By Ben Romsaas KNOWN AS THE STATE OF HOCKEY, MINNESOTA HAS LONG CARRIED THE TRADITION OF EXCELLENT HOCKEY PLAYERS, BIG TOURNAMENTS AND EVENTS AND A RICH CULTURE RIVALED BY NO OTHER SPORT. Boasting a record setting state high school tournament, historic programs and teams at every level of the game and innumerable names etched in the history books, hockey is a way of life in Minnesota. And while much of the focus is on what happens in the expensive, indoor arenas, many players will tell you their love of the game came from playing on outdoor rinks. Be it right in town, on a lake, or even in their own backyard, outdoor hockey rinks are where some of the best memories of the game are made.
Below are a few stories from area residents who have taken outdoor hockey into their own hands in recent years. 1995 Eveleth-Gilbert graduate Chad Pontinen has spent his entire life around hockey. Born and raised in Sparta between Eveleth and Gilbert, Pontinen spent many days growing up playing with his younger brother and their friends at the Sparta rink. As he got older, he took a job working at that same rink, flooding it out, shoveling off the snow and just skating around it when he had the opportunity. The passion for hockey still burning, Pontinen is happy to pass that passion on to his kids. But instead of finding a town rink to play on, Pontinen decided he would construct his own. In 2014, he built a small “rink” on a flat spot next to his driveway. This would be only the beginning.
Sydney Spelts and her friend Katelyn Torrel play some oneon-one hockey on Ely Lake. Photo by Mark Sauer Photography & Fine Art
26 N O RT H E R N A DV E N T U R E S W I N T E R 2021
