As anyone who grew up in Minnesota knows, nothing compares to the state high school hockey tournament.
With the girls tournament wrapping up Feb. 22 and the boys tournament beginning March 4, the state is in the thick of tournament season. Over four days, players, pep bands and roughly 130,000 fans will pack Xcel Energy Center for the boys tournament — routinely drawing crowds that rival or exceed many National Hockey League games. Tickets are notoriously difficult to secure, with an estimated 12-year waiting list for season tickets.
At the time of writing, the boys tournament has yet to begin.
For frequent attendees, the atmosphere is unmatched. Student sections bring relentless energy, complete with creative costumes — giant spuds and hornets among them — and spirited chants that echo through the arena. On the ice, players often sport bleached mullets and perms, hoping to land a spot on the tournament’s unofficial “All Hockey Hair Team.”
In Class A, top seeds entering the tournament include Hibbing/Chisholm, Delano and Warroad. No. 8 seed Dodge County, which defeated Northfield in the Section 1A final, opens play against Hibbing/Chisholm at 11 a.m.
Class AA begins the following day with No. 8 seed Gentry Academy facing No. 1 seed Minnetonka at 11 a.m. Other favorites in Class AA include Moorhead and Edina.
Upsets are common, and momentum can shift quickly in a single-elimination bracket. Regardless of who hoists the trophy, the Minnesota State Boys Hockey Tournament remains one of the state’s most electric traditions.
