Minnesota
PWHL Minnesota rides Grace Zumwinkle's hat trick, Maddie Rooney's 24 saves to shutout victory in front of record-setting 13,316 fans
The Professional Women’s Hockey League is less than a week into its first season, but that was enough to lead Stan Kasten to a conclusion. A member of the league’s founding board, Kasten had traveled to multiple games since Monday’s opener, witnessing the sold-out arenas and jubilant fans.
When he came to Minnesota on Saturday, he made a declaration. “What we proved this week,” Kasten said, “is that women’s hockey works.”
In its home opener, Minnesota put an exclamation point on Kasten’s verdict. A crowd announced at 13,316, the largest ever to attend a women’s professional hockey game, turned out at Xcel Energy Center to watch Minnesota defeat Montreal 3-0. The attendance smashed the previous record of 8,318, set Tuesday when Montreal played at Ottawa.
Grace Zumwinkle, the former Gophers star from Excelsior, scored the first home-ice goal in franchise history at 17 minutes, 21 seconds of the first period. She finished with a hat trick, adding a pair of goals in the third period. At 1:47, her shot from the center point hit a stick and bounced past Montreal goaltender Ann-Renee Desbiens, and she added an empty-net goal at 17:13.
Minnesota goaltender Maddie Rooney, an Andover native who played at Minnesota Duluth, made 24 saves in a rock-steady performance to earn the shutout. Montreal outshot Minnesota 24-22 but went 0-for-3 on the power play. Minnesota also failed to score with the advantage, going 0-for-4.
The victory gave Minnesota another historic distinction. It became the first PWHL team to win a home game, after the visiting teams won the first five games in league history.
Saturday’s crowd wasn’t just large. It was joyous and loud, creating a celebratory atmosphere for the PWHL’s debut in the state.
Minnesota’s early marketing efforts have focused on the grass roots of the game, as the team worked to attract young hockey players and their families. That demographic turned out in force Saturday, in numbers the franchise didn’t anticipate earlier this week.
The team hoped to fill Xcel’s lower bowl. That was accomplished by Friday, so seats in the club level were opened for sale. Saturday morning, with tickets still in demand, the arena staff pulled the curtains from some upper-deck sections and made those seats available.
Xcel didn’t open the doors until 1:30. By 1 p.m., more than 100 people already were lining up in the lobby, waiting to get in.
A lucky few wore Minnesota jerseys. Others improvised with sweatshirts or T-shirts in the team’s purple and white colors. During warmups, kids gathered along the glass with signs that declared, “Making Herstory” and “We Play Like Girls. Try To Keep Up.”
Minnesota forward Sophia Kunin, a Wayzata native, predicted the day would be “super exciting and emotional.” Though she would be focused on the game, she wanted to make sure she saw the larger picture, too.
“You soak in all the moments up until that puck drop,” Kunin said. “But once we line up for that first shot, it’s hockey mode. It’s time to give a good show for all the fans, and to do what we came here for.”
Montreal got the better chances early in the game, outshooting Minnesota 5-1 in the first seven minutes. But Minnesota’s offense—which was inconsistent during Wednesday’s 3-2 victory at Boston—began to find its footing as the first period progressed.
Zumwinkle, who scored the game-winner Wednesday, gave Minnesota the lead with 2:39 left before the first intermission. Susanna Tapani controlled the puck along the left boards and passed to Zumwinkle, who skated through the left circle. Her backhander hit Desbiens and caromed into the goal.
Minnesota’s attack was slowed by three penalties in the second period. That gave Rooney, who helped bring the U.S. the Olympic gold medal in 2018, a chance to shine.
On Montreal’s third power play, Rooney blocked a point-blank shot by Maureen Murphy. When Murphy got another chance from the bottom of the left circle, Rooney snared the puck out of the air.
Zumwinkle scored her second goal of the game early in the third. She fired the puck toward the net from just inside the blue line; as it sailed through the slot, it appeared to hit a stick and beat Desbiens.
Montreal pulled Desbiens with more than three minutes remaining, and Zumwinkle fired the puck down the ice for an empty-netter to complete the hat trick.
Most of the crowd had stayed, and many hurled their caps to the Xcel ice to salute Zumwinkle. They rose to their feet for the final seconds.
