MANKATO -- With a week-long celebration of hockey at Blakeslee Stadium nearing an end, the Minnesota State women's alumni as well as the Minnesota State University and University of St. Thomas women took center stage on a bright Sunday afternoon.

Here are some highlights from both:

MANKATO -- The Hockey Day Minnesota main event on Saturday featured three exciting hockey games, including the Andover and Edina girls, the East Grand Forks and Prior Lake boys and the Minnesota State University men against the University of St. Thomas.

The snow arrived before the MSU-UST game and never relented, making for a picturesque vista at Blakeslee Stadium.

Here's a sampling of the day's festivities:

MANKATO -- As Hockey Day Minnesota 2022 comes to a close on Saturday, there are a number of emotions one feels at the end of yet another remarkable event. 

The Hockey Day Minnesota broadcast itself showcases a local community that has poured its heart and soul into an event that lasts far longer than the 16 hours of programming on Bally Sports North.

In Mankato, Hockey Day has been a weeklong celebration that actually won't conclude until Sunday evening. 

The essentials

Who: Chicago Blackhawks (15-19-6, 36 points) at Minnesota Wild (22-10-3, 47 points)

Puck drop: 8:08 p.m.

Watch: Bally Sports North

Listen: KFAN FM 100.3; Wild Radio Network; Wild NHL App

Follow: @mnwild; @mnwildscribe; GameCenter

🎟 Tickets

MANKATO -- Night three of Hockey Day Minnesota, presented by United Healthcare, featured the Mankato East and Mankato West boys varsity game as well as the Minnesota State University men's alumni game at Blakeslee Stadium.

Here's a sampling of the evening's festivities:

The essentials

Who: East Grand Forks Green Wave vs. Prior Lake Lakers - Boys Hockey

Puck drop: 1 p.m. CT

Watch: Bally Sports North

Where: Blakeslee Stadium, Mankato

The essentials

Who: Andover Huskies vs. Edina Hornets - Girls Hockey

Puck drop: 9:30 a.m. CT

Watch: Bally Sports North

Where: Blakeslee Stadium, Mankato

MANKATO -- Aiden Prochaska has a perspective and a wisdom not found in many athletes his age. 

The Mankato East senior defenseman and captain has spent the entirety of his season so far cherishing every shift he climbs over the boards for the Cougars, because he knows every shift he takes could be his last. 

He's seen it happen to his buddies, Mankato East's seniors last season, who had their season come to an unceremonious halt over a Zoom call a few hours before they'd begin their quest for a trip to the Class A State Tournament at Xcel Energy Center.

ADDRESS
Blakeslee Stadium at Minnesota State University
191 Stadium Road
Mankato, MN 56001

WHERE DO I PARK?
Parking is in MSU Lots 20 + 21 just east of Blakeslee Field off Stadium Road (map below). Parking passes for ticked games are $10 and can be purchased with your tickets at checkout or bought onsite.

WHERE ARE GUEST SERVICES LIKE LOST + FOUND OR FIRST AID?
Guest Services are located in the Hockey Day Village behind the stadium.

MANKATO -- It's after midnight on Wednesday night/Thursday morning and Mark Breiter is working deep inside the bowels of the Mayo Clinic Health System Events Center, the home arena of both the Minnesota State men's and women's hockey programs.

Breiter, a 23-year-old senior in his final semester as an undergrad at MSU, is the only man in the barn, finishing up the half dozen or so pairs of skate blades he had left to sharpen. He was down here earlier in the afternoon, serving double duty as the head equipment manager for the MSU women's team and assisting men's equipment manager Scott Rideout.