White Bear Lake's Stellar Hockey Season Inspired By Something Bigger
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - Tom Johnson wasn't a hockey guy. Until he became a hockey dad.
"He learned to play hockey with Michael when Michael started at four," said Tom's wife, Angie. "And I think that's part of the reason why he loved it so much. They did that together.
"He loved watching Michael play."
So when Tom got cancer, then got worse, watching Michael be named a team captain gave him a goal. Just to make the first game.
"As time closed in on him," coach Tim Sager said, "he wanted to see him, one time, wear that 'C' for White Bear. Because it's such an important time."
It wasn't to be. Tom died the day before the season opener.
Instead of seeing a 'C' on his son's jersey, his son arrived opening night to see his dad's name on his helmet -- the whole team's helmets – a surprise to the Johnson family.
"That was really cool," Michael said.
Michael didn't think he'd be able to play. He'd come down with mono and was just going to watch.
"I wanted more than anything to play," Michael said. "Just be able to make him proud."
So a coach asked him if he wanted just one shift.
"Just as a commemoration to honor my dad and his passing," Michael said. "And little did he know something great was going to happen."
Sager said Michael was supposed to be introduced as a starter, go out for the opening faceoff of the season, and then come straight off the ice.
"And the hockey sense clicked in because the puck went in our zone," Sager said.
White Bear Lake moved the puck along left boards, broke it out of their defensive zone, and all the sudden, Tommy Giller and Michael were heading into the Park Center zone on a 2-on-1.
Giller attracted the defenseman and the attention of the goalie, then slid the puck over to Michael, who buried it into the net. Just 24 seconds into the season. Just a day after losing his dad.
"My dad was with me," Michael said.
Sager still can't help but smile when talking about it all these weeks later.
"Some things are just meant to be and you can't explain them," he said. "And there wasn't a dry eye in the house after that."
Fitting it happened in the season opener, because that was just the beginning.
White Bear Lake is having its best season in years, including a conference title and a top-10 ranking.
"The passion that we have for this game has just been brought out by the situation," Michael said. "We have someone to play for."
"And Tom would be so proud," Angie said.
The support of his teammates, with the logo on their helmets, makes Michael even more proud to wear the logo on his jersey.
"Through thick and thin, they've always been there for me," he said. "It's a bond that I don't think will ever fade."
And for as long as this season to remember continues, Michael will carry his dad with him. On his helmet, he's never far from his mind.
"Every game, I just go out and try to honor my dad," Michael said.
"His dad was a good guy," Angie said. "And he passed that trait along to Michael.
"And I know that his dad will be with him, always."
Hockey is still something they do together.
