I think if you refer to Gopher Hockey Fans in general? It's absolutely true that it's lessened.
That, of course, doesn't mean that for the long time, die-hard fans (such as congregate on GPL) that anything has changed for us
Pitlick’s stick toss and the UND fan tossing it back
This is easily a top-3 most fun Gopher hockey moment of the decade
Pitlick’s stick toss and the UND fan tossing it back
This is easily a top-3 most fun Gopher hockey moment of the decade
I wanted so bad for him to score the winner in the third. Also, the fact that we dominated 90% of that third period, and honestly probably of the game, and still lost in OT is the most Gopher hockey thing of all time.
Pitlick’s stick toss and the UND fan tossing it back
This is easily a top-3 most fun Gopher hockey moment of the decade
I wanted so bad for him to score the winner in the third. Also, the fact that we dominated 90% of that third period, and honestly probably of the game, and still lost in OT is the most Gopher hockey thing of all time.
If Close starts that game we win 4 or 5 to 1. I defend Bob a lot but find another series to get Barto a “look” man smh
@upnorthkid I wouldn't compare them to mankato. Mankato didn't become anything until they left the WCHA. UND is number one for me by a lot.
@upnorthkid I wouldn't compare them to mankato. Mankato didn't become anything until they left the WCHA. UND is number one for me by a lot.
ask Mankato if the gopher series means something. That’s what I mean. Kato series matters way more to them than it does to us
UND fans still love to hate the Gophers, but the reverse has definitely slightly lessened through the years.
110% agree… UND fans will always be more obsessed and hate on the Gophers more than rooting for their own team. And this probably goes for SCSU, UMD and Mankato… still stuck in the WCHA days. While all four are still our rivals, the Gophers have moved on to having some BIG rivals and more focus on.
@gator im not sure I agree. Other than Wisconsin, who was in the WCHA with us, who is a bigger rival that UND? Michigan certainly isn't on that level. I don't even consider Michigan a rival though some do. I don't think you could compare them to UND that be nuts. Then Penn state Michigan state Notre dame and Ohio State simply aren't rivals. I don't know much about those fan bases quite frankly.
Even to me, as a long-time fan, Michigan is rapidly closing in on NoDak in terms of being a rival. They haven't quite caught up yet, but they're getting there rapidly.
For any of the current students, or any fans that really only got involved in the last decade? Michigan is already WAY ahead of the Whioux.
To each their own but I would 100% consider Michigan a rival. Honestly since the turn of the decade Michigan has almost surpassed UMD, for me personally. Definitely on the same level just in different ways. I understand a lot of other fans would disagree. But with the back and forth nature of most regular season series and then meeting them multiple times in the conference playoffs my dislike for the Wolverines has certainly grown in the Motzko era. However, I obviously don’t run into nearly as many Michigan fans as I do UMD fans so the rivalry with the Bulldogs will always have that edge at least.
Even in the WCHA days, Michigan was usually my #3. WisconSIN/NoDak in a close 1st/2nd, then a drop and Michigan. There were periods of time where someone else bubbled up, but, no other team in the WCHA days managed to hang on to being a rival I really cared about more than a few years at a time.To each their own but I would 100% consider Michigan a rival. Honestly since the turn of the decade Michigan has almost surpassed UMD, for me personally. Definitely on the same level just in different ways. I understand a lot of other fans would disagree. But with the back and forth nature of most regular season series and then meeting them multiple times in the conference playoffs my dislike for the Wolverines has certainly grown in the Motzko era. However, I obviously don’t run into nearly as many Michigan fans as I do UMD fans so the rivalry with the Bulldogs will always have that edge at least.
ask Mankato if the gopher series means something. That’s what I mean. Kato series matters way more to them than it does to us
I can confirm. The fans got a bit of arrogance during Hastings tenure when they had the Gophers number. So they went from little brother to arrogant uncle.
I haven't heard much out of them since the release of their schedule but the ones I have are eager to play the Gophers. Not so much because they believe they can beat us, more so because they will have two series against old WCHA teams in the Gophers and Wisconsin.
I am the official Iowa Hawkeye football fan of GPL!
we dominated 90% of that third period, and honestly probably of the game, and still lost in OT
SOG were like 33-9 and Pitlick had just made it 4-1. Can’t even say it was really Barto’s fault bc I remember UND’s 2 goals to get back into the game were absurd pinball bounces off our D-men.
