Yes, there are still some people around who remember the Minnesota North Stars and their many exciting playoff runs.

Thursday, February 21, 2002

Yes, there are still some people around who remember the Minnesota North Stars and their many exciting playoff runs.

Local hockey fans will have a chance to relive some of those memories up close and personal when the North Stars alumni team comes to town Saturday, March 2 for a 2 p.m. game against the Albert Lea Blades adult amateur team at the City Arena. The teams will play two 30-minute periods.

It’s the feature event for the March 1-3 Albert Lea Hockey Days, which also includes in-house youth hockey games and learn-to-skate sessions. Admission for the North Stars game is $5 for adults and $3 for children, and all proceeds benefit Albert Lea youth hockey.

&uot;We’re real excited to have the former North Stars coming down for our fund-raising event,&uot; said Albert Lea Hockey Association President Tom Falk. &uot;It helps us continue to provide one of the lowest costs to play hockey in the state.&uot;

It should also be a good show for the fans.

The alumni team normally brings 10 skaters and one goalie, though who those players will be is not known at this time. The list of potential players includes but is not limited to Neil Broten, Brian Bellows, Bill Butters, Jack Carlson, Chris Dahlquist, Curt Giles, Dan Mandich, Tom Reid and Tom Younghans.

The Blades are definitely looking forward to it. They’re 15-1 overall and 10-0 in the Upper Midwest Hockey League.

&uot;I look at it as a privilege,&uot; said Blades general manager and goalie Jason Fornwald. &uot;It’s a pretty nice reward for sticking with the game and playing it your whole life. It’s a great opportunity to go against some world class players.&uot;

But those players are older and, according to Fornwald, they had a recent game at Owatonna that turned a little rough.

&uot;It started off all fun and games, but the Owatonna team took the lead and as the game progressed it got a little chippy,&uot; said Fornwald. &uot;What started as a no-check game turned into full-contact by the end of it.&uot;

The Blades finish the regular season at 8 p.m. the same night against the River City Blues of Mason City.