Favorite Minnesota North Stars memories

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gophersfan said:
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.
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Ah 1991. Playoff games at the Met were epic.
 

I have an original North Stars jersey in the closet. Probably 50 years old. Along with my Mn Fighting Saints stocking hat.

Lived and died with them. Dad always got us to a game or two every season.
 


gophersfan said:
If you interested. here is game 5 of the Clarence Conference finals from 1991. North Stars vs Oilers. KMSP 9 broadcast.

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I've always thought Games 3 & 4 against the Oilers at the Met were even louder than the '87 Twins run.

Weather was nice, everyone was "tuned" up. It got insane starting with the National Anthem right until the end.
 



Since their inception, I followed them quite a bit on radio, Go Al Shaver, loved listening to him. It was that pro sports fill-in between the Twins and Vikings... Also followed the Muskies/Pipers and Fighting Saints, but that didn't last long. Then that F....ng Norm Green moved the team and I've never forgiven the NHL. Hardly follow the Wild at all. Been to Excel a couple times for concerts.

Back in the late '80's, took my girlfriend to a game. Her two nephews were supposed to go with us but due to illness neither one showed up. We had seats behind the goal. During the pre-game skate, a puck went over the glass and landed about 20ft to the right of us...same row. Crowd was still sparse, couple of people were looking for the puck and I tell Bonnie (gf), "I think I know where it is". I walk over and it was behind a cardboard container. So I give the puck to Bonnie and she gives it to her sick nephew. Then the other nephew tells her that we needed to go to a T-wolves game...and bring him back a basketball.
 

My family loved Norm Green and still speak highly of him because he would walk the concourse and meet fans and wave over a concessions person and pass out free food. I am certain this happened to others at games.
 

Spaulding!No! said:
My family loved Norm Green and still speak highly of him because he would walk the concourse and meet fans and wave over a concessions person and pass out free food. I am certain this happened to others at games.
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Norm Green Sucks
 



Game 1 of ‘81 series against the Bruins. Jack Carlson (of all people) ties the game in the last few minutes and Steve Payne scores the OT winner to finally beat Boston in the Garden after 14 years. Game 5 of the ‘84 series against Chicago. I had been in Israel and knew there was a game 5. Land in London and can’t find a Herald-Tribune. Riding the tube to Euston station and there’s a Herald Tribune on the seat. Walk over to it and turn it over to the back page—the sports section. And there it was—top of the fold—a picture of the North Stars celebrating their series win. It was a happy train ride back to Warwick University celebrated with a pint in the beverage car.
 

I know a lot has written about the Boston fight, but I have vague memories of another big fight that they had with Philadelphia in their first or second year. It was on TV and I think that it lasted for over an hour. Can't remember who our enforcer was, but Elmer Vasco was one of the bigger guys. Tom Reid used to say that Wren Blair's favorite threat to players was, "I'll send you so far down the Hockey News won't be able to find you!"
 

Going through some old clothes and came upon this gem

IMG_2768.jpeg
 

Not a favorite memory but a memory. I recall Al Shaver describing the action in the early years. "Pass to Connelly, the BLAST!! That puck went 35 rows up, he's got to reduce the curve on his stick."
 



46 YEARS AGO TONIGHT. For the first time in NHL history, a lineup of All-Minnesota born players started an NHL game. 

The North Stars skated to a 4-3 win over Chicago at the Met Center on April 3, 1979.

Jack Carlson, Gary Sargent, Mike Polich, Tom Younghans, Bill Butters and Pete LoPresti

IMG_4054.jpeg
 

TRF Guy said:
46 YEARS AGO TONIGHT. For the first time in NHL history, a lineup of All-Minnesota born players started an NHL game. 

The North Stars skated to a 4-3 win over Chicago at the Met Center on April 3, 1979.

Jack Carlson, Gary Sargent, Mike Polich, Tom Younghans, Bill Butters and Pete LoPresti

View attachment 36444
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Those are my favorite version of the North Stars Home White Unis.
 

Ope3 said:
Those are my favorite version of the North Stars Home White Unis.
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Remembering an all-Minnesota Gopher hockey team had won the NCAA championship a couple weeks earlier. Speaking of Pete LoPresti he was the goalie for Denver when the Gophers beat them in the 1974 WCHA playoffs (a total goal series) on their way to their first NCAA title.
 


I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Catfish running around whooping up the Met Center crowd.

Cutoff jean shorts Hall of Famer.
 

Ope3 said:
I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Catfish running around whooping up the Met Center crowd.

Cutoff jean shorts Hall of Famer.
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How the hell did I forget Catfish. That dude had fun
 

TRF Guy said:
How the hell did I forget Catfish. That dude had fun
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If I recall correctly, Catfish started out just as a fan paying his own way in the Met Center.

He would roam that walkway that separated the lower bowl from the upper deck inciting the crowd essentially as a "call to arms".

I don't know if he was ever paid by the franchise.
 

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