Though none of the PWHL teams have nicknames yet, it didn’t matter. The crowd chanted, “Minnesota! Minnesota!” before the team gathered at center ice for a stick salute.
DULUTH — Finland was a force this summer at the University of Minnesota’s Ridder Arena in Minneapolis during the
World Junior Summer Showcase,
beating the United States, Canada and Sweden by a combined score of 15-7.
The Finnish national junior team continued its domination at the University of Minnesota Duluth’s Amsoil Arena on Friday night, beating Germany 7-3 in a 2026 World Junior Championship pre-tournament game played before a modest crowd of 650.
Finland also won the bonus 3-on-3 simulated overtime period after the game, scoring with 46.4 seconds left in the five-minute period.
The seven Finnish goals in regulation came from seven different players, with winger Max Westergard, a 2025 fifth-round NHL draft pick of the Philadelphia Flyers, getting the 3-on-3 goal after scoring an unassisted goal in the third period.
Clint Austin / Duluth Media Group
Centers Heikki Ruohonen, Oliver Suvanto and Jasper Kuhta, wingers Joona Saarelainen and Matias Vanhanen and seventh defenseman Lasse Boelius were among the other goalscorers for Finland.
Lenny Boos, Dustin Willhoft and Elias Schneider scored for Germany, which was outshot 29-17. The Germans had just one power play, in the third, compared to Finland’s four.
German goaltender Linus Vieillard made 22 saves while Finland goalie Kim Saarinen, a 2024 third-round pick of the Seattle Kraken, stopped 14 shots.
Clint Austin / Duluth Media Group
Finland’s lineup Friday featured 12 NHL draft picks — Germany had three — including Dallas Stars 2024 first-rounder Emil Hemming, Minnesota Wild 2024 fourth-rounder Aron Kiviharju and Montreal Canadiens 2024 third-rounder Aatos Koivu — the son of former NHLer Saku Koivu. Mikko Koivu, the former Wild captain, is Aatos’ uncle.
Ruohonen, a 2024 fourth-rounder of the Flyers, is the lone player on Finland’s roster from the NCAA. He’s a freshman at Harvard.
Finland will play one more pre-tournament game in Duluth at 6 p.m. Tuesday against the United States at Amsoil Arena. The Americans host Germany at 4 p.m. Sunday at Amsoil Arena.
Clint Austin / Duluth Media Group
Clint Austin / Duluth Media Group
Clint Austin / Duluth Media Group
Click on image to read comprehensive coverage of the 2026 World Junior Championship tournament.
Clint Austin / Duluth Media Group
Clint Austin / Duluth Media Group
Clint Austin / Duluth Media Group
Clint Austin / Duluth Media Group
Clint Austin / Duluth Media Group
Clint Austin / Duluth Media Group
Clint Austin / Duluth Media Group
Our newsroom occasionally reports stories under a byline of “staff.” Often, the “staff” byline is used when rewriting basic news briefs that originate from official sources, such as a city press release about a road closure, and which require little or no reporting. At times, this byline is used when a news story includes numerous authors or when the story is formed by aggregating previously reported news from various sources. If outside sources are used, it is noted within the story.
BREWSTER, Minn. — Lots of hugs were shared, tears were shed and utter shock was witnessed as a rural Minnesota family was surprised with the Best Christmas Ever early Sunday afternoon, Dec. 14.
More than two dozen people caravaned behind a Brewster Fire Truck to deliver gifts to Austin and Stephanie VandeKamp and their 6-year-old daughter, Callee, in Brewster, Minnesota, in Nobles County.
Julie Buntjer / The Globe
“We just came to bring some joy to your life,” said Sue Hagen, one of the local coordinators for the nationwide nonprofit
Best Christmas Ever organization,
which surprises families who have experienced hard times. “Last year, with the loss of Jaelee, none of these gifts we’re bringing to you will ever replace her, but we just thought that your family deserved a little joy this Christmas.”
The Vande Kamps gave birth to their daughter, Jaelee, on Feb. 4, 2024. Shortly thereafter, Jaelee was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect, TAPVR (Total Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Return). She spent her first eight months in the cardiovascular intensive care unit at Children’s Minnesota in Minneapolis, where she had 10 surgeries and ultimately required continuous dialysis.
