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T H E A L UMNI A s you can imagine, Zach Parise has a lot of memorable moments from his hockey playing career: Being drafted 17th overall by the New Jersey Devils in 2003. Scoring the tying goal with 24 seconds left in the third period against Canada in the 2010 Winter Olympics. Playing in the Stanley Cup Finals. Signing a 13-year contract with the Minnesota Wild. Scoring his 200th-career NHL goal on Feb. 4 against the Coyotes. The list goes on, but one special memory he still carries with him is the year he played in the Minnesota Hockey State Tournament as a Peewee for Bloomington Jefferson. "We won the third-place game in overtime," Parise says. "It was a lot of fun. Gilbert was on that team." That would be Bloomington Jefferson product Tom Gilbert, now reunited with Parise, but this time in a Minnesota Wild sweater and playing in front of 18,000 fans at Xcel Energy Center. Current Wild players joining Parise and Matt Cullen Gilbert in the Minnesota Hockey State Tournament club are Matt Cullen and Nate Prosser. Cullen made it to state an incredible four years in a row with the Moorhead Youth Hockey Association – twice in Peewees and twice in Bantams. "Just great memories for me," Cullen adds. "I can remember every one, actually. It's so fun to go there as a kid and take a run at it." "You're playing with kids you grew up with and kids that you played on the outdoor rinks with – and you make it all the way to state. It was just a great experience all around for a young kid. We were having so much fun." Prosser, a proud alumnus of the Elk River Youth Hockey Association, helped his team to a Minnesota Hockey State Tournament appearance in his first year of Bantams. The future Elk River High School and Colorado College star now reminisces about his time playing with the kids in the neighborhood. "I remember road trips growing up with youth tournaments, and specifically the state tournament. We took third place that year," Prosser says. "Those experiences with your city and your friends that you grow up with and you're playing with every day. It's pretty special. There's nothing like it." More kids will look to make lifelong memories during the 2013 Minnesota Hockey State Tournaments set for March 15-17. Bantam A "Just great memories for me. I can remember every one, actually. It's so fun to go there as a kid and take a run at it." Matt Cullen Minnesota Wild, Moorhead Youth Hockey Association Eden Prairie has captured five championships since 1998, but will the new State Tournament Pilot Program shine light on other associations? This year's talented bracket will unfold in Buffalo. Bantam B Duluth Denfeld captured the crown last season over Osseo/Maple Grove, who are two-time champions since the tournament began in 2005. Tom Gilbert Junior Gold A Wayzata has powered six teams into the finals the past 10 years, with four of those teams coming out on top. But it was Edina who took home the trophy last year. It was the Hornets third championship game – and victory – in the past four years. Junior Gold B RAVE (Rosemount/Apple Valley/Eagan) shut out Wayzata 6-0 to cap a marvelous championship season last year. Wayzata, Woodbury, Roseville and Lakeville have each had multiple teams in the finals since 2005. All Junior Gold tournaments will be played in Plymouth. March.2013 // minnesotahockeyjournal.com 07