Opening Night Festivities

What better way to wake up on Opening Day than to get some free beef jerky from Sasquatch?

The Minnesota Wild kicks off the regular season against the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday night at 7:30 PM, but the party will start much earlier and last all weekend. The celebration will be highlighted by a pre-game ceremony honoring Minnesotans who made an impact during the I-35W bridge collapse, and those who served in Iraq.

From 6:00 AM to 9:00 AM on Thursday, the Wild will host a Wake-Up Rally on Kellogg Boulevard. Wild employees will be handing out muffins, coffee, Coke, Jack Link's Beef Jerky, issues of the St. Paul Pioneer Press and more on both sides of Kellogg: outside the Xcel Energy Center's Gate One, and in front of the Science Museum.

Fans in attendance for the game will receive a Cub Foods State of Hockey Passport upon entering the arena. Fans can visit different areas around the Xcel Energy Center to view items from the United States Hockey Hall of Fame. Fans with stamps on their Passports from all six locations will have the chance to win a Wild team autographed jersey.

Upon leaving the arena, all fans will receive a 2007-2008 Minnesota Wild wall calendar.

More information on Saturday's events will be posted later in the week.