FOX Sports North Talent Share Their Hockey Day Stories

Anthony LaPanta
“I live what a lot of Minnesota families live. I have a son in youth hockey.”

A sports journalist and a hockey dad, Anthony LaPanta is connected to the game of hockey at every level. LaPanta covers high school, college and NHL hockey for FOX Sports North and supports his son Vinny who plays youth hockey in Shoreview.

Darby Hendrickson
“Hockey is our culture…it’s just what we know.”
“My three year old is already in skates and asks to be called “Hockey Boy”…he reminds me of myself growing up.”

The former Minnesota Wild center grew up in Richfield, Minnesota, surrounded by the game of hockey. His dad was the head coach at Richfield High School and Apple Valley High School before moving on to work as the strength and conditioning coach for the Minnesota North Stars. Hendrickson was a standout player throughout high school, Rookie of the Year at the University of Minnesota and a member of 1994 USA Men’s Olympic hockey team. He spent ten years in the NHL and played overseas in Austria for two years. He now works as a host and analyst for FOX Sports North.

Ann Carroll
“I grew up with six older brothers…they all played hockey!”
“My mom jokes I was practically born at the rink...."

From her youth in Edina, Minnesota, to covering FOX Sports North’s Hockey Day Minnesota, Carroll’s hockey journey has come full circle. Carroll grew up with six older brothers who played high school (Edina High School) and college hockey (Wisconsin, Michigan Tech, Mankato State and Michigan). Two of her older brothers currently coach the Gustavus women’s hockey team and another brother coaches college men’s hockey out east. Carroll was a competitive figure skater growing up because girls' hockey didn’t exist.

Marney Gellner

Even though hockey wasn’t a big part of her life growing up, she admits the sport became a huge part of her life when she met her husband, Matt. Matt was the ice arena manager at the University of North Dakota. They met when Gellner worked as a reporter at WDAZ-Channel 8, covering the Fighting Sioux. Gellner now covers high school, college and pro hockey at FOX Sports North. Her husband, Matt, has been the ice arena manager at the Dakota Sports and Fitness Center in Prior Lake for the past eight years.