Water runs deep in an and around Grand Rapids.

The colder the better.

From frozen lakes and ponds to the venerable IRA Civic Center — complete with assigned seats for season ticket holders — hockey is as much a part of Grand Rapids’ heartbeat as the Mississippi River that cuts through it as the paper mill that towers high above.

The sport really took hold in 1972, when the Thunderhawks — then nicknamed the Indians — reached the state tournament for the first time and finished runner-up to Iron Range Conference rival International Falls. 

Grand Rapids won the first of its four titles three years later, and this year’s team, ranked No. 4 in Class 2A in this week’s Legacy Hockey Power Rankings, appears to have all the required elements of a championship squad. The Thunderhawks (18-5-1) beat St. Thomas Academy 3-2 on Friday. Part of the festivities at a packed rink was the honoring of the 1972 team that included legendary names such as Jim and John Rothstein, Kelly Cahill and Dan Benzie. 

Three days before rallying to beat the Cadets, Grand Rapids held off then No. 1 Andover, its main challenger for the Section 7AA title, 2-1 in most dramatic fashion. Thunderhawks goaltender Myles Gunderson stopped Huskies star forward Gavyn Thoreson on a penalty shot with no time on the clock to secure the victory.

Grand Rapids, which has won four straight and lost just twice in its last 16 outings, was one of this week’s big climbers, going from No. 11 all the way to No. 4, its highest ranking of the season.

Stock Rising
 

• Maple Grove, one of the two teams to beat Grand Rapids since Dec. 16, also made a big move this week, rising from No. 7 to No. 3. The Crimson have won nine straight, including Saturday’s 4-1 triumph over Andover. Maple Grove’s top line of Josh Giuliani, Finn Brink and Landen Gunderson (141 combined points) has been all but unstoppable. And super sophomore Danny Nelson has six goals in his last three games, including two against Andover.
   
• Losses for Lakeville North and Hastings cleared an opening in Class 2A’s top 20 and in comes Holy Angels for the first time this season. While the No. 20 Stars haven’t played a particularly difficult schedule, and they lost their biggest test 5-0 to No. 6-2A Benilde-St. Margaret’s, they do count triumphs over Gentry Academy, Blake and Wisconsin powerhouse Hudson among their 19 victories.
   
• Thief River Falls, fresh off Saturday’s 4-2 win over No. 8-1A Fergus Falls, moved from No. 18 to No. 13, the biggest jump in Class 1A. The Prowlers who lost 4-3 in overtime to No. 2-1A Warroad on Feb. 4, have won six of their last nine games.