The Final Horn: Looking Back at the North Stars’ Last Game at the Met Center

On April 13, 1993, a profound silence fell over Bloomington, Minnesota. When the final horn sounded inside the Met Center, it did not just signal the end of a hockey game; it marked the heartbreaking conclusion of a 26-year love affair between Minnesota and its beloved NHL franchise, the Minnesota North Stars.

The atmosphere that night was an volatile mix of nostalgia, deep sorrow, and fierce anger. Just a month earlier, on March 10, 1993, controversial team owner Norm Green had officially announced that the franchise would relocate to Dallas, Texas, for the upcoming season. Cited financial losses and failed stadium negotiations drove the decision, turning Green into a public villain overnight. Fans bitterly rebranded him «Norm Greed,» yet they still packed the Met Center to maximum capacity for one final, emotional goodbye.

The Last Matchup

The final game pitted the North Stars against their fierce, long-time rivals, the Chicago Blackhawks. The energy in the building was electric, fueled by decades of division battles and a shared sense of impending loss.

Game Detail	Description
Date	April 13, 1993
Opponent	Chicago Blackhawks
Final Score	Blackhawks 3, North Stars 2
North Stars Goals	Russ Courtnall, Mike McPhee
Attendance	15,000+ (Sold Out)

Despite a resilient effort on the ice, Minnesota fell just short, losing 3-2. Fittingly, the final North Stars goal in Met Center history was scored by Mike McPhee, assisted by Ulf Dahlen and Mark Tinordi.

A Tearful Farewell to the State of Hockey

When the final buzzer sounded, reality set in. Players from both teams shook hands, but the Minnesota roster lingered on the ice. Led by captain Mark Tinordi and fan favorites like Neal Broten, the players skated a lap of honor, waving their sticks northstarstablespa.com to salute a weeping crowd. Many fans refused to leave their seats for nearly an hour, chanting «Green Must Go!» while holding up handmade signs mourning the loss of their team.

The Met Center, widely praised for its excellent sightlines and pristine ice surface, was demolished in December 1994. The site eventually became part of the Mall of America expansion. While the franchise successfully transitioned into the Dallas Stars, a void remained in Minnesota. The «State of Hockey» was left adrift until the NHL returned in the year 2000 with the expansion Minnesota Wild, finally healing the wound left by that fateful April night.