The Lakeview Summer Classic hockey tournament will return to the Mars Lakeview Arena next weekend

Duluth Marshall will open the tournament on Friday, July 23 at 7.30pm against Hutchinson, while Hermantown will open cases against Benilde-St. Margaret’s on Saturday, July 24 at 10:45. All games will be held at Mars Lakeview Arena.

DULUTH, Minn. – There is nothing but hockey in the summer, especially in Northland. And next weekend, teams from across the state will be at the Mars Lakeview Arena when the annual Lakeview Summer Classic returns.

“It’s like Christmas in July,” Duluth Marshall’s senior goalkeeper Sam Anderson said.

“Such marks the beginning of next season,” Duluth Marshall head coach Jasen Wise added.

This year’s tournament features eight teams, including Hermantown and hosts Duluth Marshall, as well as teams that have made it to the state tournament in recent years.

“The ability to bring in teams like BSM or Hermantown, even Holy Cloud Cathedral, these are all teams that have made offers to these state championships, and that’s the level we want to be at,” Anderson said.

“We can compete with any state team, and it’s exciting to see how well we can do against these guys because I know we’ll have a great team next year,” Hermantown defender Jack Glockle added.

For the Hilltoppers, this allows them to see where they are before the season arrives.

“We have a strong player base, probably one of the better-returned classes I’ve seen,” Anderson said.

“Let’s see new players and see how they handle playing against bigger and older kids,” Wise added.

And for the Hawks, they can bring in many of their younger players who gained college experience over the past year because of the pandemic.

“It’s always fun to meet new friends, new sophomores and then spend time with juniors, it’s all fun,” Hermantown senior defender Beau Janzig said.

“We have a lot of kids with a lot of experience, and now we’re all getting them back together with a new group of sophomores and seeing where the guys are shaking,” Hermantown head coach Pat Andrews added.

But for all teams, this year’s Lakeview Summer Classic brings back the normal vibe.

“People want to watch hockey, we do here and whatever July or January is, people want to watch hockey,” Andrews said.

Duluth Marshall will open the tournament on Friday, July 23 at 7.30pm against Hutchinson, while Hermantown will open cases against Benilde-St. Margaret’s on Saturday, July 24 at 10:45. All games will be held at Mars Lakeview Arena.