Ahhhh, HOCKEY!!!

Posted on November 9, 2013 by tomobert63

11-5-13-1

Well, I suppose you’re wondering what this photo has to do with hockey (I know I would be!).  Let me ‘splain:

Thanks again to Mikko and Carlson Music Center for bringing David Francey back to Alex.  And last night [Tuesday] he was introduced by Alexandria mayor, Sara Carlson, who apparently has some connection to the facility (in fact, Ron was a late arrival to the concert as he was down at their new store location in Woodbury).  Sara introduced them as “David Francey and the guys.”  Well, Francey picked right up on that noting they haven’t established a group name and are just known collectively as “David Francey.”  😉  He said the banjo player suggested “David Francey and the Tour de Francey.”  I kinda like “David Francey and the Guys.”

Here’s his video of “Skating Rink,” which impressively is the theme song of Hockey Day in Canada broadcasts:

“Skating Rink”:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wq_07HbxIUU

So, now you know.  🙂  Friday was the season opener for the Cardinal girls’ hockey team.  We lost six key seniors off last year’s team – and our participation numbers are down.  Yet, we enter the new season with optimism about another state tournament run.  We had a turnover in the coaching staff.  Blair Hovel, who was the assistant coach when we won the state championship in ’08, is back as the head coach.  Ashley Secord-Holmes, who was an all-state defenseman on the ’08 team and has graduated from North Dakota where she played D-1 hockey for four years, is now an assistant coach.  And when we look back, we started following girls’ hockey in ’03, when Ashley’s class were 8th-graders, and are now beginning our 11th year as Super Fans!  And our Fans-ness hasn’t waned.

Alexandria – 6, Albert Lea – 0

We didn’t know what the Tigers would bring.  But they didn’t stress us much.  It was a good start – the Cards dominating play throughout after a feeling out start.  Here’s the player introduction, Roger Riley remains undefeated as the singer of the National Anthem, and a few minutes of the start of play:

Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ni8whpP5xBA

girls hockey '13-14

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[Coaches Ashley Secord-Holmes, Blair Hovel, and returnee, Brittin Boike]

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[The new coaches]

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[And here we go . . . with sophomore forward, Hanah Hansen (11).  As you’ll recall from last year, when Hanah was on the fast developing 3rd line as a freshman, she is the grand niece of Oscar-nominated actor, John Hawkes.]

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[Senior co-captains Melissa Drown (6) and Taylor Ellingson (24) with sophomore defenseman Karina Carlsen (31).  I’m assuming Karina is the younger sister of last year’s senior, Anna, who also wore 31.  🙂  On a team whose strength appears to be on defense (Coach Hovel wants these defensemen to be aggressive offensively), we note that both Melissa and Taylor began their varsity careers on defense and are now expected to be leading scorers as forwards.  I recall my youthful brain used to remember who scored every goal, and in what period.  Now I can’t.  I know in this game Melissa had 3 assists and was named player-of-the-game.  I’ll report back later as to who scored all the goals when I get the official game report.]

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[Let the scrum begin!]

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[Karina, up close and personal.]

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[The puck tries to escape the mayhem by rolling along the boards.]

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[Sophomore forward, Sam Klimek (37), and junior forward, Micaela Swenson (34).  Sam’s jersey still has “Illies” on the back, for Becca who had the number last year!  😉 ]

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[Junior defenseman Nicole Bartels (23) will get her share of points this year.]

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[Another “rookie,” sophomore forward McKenna Schroeder (28).]

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[Sophomore forward Mari Wosepka (18) with Nicole.]

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[Sam]

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[McKenna]

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[McKenna and Nicole]

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[McKenna and Sam.  By luck of the shutter, I seemed to be mainly capturing our new starters early on.]

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[“The Voices” in deep concentration.]

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[Well, for Pete’s-sake, is that Kim Kardashian at a hockey game?]

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[Mel and Karina]

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[Are they passing out Blizzard coupons on the bench?]

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[The door is open, come on in . . . said the spider to the fly.]

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[I heard the volleyball team got double hot fudge Blizzards?]

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[Nicole on a rush from her defense position.]

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[ . . . and still going.]

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[I can’t wait for the door to open; I’m going over the top!]

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[Do you believe in those Kim Kardashian sightings?]

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[Next shift!]

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[Taylor and Mel]

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[Nicole and sophomore defenseman Lauren Niska (21).]

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[Lauren]

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[Yup, Lauren.  Well, we have a Victoria Heights connection.]

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[Just a guess, but I believe it’s a . . . GOOOAAAALLLLLL!]

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[GOOOOOALLLLLL . . .]

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[GOOOOAAAALLLLLLL . . .]

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[Mel in hot pursuit . . .]

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[Her pursuit appears to have been successful . . .]

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[Ending with a shot.]

