Minneapolis restaurateur Billy Sushi hosting 4 youth hockey players from Mongolia

The man known as Billy Sushi is hosting four youth hockey players and two coaches 6,000 miles from home.

The popular Minneapolis restaurateur was visiting his home country, Mongolia, when he saw something that reminded him of his current home.

“Driving through this tiny mining town and I saw this old Soviet Union era hockey rink,” he said. “So, I go over and I saw there was a couple people hanging around. I said, ‘You guys play hockey?’ and they said, ‘Yeah, we do play hockey.’ And I’m like, ‘Show me!’”

That was the start.

“Minnesota is so crazy. It’s good,” said 13-year-old Gerelt Dulguun, who they affectionately call “G-Man.”

The outdoor rinks in Baganuur, Mongolia, are only open three months a year, so this trip to the State of Hockey is a hockey culture shock.

“They come out, they’re skating, they are like ‘Oh my god this is so flat, so clean!’” said Billy, on the first time the kids, ranging from ages 15 to 13, stepped on a Minnesota sheet of ice. “They come back and they’re like, ‘I can go fast,’”

The players have been practicing and playing tournaments with the local Pro Hybrid development program.

“Their passion is they’re looking to learn the game and see what it is here in our communities, where hockey is such a big part of the fabric of our communities here, and getting a chance to showcase that has been awesome,” said coach Brendan Cook.

The players have been practicing twice a day. They even took third place at a tournament held at Minnetonka High School.

When the Wild were still in the NHL playoffs. They got to meet Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy at Grand Casino Arena and watch a playoff game.