12 Days of Christmas: Augustana Hockey Game! (Day 2)

Welcome, friends, to Day 2 of our 12 Days of Christmas! A week ago we were at the University of Augustana (in Sioux Falls, South Dakota) for a hockey game between the Augustana Vikings and the Bemidji State College Beavers…

It was a very chilly 12 degrees F. outside as we trekked through freshly fallen snow on Saturday night to attend a hockey game at Augustana University. Up in their mezzanine, the Vikings proudly display their alpenhorn, called a gjallarhorn.

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What is a gjallarhorn?

The Gjallarhorn (Old Norse “Resounding Horn”) is one of the most prized treasures of the gods. Heimdall, the gods’ ever-vigilant sentry, keeps watch over their celestial stronghold Asgard day and night with the Gjallarhorn in his hand.

Norse-Mythology.com ~ The Gjallarhorn

Sounds like something out of a Marvel movie, doesn’t it? Well, you’d be right! But, luckily, this story has been around a lot longer than than the current movies, and so has Augustana University (founded in 1860 as a series of seminaries finally locating to Sioux Falls, SD).

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Game delay & ice issues

The game was delayed an hour, and we thought it was because perhaps with the day’s six hours of snow maybe the other team hadn’t arrived??

Well, it turns out that even as cold as it was outside, inside on the ice it was TOO HOT.

“Shoot, just open the complex’s many doors!” Peter and I thought outloud. The ice freezing system under the ice wasn’t working right, so the game was postponed until 12 noon the next day, Sunday…

At least we had fun meeting some of our son’s and grandson’s friends that night while we were there at the stadium, ate some yummy Norwegian (Swedish) meatballs with mashed potatoes (I was in food heaven!!!), and Mr. Ethereal got his pretzel and we shared a Pepsi. :)’

Later, as we were preparing to leave, we bought a krykvdall (?? sp. ~ there we double “Vs” and double “Ks” in several of the Norwegian words written on the advertising board ~ should have snapped a photo!), a sourdough pancake-type-yummy-thing, and I thought I was ordering ONE pancake but you get FIVE!! Whoa… The plate was $8.00, and well worth it for the amount of pancakes you received.

“Pannekaker” is the Norwegian word for pancake I have since learned. 🙂

Here is a recipe I found online and these sourdough pancakes at the stadium looked like these:

I opted for fresh strawberries and whipped cream on top then shared this monstrous dessert with my hubby. We threw part of it away, not knowing that our son would gladly have eaten the rest! I wish Peter had spoken up before we tossed the remaining 1 1/2 pancakes…

They were delicious!!!

In the recipe above, Nevada talks about a “takke,” which I am thinking is an iron griddle for frying. This is probably where I saw the “double K’s.” Or, perhaps from the Norwegian word for pancake itself: “pannekaker.” ;)’

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Round Two

So, we drove back after church to see Sunday’s second game in the series between Augustana and Bemidji. Our seats were on the visitor’s side and this is the Bemidji team here. Augustana’s colors are blue and gold and white.

Bemidji, according to Google, has just chosen an alternate mascot and they will soon be known as the Bemidji Snow Sharks.

Bummer because my grandson really likes them as the Beavers! He was rooting for the Beavers during the whole game. 😉

Play was rough and there were several penalties on both sides with players having to sit out for two minute “time outs” (to repent for their high stickings, lol!…).

The scores were close with Augustana boldly scoring first, Bemidji scoring second tying the score, then Augustana coming back and scoring a couple of puck crossings in a row, and Bemidji scoring again, and a final time. Great plays, good skating (always amazing to me since I cannot ice skate).

The Vikings almost won outright… The player’s shot was blocked on Augustana’s final shot-on- goal. The final score was 4-4 in a tie.

But, of course, there had to be the 5 minute (2 min??) tie-breakers where each team member gets called up to try and make a goal against the opposing team’s goalie in a 1:1 shootout. The first team to score wins the game.

Very exciting! I was biting my nails and hollering out encouragements!!

Bemidji’s player snuck a puck in at the last… And they won the game.

Oh, well! It still was a fun game even if “our team” lost in overtime. Both teams gave it their all and hopefully in game 3 the Augustana Vikings will win! 🙂

As we were walking out, ready to head back to our son’s place, I snapped this shot of a planter outside the arena. Love how boughs and small trees are used in planters all over the upper mid-west!!!

Until tomorrow, friends!

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Warm hugs,