After missing the state hockey tournament for the first time in Red River's 43-year school history last year - the Riders return to state Thursday as the number one seed from the east.
Red River outscored their opponents seventeen to five in rolling to the East Region title last week.
They did it after suffering a devastating loss off the ice when former head coach Matt Malm died after a long battle with cancer.
Casey Fugleberg: "Everyone can tell by the mood in the locker room after we heard it. I think everyone just stepped it up a little after that. Everyone is a little more motivated to have one more thing to win for." Alan Zahui: "Obviously he's in our hearts because he's our coach. We all went to the funeral. We all had our jerseys to show our respects. It's obviously in the back of our minds."
The Riders open the state tournament against Jamestown Thursday night.
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2013 WorldNow and Valley News Live. All Rights Reserved. 