Stephanie didn’t get to hold Jaelee until she was 50 days old, and stayed with Jaelee for much of her hospitalization. When she did come home, Austin would go to the hospital to stay with their youngest daughter.
They were finally able to bring Jaelee home on Sept. 23, 2024. Because she was dependent on respiratory support, someone had to be awake with her 24/7, so Stephanie got very little sleep, family friend Ashley Prins detailed in the nomination letter she sent to Best Christmas Ever.
Julie Buntjer / The Globe
Jaelee died unexpectedly on Dec. 9, 2024, while attending regular follow-up appointments in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Jaelee’s death compounded the loss the family was still feeling from the sudden death of Stephanie’s dad from a heart attack on Easter morning 2022.
“The community just rallies around a family and they don’t even know who it will be,” Hagen said, noting that Bedford Industries, Sanford Worthington and District 518 were among employers who stepped up alongside community members to “help uplift a family.”
Locally, the Best Christmas Ever program is sponsored by the Astrup Family Foundation, owner of Sterling Pharmacy stores, which provides $5,000 toward a life-changing gift for a local family who has fallen on hard times through no fault of their own. Business partners included Worthington Federal Savings Bank and Runnings who, along with Sterling Pharmacy, had giving trees set up at their businesses in recent weeks to accept gifts and monetary donations for the recipients.
The VandeKamps were nominated for the Best Christmas Ever program by family friend Ashley Prins.
“I would love to make this year a joyous season again for them in regards to holidays and I would love to see the three of them be able to get away on a vacation and enjoy their time together as they missed out on so much of that during this life struggle,” Prins wrote in her letter.
Julie Buntjer / The Globe
In addition to a mound of neatly wrapped gifts — most of which were for Callee — the family was presented with a monetary gift of $7,403.07. The local Best Christmas Ever committee will work with the family on how the gift may be used.
“I don’t know what to say,” Austin said after accepting the money.
“Merry Christmas,” replied Chad Nixon, representing Worthington Federal Savings Bank.
Callee opened her largest box, which contained a child-sized recliner just for her, as well as two stuffed animals to match the chair. Stephanie and Austin received Minnesota Twins jerseys reflecting their favorite current Twins players.
Among the people on hand Sunday were last year’s recipients, the Adrian and Melissa Gonzalez family, of Worthington. The Gonzalezes lost their son, Emmitt, to cancer in September 2023.
Hagen also presented the family with over $1,000 in gift cards to local businesses, and noted that donations are still coming in. The Best Christmas Ever committee will meet again with the Vande Kamps after Christmas, she said.
The VandeKamps were completely surprised by the gesture — after admitting a bit of fear as to why a fire truck with lights on and siren blaring pulled into their rural Brewster farmyard.
“I thought right away my barn was on fire, my lambs were running everywhere, then I saw a big wad of cars and I thought, ‘what’?” Austin said.
Julie Buntjer became editor of The Globe in July 2021, after working as a beat reporter at the Worthington newspaper since December 2003. She has a bachelor’s degree in agriculture journalism from South Dakota State University.
So Minnesota: Lego King of Minneapolis builds Minnesota landmarks one brick at a time
Many kids will find Lego sets under the Christmas tree this holiday season, but the popular toy isn’t just for children.
Jeff Esler fell in love with Legos as a child, and that love affair has never ended.
“I am the Lego king of Minneapolis,” Esler said. “So my friends call me.”
A decade ago, Esler immortalized Nye’s Polonaise Room in Legos and posted it on Facebook.
“That one, it kind of went really viral,” Esler said. “I think I got 100,000 shares.”
Esler’s fame grew after he went on to use toy bricks to build mini masterpieces of Minnesota landmarks.
“I did Matt’s, and then I did Gluek’s,” Elser said. “I did the Frank Lloyd Wright gas station in Cloquet. Then, probably the Split Rock Lighthouse. The Grain Belt sign.”
Each project costs from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. They take a ton of bricks and days to build. Esler has sold some models and given others away.
“I do the landmarks, because they click with people,” Esler said.
Esler plans to keep building some of Minnesota’s most recognizable places one brick at a time.
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