.
The now-deceased Agnes was at every game her son played or coached. Hockey was almost as important to her as Les.
"She loved hockey," the coach said. "Tim McNeill [of Notre Dame hockey] used to tell me, 'There is only one person at the rink longer than me, and that's your mother.' Now we have to prop that door and blow Agnes' fan."
Crossing the border
East Grand Forks and University of North Dakota hockey have developed a close bond.
The city on the border of Minnesota and North Dakota shares the two programs and many family ties. Sophomore center Bixon Bowen's dad played and coached at UND. He led the Sioux to a national title in 2000.
Eddie Eades' dad played for and coached a national championship UND team. Green Wave coach Tyler Palmiscno was a Sioux, along with a brother of East Grand Forks current Loven pair of brothers. Colton Poolman's father is an athletic trainer at UND, and his brother Tucker has committed to play for the the Grand Forks-based powerhouse.
Tweet it
Wayzata goaltender Aaron Dingmann expressed his excitement through Twitter before Thursday's quarterfinal using the hashtag "amped." He stuck with the descriptor to explain his emotions after winning an overtime thriller against Centennial.
"Probably a little more amped up than before the game," he said.
Wayzata's Pat O'Leary stepped in to help the senior explain himself by saying, "I think he's going to retweet his own tweet."
