Frost fans get loud as home team chases second straight Walter Cup

In the “State of Hockey,” the Minnesota Frost have quickly built a fierce fan base. The Xcel Energy Center, host to Game 3 of the PWHL Finals in Saint Paul, roared loud on Saturday as the Frost fought to break a 1-1 series tie and get one step closer to earning the Walter Cup in back-to-back years.

Even though the puck officially dropped just after 4:00 P.M. local time, fans began their gameday support hours earlier at the official pre-game party at Herbie’s Plaza just outside the arena.

Hundreds of fans picked up Frost bracelets and towels, won prizes for answering trivia questions about the playoffs, and got their faces painted with the team logo.

While the Frost aren’t newcomers to the Finals, their name and logo are [last year, the team was known as PWHL Minnesota, the same naming convention every PWHL team used in the debut season]. For season ticket holder Tom Stutler, “having the jerseys with the logos has really helped [the playoff atmosphere].” Stutler answered the team’s call to “Pack it in Purple” at the Xcel Energy Center during the playoffs by dyeing his hair, one of many fans donning purple wigs or dye.

Game 3 also represented the first Finals home game experience for some fans, including the extra-dedicated Heather Akey. “I was watching at 2am in Europe last year so actually being here and being present for the playoffs has been amazing,” she said.

Fans were joined at the pre-game party by Frost General Manager Melissa Caruso, who spoke about her new experiences with Minnesota culture: “I have definitely become pretty Minnesota nice, I’d have to say… The most Minnesotan thing I’ve done, our pond in the backyard did freeze over this winter and we got a good skate in and it was cold as hell, but we did it.”

A crucial part of the Frost’s Minnesota connection is their link to young fans, especially girls. Minnesota is the heart of youth hockey in the United States, home to over 300 amateur girls teams and almost 130 girls varsity high school teams. Women’s hockey has a long history in Minnesota and since the girls high school state tournament began in 1995, the popularity of the sport at every level has only increased.

As soon as the gates opened at the Xcel Energy Center, the glass around the Frost bench was lined with signs appealing to these young girls’ affection for the team and the sport. One read “Curl Power,” in a nod to Britta Curl-Salemme, while another said, “I skate with Zumwinkle in my dreams,” referencing Frost forward Grace Zumwinkle, who hails from Excelsior, MN. Zumwinkle is one of eight Minnesota natives on the Frost roster, with many more having played at universities in the state, helping the young girls see themselves in the players. Many of the Frost squad stopped by during their pre-game warmups to chat with the fans, including goaltender Nicole Hensley, who tossed pucks over the glass.

Minnesota has also become one of the centers for professional women’s sports across North America. The Minnesota Lynx have been one of the WNBA’s most successful franchises in recent years, making an appearance in the W Finals just last season. The Twin Cities are also home to the Gemini in the inaugural season of Women’s Elite Rugby as well as Minnesota Aurora FC, a growing, pre-professional soccer club. The growth of the PWHL in its first two years comes in the midst of a rise in popularity for all women’s sports, tying their fandoms together in Minnesota.

Caruso said before the game that the players feel the love of the fans in the Twin Cities. “Whatever crowd we get in there, you guys take over the place. The girls hear it on the ice.”

Taking over is exactly what Frost fans did, creating a sea of purple across the lower bowl of the arena. The first chant after the puck dropped, a simple repeated “Min-ne-so-ta” across the arena, called back to when the team was just known by their home state as well as reinforced the team’s connection to the State of Hockey. The crowd stayed rowdy throughout the game, roaring at each of Frost’s 47 shots on goal and exploding for defender Lee Stecklein’s game-tying goal in the second period.

After the equalizer, the Frost fans’ volume wasn’t tested as much as their stamina was. Game 3 would end in triple overtime—four hours and 26 minutes after the first puck drop. Even after almost six periods of hockey had been played, the Xcel Energy Center still rang loud with creative chants:

“There must be some frost in the atmosphere,

I said BRRR, it’s cold in here!”

The marathon Game 3 finished with a winner from Minnesota’s Katy Knoll. The rookie out of Northeastern fired the puck into the net after a teammate’s shot deflected off her, sending the crowd into one more burst of cheers. After the game, Knoll acknowledged the role that the crowd played in this game and throughout the season.

“I try to peer out in warmups and interact with who I can. The fans are such a big part of our league, our game and to kind of give something back even if it’s just tossing a puck in warmups, it’s so important to keep the fans in and recognize them. They deserve all of it,” Knoll said.

Starting goaltender Maddie Rooney, the star from nearby Andover, MN, who earned plenty of “Rooooney” chants from the crowd with her 35 saves, echoed Knoll’s remarks.

“Honestly, it was just so fun to play in front of this crowd for two games, six periods. We’re so grateful to have this arena to be able to play in and the community that has surrounded the Frost. They just gave us the energy, all game long, so it was really special to be able to get one in front of them,” Rooney said.

As one fan who stayed until the end, Erika Crosby, put it: “One overtime is nerve wrecking enough, but three is insane! I can’t wait for Monday!”