Sean Goldsworthy was a strong contributor to the Minnetonka team that made the school’s second appearance in a state hockey tournament in 1990. The Skippers defeated Edina in a region final to earn the short trip to the St. Paul Civic Center, then defeated Burnsville 5-4 to reach the semifinals.

It was there they faced the Roseau Rams, champions of Region 8. In what Goldsworthy still rates at the top of his largest hockey disappointments, the Rams rollicked to a 5-2 victory and went on to defeat the other team from the north, Grand Rapids, in the title game.

This was long ago, 36 years, but several generations in Minnesota hockey time.

That was a time when Roseau, 10 miles south of the Canadian border and with a population of 2,400 at the time, could face a powerhouse from the Twin Cities and be considered the favorite.

The 1990 title came in the final year of the one-class hockey tournament, although Roseau added titles in 1999 and 2007 after opting to move up to Class 2A.

The 1990 tournament was five years before Minnesota started a girls tournament to settle a state champion among 35 high schools sponsoring hockey.

It wasn’t until the winter of 1997-98 that the Gophers started a women’s hockey program. Minnesota Duluth started a couple of years later and won the first NCAA title over St. Lawrence at Mariucci Arena in 2001.

And here’s the bonus: The coach of the Roseau Rams when they defeated Minnetonka — and came close to breaking Goldsworthy’s heart in 1990 — was Dean Blais. He went home to coach the International Falls Broncos, then to Grand Forks to coach North Dakota and wound up building the program at Nebraska-Omaha.

“Dean was one of the best as a coach,’’ Goldsworthy said. “I hope to see him Thursday.”

Goldsworthy has been the coach at his high school alma mater since the fall of 2017, after being the coach at his college alma mater, St. Olaf, for 19 seasons, the 2015-16 season being his last. One season of minor league hockey and, then, at age 23, the Oles hired Goldsworthy as their head coach.

And when Goldsworthy says he hopes to see Blais on March 5 that would be for the second game of a doubleheader for Sean’s family — wife Amy, and daughters Madigan (girls hockey coach at Wayzata), Emma (a University of St. Thomas graduate) and Lauren, a sophomore blueliner for Minnesota State Mankato.

Lauren’s teammates include Taylor Otremba, a senior forward and captain from Lakeville South — and Dean Blais’ granddaughter.

“The Blaiser”, as all who admired him as a hard-nosed coach and otherwise fine gentleman, will be headed here from retirement in Arizona to see the Mankato squad vs. No. 1-rated Wisconsin.

As surprises go, the “Miracle on Ice” would be a minor upset by comparison to a MSU victory, but, what the heck, Otremba, Goldsworthy, goalie Hailey Hanson and their compadres just finished surprising Minnesota Duluth to advance in the WCHA playoffs for the first time since 2009.

All they have to do now is defeat mighty Wisconsin with all those Olympians, plus coach Mark Johnson and the college refs that seem to admire him so.

Meantime, Goldsworthy and the Skippers have the early start (11 a.m.) on March 5 — carrying the No. 1 seed into Class 2A quarterfinals vs. Gentry Academy, a charter school created for hockey development as well as learning.

On March 2, starting at 3 p.m., Goldsworthy and his assistants were putting 20 varsity players, plus a few JVers, through a two-hour practice to start full-scale preparations for Gentry.

Minnetonka is 24-2-2 this season after making it through the section with a 5-2 win over Chanhassen. There are 12 seniors on the roster to guard their mates against too much confidence.

That school district title, Minnetonka, gives visions of plush new buildings and Teslas in the parking lot, but the ‘Tonka high school is actually a confusing hodge-podge of mostly older buildings.

And Pagel Arena … well, it’s well-used and it’s cold inside.

“The high school put up this rink, and the second rink comes from the community,” Goldsworthy said. “We aren’t complaining about anything. We have two rinks here.”

Not even the size of the coaches’ office, Sean?

Post-practice, Goldsworthy had a small chair and two assistants were on a bench. “This wouldn’t even make a good broom closet at that Wayzata campus,” said the reporter, wedged in near the door.

Then, veteran assistant Tom Stretar opened the door halfway before there was a mild collision.

Goldsworthy: “Do you know Tom?” Visitor: “I do now.”

Physically, this is an impressive collection of young hockey players: strapping lads, not hulks … easy skaters. Strib Varsity’s top 25 players in the state included two Skippers’ defensemen, Danny Browning (Goldsworthy: “One of most-skilled defensemen in the state”) and Tate Hardacre (a physical frame).

A handful of other seniors, such as forward Ethan Sturgis (a Dartmouth commit) and tall, talented goalie Chase Jerdee, will be just as evident for the (slight) Class 2A favorites.

“Edina, Moorhead, Gentry … all of ‘em," Goldsworthy said. “Double-A is always a beast.”