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HBF supports Sticks in Stillwater Mite Hockey Festival

By Barclay Kruse, Herb Brooks Foundation Media Director, 02/05/16, 12:15PM CST

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The Herb Brooks Foundation is proud to be partners in an exciting new event, the Sticks in Stillwater Mite Outdoor Hockey Festival, at the St. Croix Valley Recreation Center in Stillwater, Minnesota, February 5-7.

Fifty-eight mite teams from the metro Twin Cities, northern Minnesota, Wisconsin and South Dakota will participate in the three-day event. All players are 6, 7 or 8 years old. There will be 116 mite games played over the course of the weekend. Games will be three-on-three, with no goalies, on smaller sheets of ice.

The games start at 9 a.m. Saturday, and the festival will wrap up on Sunday afternoon. Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton is scheduled to make a ceremonial drop the puck at 11:45 a.m. Saturday.

The festival will feature plenty of special events, starting with a “Skate with the Greats” recreational skate on Friday, February 5, from 6-7 p.m. Some of the notable hockey stars scheduled include 1980 Olympic gold medalists Rob McClanahan and Dave Christian, and NHL stars Keith Ballard, Paul Broten, Bill Butters, and Erik Westrum.

Ron Backes of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes will hold a free coaches clinic from 12 noon-1:15 p.m. at Acapulco Restaurant in Stillwater.

Dave Hanson from the movie “Slapshot” will host a meet-and-greet at 7 p.m. at the Water Street Inn in downtown Stillwater, followed by a showing of the movie, “Miracle.”

A Heroes Boot Hockey Game featuring members of the Stillwater Police and Fire Departments, Lakeview Emergency Responders, and local military veterans will be held 5-7 p.m. on Saturday.

Proceeds will benefit the Herb Brooks Foundation, whose mission is to make hockey accessible and affordable to all kids. The Foundation has been running highly popular “Rink Rats” programs throughout the fall and winter in both Minneapolis and St. Paul. The Rink Rats program targets kids who normally wouldn’t have access to traditional hockey programs, providing free equipment and coaching.