Eagles make memories under the lights at Hockey Day Minnesota

Temperatures dropped into the single digits Thursday evening as the sun set over the towering silhouettes of Excalibur and Steel Venom.

No, this was not an episode of “Game of Thrones,” but winter had certainly arrived at Valleyfair in Shakopee, home to Hockey Day Minnesota 2025. The four-day event welcomed teams from all across the state to compete in the cold January air, celebrating the State of Hockey and the frozen splendor of winter in Minnesota.

For Eden Prairie girls hockey head coach Steve Persian, whose team was invited to face off against Prior Lake on Thursday, the exodus to the outdoors triggered a fond memory. 

The Eagles held a practice Jan. 20 on Valleyfair’s frozen sheet, constructed in the parking lot of the amusement park. It was an opportunity to get accustomed to the unique surface and natural elements in preparation for the matchup with the Lakers.

“We came out and practiced the other day, and one of the comments that I made to the kids was the minute I heard their skates hit the ice, it instantly brought me back to being 10 years old, because it’s just a different sound,” Persian said. 

In his third season at Eden Prairie, Persian said the experience of taking the ice as a team, under the winter sky and in an event like Hockey Day Minnesota, is a memory to last a lifetime.

“A lot of these kids, they skate outside, and they’re much more in tune with doing some of that stuff,” he said. “But the difference between skating outside in some backyard rink and skating under the lights and skating as a team, I think that that’s a memory that you are able to never forget.”

Their clash with Prior Lake on Thursday night had the makings of another great memory. 

After a scoreless first period, the Eagles jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second period, thanks to a talented group of eighth graders who provided the points.

The scoring commenced with eighth-grade forward Campbell Elvin’s goal just 1:27 after the intermission, assisted by her twin sister, defender Tatum Elvin.

Eden Prairie took a 2-0 lead at 12:05 of the second period when eighth-grade forward Ava Moe scored with an assist from senior defender Natalie McNeil.

Senior captain Lauren Pottinger said the team’s ability to focus on the game, despite the environment, was a key factor for the Eagles.

“That was one of the main things we were focused on, especially with such a young team. And I feel like all of us really understood the gravity of the game,” Pottinger said. “Playing Prior Lake, they’re obviously a very good team, and honestly, one of our rivals at this point, because we play them so much in our section.”

After Prior Lake scored early in the third period, the Eagles answered with junior forward Sara David’s goal with assists from sophomore defender Madeline Abbott and Tatum Elvin with 6:46 remaining in regulation.

“The second period was, by far, our best period,” senior captain Ella Konrad said. “We just came together and we’re like, ‘OK, the first period is kind of off our shoulders. So now it’s time to focus on why we are here.’”

Prior Lake drew within one after scoring with less than a minute to play in the third period, but junior goaltender Rylee Lorton, who had 15 saves, shut down the Lakers to seal Eden Prairie’s 3-2 victory.

Senior captain Addy Mitchell agreed with Pottinger, saying the key to winning was the team’s ability to handle the environment and focus on executing their game.

“I think the main adjustment was kind of just getting ready to play, blocking out the conditions, blocking out the lighting, blocking out everything that takes us partly away from a normal game,” she said, adding, “It’s a must-win game. We had to come here ready to play.”

Mitchell admitted the challenge of playing under the outdoor lights was a factor, albeit for both teams, but one that the Eagles needed to overcome to play effectively.

“We couldn’t just get wrapped up in the environment and the lighting. And yes, the lighting was hard, coming from sunset right to dark,” she said. “So I think we actually made that adjustment fairly well, talking to some of the girls and just getting them all prepared. I think we came out ready.”

Only a handful of teams are invited to participate in Hockey Day in Minnesota each year, so the odds of taking part in the event are small. It was an opportunity not lost on the head coach.

“It’s a fantastic event, and we feel like we were very fortunate to be invited to participate,” Persian said. “It’s special because this moves around so much, and having them invite us to participate was really special for the entire program. I know, super special for the seniors.” 

The Eagles (10-13-0) will take their outdoor victory back inside to close out the regular season schedule. They will have their hands full in their final two games, traveling to No. 4 Benilde-St. Margaret’s on Thursday and hosting top-ranked Minnetonka in the regular season finale on Saturday.

The Eagles narrowly lost to the No. 1 Skippers 4-3 on Jan. 7.

But as they look ahead to the section playoffs, Persian and his team can’t help but bask in the afterglow of bright lights over the ice at Valleyfair after competing in Minnesota’s hockey celebration.

“Win or lose, the memory is always going to be there that you got to participate in such a special event,” Persian said. “It’s always more fun to win. So I think we’re happy with that, too.”