In the Spotlight - North Dakota's Jeff Panzer

In the hunt.

Jan. 5, 2001

By P.J. Slinger

There are a lot of things Jeff Panzer could be shooting for this year. The senior forward for the University of North Dakota undoubtedly is shooting for his team to win a second consecutive national championship. And maybe he's shooting for the Hobey Baker Award, and the national scoring title, both of which are within his reach.

Or maybe he's just trying to shoot a bigger buck than his brother Jay. "We've always been very competitive," Jeff Panzer said. "It wasn't just hockey, either. We'd go hunting and fishing and it'd be the same way. If I shot a bigger buck than him, I'd let him know it."

Jay Panzer, two years older than Jeff, was one of the leaders of the 1996-97 Sioux team that won the national championship. And the competition between the brothers was, and is, always there.

"In everything, it didn't matter," Jay said. "It was always which one could outdo the other one. Who gets the bigger buck, or who had the nicer shot or whatever. And you'd always get or give a little ribbing if you'd miss. It was never really serious, but it was competitive."

Jeff said it's been that way since they were kids.

"Jay and I would go to the park together, even when it was closed up, and we'd battle," he said. "There were many days where one of us would go home crying or we'd be mad at the other one. Then about a half hour later we'd lace them back up and go at it again. Even when we were playing here (at UND), it was always like that, back and forth. Just brotherly competition."

That competitive nature perhaps made the brothers two of the best collegiate hockey players to come out of Grand Forks. Although they never really came out of the city.

"They grew up right here in Grand Forks, so I've followed them their whole lives," UND coach Dean Blais said. "Jay and Jeff have always been on the best teams. It's just fantastic to have two players like that right in town."

Jeff Panzer said he started skating when he was three years old. "My mom and dad built a backyard ice rink and we only lived a block away from outdoor rink. And starting that young, I just loved playing." Plus, hockey was in his lineage. His father played junior varsity hockey for North Dakota and his great uncle, Cliff "Fido" Purpur, played for the Chicago Blackhawks. And there was nowhere else Jeff wanted to play than for the Sioux.

"Hockey is in my blood," Panzer said. "Growing up here I'd been around hockey so long and I'd read about the Sioux and see them on the news, and all of a sudden I had a chance to play for them. That's what I wanted. Plus my brother was playing here, so I took that heavily into consideration, too."

"We both wanted to play for the Sioux and we went for it," Jay Panzer said. "We were both happy with our decision. Playing together I think was good for us. We'd ride home from the rink together and we could talk about what was going on. I think it helped both of us."

The Panzers are one of several brother combinations to play for the Sioux of late.

"It just turned out that way," Blais said. "You get one, and chances are the other will follow. But that also says something about the education and experience they get here. Obviously it means the older one's had a pretty good experience."

And so has the younger Panzer.

Through 22 games this year, Panzer has 17 goals and 31 assists for 48 points to lead the nation in scoring. His 2.18 points per game is second in the country behind Western Michigan's Mike Bishai's 2.33. Panzer, an All-American and Hobey Baker Award finalist last season, was the WCHA's leading scorer in 1999-2000 (in league games) with 44 points and tied for second (with teammate Lee Goren) in all games with 63 points. He was also First Team All-WCHA and named to the WCHA All-Academic team. Through the midpoint of his senior year, Panzer has 195 career points.

"Growing up here, this school and this town kind of instilled in me a sense of hard work," Panzer said. "Every game I'm just excited to play and I've been fortunate enough to play on a great team. And you're only as good as your teammates."

And they're not too shabby. Panzer's linemates Bryan Lundbohm and Ryan Bayda have 41 and 35 points, respectively. To show how potent of a line that is, those are the top three point totals in the WCHA. But Panzer isn't all hockey.

"I really enjoy the outdoors," he said. "Me and my brother and dad and grandpa have some fun trips together. We'll go pheasant hunting south of Bismarck or up to Canada. It's a good break away from hockey."

"Today he even took some of the players out ice fishing," Blais said. "He loves the outdoors. There's not a lot of distractions here (in Grand Forks). There's basically school and hockey."

Which is why Panzer likes getting away.

"That way you don't get burned out on hockey," he said. "I think you need to cherish those times playing hockey, and it gets tough to always be thinking about hockey. You need that break, a chance to do some different things."