Youth Hockey Spotlight goes on road for first-ever out-state game

The Hawks and Rails each had a team dinner before their spotlight game, ensuring they would arrive at the arena at the same time for the ultimate surprise. Each group also received a police escort to Hermantown Hockey Arena.
"The atmosphere was really cool, it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," said Rails goalie Sam Johnson. "We went to the rink and we found out that we were going on a coach bus, and then when we walked in the locker room we found out everything else, basically. They didn't tell us anything; it was really surprising.
"We were all really excited to be a part of it."
Like all Youth Hockey Spotlight games, it was as close to a game-night experience at Xcel Energy Center as it could be.
In-arena announcer Adam Abrams called the game. Music director Steve Rudolph provided the sound. Nordy brought the crowd to its feet. John deCausmeaker belted out the anthem pregame with three Guardians of the Game by his side. Two former Minnesota Wild players were celebrity coaches. FOX Sports North and Wild TV were on hand for broadcasts and interviews, led by Wild Vision in-arena host Jim Cunningham.

The only difference? A two-plus hour drive north.
Unlike the other two Youth Hockey Spotlight games this season, which were in Farmington and Shakopee, the Wild convoy loaded onto a bus in St. Paul and made its way up Interstate 35 to Hermantown. Between answering interview questions for FOX Sports North and sneaking in some work on the road, the group arrived long before the players -- but not the excited parents.
Ordinarily, there are about 10 to 20 people at a game, most of them being parents, said Hawks captain Jackson Savre. This kind of turnout was nerve-wracking, but exciting.
Not only were there more people in the stands, but each team found its bench a little busier as well. Keith Ballard and Wes Walz were honorary coaches for the game, with Ballard donning Proctor green and Walz stepping onto the home team's bench.

"He was working on the bench, good guy, talking to us a lot," Savre said of Walz. "He just seemed like a positive guy, talking to us the entire time and helping us out."
Walz wasn't the only special figure behind the Hawks' bench, either. Assistant coach Hazen Elmgren was a Guardian of the Game. Elmgren, of the Cloquet-based C Troop of the 1st Squadron, 94th Cavalry, will head off to special training within the next month.
Before the game, he joined Misty Cowell, the US Bank Guardian of the Game, and Vance Okstad, senior Master Sgt. and father of Proctor forward Wyatt Okstad, at center ice to be recognized for his service.

Ultimately, Ballard's Rails got the better of Walz's Hawks, earning the upper hand in a 4-2 victory. Proctor peppered Hermantown with more than 35 shots on net.
The icing on the cake, after getting a star-studded Wild game-night treatment, was to watch the Wild itself win. As luck would have it, the bantam game ended right as the Wild was going into the shootout against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Players, parents and coaches crowded into the small lounge area next to the arena, all eyes on one TV. Ultimately, Zach Parise beat Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky in the fourth round to cement a
3-2 victory
and the extra point for the Wild. The crowd erupted with cheers.
And fresh off a big win of their own, the Rails were still a little star-struck by what they'd just experienced. "I hope other kids get to have this too; it was really fun," Johnson said.
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