1994: In the fourth of six NHL neutral site games played at Target Center the season after the North Stars bolted for Dallas, a paltry announced crowd of 6,388 watched the lowly Winnipeg Jets top the even lowlier Ottawa Senators 6-1. Those on hand – which did not include a Star Tribune photographer or reporter (the above photo is from a different NHL game at Target Center) – say the crowd was closer to 2,500 at an arena that can hold 17,800 for hockey.
The games were part of the 1992 NHL strike settlement that saw 26 games played at neutral sites overall, from Sacramento to Halifax.
It wasn't the best look for a market eager to pick up pro hockey again. Especially when one considers that on the other side of Minneapolis, some 9,360 packed Mariucci Arena to watch the Gophers beat St. Cloud State 5-3 in a showdown for the WCHA championship.
For what it's worth, Nelson Emerson, Keith Tkachuk, Boris Mironov and Alexei Zhamnov each had a goal and an assist for the Jets.
1969: Minneapolis Roosevelt beat St. Paul Harding 3-2 in the Twin Cities Game.
1979: Mankato State and Chicago Circle tied 4-4 to split the NCAA Division II West championship.
1989: Chris Tucker's hat trick, including the game-winner in overtime, gives Bloomington Jefferson a 5-4 state-championship victory over Rochester John Marshall.
1999: Dan Welch scored twice in the final minute, the last with 0:00.2 left on the clock, as Hastings beat Blaine 7-6 in the Class 2A state quarterfinals.
2004: Wayzata ended a 50-year state tournament drought with a 6-3 section final victory over Minnetonka
2014: The boys' hockey tournament is broadcast fully in HD for the first time on Ch. 45, with ESPN announcer Gary Thorne behind the mic for the games.
