Now in its fifth year, Hockey Day Minnesota has mushroomed into an all-day affair.
The Fox Sports North telecast starts at 9 a.m. Saturday and winds up after a Minnesota Wild postgame show right around 11 p.m.
In between it's all hockey, all the time.
And this year, for the first time, Ali Luciawill be part of the crew.
"I would probably be at a hockey game somewhere on Saturday anyway,'' she said, "so I might as well be a part of the telecast.''
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You see Lucia as a news anchor for Rochester Fox affiliate in Rochester. For one day, at least, she'll be switching hats.
"Sports is in my blood, so it comes natural,'' she said. "but I'm real excited. This is a special event for the state.''
As its name suggests, Fox Sports North will be all over the state covering hockey. Cameras will be in Moorhead for a pair of outdoor high school boys games, Mariucci Arena, Ridder Arena, Parade Ice Garden and the Xcel Energy Center.
Lucia, who has just started her fourth year at the Rochester station, will be working at two spots, the Parade Ice Garden for the Section Six, Class AA girls quarterfinals and at Ridder Arena for the University of Minnesota and Bemidji State women's game (4 p.m. faceoff).
"They'll cut to me for live updates, highlights, interviews with coaches and players, those types of things,'' Lucia said. "It sort of reminds me of what we do during our coverage of the Eagles Cancer Telethon.''
One of the section games at Parade involves Wayzata and Buffalo (2:15 p.m. start), and, ironically, Lucia is a Wayzata graduate.
At night, No. 2 seed Benilde-St. Margaret meets North Metro. Top-seeded Minnetonka takes on Plymouth at 4:30 p.m.
"I really don't know that much about those teams,'' Lucia said, "but I'll be studying all day on Friday.''
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Lucia is quite familiar working the sideline as a TV sports reporter. At the University of Minnesota, she did her internship with the WCCO-TV sports team and then worked with FSN before arriving in Rochester.
She's working with FSN on a freelance basis, like she did last fall with Twin Cities-based KSTC on its high school Prep Bowl coverage.
She is not the only member of the Lucia family to be involved with Hockey Day Minnesota.
Her brother Marioplays for Wayzata, which will play Roseau at 10 a.m. from Moorhead. Joyce Lucia(mother) will be there watching.
Don(father) is coach of the University of Minnesota and the Gophers meet Denver at 5 p.m. at Mariucci. Jessica Lucia, a sister, plans to be watching that game.
Only Tony Luciawill not be around. He's in Worchester, Mass., where is on the Sharks (farm club of San Jose) roster, although he has not played this year because of a concussion.
"He'll be watching (satellite TV) all day, I'm sure,'' said Ali.
Hockey Day on FSN will include interactive components via FoxSportsNorth.com.
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And you can catch Lucia's thoughts via Twitter at Ali_lucia.
In two weeks, she'll also be part of the KSTC broadcasting team which is televising the girls state tournament from Xcel.
