In the city that calls the Minnesota Gophers home, the University of North Dakota men's hockey team was honored Sunday in an on-field ceremony at Target Field before the Twins took on the Canada-based Toronto Blue Jays.
Wearing their green UND jerseys and smiles that could not be contained, the players lined up on the sun-drenched field. Among them was star defenseman Gage Ausmus. The standout from East Grand Forks — that's in Minnesota — clutched the NCAA title trophy as a television camera zoomed in for a close-up.
North Dakota captured the title last month with a 5-1 win over Quinnipiac.
Now, how in the heck did the Gophers' most hated hockey rivals score such an honor in Minneapolis? The Twins' team president is Dave St. Peter, a proud University of North Dakota graduate.
But lament not, Gophers fans. It's U of M Night at the stadium on Tuesday when the Twins face the Royals.
Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482
