Vintage Minnesota Hockey - History

The story of today's St. Cloud Huskies Hockey program in college hockey's premier WCHA dates back to the winter of 1898 at the St. Cloud State Teachers College- nicknamed the Pedagogues; Webster's definition: a slave who escorted children to school, a teacher, schoolmaster.  In 1869 St. Cloud was formed as the state's third "Normal" school.  29 years later, In 1898 the school formed it's first hockey team while competing against several teams within Minnesota including the renowned St. Paul Hockey Club. In the Ped's first ever documented game the "AC seven" shut-out St. Cloud 6-0 at the Virginia Roller Rink in St. Paul before a documented crowd of an estimated 400 fans. Following the 1901 campaign, for reasons unknown, the team folded and St. Cloud wouldn't again see University hockey until the early 1930's when the St. Cloud Teacher's College would again ice a team. The 1932 season marked the Universities first ever collegiate season- now sanctioned by the University- under the leadership of head coach Ralph "Bud" Theisen. The teams first season iced a 1-7-0 record. The 1932 Teachers College yearbook recites that first season as follows:

"In the first year of it's organization the St. Cloud Teachers College Hockey team earned a good name for itself. The movement for the formation of a hockey team was started by President Selke and with his aid the team was equipped and organized. The only games that could be scheduled were with seasoned hockey veterans. Ralph "Bud" Theisen was selected as student coach and the manner in which the team developed justified the faith the players had in him. "Cully" Strobel was elected captain. His knowledge and his determination buoyed the morale of the team throughout the season. The first forward line was composed of Mertzacher, Maus and Strobel. The defensemen who started most of the games were Hanson and Thielman. In the nets Anderson held sway and many were the stops credited to him. The second lineup for the Teachers found Goehrs, Nierengarten and Hollenhorst on the front line and "Tuba" Lodermeier and Murphy at the defense posts. The first series of the season pitted the college team against the fast St. Cloud Lions Club which defeated the Teachers in two contests. Two games were lost to Macalester. During these days of defeat the team kept on working and when St. Johns was played the boys showed the result. The Johnnies were whipped 3-1 and in this game the Teachers college team looked like a real hockey team. The fast city team from Alexandria defeated the St. Cloud team and the last games of the schedule were lost to St. Thomas in a home and home series. In spite of handicaps the team battled all of its foes to the finish."

Following the squad's first ever University sanctioned season of 1932, Ludwig Andolsek took over the reigns for the start of the 1933 season as head coach. Along with Andolsek the Ped's success was found in Northern Minnesota on the Messabi Iron Range. From 1933-1936 the small range city of Eveleth contributed heavily to the SCTC's success while placing an astounding record of 50-8-1. The 1934 team was manned entirelyof Eveleth players, with future Hall-of-fame goalie: Frank "Mr. Zero" Brimsek leading the way between the pipes to a record of 26-2-0. Climaxing a wonderful season the Ped's finished second in the Midwest National AAU tournament held in Chicago on March 15-18 at the windy cities coliseum by the hands of the powerful Eveleth Junior College. The AAU tournament then was the equivalent of the NCAA Frozen Four today. The 1934 Teachers college yearbook recites the tournament and season recap as follows: 

"Considering that our ice rink had disappeared three weeks before the invitation to Chicago was accepted, catching the boys out of practice, and that the strongest amateur teams of the northwest were represented at the meet, the record made was especially gratifying. The team drew the Curtiss Candy Co's, "Baby Ruth's" in the first round and were not given a chance for victory by the "dopesters". But the end of playing time found the red and black in the lead 3 to 2, and they were ready for their next opponent's.This time they drew Glueck's "Blue Ribbons" and disposed of them Saturday night, again by a score of 3 to 2. Eveleth Junior College, a school in which the Teachers College had met twice during the regular season, defeating them once and gaining a tie the second time, also won their first two games and the Minnesota colleges met in the finals on Sunday afternoon.The boys from St. Cloud were "hot" the first period and rang up 5 goals while holding Eveleth to none to look like a sure winner. They scored again in the opening of the second period but from then the Eveleth "Jaysees" scored 8 times to win the game and the trophy. The St. Cloud "Big six" starting players on the Teacher's team that season were: Roland Vandell right defense, Walter DePaul left defense, Ray Gasperlin right wing, Bernard Bjork center, Cletus Winter left wing, and Frank Brimsek as goalie. Other players playing a lesser role, but none the less and important one were these spares: Henry Koch, Carl Hollenhorst, Will Nierengarten, James Alexander, John Alexander, Donald Martin, Robert Lobdell, and Ralph Bjorklund. All of these men saw action during the 1934 season."

