It started last night with a George Winston concert. Perhaps because he records on the Windham Hill label, Winston gets placed in the “New Age” category. (Question: [...]]]> There seems to be a cultural convergence happening here. Or maybe I’m just noticing because four of my favorite things are involved — music, books, film and hockey.

It started last night with a George Winston concert. Perhaps because he records on the Windham Hill label, Winston gets placed in the “New Age” category. (Question: Since “New Age” has been with us for decades, is it still “new”?) Or it could simply be that Winston invokes such a variety of styles in his solo piano work (plus a bit of solo slack key guitar and even solo harmonica) that he would otherwise fall into “unclassifiable.” I’ve been a fan for a number of years but seeing him live is another experience altogether. It is simply impossible for any recording to truly reproduce the overtones and harmonics he achieves with his sustains.

Thjis morning a moderated a session of the Festival of Books on Peter Orner’s Underground America: Narratives of Undocumented Lives. Tomorrow I moderate sessions by Hampton Sides (Hellhound on His Trail: The Stalking of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the International Hunt for His Assassin), NPR’s Deborah Amos (Eclipse of the Sunnis: Power, Exile, and Upheaval in the Middle East) and Kurt Kemper of Dakota State University on “College Football & World War II.” I’m also hoping to attend a few sessions in my down time.

I have hopes (slim but still there) of making it down to Sioux City to catch a couple games in the USHL Fall Classic. I’ve gone too long without live hockey and am in need of a fix. As if that weren’t enough to attract my attention, this is also the weekend of the first Reel Dakota Film Festival. Unfortunately, for both events their schedule and mine don’t coincide very well.

I’m not going to complain, though. Even though I may not be able to attend everything I’d like, it’s nice to see so much going on.

Steven Wright

Let’s start with New Year’s Eve. At first, I was disappointed the Stampede did not have a home game, which has been a tradition. That did, however, allow me to watch Team USA [...]]]> New Year’s is starting to become one of my favorite holiday periods. That’s because once again this year it was hockey heaven.

Let’s start with New Year’s Eve. At first, I was disappointed the Stampede did not have a home game, which has been a tradition. That did, however, allow me to watch Team USA play Canada in the last preliminary round game in the World Junior Hockey Championship. In what is already being called an “instant classic” and an “epic” game, Canada won 5-4 in a shootout. Hockey insiders love this annual tournament for players 20 and under. I love watching it not only because of its international flavor but there are invariably Team USA members I saw play in the USHL, are now playing college hockey and will be playing in the NHL.

The NHL had its third consecutive “Winter Classic” on New Year’s Day. This year it was the Boston Bruins hosting the Philadelphia Flyers at Fenway Park. The setting and atmosphere for these nationally broadcast games have been amazing to date and Friday’s was no exception. Not only was it a 2-1 overtime game, USA Hockey announced the American Olympic team immediately following the conclusion of the game.

National team flavor continued as the Stampede hosted one of National Development teams Friday night. Although the Stampede lost 4-2 to the Team USA Under-18 team, there was never a more than one goal margin until Team USA scored an empty net goal with about 30 seconds left in the game.

Saturday was back to the world juniors. Switzlerland upset Russia 3-2 in overtime, scoring goals in the last minute of the third period and the last minute of overtime. Then Team USA beat Finland 6-2 in a game that was much more tightly contested than the score indicates.

Sunday brought the World Junior semifinals as Canada played Switzerland and Team USA played Sweden. I missed the third period of the Canada game (which it won 5-2) and the first period of the USA-Sweden game because the Stampede played Fargo that night. Even though Fargo is only in its second year in the league, this is becoming a great rivalry. Despite a hardworking comback effort, the Stampede lost 6-5. Team USA made up for it though, beating the Swedes 5-2.

The hockey now will carry over into Tuesday. Team USA will try to prevent a Canadian six-peat in the gold medal game of the World Juniors. It will be broadcast live on the NHL Network at 7 pm (Central).

Homer Simpson, “Lisa on Ice“