FARGO — The North Dakota high school hockey season will be a week longer starting in 2023.
The North Dakota High School Activities Association approved a plan that will extend the girls hockey season by one week, and breaking up the boys and girls state tournaments, an event that has been paired together since 2007.
Beginning this winter, the girls hockey season will begin a week later than usual and conclude with an eight team state tournament in Minot running March 2-4. The event will be played at the MAYSA Arena in Minot, which opened in 2020. The arena hosts the North American Hockey League's Minot Minotauros and the Minot State men's hockey team.
Rylee Bartz with the game winner in 2OT for @FNS_Hockey and the Spruins win their first state title! pic.twitter.com/lf4fYWg9tg
— The Rink Live (@TheRinkLive) February 27, 2022
The tournament will coincide with the same weekend as the Girls State B Basketball Tournament, which will be played the same weekend in Minot at the Minot State Dome.
"My guess it's been talked about for 15 years since the boys and girls tournaments have been combined." said NDHSAA executive director Matt Fetsch. "For years the girls hockey coaches have been confident that their tournament will be well attended if it was a stand-alone tournament, I guess we will be a lot smarter a year from now."
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Since 2007, the boys and girls hockey tournaments have been a combined event, with eight quarterfinal games being played on Thursday, the girls semifinals on Friday afternoon and the championship game right before the boys title game. This year, Fargo North defeated Fargo Davies 2-1 in double overtime in one of the most exciting title games in state history.
Just in to @WDAYSports, the North Dakota High School Activities Association has approved a plan to extend the girls hockey season by one week, and separating the two state tourneys. The girls state hockey tournament will be held in Minot the same weekend as the Girls State B.
— Dom Izzo (@DomIzzoWDAY) June 7, 2022
"I'm very confident Minot will put its best foot forward. As a community, they were excited to be considered."
It is a two year plan that the NDHSAA has signed off on. The site for the 2024 tournament is not know yet, that year the girls state B basketball tournament will be played in Grand Forks at the Betty Englestad Sioux Center.