The success of the 1934 team following the Chicago AAU Tournament, and the interest in hockey shown by the St. Cloud fans no doubt appealed to stars from northern Minnesota. For the start of the 1935 season found new hockey stars as Kenneth Lundberg, Clifford Kauppi, Robert DePaul, and Arthur Salpacka. The only player loss for the start of the 1935 season was veteran goalie Frank Brimsek whom went to play for the Baltimore Orioles. Still today Brimsek hold the distinction of being the only St. Cloud alumnus to be inducted into the US and NHL Hockey Hall of Fame. It has now become folk-lore at the current SCSU that the "Godfather of Minnesota Hockey", John Mariucci was once offered an invitation to play for the Granite City team but turned down the offer to play on a $100 football scholarship at the University of Minnesota instead. John would later say; "No institution did more for collegiate hockey in the early 30's and 40's than St. Cloud." Mariucci would later play a big role in the late 80's when Herb Brooks- following some advice by his mentor Mariucci- came to SCSU as head coach in 1986. It was said by Brooks that "I was told on some advice by Mariucci to come and coach at St. Cloud for at least a year to better the opportunity for Minnesota kids to play beyond high school." "It was done for philosophical reasons that I went there. basically it was the most enjoyable year I ever spent in hockey; it was fun." said Brooks. St. Cloud continued to dominate through the 1930's and early 1940's posting respectable records and beating strong DII and DIII teams, and interstate Rival Eveleth Teachers college along the way. For the start of the 1942 season the then St. Cloud Teachers college "Pedagogues" were renamed the St. Cloud State University "Huskies" and the team colors remained the same: Cardinal and Black, as the team is today in the WCHA. That 1942 season under coach George Lynch with a record of 5-2 proved to be the Huskies last in hockey play when hockey action ceased from 1943-1946 due to WWII. 

For the start of the 1946-1947 season George Lynch led the Huskies to a 14-3-2 record in 1946-1947, before former SCTC player Roland Vandell returned to campus to coach the SCSU skaters from 1947-1950 and again in 1951-1952. Future SCSU president Brendan McDonald coached the Huskies in 1953-1954, while player-coach Jim Baxter and standout Jerry Reichel guided SCSU to more winning season in the mid 50's. After SCSU had 5 different coaches over 5 years, coach Jack Wink took over the helm for the next decade starting in 1956. Wink led the Huskies to new heights from 1956-1968 posting a respectable 68-69-2 record. Thanks to the emergence of several top players such as Skeeter Hawkinson, Ed Noble, Dale Carmichael, and Bill Fritsinger, the Huskies peaked with a perfect 12-0-0 record in 1961-1962. In 1968-1969 coach Charlie Basch began his tenure at SCSU, and along with Basch came stronger opponents for the Granite City squad. Basch came in and got the program focused on "playing bigger and better colleges", and eventually SCSU joined the NAIA with several other local colleges, and later gained Division II status. The 60's and 70's produced 5 All-Americans in Ronald Gordon (1970), Paul Oberstar (1971), John Fitzsimmons (1973), Pat Sullivan (1974,1975), and Dave Reichel (1978,1979). Teams in the late 1970's also featured Husky standouts Steve Martinson, and Jeff Passolt.

The 1980's were an introduction to several of the top scorers of all-time at SCSU and the beginning of future thoughts of taking Husky hockey to a new level- NCAA Division I status. In 1980, Basch led the Huskies into the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association, for the leagues inaugural season. John Bergo emerged as a star during the early 80's. Coach Charlie Baschs' SCSU tenure ended with a 181-193-7 record from 1968-1984. 181 wins was the second most wins in team history. Upon his retirement from coaching Basch was replaced by former Gophers, and St. Paul Fighting Saints hockey player John Perpich, who in two seasons (1984-1986), led the Huskies in back-to-back winning seasons, and posted a 30-24-4 record. In those 2 seasons were highlighted by a second place SCSU finish for the 1985 NCHA Husky squad. After Perpich exited to become head coach at Ferris State, the Herb Brooks and Craig Dahl became the one-two coaching punch for Husky hockey and a whole new wave of excitement landed on the SCSU campus during the 1986-1987 campaign. With the new coaching staff came a long range plan for developing SCSU into a Division I hockey school. With that in mind lobbying soon got underway for a new arena to house the Husky hockey squad, and plans were developed for the now "National Hockey Center" (NHC) on SCSU campus. In Brooks' first and only season as head coach at SCSU, the Husky hockey team broke or tied 45 school records. As the season progressed so did the excitement, with Husky fans filling the MAC ice arena to sellout crowds each game night. The Huskies went 17-4-1, finished first in the NCHA with a 13-6-1 record, and won the conference's post-season tournament. SCSU was seeded first in the Western Division and went onto defeat Salem State in the first round of the NCHA Division II Championships. The series win over Salem State sent the Huskies to the Final Four in Plattsburgh, N.Y. In the Final Four Championships SCSU dropped their first game to Oswego State 5-2, and for the second tilt SCSU rallied to beat NCHA rival Bemidji State 6-4 to finish third in the nation. Noteworthy players from that squad included leading scorer Mike Brodzinski, Steve Brodzinski, Herm Finnegan, and Bill Korfhage. In late May of 1987 the SCSU plans to build the new National Hockey Center were finally approved through the State's Legislature by Governor Rudy Perpich, with important on-campus help from President Brendan J. McDonald. Groundbreaking for the arena occurred in the fall of 1988, with the first game played on December 16, 1989 against Northern Michigan to 4,000+ Husky faithful. 