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[We noticed Ashley . . .]

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[Was continually educating her charges . . .]

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[After each shift.  🙂 ]

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[Smiling through mouth pieces . . . a goal?]

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[Must be a . . . GOOOOALLLLLL!]

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[Such an important goal that Hanah was escorted to her bench by two Tigers?]

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[Good job!]

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[Mel]

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[You may have noticed she was the outdoor maître d’ at Bug-A-Boo this summer.]

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[Table for one?  In hockey attire?  Well, she “served up” three goals in this game!  😉 ]

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[Nicole]

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[Well, I took two so I may as well use them.]

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[They say . . .]

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[You should always tackle . . .]

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[The one you love.  In the previous photo, the ref signals a two-point takedown for Hanah.  😉 ]

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[OK, it was another . . .]

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[GOOOAAAAALLLLLL!!!]

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[Junior forward Kaila Dewanz (7)]

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[After 2 periods.]

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[The puck shoot takes place between periods.  After a hockey mom (I believe?) drilled one through a $25.00 hole, Cardinal alum and past goalie, Stephanie Drown (yup, Mel’s older sister) put one cleanly through the $100.00 hole!]

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[Maybe she should have been a forward?  Rink manager Vinnie (in black) greets her with a smile.]

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[The $25.00 hockey mom (?) on the right.]

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[That’s Steph’s and Mel’s mom, Denise, on the right.  I asked her the next night if Steph took the family out to dinner that night?]

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[Meanwhile, back at the game . . .]

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[Taylor and Mel]

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[After game dinner plans?  Senior forward Rachel Drew (4).]

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[Amy, what are you doing over here?  Sophomore goalie Amy Jost (33).]

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[I can’t believe she stopped that shot?  I thought I had the 5-hole?]

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[Freshman defenseman McKenzie Revering (“Little Rev”) (29) and Mari]

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[Little Rev and Lauren.  Get used to seeing these two together a lot!  Three more years of jointly powering the ship.]

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[We’re undefeated!]

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[One down . . . well, several to go.]

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[Do we have to go home now?]

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[Post-game fist pumps.]

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[Ashley, you’re 1 – 0 as an assistant coach!  🙂 ]

Belatedly:  The scoring summary from Sheree Oberg in the Cardinal Connection:

1st Period:  Lauren;

2nd Period:  Taylor, Hanah, and Rachel;

3rd Period:  Lauren (again) and Mari.

Up next:  The next night’s game v. North Metro, with pre-game at the winery and post-game at SAWA.  Is that like a perfect day, or what?  😉

weakie 11-5-13

[“Weakie” gets distressed if the power play ain’t clicking!]

About tomobert63

The Journey Begins Thanks for joining me! This is the follow-up to the original, “alexandriacardinals.wordpress.com,” which overwhelmed the system’s ability to handle it any more. Thus, this is “Part 2.” As the original was initially described: 10-26-07-4 “It all began in a 5,000 watt radio station in Fresno, California” . . . wait a minute, that was Ted Baxter on the Mary Tyler Moore Show! Let’s see . . . oh yeah, it all began in 2003 when retirees, i.e., old people, in Alexandria, Minnesota, who had no desire to become snow birds, went looking for mid-winter entertainment here in the frozen tundra of West Central Minnesota. We discovered girls’ high school hockey, fell in love immediately, and it remains our favorite spectator sport to this day. Initially, and for several years, reports on these games were e-mailed to those who were actually snowbirds but wanted to keep abreast of things “back home.” It was ultimately decided a blog would be more efficient, and it evolved into a personal diary of many things that attracts tens of readers on occasion. It remains a source of personal mental therapy and has yet to elicit any lawsuits. ~ The Editor, May 9, 2014 p.s. The photo border around the blog is the Cardinal girls’ hockey team after just beating Breck for the state championship in 2008. It’s of the all-tournament team. The visible Breck player on the left is Milica McMillen, then an 8th-grader – she is now an All-American for the Gophers. The Roseau player in the stocking cap I believe is Mary Loken, who went on to play for UND; and the Cardinal player on the right, No. 3, is Abby Williams, the player we blame most for making us girls’ hockey fans who went on to play for Bemidji State. *********************************************************************************** Photos contained herein are available for personal use. All you have to do is double click on any of the photos and they will become full screen size. You can then save them into your personal “My Pictures” file. They make lovely parting or hostess gifts, or holiday gifts for such as Uncle Ernie who wants to see how his grand niece is doing on the hockey team. If any are sold for personal profit, however, to, for example, the Audubon Society, National Geographic, Sven’s Home Workshop Monthly, Curling By The Numbers, or the World Wrestling Federation, I only request that you make a donation to the charitable organization of your choice. You have two hours and fifteen minutes. Pencils ready? Begin! **********************************************************************************
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