Once in a Lifetime: Behind the Scenes With GBN Hockey at the United Center

The players of the Glenbrook North hockey team are preparing for the boys final of the 2011 Illinois State High School Hockey Championships at the United Center and they can’t find a good place to loosen up. They finally cram themselves into a corner hallway in the basement, ready to focus, only to be disrupted when their opponents, New Trier Green, jog through their circle in a single file line.

Maybe the Trevians were sending a message. Maybe they had their own problem finding room to get loose. Either way, it’s already clear that few things were going to be normal for the boys on this day. The game itself would bring some familiarity to the players, but even then they’re skating on the same ice as their National Hockey League heroes.

“The routine is changed around a little bit, but (New Trier is) doing the same things we’re doing,” GBN coach Mark Brunner said. “I don’t think there’s any real way to prepare for it. The emotion and the environment and everything. I think you’re just trying to focus on what you’re doing on the ice, which you do in every game. The venue changes, but you still have to do the job on the ice.”

This is the third time in the last five years Brunner has taken the Spartans to the final, having won in 2007 and 2008. New Trier enters the game with 11 state titles since the tournament started in 1974, last winning in 2009 and falling to the Spartans in overtime in 2008. It's safe to say it's a good matchup.

Arrival

The Spartans’ bus drops them off at the stadium more than 90 minutes before the scheduled 6 p.m. first puck drop.

Many of the players have been here before, but today they get the VIP treatment. They're ushered to their locker room, which is the visitors’ locker room for NHL games. Then they make their way to the bench with green GBN jackets and a pass that says "Player" on it. 

They soak it in while the high school skills competition is taking place. This is only a first taste though; it’s time to get ready.

The players are still getting their bearings. Most of the team heads off to start stretches, but a couple players are late to leave the locker room and are lost. Goaltender Michael Ramsey asks a stadium employee which direction his teammates went and runs to catch up. While the team is gone, Chicago Blackhawks Media Relations Coordinator Paul Kennedy preps Brunner and New Trier coach Bob Melton on the strict schedule they must follow to ensure a timely start. Kennedy tells them Comcast SportsNet wants footage of both teams in the locker rooms for the live broadcast and requires two TV timeouts each period. It’s a long way from playing in park district rinks.

Taking the Ice

Around 5 p.m. the fans start to arrive. The Spartans’ student section gradually fills in sections 120 and 121, a couple sections to the right of GBN’s bench. The players make another appearance on the bench, this time with pads on. They’re all wide eyed with their heads on swivels soaking it all in. Some watch a video playing on the scoreboard, some look behind them to see the view of the stands and others like Tommy Washburn simply stare at the ice. This is the same ice Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane skate on dozens of times every year. Now, announcers Judd Sirott and Steve Konroyd will call the names of Washburn, Jack Day, Troy Carroll, Sam Katz and others as they have their turn.

About a half hour later both teams are dressed and ready to go. New Trier blasted music like “Numb/Encore” by Linkin Park and Jay-Z to get ready while GBN’s locker room was quieter. When the teams line up to take the ice for the first time Melton says it never gets old for him.

At 5:38 the teams take the ice for the first time and the horn sounds. They’ve circled the goal and taken warm up shots countless times, but this time will always be remembered. Considering the result, it’s an easy decision what the best moment of the night was.

“Stepping on the ice for warmups and seeing all the people there,” Day said. “Skating around for 10 minutes before the game started, getting all the nerves out. That was a really cool experience.”

“Coming out in warmups with all those fans there and playing where the Blackhawks play,” Washburn said. “Words don’t really describe playing here.”

When they step on the ice again just before the start of the game, the stadium is dark other than colored spotlights that show them as they enter. Traditional entrance music "Enter Sandman" by Metallica plays. The game is treated like a spectacle and the announced attendance of 10,209 got treated to a quality game, but it didn’t go the way GBN had hoped.

Senior Jared Fisher scored the first goal of the game and the game was tied at two entering the third period, but the Trevians scored on a scramble in front of goal for a 3-2 win and the program’s 12th state title.

Brunner said Carroll played his heart out in goal, registering 31 saves including a pair of glove saves in the first period that got ooos and ahhs from the crowd after they see the replays. The Spartans take a photo with their second place banner, but not a single player smile.

“It hurts a little bit that we couldn’t get the win, but it’s amazing to play here,” the senior all-state goalie said. “Just being in the United Center and playing on the ice where the Hawks play, it’s a dream.”

Postgame

After the loss, the Spartans watch New Trier throw their sticks down and their gloves in the air to celebrate the win. When they head back to the locker room, it's to the sounds of the Trevians’ cheers. The two locker rooms are directly across the hall from each other.

Both teams have to deal with several reporters before they leave, but neither team is in a hurry to do so. The Spartans are numb while the Trevians want to wallow in the championship. As soon as GBN leaves, the locker room is already being loaded up with the Sharks’ bags. The next day, the United Center goes back to hosting the pros.