While the construction of the NHCenter was underway the Husky hockey team forged its way as an independent among the NCAA Division I ranks. In the fall of 1987, legendary coach Herb Brooks left to take over the head coaching duties for the Minnesota North Stars. Brooks' hockey legacy, and SCSU contributions have never been forgotten. The street in front of the NHC was later renamed "Herb Brooks Way" following his tragic death on August 11, 2003. Following Brooks departure, Craig Dahl, whom served as Brooks assistant coach took over as head coach of the Huskies. The Huskies first Division I game was held at the historic Eveleth Hippodrome for the annual "Hall of Fame Game" where the Huskies were trounced by interstate Minnesota Gophers 6-1. In Dahls first season he posted a 11-25-1 overall record, with a season highlight coming on the last game of the season with a 4-3 win over third place ranked Lake Superior State. The following season the Huskies posted a winning record of 19-16-2 and received an invitation to the NCAA Division I playoffs.

In the fall of 1990 SCSU's ultimate wish to join the prestigious WCHA finally came true. For the 1990-1991 season the Huskies finished fifth in the league with a 12-16-4 record. In their first ever WCHA game the Huskies tied the Minnesota Gophers in a 3-3 overtime thriller in front of record crowds at the NHC. Junior defensemen Bret Hedican was SCSU's first All-WCHA first team pick that season. Hedican opted to leave the Huskies the following season to play for the U.S. Olympic team in Albertville, France.  Then upon returning from the Olympics, Hedican joined the St. Louis Blues. 

From 1990-2001 the Huskies found success by a second trip to the WCHA Final Five in 1995-1996. Advanced to the WCHA Final Five in 1996-1997, and standouts Matt Cullen, and Mark Parrish (All-American in 1997) finished their careers at SCSU. In 1997-1998 the Huskies posted a second straight 20 win season and played in their third straight WCHA Final Five. Craig Dahl was also named coach of the year. For the fourth straight year the Huskies advanced to the WCHA Final Five in 1998-1999. The 1999-2000 season elevated the SCSU program to new heights- the NCAA tournament. The season started slow but ended in a flurry as SCSU made it's second ever NCAA tournament appearance advancing to the East Regional in 2000 in Albany, N.Y. The Huskies road to the regional included a fifth straight WCHA Final Five appearance and a 23-14-3 overall mark. Defenseman Mike Pudlick gained All-American notice. Success followed the Huskies during the 2000 season completed by a school best 31-9-1 record. SCSU claimed the Broadmoor trophy for the first time after defeating North Dakota in the title game of the 2001 WCHA Final Five. SCSU gained it's second consecutive bid to the NCAA tournament and completed its season ranked #5 in the National polls. Junior Tyler Arnason was named WCHA Final Five MVP. 

From 2001-2004 SCSU continued it's pattern of success while gaining its third consecutive NCAA tourney bid and received it's first ever #1 national ranking in the college hockey polls during the 2001-2002 season. Senior Forward Mark Hartigan set team scoring records during the season, and was named as top three finalists for the coveted Hobey Baker award, with being named an All-American award winner. In 02-03 the Huskies earned their fourth consecutive NCAA bid with a 17-16-5 overall record. The 04-05 season also marked the end of an era as coach Dahl stepped down as the Huskies head coach in September of 2005. His legacy at SCSU was impressive with a 338-309-52 record. He helped SCSU make it's move to Division I withHerb Brooks and positioned SCSU as one of the Nation's top collegiate hockey programs.

St. Cloud has always had a rich hockey tradition dating back to 1898 with the Pedagogues Normal School hockey squads. The future of Husky hockey definitely looks bright with high class recruits choosing to play at SCSU. The Huskies will forever be a successful WCHA hockey school where future NHL'ers will get their start as the players in the cardinal and black, just as the squads of yesteryears in the Granite City once did.

Source In part: 1900-1980 SCTC/SCSU University Yearbooks, 2008 SCSU Hockey Yearbook