St. Louis Blues players Jamie Langenbrunner and Cade Fairchild, Hobie Baker award winner Jack Connolly and other Northland hockey stars will show off their prowess on the ice at the Duluth Heritage Summer Hockey Classic this week. The game, put on by the Duluth Clydesdales, is scheduled at the Duluth Heritage Sports Center for Friday July 13 at 6 p.m.
There will be a special tribute to Duluth's most venerable hockey fan and youth hockey friend, the late Dick Stewart.
"Dick was an extremely generous man," said Butch Williams, the Duluth Clydesdales general manager and organizer of the event. "He donated sticks, pucks, and equipment." Williams said that although many know that Stewart owned a sports store, he did not think people realized how much
Stewart gave of his time and expertise. "He made sure the skates fit the kid. Stewart's name is synonymous with youth hockey."
The event is a benefit for local youth sports programing for financially disadvantaged families who would like to see their sons and daughters participate in youth hockey programs. The event is sponsored by tire maker Cooper Tires; Duluth Tire and Pro Tire of Hermantown are the local retail outlets for Cooper Tires.
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Players with local ties are scheduled to appear in the exhibition. They include UMD Bulldog Max Tardy, Los Angeles Kings goaltender Keegan Flaherty, Duluth Denfeld goaltender Rob Stauber, and Chris Connolly. Huffer Christensen, Bill Watson, and UMD Coach Scott Sandelin, as well as other local past greats, will also participate in the night's festivities.
"It's been 15 years since a similar exhibition was held," said Williams. "The game will recognize the current crop of college and pro players from the area, and as a community we need to applaud the efforts of these individuals and give them an encouraging pat on the back for a job well done."
A Clyde Iron street dance
featuring music by the Bryan Olds Band and Intandem will follow the game and begin around 9 p.m.
Tickets are $10 for adults and $6 for youths 17 and younger. They are available at the Heritage Sports Center, Stewart's Wheel Goods, Stauber Brothers, Play It Again Sports and Central Sports. Tickets are also available online at the Duluth Clydesdales website, www.duluthclydesdales.com .
The ticket includes free
admission to the street dance
following the game. Duluth Huskies fans will also get
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$2 off admission to the dance when they present their ticket stubs from the July 13 Huskies game.
