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Luverne High School graduate Jaxon Nelson is headed to the Frozen Four college hockey playoffs with the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers team next week.
Jaxon, a junior forward, tallied a pair of assists in Minnesota’s NCAA opener — including the overtime session that bounced defending national champion Massachusetts Friday.
“It was the best feeling I’ve had playing sports,” Nelson told the Star Herald Monday.
“Getting the opportunity for a chance to win it all with the best group of guys is something special.”
The Gophers faced a Massachusetts team that was 22-12-2 this season and won 94 games over the past four years. Nelson said beating UMass 4-3 was a morale booster for the team.
“After playing UMass and realizing how hard it was to beat them and they were the defending national champions, we knew we were going to win,” he said.
His mom, Jennifer Nelson, Magnolia, was at the suspenseful overtime game.
“He told me after the game he knew they were going to win,” she said. “I told him that would have been helpful to know while I was holding my breath in the stands. I was just dying.”
Minnesota later shut out Western Michigan 3-0 Sunday night in the regional final to punch its ticket to the NCAA Frozen Four for the 22nd time and first since 2014.
At 6-4 and 225 pounds, Nelson is considered a strong player who factors into Minnesota's power plays and penalty kills in addition to being a regular offensive contributor, according to Gopher sports information.
Nelson was on the ice for Minnesota’s third goal against Michigan when Blake McLaughlin scored a shorthanded tally in a 6-on-4 situation with the WMU net empty.
Coach Bob Motzko characterizes Nelson as playing a “200-foot game,” meaning he plays both ends of the ice arena effectively both offensively and defensively.
“He’s grown and matured so much as a player since we first saw him on the ice with the (Luverne) Cardinals,” he said. “We know he can go out and play against the top lines for other teams, and we count on him in just about every game situation.”
Nelson said Motzko kept calm during the game, but celebrated with the players after the win.
“He just told us to keep playing and we did just that, but afterward he was ecstatic,” Nelson said. “He was proud of us all and the way we played and battled all weekend. It was a great birthday present for him.”
Nelson missed 13 games earlier in the season with an injured ankle, and the team encountered other challenges, losing a goalie and operating without some teammates who competed in the Olympics.
The overall impact on the team, however, was minimal, Nelson said.
“I think in the end, it all made us a better team. I think we are better because of it,” he said.
“It taught us how to deal with adversity, and some players had to step up in those situations. … It grew the whole team.”
Since returning after his injury, Nelson hasn’t missed a beat, with points in four of the last six games leading up to last weekend’s playoffs.
However, he credits the whole team for the season’s successes to date.
“It took a lot of hard work and dedication to playing the right way,” Nelson said. “Everyone bought into their role and everyone is playing the right way right now.”
When asked if he thinks the Gophers will win the championship, Nelson was optimistic.
“I think we can, yes. If we play the way we played this past weekend, it’s going to be hard to beat us,” Nelson said.
“It’s going to be a revenge game against Mankato and it’s going to be a war. Last year they ended our season, and I think now we know what it is going to take to play for it all.”
Minnesota has now earned its 22nd NCAA Frozen Four berth and will look to win its sixth national championship (1974, 1976, 1979, 2002, 2003).
The Gophers open the Frozen Four on Thursday, April 7, in Boston against Minnesota State Mankato, who reached finals by beating Notre Dame in a 1-0 nail biter Saturday.
Jaxon graduated from Luverne High School in 2018 and is the son of Jennifer Nelson, Magnolia, and Chad Nelson, Magnolia.
He is pursuing a degree in supply chain management and operations at the U of M’s Carlson School of Management, Minneapolis.