Favorite Minnesota North Stars memories

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Not sure if we had a thread for this. But what was some of your favorite memories of the Minnesota North Stars.

Mine was the 1991 Stanley Cup final run. Upsetting the Chicago Blackhawks, St Louis Blues and Edmonton Oilers.
 

Not sure if we had a thread for this. But what was some of your favorite memories of the Minnesota North Stars.

Mine was the 1991 Stanley Cup final run. Upsetting the Chicago Blackhawks, St Louis Blues and Edmonton Oilers.
The '91 run was a blast and I was able to make it into Met Center for at least 1 game of all 4 rounds.

I really thought walking out of the building after Game 3, taking a 2-1 series lead against the Penguins, that a Stanley Cup parade was imminent. Badger Bob, Super Mario, Jagr & Co put a stop to the fairy tale ride.

My favorite memory though was earlier when the North Stars ended the Montreal Canadians quest for a 5th straight Cup in 1980. They took them down in Game 7, ending the Habs dynasty.
 



Besides the two runs to the Stanley Cup finals, beating the Blackhawks in the 1984 playoffs, after losing to them the prior two postseasons.
 


I was living up in the Cities in '81 when the Stars made their first run to the Stanley Cup Finals. a bunch of people I knew would get together to watch games on TV and attended some games in person.

that was a fun club: Bobby Smith, Steve Payne, Hartsburg, Christoff, Dino, Don Beaupre, etc.

but the thing that stands out - I watched one of the games of the Cup Finals in a Hotel in Detroit. I had a buddy who was a long-haul truck driver, and I went along with him for a run. he had picked up a load at a liquor warehouse, and talked somebody out of a free bottle of scotch. so we got a hotel room for the night, watched the game and drank free booze.
 

I was at game 6 of the Cup finals at the Met in '91. Yes they got thumped 8-0 but I got to see Mario carry the Cup around the rink. Got tickets the night before for 41 bucks

My first game was in '72 when they played the Leafs. Gump was in the net. Took a puck to the forehead and left to get stitched up. Returned for the second period after he had a smoke or 2 I'm sure
 

Mine was the 1991 Cup as well. We had just moved from MN to Tulsa, OK and only a couple of the Stanley Cup games were on national TV (crazy to think about that now), so my Dad and I would drive around to different parking lots in Tulsa trying to pick up WCCO 830's massive signal, and we were able to get the MN radio call if we were in very specific parking spots. So once we got the signal, we dare not move for the next few hours in fear of not being able to pick up WCCO again.

Go North Stars!!
 

Mine was the 1991 Cup as well. We had just moved from MN to Tulsa, OK and only a couple of the Stanley Cup games were on national TV (crazy to think about that now), so my Dad and I would drive around to different parking lots in Tulsa trying to pick up WCCO 830's massive signal, and we were able to get the MN radio call if we were in very specific parking spots. So once we got the signal, we dare not move for the next few hours in fear of not being able to pick up WCCO again.

Go North Stars!!
Actually the North Stars were on KSTP-1500 (moved from WCCO-830 in 1978), which explains why it was harder to pick up on radio.

At night 1500 boosts it signal which I have been able at times to pick up pretty clearly while in Chicago or further. I've had other nights in which it was tough to pick up as close as Red Wing.
 



Favorite North Stars Memories:
1. The 1991 post season was incredible. This was back in the day when all postseason road games were on KMSP Channel 9 but the home games were on PPV. We didn't even have cable so I remember listening to the radio for every home game.
2. My uncle had season tickets in the late 1980's so I remember him taking me and my cousin to 1-2 games every year. Good memories.
3. When I was about 7 years old someone gave me a transistor radio. This would have been around mid 80's but I remember having to tag along to my sister's orchestra lessons through GTCYS and I occupied myself by sitting in the lobby and listening to North Stars games.
4. I remember Neal Broten becoming the first US-born player to record 100 points in an NHL season.

Regarding the radio signal: I remember in 2004 I was driving to Ann Arbor for the Gophers verses Michigan game and on Friday night we got the clearest WCCO signal for the Twins vs Yankees game 3 matchup while driving through Indiana and Michigan. (Spoiler alert: Twins lost)

Also a few years ago I was driving home from KC on a Sunday evening and in northern Missouri I picked up KSTP broadcasting the world series out of the Twin Cities and I also picked up a station out of Houston broadcasting Sunday Night Football. Crazy.
 

I was able to go to a bunch of games in the mid 80's. A buddy's family had tickets and didn't go much. We just got our licenses. It was a blast. I think they lost most of the games, but I didn't care.
 

Actually the North Stars were on KSTP-1500 (moved from WCCO-830 in 1978), which explains why it was harder to pick up on radio.

At night 1500 boosts it signal which I have been able at times to pick up pretty clearly while in Chicago or further. I've had other nights in which it was tough to pick up as close as Red Wing.
Perhaps @BleedGopher was really listening to Herb Carneal call a Twins game and just thought Al Shaver had a few too many pregame cocktails and didn't know Mike Madano from Kent Hrbek...

Anyway, I too remember listening to that run on the radio. The play-offs were either on cable or channel 9, not one of whopping two channels we could get.
 

I was able to go to a bunch of games in the mid 80's. A buddy's family had tickets and didn't go much. We just got our licenses. It was a blast. I think they lost most of the games, but I didn't care.
Met Center after the Hwy 77/Cedar bridge was built was really easy for my friends and I to get there (from Northfield), once we were driving age. We took advantage of "Student Rush" tickets quite a bit, starting circa '85 all the way through when they left for Texas, when some were still in the college.

