For the first time in the contest history, there was a winner of the Paul Bunyan Communications Hockey Hot Shots Promotion during the first Grand Rapids Boys Thunderhawks home hockey game of the season!
Brett Carlson, formerly of Deer River, made his shot at center ice at the Thunderhawks first game of the season Saturday, November 23 against Benilde-St. Margaret during a period intermission. Brett was a graduate of Grand Rapids High School, was the mascot for four years, and currently resides in Willmar.
“I was home for deer hunting so my family went to watch the Thunderhawks first game of the season. Ironically my dad had won Hockey Hot Shots back in 2012 so I figured I’d sign up to see if I could get a shot at it. I couldn’t believe my name got called to play and then to make the shot was unreal.” said Carlson.
“There have only been a few winners of the contest which started several years ago. To have two winners come from the same family several years apart is crazy. What are the odds? That’s what makes the contest so much fun, you never know if someone is going to win, when, or who that might be. We’ve gone a full season without a winner and we’ve had multiple winners in one weekend. You just never know” said Brian Bissonette, Paul Bunyan Communications Marketing Supervisor.
The Paul Bunyan Communications Hockey Hot Shots contest is held during an intermission at each Grand Rapids Boys Hockey home games. Three contestants are selected at random to participate each night. All contestants receive a coupon for a free PBTV On Demand movie rental, any contestant hitting the board receives a Paul Bunyan Communications Northland Tackle Box, and a contestant who puts the puck in the net through the middle of the Hockey Hot Shots board wins up to a 70” flat screen Smart HDTV.