If Barto doesn’t start that night maybe we don’t throttle Michigan @ Yost when Closer and 1/2 the Wolverines were all deathly ill
I vaguely remember the puck deflecting like 20 feet in the air and somehow getting behind Barto (who lost sight of it) for one of the goals.we dominated 90% of that third period, and honestly probably of the game, and still lost in OT
SOG were like 33-9 and Pitlick had just made it 4-1. Can’t even say it was really Barto’s fault bc I remember UND’s 2 goals to get back into the game were absurd pinball bounces off our D-men.
If Barto doesn’t start that night maybe we don’t throttle Michigan @ Yost when Closer and 1/2 the Wolverines were all deathly ill
Like I was mentioning last night. I’m not doubting or debating that the in-state programs and UND aren’t out rivals. Just in my opinion the rivalry with them all isn’t nearly the same as it was 10+ years ago. For the in-state programs and UND, I still think Minnesota is their top rival and definitely highlighted on the calendar if they’re hosting the Gophers. All it takes is to watch some games of these programs playing at home. Almost all them besides UND won’t even come close to filling the arena, but when the Gophers come to town, it’s sold out. And those tickets being sold are not just from Gopher fans. It’s their fans buying them up as well. They want to see their program play the Gophers, cheer and hope for victory.
As for the Gophers… As the years go, farther and farther from the WCHA days, I feel the Gophers see their BIG rivals being more, their rivals. And those WCHA/in state rivals be more and more a distant memory.
@steve-mn I've never met a Michigan fan who gives a crap about minnesota hockey. My cousins went their. Got family in Midland not far from An Arbor they don't care about us and I do not care about them. They care about Michigan state Ohio state and Notre Dame way more than us.
@steve-mn I've never met a Michigan fan who gives a crap about minnesota hockey. My cousins went their. Got family in Midland not far from An Arbor they don't care about us and I do not care about them. They care about Michigan state Ohio state and Notre Dame way more than us.
real puck knowers love Minnesota vs Michigan games though because of all the speed & skill / roster talent, history, and national/rankings implications
@gator I can't rationally see how UND isn't our second biggest rival at worst. It's them and Wisconsin then everyone else is a tier below.
The rivalry with UND is nowhere near as it was 10 plus years ago. And as @steve-mn mentioned, Cesspool U is creeping into that spot. 10 years ago I would jump at seeing the Gophers play UND. Now I much rather see any of the BIG programs over UND.
Now I much rather see any of the BIG programs over UND.
Outside of Michigan or Wisconsin, there isn’t another game I would choose over MN vs UND.
That might be the North Dakota resident in me talking, but it still feels so god damn good when we beat the Whioux. Don’t suspect that will change for me.
Very understandable…
As for me, I’m there for the Gophers. What really makes me scratch my head after the Gophers left the WCHA. Fans stop coming cause it wasn’t a WCHA program. Since the BIG, the Gophers have done an A+ in scheduling those old WCHA rivals… and to be honest fans still really don’t come. I don’t get… if you’re Gopher fan you should come to the games regardless who they are playing. And not when it’s time to be seen…
Fans stop coming cause it wasn’t a WCHA program
There is still a very good sized chunk of Gophers fans that believe that either Gopher hockey or college hockey in general was destroyed by the B1G move.
Now of course, the Gophers have made championship games, frozen fours, etc since the move, but to those people, it doesn’t matter. It’ll probably take another Golden banner to make them consider coming back.
I suggest we just don’t let them back. Plenty of great hockey has been played especially this decade at Mariucci, if they aren’t back by now, they never ever truly cared.
Fans stop coming cause it wasn’t a WCHA program
There is still a very good sized chunk of Gophers fans that believe that either Gopher hockey or college hockey in general was destroyed by the B1G move.
Now of course, the Gophers have made championship games, frozen fours, etc since the move, but to those people, it doesn’t matter. It’ll probably take another Golden banner to make them consider coming back.
I suggest we just don’t let them back. Plenty of great hockey has been played especially this decade at Mariucci, if they aren’t back by now, they never ever truly cared.
college hockey is a niche sport. those are the same fans you saw fly en masse to tampa when they thought we were going to win it. they'll show up when they think its the trendy/fun thing to do or to claim they were there when we won and then they'll promptly leave again when that's past.
add to it killing FSN and games broadcast for free on cable to outlying MN and you're really starting to see your target market limit more and more
Since the BIG, the Gophers have done an A+ in scheduling those old WCHA rivals… and to be honest fans still really don’t come.
