When it was time to decide what his next step down his hockey path would be, a young Erik Haula decided to attend Shattuck-St. Mary’s High School in Minnesota with the intent to play college hockey. He made his way to the University of Minnesota where he starred for the Golden Gophers for three seasons before going pro.

Now a Golden Knight, Haula doesn’t have many opportunities to watch the Gophers play live. But on Saturday, October 27, the No. 5 Gophers came to Vegas to take on the No. 17 North Dakota Fighting Hawks and Haula made sure he was part of the sold-out crowd at The Orleans Arena for the game.

Haula was a guest on Minnesota’s radio broadcast during the first intermission.

North Dakota ended up with a 3-1 victory, but the chance to see his Golden Gophers play in Vegas was special for Haula.