Minnesota Wild : Hockey Day Minnesota 2018 broadcast details announced

ST. PAUL -- FOX Sports North, in conjunction with the Minnesota Wild, today announced their in-depth broadcast coverage plans for the 12th annual Hockey Day Minnesota (HDM) presented by Wells Fargo, which will commence this Saturday, January 20 at 9 a.m.

Highlighted by more than 14 hours of original hockey programming, the network will showcase five live games, including three outdoor games from Lake George in St. Cloud, an in-state college rivalry match-up from the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center and cumulating with the Minnesota Wild-Tampa Bay Lighting game in primetime.

The broadcast event will be televised regionally on FOX Sports North, FOX Sports North PLUS and via the FOX Sports GO app, a free app that provides live streaming video of FOX Sports content through programming distributors. The three outdoor games will also be made available nationwide, exclusively through FOX Sports GO.

In addition, in a first for Hockey Day Minnesota, FOX Sports North announced it will add an interactive virtual reality experience for fans that can be accessed through the FOX Sports VR app, available through the App Store. Fans can experience a stadium suite with multiple camera angles and 180 degree views from the outdoor games in St. Cloud while interacting and commenting with other fans. The experience can be viewed via smartphone or tablet with no additional equipment needed. For additional VR visuals and information, click here.

Hockey Day Minnesota programming will be anchored from the FOX Sports Hockey Day set at Lake George Municipal Park in St. Cloud. Throughout the day, the FOX Sports North team will introduce viewers to several special features and report from tournaments, pick-up games and Hockey Day gatherings from across The State of Hockey. The complete list of special features is listed below.

Hockey Day Minnesota 2018 special features:

• Patrick's Foundation: Diagnosed with a brain tumor at the age of eight, Patrick endured six brain surgeries, 99 rounds of radiation and countless rounds of chemotherapy -- a story about how hockey can bring inspiration and joy, even during a time of struggle.
• Taylor Heise: She comes from a basketball town (Red Wing, MN) and a basketball family, but has become an elite hockey player who is being recognized as one of the top girls high school players in the state.
• Cullen family: Minnesota Wild player Matt Cullen is one of three brothers who grew up playing hockey outdoors in Moorhead, Minnesota. Meet his dad and learn how Grandpa Terry is influencing the Cullen grandkids, who now play the sport that this family loves.
• Women's hockey: The evolution of women's hockey in Minnesota, told by Krissy Wendell.
• Youth Hockey Referee Spotlight: Many kids want to grow up to be hockey players, but there are also some who want to grow up to be the referee.
• Bob Motzko & Mike Hastings: How the legendary Herb Brooks influenced these two D1 head coaches, both of whom grew up in the State of Hockey.
• Jason Zucker Foundation: Whether it's 16 cents or $16,000, Minnesota Wild player Jason Zucker is committed to raising money for the University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital and touching lives along the way through his #Give16 campaign.
• 'Goodnight Hockey': A reminder of the simple things that make the sport of hockey so special, a book reading with some of Minnesota's youngest hockey fans.
  

FOX Sports North will feature a full team of on-air talent contributing throughout the day. Tom Hanneman and Tom Chorske will anchor the Hockey Day Minnesota set from St. Cloud along with St. Cloud State University student reporter, Katie Emmer. Audra Martin and Wes Walz will provide updates from a desk located at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.

Kevin Gorg will serve as analyst for the two outdoor boy's high school games, and joined by newcomer Chris Vosters who will handle play-by-play. Marney Gellner will be reporting.

The first-ever outdoor women's college game featured live on HDM has Jim Rich behind the mic. He will be joined by one of the top women's hockey players of all time, Krissy Wendell, alongside Kevin Gorg with Marney Gellner reporting.

Anthony LaPanta and Mike Greenlay take over broadcast duties for primetime as play-by-play and analyst for the Wild game from Xcel Energy Center.

Hockey Day Minnesota 2018 Television Schedule

TIME	EVENT	LOCATION	CHANNELS
9 a.m.	Coverage begins	N/A	FSN/FSN+/FS GO
10 a.m.	St. Cloud vs. St. Cloud Cathedral - High School Boys	Lake George, St. Cloud	FSN/FSN+/FS GO
1 p.m.	St. Cloud State vs. University Minnesota-Duluth - Women's	Lake George, St. Cloud	FSN/FSN+/FS GO
4:30 p.m.	Moorhead vs. Centennial - High School Boys	Lake George, St. Cloud	FSN/FSN+/FS GO
5 p.m.	Minnesota St. Univ. Mankato vs. St. Cloud State - Men's	Herb Brooks National Hockey Center, St. Cloud	FSN+/FS GO
8 p.m.	Minnesota Wild vs. Tampa Bay Lightning	Xcel Energy Center, Saint Paul	FSN/FSN+/FS GO

The regional sports network will also show highlights from the St. Cloud Icebreakers vs. Sartell/Sauk Rapids Storm'n Sabers girl's high school game and St. Cloud State University Alumni game from Friday night.

The hockey community is encouraged to join the HDM celebration by using #HDM2018 - select text and photo content will be incorporated into the broadcast throughout the day.

Tickets for Hockey Day Minnesota 2018 are on sale at Paramount Theater in St. Cloud or online at wild.com/hockeyday. Separate tickets are needed for Friday night and Saturday.

Hockey Day Minnesota was originated in 2007 by the Minnesota Wild to celebrate the game that has made Minnesota the State of Hockey. It is produced in partnership with FOX Sports North, Minnesota Hockey and the respective local community that serves as host each year. Previous locations include Baudette Bay (2007, 2008), Phalen Park (2009), Hermantown (2010), Moorhead (2011), Minnetonka (2012), Grand Rapids (2013), Elk River (2014), Saint Paul (2015), Duluth (2016) and Stillwater (2017). For more information, visit the Hockey Day Minnesota page on wild.com.

Top photo courtesy of Fines Aerial Imaging

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