None of them care what conference our hockey team plays in. It’s a ready-made excuse that people can trot out to not look like a fairweather fan, one that puts blame on the school/AD instead of themselves.
college hockey is a niche sport. those are the same fans you saw fly en masse to tampa when they thought we were going to win it. they'll show up when they think its the trendy/fun thing to do or to claim they were there when we won and then they'll promptly leave again when that's past.
DING, DING, DING!!!
@gator Michigan is a after thought. UND is a far bigger rivalry. If you do feel Michigan is a rival then I promise you it's one way.
If you do feel Michigan is a rival then I promise you it's one way.
Who cares lol. I want us to beat Michigan so badly because we should always be the best high-speed, high-skill, historic pedigree team in B1G and the entire country. Same applies to BU/BC, I don’t even care that their simpleton fans have no idea why Minnesota is a big deal
Obviously UMi has MSU and ND on their radar, but anyone that watches these two teams play 4 times per year knows it's a real rivalry.
Yeah, that would be like telling Penn State wrestling fans that Minnesota wrestling doesn’t see them as a rival because of me, a Minnesota hockey fan who’s never even been to a single wrestling match in my life, doesn’t see them as a rival. Maybe they are, maybe they aren’t. I have no idea and that’s my point. Maybe the average Wolverine fan doesn’t see Minnesota as a big rival but I’d be willing to bet that both hockey teams and Minnesota and Michigan hockey fans specifically see it as a rivalry. All you have to do is experience a game or go on social media and there’s plenty of fun back and forth.
I’ve been to Yost before. The fans are definitely up for those games when the Gophers are in town.
It’s fair to have differing opinions on rivalries. Who I, you, or the team think are biggest rivals may be a bit different.
The middle agers I’m sure still see UND as a pretty big rival; that being said I loathe their fan base and have zero interest in playing them regularly because of that.
Please please please Gopher fans, buy as many tickets as you can for the series this year! It’s so embarrassing when half of our own barn is green. 🤢🤮
MSU's Athletic Director put out a letter this morning to announce increases in pricing for tickets to Maverick games. In the letter he did disclose that tickets for the Gopher game will be $40 and will go on sale September 8th.
I am the official Iowa Hawkeye football fan of GPL!
It seems completely ridiculous to have a game on Thursday for the series--do that for Long Island or some other nobody, not North Dakota.
@rau4skiumah2-0 The Michigan fans I know are pretty engaged. We are all entitled to our own opinion. I just don't consider Michigan a rival in hockey and many others don't.
It seems completely ridiculous to have a game on Thursday for the series--do that for Long Island or some other nobody, not North Dakota.
Friday/Saturday wasn't an option due to FB vs Iowa at the Bank on Saturday. Like it or not, football drives the schedule.
Tact is the ability to step on a man's toes without messing up the shine on his shoes - Harry S Truman
It seems completely ridiculous to have a game on Thursday for the series--do that for Long Island or some other nobody, not North Dakota.
will it allow for easier time for MN-Iowa game on Saturday and will the rink still be (at least) mostly full? All that matters to the U and in that order.
It seems completely ridiculous to have a game on Thursday for the series--do that for Long Island or some other nobody, not North Dakota.
Friday/Saturday wasn't an option due to FB vs Iowa at the Bank on Saturday. Like it or not, football drives the schedule.
and bouncyball. hence why we don't even get the schedule until an insanely late date for the conference season which continues to be incredibly stupid
@rau4skiumah2-0 The Michigan fans I know are pretty engaged. We are all entitled to our own opinion. I just don't consider Michigan a rival in hockey and many others don't.
Totally fair! Definitely don’t want to tell other fans how they should view different opponents. Like many have said, a lot of factors go into it. For me, even though I grew up my entire life in Minnesota, I didn’t really become a big gopher hockey fan until I got to the U fall of 2013. So for instance Denver isn’t as big of a rival to me as it is to others. As long as we’re all supporting the Gophers, at the end of the day, that’s all that really matters.
That and I’d like to steal some of their recruits for onceIf you do feel Michigan is a rival then I promise you it's one way.
Who cares lol. I want us to beat Michigan so badly because we should always be the best high-speed, high-skill, historic pedigree team in B1G and the entire country. Same applies to BU/BC, I don’t even care that their simpleton fans have no idea why Minnesota is a big deal
It seems completely ridiculous to have a game on Thursday for the series--do that for Long Island or some other nobody, not North Dakota.
will it allow for easier time for MN-Iowa game on Saturday and will the rink still be (at least) mostly full? All that matters to the U and in that order.
A Thursday night hockey game will not be full of maroon and gold. Which doesn’t bode well for us.
