Holidays on ice

By Gerry Gilmour,The Forum
Published Monday, November 15, 2004

GRAND FORKS, N.D. -- They're ready to take on the world.

Organizers of the 2005 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship here and in Thief River Falls, Minn., are on a countdown to the biggest sporting event ever held in this region.

Thousands will attend and millions around the world will be watching Dec. 19 through Jan. 4 as talented young hockey players from 10 nations vie for gold at the University of North Dakota's and Thief River Falls' Ralph Engelstad arenas.

"It's the best hockey you'll ever see," said Earl Strinden, acting manager of the Grand Forks Ralph. He attended the 2004 tournament in Helsinki, Finland.

This is only the fourth time the tournament has come to the United States. Grand Forks and Thief River Falls were picked over Columbus, Ohio, and Omaha, Neb.

"From a facility standpoint, and considering the importance of a community embracing this event, it took literally less than a minute to decide where it would be," Jim Johannson, senior director of hockey operations for USA Hockey, said from Hamburg, Germany. He is accompanying a team of professionals representing the United States in the Deutschland Cup.

Johansson -- a member of the 1983 U.S. junior team in Leningrad (today St. Petersburg) and the 1984 team in Sweden -- said area hockey fans will be wowed by the intensity of international competition.

Fans from Europe are known for ringing cowbells, whistling and waving flags from the first face-off to the final buzzer.

The 2005 World Junior Championship is expected to fill Red River Valley hotel rooms and restaurants, and generate more than $29 million in economic impact.

Tickets are available for most tournament games. Exhibition action kicks off Dec. 19 at the 11,500-seat Grand Forks Ralph with Team USA taking on the University of North Dakota's Fighting Sioux.

The exhibition tour continues with stops in Moorhead, Grafton, N.D., and Warroad and East Grand Forks, Minn.

Preliminary round games are Dec. 25-30, followed by a medal round Jan. 1-4.

"I don't think the Red River Valley knows what's coming its way," said Brad Berry.

The UND associate head hockey coach was one of two collegians -- Michigan State goaltender Norm Foster was the other -- on the 1985 Canadian team that captured gold in Helsinki.

A U.S. team led by former UND star Zach Parise captured its first gold ever in the annual event a year ago in Helsinki, besting Canada 4-3 in the championship game. Though recognized as a monumental accomplishment in the hockey world, it was barely noted by a national sports press more obsessed with football and basketball.

"Growing up in Canada, I can tell you that they hold this tournament in higher regard than the Olympics," said Berry, who went on to play professionally in the National Hockey League with the Minnesota North Stars, Dallas Stars, Winnipeg Jets and the Brynas IF Hockey Club in the Swedish Elite League.

"We're talking about a tournament that's had Mario Lemieux and Wayne Gretzky. In Canada, this tournament is seen as a symbol of the future of the game."

Because the NHL is shut down by a labor battle, the hockey spotlight will shine brightly on the Grand Forks area.

Participating nations are the United States, Canada, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Belarus, Finland, Sweden, Germany, Russia and Switzerland.

Chris Semrau, director of events and media relations at the Ralph in Grand Forks, said television deals for coast-to-coast American and Canadian coverage will be announced next week. Several European broadcast crews are also coming.

More than 200 members of the press -- most from hockey-crazed Canada -- will be in Grand Forks and Thief River Falls.

Hundreds of NHL scouts are also expected. Junior players are ages 18 to 20. UND's Drew Stafford will suit up for Team USA.

"You're looking at a lot of kids who either are -- or will be -- No. 1 draft picks," said Tom Goddard. The Thief River Falls native and former Sioux player and Western Collegiate Hockey Association official manages the 3,600-seat Thief River Falls Ralph.

Throughout Thief River Falls, a community of 8,000 located 50 miles northeast of Grand Forks, business windows are painted with welcoming words for visiting teams.

"We've got a great core group of about 200 energetic volunteers," Goddard said. Thief River won't host any tournament Team USA or Team Canada games. It has one Team USA exhibition match against Germany, but that doesn't diminish the talent that will be on the ice, he said.

Among the most-anticipated matches in Thief River is the Dec. 29 showdown between Finland and Sweden. "We have a lot of Finlanders and Swedes up here," Goddard said.

They'll be joined in Thief River Falls and Grand Forks with native Finns, Swedes and other travelers from Europe.

Tanya Kuntz, manager of the World Junior Championship in Grand Forks, said more than 250,000 fans are expected to attend games -- many from other nations, especially Canada.

For games involving Team Canada or Team USA, fewer than 400 seats are available, Kuntz said. There are a limited number of 21-game Grand Forks Ralph, lower-bowl tournament tickets available for $455. Tournament passes for the Thief River Falls Ralph cost $197 but are going fast.

Single-game tickets for most other contests are available, though that may not be the case a month from now, Kuntz warned. Prices range from $21 to $50 depending on the game and venue.

Tickets for the UND-Team USA Sunday matinee exhibition are being handled by the university. Tickets to other exhibitions are being handled by local arenas and sponsors.

The $29 million local impact estimate comes from the Greater Grand Forks Convention and Visitors Bureau.

"There is excitement, definitely," said Sandy Dobmeier of the CVB.

Many of the community's 1,700 hotel rooms are spoken for by teams and media, she said. Rooms are still available, however. Thief River Falls also has rooms remaining, Goddard said.

Bryan Schulz of the Fargo-Moorhead CVB said they are ready to help with buses and hotel rooms if the Grand Forks area gets booked.

"At the point they need our help, we'll be happy to assist," he said.

Greater Grand Forks homeowners are helping pick up some of the overflow. Four screens of listings for home rentals can be found online at www.ralphsworldjr.com. Kuntz, meanwhile, is recruiting volunteers to help with the tournament.

She's also helping coordinate a "Fan Jam" that will run throughout the tournament in the Grand Forks Ralph's Olympic arena area. Activities will include cultural displays, trade shows and entertainment.

"We hope to do this again someday," Kuntz said, "so we have a lot to prove."

Readers can reach Forum reporter Gerry Gilmour at (701) 241-5560