Savage Words: You gotta get to Augie, to watch the dog

For the first time in probably more than 30 years, I went to a sporting event, as a fan, just to watch. 

I honestly don’t remember the last time that happened. No responsibilities, no story to write, no duties. I just went to watch, to enjoy the game.

My daughter is a student at Augustana, and as a family we went to the Vikings vs. Bowling Green hockey game on Friday night. If you haven’t been, you should check it out.

It’s really good hockey, in a cool building, right on campus in central Sioux Falls. It’s a little hidden gem on the corner of 33rd and Grange. If you’re a hockey fan, no doubt you know about the new arena, and the success Augustana has had this year on the ice.

I know hockey, but not like I know some other sports. When I worked for the Argus Leader in Sioux Falls, I covered plenty of Sioux Falls Stampede games. But again, I’m no expert in the sport. I knew just enough to be able to crank out a game story when the final horn sounded. 

But you know who is an expert in the sport? Ace, the Augie Doggie.

Ace is a Golden Retriever, and is Augustana’s Goodwill Ambassador. And the best part? Ace came to Augustana through B-Squad Dog Rescue in Brandon. 

But the truly best part is that Ace is absolutely 100 percent engaged in the hockey games.

He sits between sections 106 and 107, right next to the glass. From there, he follows the puck. Follows it everywhere. Follows it when it gets lost in a scrum, and immediately follows it closely as the puck squirts out.

When there’s a check on the glass in front of him, I can confirm that the dog snarls.

When Augustana’s Owen Baumgartner was whistled for a penalty to put Bowling Green on a power play on Friday night, I swear – and I’m not joking, Ace got up and walked away up the stairs. 

I simply couldn’t stop watching him. Even if a game is bad, I’m telling you, lock in on the steps between sections 106 and 107 and watch Ace. I’m confident he knows more about the game than me.

At the end of the first period, before the horn even stopped blaring, Ace had turned around, and began his walk up the stairs with his handler, Pam Miller.

It was potty break time for Ace, and he knew it.

Before the start of the second period, that dog was back at his spot, staring at the player entrance, waiting for the Vikings to return to the ice. When they did, his tail wagged ferociously, as if he knew – and I mean this – knew the second period was about to begin.

When it did, he was locked in again on that puck. Everywhere it went, Ace tracked it.

The score was 1-0 after the first period, and during the break, I had to find out more about this hockey-induced pup.

I made my way to where he was seated before the start of the second period. Pam told me all about Ace. Ace even looked at me, greeted me for a moment, gave me a couple of licks on the hand, but his eyes didn’t stray far from the ice.

It was almost like he was talking to me: “Nice to meet you and all, but the game’s about to start again. Move along now.”

So I did. I went back to my seat, but my eyes were glued on Ace as much as his were on the ice. 

Pam told me during the period break that when the Vikings score, Ace goes crazy. His front paws smack the glass and he clearly knows what’s happening.

I chuckled, and sort of believed her.

“I’m serious,” she said. “Sometimes he’ll just glare at the opposing goalie when there’s some downtime.”

Pam told me she’s been trying to convince ESPN to come to Sioux Falls to do a feature on Ace, on how he’s so into hockey.

I agree. I’m not certain how many ESPN execs in Bristol, Conn., glance at the Brandon Valley Journal each week, but if they do, I’m tellin’ ya gang: you gotta get to Augustana and watch Ace watch a hockey game.

At the very least, it’ll put a smile on your face.

But I knew that all along. Dogs do that. 

And I swear, if he had a hockey stick rather than a soggy old stick from the yard, he’d bang a goal for the Vikings.

Courtesy of Augustana University