Chris Martin

Not the guy from Cold Play. St. Cloud State grad, Community Owner of @MNAuroraFC, @MNUFC, college hockey and photography.

[Chris Martin @mplsmartin]

Thank you @adelelive25 for finding the video, you're AMAZING!!! #HiGirls @DelzerStacy https://t.co/1ouk4r6JwE

[Paul Bissonnette @BizNasty2point0]

NCAA hockey botching the regional situation again is in fucking sane. Give top seeds the regionals and pack those barns and make the atmosphere electric for the teams and broadcast . Stop being stubborn and stupid. Bad combo. Whoever is in charge needs to figure it out.

[Dylan Loucks @DylanLoucks4]

The Class AA State Championship at Grand Casino Arena on Saturday between Minnetonka and Moorhead had more attendance than 11 NHL games. #Stateofhockey

Here is Saturday's attendance report.

[YHH @YouthHockeyHub]

BHS Class AA State
Final thoughts   

Minnetonka's decision not to attend a postgame press conference was disappointing, yes. 

Often, the losing team (it's okay to say "lose", I promise) has insight into the game (obviously), but also on the journey the team has embarked on together, how unheralded players showed up in the season's biggest game, and a perspective on the season as a whole.  

There were also questions YHH had for the Minnetonka coaching staff: who runs the program's strength and conditioning? How has the youth system prepared this team to become such a well-oiled machine? How did you get every player to buy in while running four lines every game and ignoring point totals? Among others. 

Hibbing/Chisholm lost in overtime, too. They showed up in that little room next to the Grand Casino Arena cafeteria, with harsh lighting and TV cameras lined against the back wall. 

Head Coach Aaron Jamnick and three players. Gavin Lamphere, Tate Swanson, and Hunter Gustavsson. 

They answered questions from local and statewide media. 

The best part? 

Senior goaltender Gavin Lamphere sat there, clear-eyed, and answered every question posed to him. He talked about what he said to his distraught teammates after the game. About how the underclassmen had great careers in front of them. About how he told them this loss wasn't the end of the world. 

His most poignant comments were about Warroad, the team that had just ripped his heart out in overtime. He tipped his cap to the Warriors. He said their team had a great story. He mentioned Warrior goaltender Patrick Kennedy, and his rise from backup to the Class A All-Tournament Team. 

And, yes, he wore his silver medal. 

Medals, man. 

Some people spend way too much time thinking about what kids (KIDS) are doing with a ribbon and a metal disc, moments after their season ends. Some kids wear them. Some take them off. Some throw them in the garbage before heading down the tunnel. 

The time to remind them that the medal is a symbol of all the work they've put in, and that every other team but one would kill to be in their place, likely isn't on the ice in front of cameras and a crowd. Teaching those life lessons should not come at the cost of embarrassing an emotionally vulnerable teenager.   

But I'm glad Gavin Lamphere wore his. Hopefully, he'll cherish it for the rest of his life. 

Hopefully, the Minnetonka boys will eventually cherish theirs, too. 

Thanks for following along this week. Being able to cover the boys' and girls' high school seasons is truly, sincerely, an honor. 

See you next year.

[Will Peterson @WillyPxP]

evan_hyrk on Instagram caught the yeeted Evan Wanner helmet and promptly put it on

Wouldn’t expect anything different #tourney26

[Minneapolis Hockey @MPLSBoysHSPuck]

🏒MINNEAPOLIS vs SOUTHWEST CHRISTIAN🏒

1/10 - Minneapolis vs Southwest Christian
🕛 12:00 PM – JV
🕑 2:00 PM – Varsity
📍 Richfield Ice Arena

https://t.co/9fnUjBaE1g

Artwork: Lane Söderberg
Photo: Chris Martin

#35 Jr Aiden Skotterud (Southwest)

[Chris Martin @mplsmartin]

@SunCountryAir Can you give me a reason why SY609 was cancelled tonight?

[Spittin' Chiclets @spittinchiclets]

There is NOBODY doing it like Minnesota with youth sports and playing for your town.

[Minnesota Wild @mnwild]

Weston and Flower really put the TRICK in trick or treat 🎃

[Chris Martin @mplsmartin]

@CoryCove

[CJ Fogler 🫡 @cjzero]

The pre-race Oscar Mayer Wiener song

[Bleacher Report @BleacherReport]

Joe Ingles’ son Jacob, who is autistic, is in attendance for tonight’s game to watch his dad play live for the first time 🙏

Jacob was able to watch his first in-arena NBA game, but Joe didn't play. Tonight, Wolves HC Chris Finch started Ingles... and Jacob got his wish ♥️

[Chris Martin @mplsmartin]

@BR_OpenIce @marissavoss Tonight's Attendance: 20,491

[Chris Martin @mplsmartin]

@marissavoss Tonights Attendance: 20,491 for a HIGH SCHOOL HOCKEY GAME!

[John Millea @MinnesotaMillea]

The average attendance for NHL games this season is 17,448. Attendance @XcelEnergyCtr for tonight's Minnesota Class 2A boys hockey state championship game: 20,491.

[Chris Martin @mplsmartin]

A Red River sweep of the Minnesota State Boys Hockey Tournament! Congrats to @Spud_Hockey and @EastSideHockey! #TheTourney25 #MSHSL

[CJ Fogler 🫡 @cjzero]

Make that 4 goals for Mason Kraft in the first period

[YHH @YouthHockeyHub]

Northern Lakes and East Grand Forks both have some elite student manager swag

[Minneapolis Hockey @MPLSBoysHSPuck]

Section final day

This is YOUR time

#chasingcherries 🍒🍒
#OnlyInThe612

[Chris Martin @mplsmartin]

#4NationsFaceOff #USAUSAUSA

[Minneapolis Hockey @MPLSBoysHSPuck]

Massive THANK YOU SHOUT OUT to our favorite member of the Minnesota Wild, Marcus Foligno, for coming out to kick off section play in style!!

#OnlyInThe612 #chasingcherries 🍒🍒