Dirt cheap, like $5 or something. Probably went to over a couple of dozen games that way.
 




What can I say? I was 9 years old and an AWA fanatic 🤷‍♂️

I'm not much older than you, and my memory of that epic brawl is quite vivid. That evening on the way home from the grocery store with my mom, I had the AM dial turned to 1500 and was listening to the pregame show for what was a highly anticipated contest with the hated Bruins.

Before being able to start watching the game (pre-VCR, pre-DVR, pre-On Demand, pre remote control even for our house) I was in no uncertain terms required to help my mother bring the several bags of groceries to the kitchen as well as ensure the items found their rightful spots in the pantry, cupboards, freezer, fridge etc.

To get it done I felt like I was doing it at hyperbolic speed a la the road runner. Job done, rushed to the family room to fire up the TV literally the second the puck dropped to start the game. I was still standing in front of the TV, maybe to tune the rabbit ears or get the volume set when the gloves had already dropped.

I just stood in front of the TV with my jaw on the floor as the events unfolded, didn't sit down until after all the penalties were announced several minutes later.

I do remember it being quite the topic of conversation at elementary school the next day on the playground and in the cafeteria. The kid version of a "water cooler" event.
 

Willi Plett versus Al Secord...must watch TV.
 
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At the end of the North Stars era, my buddy was the director of marketing. I could get great seats to any game...it was awesome.

But my favorite memory (story really) was when Norm Greed asked my buddy if he had lunch plans one day. My friend said he had no plans, so Norm told him to meet him at 11:30 at his office.

So my buddy shows up and he and Norm walk to the parking lot. Norm says "have you ever driven a Rolls Royce"? and tosses him the keys. His next question was "do you know where Murray's is", he replied that he did, and they started driving downtown for lunch.

So they arrive at Murray's and Norm instructs him to stop right outside the door, and then proceeds to tell him, "just keep the car right here, I'll be back out in about 90 minutes".

What a douche
 

When the game was over, there was a mad rush of cars driving erratically through the snowy parking lot, to get to the exit. Just trying to get not hit, was legendary.
 

Not sure if we had a thread for this. But what was some of your favorite memories of the Minnesota North Stars.

Mine was the 1991 Stanley Cup final run. Upsetting the Chicago Blackhawks, St Louis Blues and Edmonton Oilers.
As a little kid just how lawless Met center really was. Wild games are just such a different vibe
 


Not sure if we had a thread for this. But what was some of your favorite memories of the Minnesota North Stars.

Mine was the 1991 Stanley Cup final run. Upsetting the Chicago Blackhawks, St Louis Blues and Edmonton Oilers.
I was 11 years old at the time. The games were not shown nationally like they are now. The only people in my small hometown that could get the games had satellite and that was hardly anyone. At least one of the Game 7s was on a Sunday and so the local bar opened up so people could watch the game. But because it was a Sunday, they could not sell alcohol. Dad took me along and I felt so special being there to watch the game in a bar.
 

At the end of the North Stars era, my buddy was the director of marketing. I could get great seats to any game...it was awesome.

But my favorite memory (story really) was when Norm Greed asked my buddy if he had lunch plans one day. My friend said he had no plans, so Norm told him to meet him at 11:30 at his office.

So my buddy shows up and he and Norm walk to the parking lot. Norm says "have you ever driven a Rolls Royce"? and tosses him the keys. His next question was "do you know where Murray's is", he replied that he did, and they started driving downtown for lunch.

So they arrive at Murray's and Norm instructs him to stop right outside the door, and then proceeds to tell him, "just keep the car right here, I'll be back out in about 90 minutes".

What a douche
That's hilarious.
 

At the end of the North Stars era, my buddy was the director of marketing. I could get great seats to any game...it was awesome.

But my favorite memory (story really) was when Norm Greed asked my buddy if he had lunch plans one day. My friend said he had no plans, so Norm told him to meet him at 11:30 at his office.

So my buddy shows up and he and Norm walk to the parking lot. Norm says "have you ever driven a Rolls Royce"? and tosses him the keys. His next question was "do you know where Murray's is", he replied that he did, and they started driving downtown for lunch.

So they arrive at Murray's and Norm instructs him to stop right outside the door, and then proceeds to tell him, "just keep the car right here, I'll be back out in about 90 minutes".

What a douche

That seems on brand.

This past December I was in Vegas and the Stars were in town to play the Golden Knights. My buddy and I tried to get a "Norm Green Sucks!" chant going, but all we got were pretty quizzical looks. The woman behind me did ask who he was, so I filled her in and she sympathized.

Seeing them in person still hurts though. I did spot a couple of North Star jerseys in the crowd, 1 for Modano and another for Basil McRae.
 

I haven't watched this yet but it seems interesting.

 



So far, nobody here has admitted to being the neighbor that would wait around every morning for Dino to come outside to grab the newspaper with his dong hanging out of his robe.
 

Mine was the 1991 Cup as well. We had just moved from MN to Tulsa, OK and only a couple of the Stanley Cup games were on national TV (crazy to think about that now), so my Dad and I would drive around to different parking lots in Tulsa trying to pick up WCCO 830's massive signal, and we were able to get the MN radio call if we were in very specific parking spots. So once we got the signal, we dare not move for the next few hours in fear of not being able to pick up WCCO again.

Go North Stars!!
Why didn't you just follow the game on the internet?
 




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