Editor鈥檚 note: This is a travel journal from sports editor Jared Rubado. Here鈥檚 a behind-the-scenes look at the Bemidji State women鈥檚 hockey team鈥檚 trip to the Twin Cities for Field Trip Day and Hockey Day Minnesota.
Calm before the storm
At 10:30 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 24, Ridder Arena in Minneapolis was quiet.
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Busses outside the front doors began lining up for a matinee women鈥檚 hockey game between the Bemidji State women鈥檚 hockey team and third-ranked Minnesota.
Ridder Arena hosts the U of M鈥檚 women鈥檚 program and has a listed capacity of 3,400 fans. There were few empty seats and no tickets left to be sold.
This was my first-ever trip to Ridder, and the occasion fit the bill. The Gophers welcomed hundreds of pre-K through eighth-grade students from around the state to attend the game for free.
By the time the starting lineups were read before puck drop, the noise in Ridder was deafening. Minnesota mascot Goldy Gopher was the most popular skater in attendance, and intermissions were filled with choreographed dances to 鈥淵MCA鈥� and 鈥淢acarena.鈥�
The metro-area kids were treated to a 4-1 Gophers win over the Beavers. The second half of the series was tabled for Saturday at Valleyfair at Hockey Day Minnesota.
On Tuesday morning, the U of M announced that Field Trip Day set a new Ridder Arena attendance record of 3,700 spectators.
Nighttime in the North Loop
After Field Trip Day, I met up with some old friends for the night. We started the evening at The Freehouse in the North Loop. By no means am I a beer expert, but The Freehouse blonde was really enjoyable. The food was outstanding and the atmosphere was perfect. I can鈥檛 imagine that being my last trip to The Freehouse.
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We bounced around at a couple of bars before heading over to Acme Comedy Co. I had never been to a comedy show before, but I鈥檇 highly recommend it to those who haven鈥檛 tried it. I wouldn鈥檛 consider myself a standup comedy fan, but being in attendance enhances the experience compared to watching a special on television.
Eddie Gossling was the headliner, and he was joined by two openers who were arguably better.
After the show ended at 11:30 p.m., our crew capped the night at a nearby bar before turning in.
Land of thrills
When I initially heard that 2025鈥檚 Hockey Day Minnesota would be held in the Valleyfair parking lot, I was a little confused. I thought maybe there was space to put it in the amusement park itself. I also thought Canterbury Park, Shakopee's horse racing track, might鈥檝e been a more apt venue.
Obviously, I was wrong.
Driving into Valleyfair, it was clear the organizers had the right idea. The makeshift hockey venue was pushed up to the entrance of the theme park. Temporary fencing enclosed the weekend venue. Once I was inside the gate, it was hard to tell if I was standing in the parking lot or the amusement park itself.
On the Hockey Day Minnesota television broadcast on FanDuel Sports North, the rollercoaster-filled backdrop was scenic, to say the least. In person, it was even better. Valleyfair opened select rides for patrons and had a plethora of amusement park eateries open for fans.
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One of the first tents inside the gate was the Warming House. Vendors set up booths for the public. Bemidji State president John Hoffman and Dr. Joy Hoffman manned the Beavers鈥� table. The Minnesota Wild and Minnesota Warriors hockey teams set up puck-shooting booths for fans to win prizes.
Around 11 a.m., the Beavers took the ice for warmups.
The Beavs are here
— Jared Rubado (@JaredRubadoBP)
After exiting the ice, BSU players were caught in a log jam trying to apply skateguards so they could walk down the rubber mat on their way to their trailer locker room.
The Beavers and Gophers retook the ice for the start of the game, which is when the wind decided to show up. Gusts of 20 miles per hour were met with the sun poking through the clouds and into the eyes of U of M goaltender Hannah Clark in the first period.
At a typical college hockey game, at least one coach from either team is posted up in the press box for video purposes. Without a press box at Hockey Day Minnesota, they were resigned to the media tent.
Bemidji State assistant Alexis Joyce and director of operations Emily Meyer were posted up at a folding table in front of a TV about 100 yards away from the Beavers鈥� bench. Minnesota coaches and sports information directors also shared the table, with respective media members working behind them. Hockey Day Minnesota staffers and volunteers gave away hand warmers.
After the Gophers closed out a 3-1 win and a series sweep, Bemidji State players shedded their hockey gear and threw on their Hockey Day Minnesota alternate jerseys to greet their families in the warming house before heading home.
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Two more
The fun didn鈥檛 end in Shakopee for those in the BSU faithful who wanted more hockey. The Bemidji State men鈥檚 team was in Mendota Heights for what could be its last trip to St. Thomas Ice Arena. Before the Tommies leave for the NCHC after the 2025-26 season, they will unveil their new state-of-the-art arena next season.
The Beavers are scheduled to play in one more regular-season road series against UST next season in CCHA play.
Hockey Day Minnesota part two
— Jared Rubado (@JaredRubadoBP)
Let鈥檚 do that hockey
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