East Grand Forks Boys Hockey Begins Title Defense with Veteran Core, High Expectations
EAST GRAND FORKS, Minn. (KVRR) — The goal that clinched last year’s Class A boys hockey state championship — a gritty finish from graduating forward Jace Van Epps — now hangs forever in the rafters of the East Grand Forks Civic Center. And as the Green Wave open their 2025-26 season, the banner serves as both a reminder and a motivator: the hunt for another title has officially begun.
This year’s roster returns several key contributors from that championship run, including last season’s leading scorer, Tucker Lovejoy, who is stepping into his senior season with confidence and familiarity.
“It helps a lot,” Lovejoy said. “To have guys that played here for a couple years and had been on our championship team, it’s great to have them back. Good chemistry around. And it’s all these new guys, too. We’re bringing them in, so they’re getting used to it. So it should be fun.”
Also back is Jace Panzer, last season’s section-title hero and the team’s third-leading point producer. In net, the Green Wave return their backbone: standout goaltender Noah Schindele, who was instrumental throughout last postseason.
Head coach Tyler Palmiscno says the mix of experience and new faces brings both stability and excitement.
“It’s been a while actually since we had a returning scorer back or a quality starting goalie,” Palmiscno said. “We’re excited about what we’ve got coming back. We’ve got a lot of new guys in new spots. You’re starting a new season — a lot of excitement, a lot of good energy. Unfortunately, we started with a tough loss on Saturday, but the boys are fired up to be here. They’re fired up to defend, and we’re excited to get going.”
That tough loss — a season-opening 5-1 setback to Delano — hasn’t changed the mindset. East Grand Forks has been here before. The program last repeated as champions in 2014 and 2015. To make history again, the path begins in arguably one of the toughest sections in Class A.
“Every game is one game at a time,” Lovejoy said. “But you can’t think about State until you get finished with sections, so right now we’re looking at that.”
Palmiscno echoed the grounded approach.
“We never really talk about winning the State Title,” he said. “What we talk about is getting better every day, staying with what’s directly in front of us and trying to attack that. Our goal is always to get to the section final game and try to get to St. Paul. It’s going to be incredibly challenging this year.”
The Green Wave look to bounce back this weekend with a pair of rivalry-charged non-conference games — Friday at Grand Forks Red River and Saturday against Grand Forks Central at the Civic Center.
The title defense has only just begun, but the expectations and belief inside the locker room are already right where they left off.
