Burnsville Braves hockey legend Scott Bloom dies at 58
MN hockey legend Scott Bloom dies at 58
Minnesota hockey legend Scott Bloom has passed away at 58 years old. FOX 9's Emily Pofahl has more from friends and family about his legacy.
BURNSVILLE, Minn. (FOX 9) - He scored the goal every kid dreams about — and the hockey world is now mourning his loss.
Scott Bloom, the Burnsville High and Golden Gopher hockey standout and who scored the winning goal at the 1985 state championship against Hill-Murray, has died. He was 58.
A legacy on the ice
What we know:
Bloom's family in a statement confirmed he passed away Tuesday after suffering a head injury over the weekend.
Prior Lake police are investigating his death but have not released any additional details at this time.
His family is asking for time and space, but says they are grateful for the show of support from the community.
What they're saying:
Bloom's friend and former teammate Kevin Gorg, who played alongside him on the 1985 championship team, said he saw Bloom just two months ago.
"Early June there he was at my dad's funeral to give me a big hug and offer support and to me, it reminded me of the connection we all had in that locker room 40+ years ago," said Gorg. "Scott was that guy. He was the kind of friend you wanted to have. And it meant a lot to me that he was there."
Gorg, a sideline reporter for the Minnesota Wild, said Bloom would regularly text him during big moments in the Wild season. He said he is devastated by the news of Bloom's passing, especially at such a young age.
What we don't know:
Prior Lake police are still actively investigating Bloom's death. Beyond the family's statement that he suffered a fatal head injury over the weekend, no further details have been released.
A champion twice over
Local perspective:
Bloom's most iconic moment came with just 27 seconds left in the 1985 state championship game against Hill-Murray, when he scored to lift the Burnsville Braves to a 4-3 victory. He then led the team to another state title in 1986.
The backstory:
After his playing days with the Burnsville Braves, Bloom went on to play hockey at the University of Minnesota.
He remained deeply involved in the sport long after his playing career ended, going on to coach youth in the sport, Gorg said.
Hockey is a tight-knit community, and many of his teammates from those championship years stayed close friends with Bloom right up until his death.
The Source: This story uses information gathered from the Prior Lake Police Department, Bloom's family and former teammate Kevin Gorg.