I was gonna say, idk if the average casual Michigan (football) fan is really a good gauge of whether it’s a rivalry. I imagine their student section sees it as one at least when both teams are good. The gophers aren’t Michigan state or OSU but i gotta imagine their student section fans are more excited to play us when we’re the number one team (or both teams are highly ranked) than boring OSU or MSU pre 2022. In short it’s probably depends, especially if we have their number recently.Yeah, that would be like telling Penn State wrestling fans that Minnesota wrestling doesn’t see them as a rival because of me, a Minnesota hockey fan who’s never even been to a single wrestling match in my life, doesn’t see them as a rival. Maybe they are, maybe they aren’t. I have no idea and that’s my point. Maybe the average Wolverine fan doesn’t see Minnesota as a big rival but I’d be willing to bet that both hockey teams and Minnesota and Michigan hockey fans specifically see it as a rivalry. All you have to do is experience a game or go on social media and there’s plenty of fun back and forth.
Like I said watch when these 2 teams play each other. That's all you need to know whether or not it's a rivalry - a few random fans by way of a personal anecdote be damned.
It seems completely ridiculous to have a game on Thursday for the series--do that for Long Island or some other nobody, not North Dakota.
will it allow for easier time for MN-Iowa game on Saturday and will the rink still be (at least) mostly full? All that matters to the U and in that order.
A Thursday night hockey game will not be full of maroon and gold. Which doesn’t bode well for us.
I don’t know, new coach, fresh vibes, upgraded roster, a North Dakota team that assume will be highly ranked coming into mariucci when the season is young? I wanna think great home crowd, nobody goes to class on Friday anyway and it’s a kickoff to a big weekend.
“Good pace, a lot of north and south, or it could be east and west, I’m not sure but either way…” Wooger
Pohlad baseball ⚾️ it’s not arrogance, we really are “that good” #”Hey Siri, play “faithfully” by Journey max volume”
It seems completely ridiculous to have a game on Thursday for the series--do that for Long Island or some other nobody, not North Dakota.
will it allow for easier time for MN-Iowa game on Saturday and will the rink still be (at least) mostly full? All that matters to the U and in that order.
A Thursday night hockey game will not be full of maroon and gold. Which doesn’t bode well for us.
I don’t know, new coach, fresh vibes, upgraded roster, a North Dakota team that assume will be highly ranked coming into mariucci when the season is young? I wanna think great home crowd, nobody goes to class on Friday anyway and it’s a kickoff to a big weekend.
🤞
It seems completely ridiculous to have a game on Thursday for the series--do that for Long Island or some other nobody, not North Dakota.
will it allow for easier time for MN-Iowa game on Saturday and will the rink still be (at least) mostly full? All that matters to the U and in that order.
A Thursday night hockey game will not be full of maroon and gold. Which doesn’t bode well for us.
I don’t know, new coach, fresh vibes, upgraded roster, a North Dakota team that assume will be highly ranked coming into mariucci when the season is young? I wanna think great home crowd, nobody goes to class on Friday anyway and it’s a kickoff to a big weekend.
If the athletic department could get out of their own way (which they can’t) and had the resources to market both teams (which they don’t) then they would flood the TC/MN sports market with ads and promotions about how it could be a three day/three game celebration basically of Gopher sports and a fun homecoming weekend. I hope Coyle is able to get the word out and really bring the crowds in for what should be three fun rivalry games on homecoming.
Also, is it because the football game is against Iowa and it’s homecoming that they don’t want to double dip on Saturday? I remember my senior year when North Dakota came to town for the first time since the WCHA break up and there was a football against Purdue earlier that day. Both games had great crowds at their respective stadiums/arenas and it didn’t seem like dinkytown and stadium village were any more crazy than usual.
If the athletic department could get out of their own way (which they can’t) and had the resources to market both teams (which they don’t) then they would flood the TC/MN sports market with ads and promotions about how it could be a three day/three game celebration basically of Gopher sports and a fun homecoming weekend. I hope Coyle is able to get the word out and really bring the crowds in for what should be three fun rivalry games on homecoming.
I was back on campus for homecoming 2022 and literally no one (incl. myself) was even aware that men’s hockey was opening their season at home that weekend.
It was a weird Friday/Sunday series vs. Lindenwood- I recall seeing Logan Cooley’s first NCAA goal while scrolling Instagram and thinking “wait what?? They’re playing right now??” Kinda ridiculous considering we were coming off a Frozen Four and had such massive hype around the team going into that year…
It seems completely ridiculous to have a game on Thursday for the series--do that for Long Island or some other nobody, not North Dakota.
will it allow for easier time for MN-Iowa game on Saturday and will the rink still be (at least) mostly full? All that matters to the U and in that order.
