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10 MHJ // You've mentioned T.J. Oshie has an influence on your style of play. How do you think you try and model him? Boeser // When it comes to shootouts, I try and do his moves in a way. Obviously I'm not nearly as good as him, but I try to model it (laughs). He can do like three or four different moves in his same style of coming up to the goalie. I watch video on him doing those moves and I copy it as best I can. MHJ // Have you ever reached out to him for advice or talked to him about it? Boeser // I skate with him during summers back home, so I just watch him there on the ice and try and learn from him. MHJ // Is there anyone else you look up to? Boeser // When I was going through the whole draft process a year and a half ago, I always looked up to Kyle Okposo. And of course I think there's a little bit of Oshie in me, too. MHJ // Do you remember the first time you stepped on the ice as a kid? Boeser // I believe I was 2 years old when I first skated. I can recall back to playing in Mites and grow- ing up playing hockey in Burnsville. MHJ // Who was your biggest rival in high school hockey? Boeser // Oh, it definitely has to be the Edina Hornets. MHJ // Do you have any fond memories playing with your friends at Burnsville? Boeser // There are just a ton of memories with many of those guys—every year, going to the rink and practicing, and playing outdoor hockey with them. Through all that time, it was just a lot of fun and awesome memories. MHJ // What's your proudest memory of your high school hockey career? Boeser // That's a tough one. It's probably beating Edina for the first time my junior year of high school. I think we beat them in Bantams, but I think it was the first time our head coach had beat Edina. MHJ // What are some of your hockey-related rituals or superstitions? Boeser // I always take a nap on game day. Then when I start stretching, I do the same routine and lis- ten to the same songs every time. MHJ // What are some skills you're focused on devel- oping in your sophomore season? Boeser // I think I can definitely get faster and more explosive. That's been something I've been try- ing to improve for a while now over these past few years. I'm just focused on improving every aspect of my game. MHJ // As a freshman you passed Toews and Oshie in first-season totals at North Dakota, and came just one point shy of passing Parise. What's it like to be in that company? Boeser // It's definitely an honor. Those guys are NHL all-stars. Just to be a part of that is a big honor. I know my work's not done here, and I'd like to hope- fully try and join more of those guys this year, and hopefully win another national championship. Then hopefully if I make it to the NHL someday, I'd be lucky enough to be as good as them in the NHL. MINNESOTAHOCKEYJOURNAL.COM // DECEMBER.2016 Q&A UND ATHLETICS INTERVIEW WITH BROCK BOESER BUZZER BEATERS TOUGHEST PLAYER YOU'VE EVER PLAYED AGAINST? Jack Eichel. WHAT MAKES MINNESOTA HOCKEY GREAT? I'd have to say community, fun and love of the game. IF THERE WERE A MOVIE ABOUT YOUR LIFE, WHO WOULD PLAY YOU, AND WHY? I'd have to say one of my best friends from Burnsville that I grew up with, Sam Dockry. He's hilarious and he can reenact the stuff I do pretty spot on. HAVE YOU EVER FINISHED A GAME OF MONOPOLY? No, I don't think I ever have! LEGOS OR LINCOLN LOGS? I was definitely a Legos kind of kid. WHAT'S YOUR ORDER AT GRAND FORKS' FAMOUS RED PEPPER? They're called Schneiders. It's a taco with all the sauces on it. So I get a couple of those and some cheese tostadas. It's kind of a secret thing.