Hello from Duluth's beautiful Canal Park, site of the first stop for the inaugural Puck Drop Tour of Minnesota. Yep, I'm hitting the road to catch up with the state's men's and women's Division I college hockey programs for stories that will appear in upcoming Puck Drop newsletters to preview the 2019-20 season. Today, I made the drive to the Northland and spent most of the day at AMSOIL Arena.
To say there's optimism in Duluth is an understatement. The men's team is the two-time defending NCAA champion and returns the bulk of its talent from 2018-19, while a deep and veteran women's team has its sights on a return to the NCAA tournament.
Men's coach Scott Sandelin and his Bulldogs begin their title defense Oct. 11-12 at home against Massachusetts-Lowell. Their hope is to end the season in Detroit at the NCAA Frozen Four with a chance to become the first team since Michigan from 1951 to '53 to win three consecutive titles.
RANDY JOHNSON