A Thursday night hockey game will not be full of maroon and gold. Which doesn’t bode well for us.
I don’t know, new coach, fresh vibes, upgraded roster, a North Dakota team that assume will be highly ranked coming into mariucci when the season is young? I wanna think great home crowd, nobody goes to class on Friday anyway and it’s a kickoff to a big weekend.
this 100% unless they blow the early slate and get swept early or something. Already moved my work schedule to remote on that Friday to get rowdy haha
That was a Saturday Sunday series, I know this because I went to the football game and watched the hockey team after. I got fairly drunk at the football game and lost the keys to my house so I was watching the game at the bar while waiting for my neighbors to get back home so I could get in my house 🤣. I blame some combination of pregaming, my buddy being in town once a year, and the football team playing terrible enough to lose to Purdue.If the athletic department could get out of their own way (which they can’t) and had the resources to market both teams (which they don’t) then they would flood the TC/MN sports market with ads and promotions about how it could be a three day/three game celebration basically of Gopher sports and a fun homecoming weekend. I hope Coyle is able to get the word out and really bring the crowds in for what should be three fun rivalry games on homecoming.
I was back on campus for homecoming 2022 and literally no one (incl. myself) was even aware that men’s hockey was opening their season at home that weekend.
It was a weird Friday/Sunday series vs. Lindenwood- I recall seeing Logan Cooley’s first NCAA goal while scrolling Instagram and thinking “wait what?? They’re playing right now??” Kinda ridiculous considering we were coming off a Frozen Four and had such massive hype around the team going into that year…
Took my then 3 year oldish daughter to her first game and couldn’t think of a better way to start her off than against North Dakota. Game ended in a 1-1 tie, fight in the handshake line with iirc Blake wheeler and forgot the goon in green. Wanna say that was the Hackstal birdie game as well. Standing room only tickets was all I could get and held her up to see for a really long time.😂 We had great fans around that gave up their seats for us to get a break though. My point I guess is it’s early season this time with them, everything for a walk isn’t freezing cold and against what I’ll call a classic retro rival. I’m not in marketing but yeah this is a great game to get to if possible. Good measuring stick time with this one too. 🍻
“Good pace, a lot of north and south, or it could be east and west, I’m not sure but either way…” Wooger
Pohlad baseball ⚾️ it’s not arrogance, we really are “that good” #”Hey Siri, play “faithfully” by Journey max volume”
That was a Saturday Sunday series, I know this because I went to the football game and watched the hockey team after. I got fairly drunk at the football game and lost the keys to my house so I was watching the game at the bar while waiting for my neighbors to get back home so I could get in my house 🤣. I blame some combination of pregaming, my buddy being in town once a year, and the football team playing terrible enough to lose to Purdue.If the athletic department could get out of their own way (which they can’t) and had the resources to market both teams (which they don’t) then they would flood the TC/MN sports market with ads and promotions about how it could be a three day/three game celebration basically of Gopher sports and a fun homecoming weekend. I hope Coyle is able to get the word out and really bring the crowds in for what should be three fun rivalry games on homecoming.
I was back on campus for homecoming 2022 and literally no one (incl. myself) was even aware that men’s hockey was opening their season at home that weekend.
It was a weird Friday/Sunday series vs. Lindenwood- I recall seeing Logan Cooley’s first NCAA goal while scrolling Instagram and thinking “wait what?? They’re playing right now??” Kinda ridiculous considering we were coming off a Frozen Four and had such massive hype around the team going into that year…
Oh, that’s right! I remember I was down on campus with some college buddies and hopping between Stub n Herbs and the KK (although it’ll always be the Library to me). Then for some reason, in all my infinite wisdom, I ubered back to my apartment in Uptown just to head back to campus a few hours later.
Lindenwood was already not going to bring in much of a crowd but the lack of promotion made it even worse. That’s my point. I understand football and homecoming are going to take majority of the limited resources of the athletic department but come on. Like someone mentioned, we had just come off a FF run and they had a lot of excitement around the roster going into that season. But still felt like such a mail in job by the U. I’m probably being overly critical and negative so I apologize but sometimes they really do just make you shake your head.
No argument there, my buddy who came to town is a sports savant and I don’t think he even knew the hockey team was playing until I mentioned it. I remember even as drunk as I was seeing this new guy #92 skating circles around everyone on Lindenwood and going “that must be Cooley!” 😆 .