November 6, 2024

Hockey Day Minnesota: White Bear Lake’s fierce rivalry with Hill-Murray takes center stage

Murray #Murray

White Bear Lake forward Aiden Welch  (10) gets sandwiched between Hill-Murray forward Lucas Mann (18) and defender Leo Gruba (11) in the third period of the Class 2A, Section 4 final at Aldrich Arena in Maplewood on Friday, March 4, 2022. Hill-Murray beat White Bear Lake, 5-0. © John Autey/Pioneer Press/TNS White Bear Lake forward Aiden Welch  (10) gets sandwiched between Hill-Murray forward Lucas Mann (18) and defender Leo Gruba (11) in the third period of the Class 2A, Section 4 final at Aldrich Arena in Maplewood on Friday, March 4, 2022. Hill-Murray beat White Bear Lake, 5-0.

Now retired NHL center Ryan Carter believes all high-end players experience a moment where self-confidence hits a new height. For the former White Bear Lake forward, that moment came against Hill-Murray — because of course it did.

Carter recounted a regular-season contest against the Pioneers in which he tallied five or six points at Aldrich Arena.

“I think every player has this moment, where it’s like ‘Maybe I am a pretty good player. Maybe I’m decent at this,’ ” Carter said. “For me, I think that was that game. It’s Hill-Murray, biggest game, they want to stop me. It … was a regular-season game, but it was, ‘Hey, he’s good.’ That’s how I felt about myself a little bit. On the biggest stage, you were able to come through and play well.”

And, make no mistake, Hill-Murray vs. White Bear Lake is the biggest stage. Considered by many to be the state’s rivalry — rivaled by Warroad and Roseau — it’s difficult to ponder Minnesota high school hockey without the matchup known simply around these parts as “The Rivalry” coming to mind.

So, when White Bear Lake was named the host site for the 2023 edition of Hockey Day Minnesota, there was only one logical opponent for the Bears’ boys team to play.

“It was the natural game, respectfully to everybody else,” Hill-Murray varsity boys coach Bill Lechner said.

White Bear Lake and Hill-Murray will do battle at 4:30 p.m. Saturday in the latest chapter of the rivalry’s rich history.

“When you heard we were going to be awarded this, did you think it was going to be anybody but them? No. I think that was the worst-kept secret out there. And it’s fitting,” White Bear Lake boys varsity coach Tim Sager said. “The rivalry is an absolutely tremendous rivalry. We get to showcase that on television, as far as it can reach out, and people can see it and it’s a wonderful thing. It’s great for the celebration of hockey.”

Saturday’s Hockey Day meeting takes the place of the annual regular-season meeting between the teams, which is traditionally set as a late-December affair that allows alums to come back and help pack the venue for the titanic tilt. It’s the only guaranteed matchup each season, a contrast to the multiple regular-season meetings between the foes when they shared a conference in the 1990s and early 2000s.

That, Lechner noted, was the peak of the rivalry. The two teams would duke it out two to three times a season, all as a precursor to a likely section squareoff.

“It got fiercer,” Lechner said.

Still, Lechner estimated the rivalry is still about 90 percent of what it was then. And as so much shifts around the sport, this rivalry endures. There are many reasons for that, such as public vs. private programs and physical proximity between th schools.

“I think (it’s) because we’re neighbors, honestly. I really do,” Sager said. “Some kids choose to leave here and go play there. I think about the same thing with Roseau and Warroad — brothers, cousins, the whole bit. And they’re neighbors. It’s bragging rights, it’s all of the above there.”

Carter noted he had friends who went to Hill-Murray, and that he and his teammates wanted nothing more than to beat them.

“It fueled it. It was like, ‘Hey, we’d be a better squad with you on our club, but you’re not, so we’re going to make you pay for it,’ ” Carter said. “So, there isn’t a lack of motivating factors when White Bear Lake plays Hill.”

Atop the list remains the stakes. Other programs such as Stillwater would like a word on this topic, but the common sentiment remains: “You can almost guarantee that come late February, it’s going to be White Bear and Hill-Murray in the section final,” said White Bear Lake alum Jon Anderson, who was also an event organizer for this weekend’s festivities.

“And,” Lechner noted, “the fire marshals are not going to be happy, and that’s what happens.”

Because there is not an extra space to stand in attendance. Sager recalled times when the two teams were set to play in a section final at 9 p.m. on a weeknight, and fans would be lining up for tickets nearly 12 hours in advance of puck drop.

Carter described the state hockey tournament as “the Super Bowl” of Minnesota high school sports. And White Bear Lake and Hill-Murray often stand between one another and the sport’s apex.

“So, for that glory, you knew you had to beat Hill-Murray. Hill-Murray knew that they had to beat White Bear,” Carter said. “It all came down to that one game at the Coliseum, White Bear vs. Hill. Winner goes on, loser goes home.”

Anderson noted he played in three section finals with White Bear Lake and all three were losses to Hill-Murray. Indeed, the Pioneers have had the upper hand more times than not. Carter said the Bears have always had an underdog mentality because of that.

Still, both programs have had shining moments. Lechner fondly called the 2004 section semifinal, in which the Pioneers fell behind 3-0, and the Bears’ fans near the bench let them know about it

“Everybody was yelling from the White Bear community, ‘You’re done. You’re toast.’ And all our kids heard all that,” Lechner said. “It was the speech I never had to give. I go, ‘I hope you’re listening, because we need to get going.’ ”

Hill-Murray rallied to win 5-4 in overtime. The Bears have discovered glory a few times, as well, including in 2011, when they downed a highly-touted Pioneers that featured Pittsburgh Penguins star winger Jake Guentzel.

“As soon as you think you’ve got it figured out where one team is better than the other, something always crazy sort of happens in the game,” Sager said. “It’s even sweeter when we do (win).”

HOCKEY DAY IN MINNESOTA

Saturday’s high school games at Polar Lake Park.

9:30 a.m. — Girls hockey: Stillwater vs. White Bear Lake

1 p.m. — Boys hockey: Hermantown vs. Mahtomedi

4:30 p.m. — Boys hockey: Hill Murray vs. White Bear Lake

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