On Saturday February 29th The Minneapolis Bandolier defeated Elite League regular season champion, The Sparrows(formerly The Dukes), 8-6 to win their 13th US Championship/Gunnar Cup in the 40th season of USA Bandy. 

It was an epic playoff run for The Bandolier as they first  defeated defending champion The Bombers in the semifinals, winning the first game 5-3, then losing the second 7-1, before winning the decisive 3rd game 5-4, led by 3 goals from playoff MVP Dane Erickson, including 2 in the game's final 10 minutes to erase a one goal deficit. 

In the championship The Bandolier met league champion The Sparrows. The Sparrows had defeated The Bandolier both times they met in the regular season by scores of 7-4 and 6-3. In fact, since The Sparrows, led by John Arundel and Jon Keseley split off from The Bandolier after their 2014 US Championship, The Bandolier have not once beaten The Sparrows in league play or when they have met in the North American Cup. The Bandolier, however, had twice defeated the Sparrows in the playoffs, 4-2 in 2016 and 5-4 in a shootout in 2018. In both these years The Bandolier went on to win the US Championship. The Championship series began on Wednesday night, February 26th with the Sparrows continuing their season long dominance of The Bandolier in a 5-1 victory with Jon Keseley soaring 3 goals and Lucas Whelan 2. Game number 2 was the next night, February 27th. The Bandolier jumped to a 2 goal lead early in the first half but The Sparrows came back to tie it at 2-2 before halftime. The second half featured wide open play as each team tried to take the lead.  Both goalies, however, Tom Stone of the Bandolier and Andrew McDonough of The Sparrows, were impenetrable. The game went to a shootout which The Bandolier won 3-2, led by two extraordinary saves by Goalkeeper Stone and goals by Andrew Knutson, Dane Erickson and Wyatt Wenzel. A third and final game between The Bandolier and The Sparrows was thus necessary to decide who would be the US champion in the 40th season of US Bandy. The game took on an even greater meaning as skating for The Sparrows, in his 40th season playing in the US league was Jeff Arundel. Arundel had played for The Bandolier on the first US /Gunnar Cup champion back in 1981. In addition, Sparrows goalie McDonough was unable to play. Instead, The Sparrows called into action Sarah Schneider, the goaltender for the US Women's National Team to hopefully help bring them the championship. The final match began at 4pm on Saturday February 29th. Once again The Bandolier took an early 2-0 lead and once again The Sparrows came back to tie the score 2-2. The Bandolier, however, scored twice before halftime to take a 4-2 lead. In the second half the Bandolier, goal by goal, with the help of 3 goals by Derek Wypyszynski, extended their lead to 7-2 with 12 minutes left. The Sparrows, in an almost impossible hole, exhibited heroic grit fighting  back to score 4 straight goals and with 2 minutes left it was a one goal game, 7-6 for The Bandolier. The game was finally decided when Michael Fabie put The Bandolier ahead 8-6 with 90 seconds remaining. The Bandolier, by the skin of their teeth, had won their 13th US/Gunnar Cup Championship. In doing so several players achieved championship milestones. Andrew Knutson won his 8th US/Gunnar Cup Championship, Tommy Stone, Peter Knutson , and Wyatt Wenzel their 7th. Coach John Magnuson his 4th and Coach Chris Middlebrook also his 4th to go along with the 14 he won as a player. Mesta Mästarna indeed!

The 2019-20 US Champion Bandolier Roster

Andrew Knutson

Peter Knutson 

Wyatt Wenzel

Dane Erickson

Evan Erickson

Zach Knight

Sam Blaisdell

Neil Hultgren

Derek Wypyszynski

Michael Fabie

Tom Stone(Goalie)

Nick Omodt

Mitch Cowger

Jack Blaney

Brett Stolpestad

Coaches: Chris Middlebrook and John Magnuson

Bandolier US/Gunnar Cup Championships(13 total)

1981, 1982, 1983, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2020