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Express assistant coach Fink resigns after two seasons
By: IAN STAUFFER
istauffer@owatonna.com
Posted: Wednesday, July 15, 2009 10:09 pm
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Express assistant coach Fink resigns after two seasons

Owatonna Express head coach Pat Cullen, left, will be searcing for a new assistant coach after Eric Fink, right, resigned earlier this summer. Fink took a job with the Tri-City Storm in the United States Hockey League.
Press file photo
OWATONNA — There will be a new face behind the Owatonna Express bench when the season starts in two months.
Eric Fink resigned from the Owatonna Express earlier this summer and has accepted an assistant coaching position with the Tri-City Storm in the United States Hockey League. Fink was an assistant with the Owatonna Express last season and for one season with the Southern Minnesota Express in 2006-07. In both seasons, Fink worked beneath head coach Pat Cullen.

“It was great working with Eric,” Cullen said Wednesday. “He was a great assistant. He was very knowledgeable. I can’t say anything but great things about him.”

After Cullen and Fink resigned following the sale of the Southern Minnesota Express prior to the 2007-08 season, Fink worked as an assistant coach for the Augsburg College men’s hockey team for one season. When the Southern Minnesota owners bolted for Michigan, Cullen and Fink came back to coach the expansion Owatonna Express team. Prior to his first year in Owatonna, Fink was the head coach of the Twin Cities Northern Lights for three seasons, leading the team to the national tournament once with a third-place finish.

“It was pretty tough leaving (Owatonna),” said Fink, who grew up Sauk Rapids and played junior hockey in the Twin Cities. “Everything went pretty well with the Express, and I get along real well with coach Cullen. It was a comfortable situation (in Owatonna), especially looking at next year’s team, which I think has a good chance of being pretty good.”

Tri-City is based in Kearney, Neb., and plays in the Tier I USHL. The Express and the North American Hockey League are Tier II.
“Moving up a level plays a little bit of a role, but probably not as much as people would think,” Fink said. “It had to the be right situation, and I think this team is the right situation.”

Fink said he doesn’t know any of the coaches and doesn’t have any connections to Tri-City.

“It will be all new,” Fink said. “I have to get packed up and get down there by Aug. 1. I guess that’s coming up pretty fast.”

Cullen has been extremely busy the last few weeks preparing for the Express’ invitation camp that begins Friday and runs until Sunday. From the group of players at that camp, Cullen will select his team for the upcoming season.
In the past, Cullen has worked with his assistant coach to fill the roster. That won’t be the case this time.

“I don’t have anybody lined up right now,” he said. “I have too much to do with the tryout camp, so I’m trying to go it alone.”

The players that were invited to the camp are a secret, a common theme with Cullen when it comes to roster decisions. The camp is open to the public and the names on the roster will be free for everyone to see then.

A few players that will be at the camp have been released through other media. One name on the list according to the Winona Daily News is Winona graduate and All-Big Nine Conference forward Devon Grossell. Grossell had 52 points (22 goals, 30 assists) in 26 games last season with the Winhawks.
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It also stands to reason that a number of players from last season will be at the camp and could make the final roster. One of those players is forward and leading scorer Cory Thorson, who told the People’s Press at the state baseball tournament that he was coming back this season. Thorson led the Express with 32 goals last season and was second on the team with 54 total points (32 goals, 22 assists).

“The camp should be very good,” Cullen said. “I’m very excited to see the talent level and the competition should be very good.”
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Member Opinions:
By: owatonnaowatonna on 7/17/09
Thanks for everything, Coach Fink! You were a great component of the Express team!

 
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