Monday, November 7, 2011

Death of a Rivalry?

By Andrew Gerbosi



Minnesota and North Dakota have one of the most famous rivalries in all of college hockey.  Blood has been shed, punches thrown, and neither school's fan base has an ounce of respect for the other.  The four games between the two teams every regular season always seem to have an effect on the top of the WCHA standings.  However, with the Big Ten Conference set to begin in 2013, will these rivalries still hold the same clout that they do now?  Minnesota will most likely continue playing North Dakota in the future, as will Wisconsin, but not as frequently, and with less at stake.  Sure, national rankings will still be affected by these match-ups, and there will always be the history and pride on the line but I do not know if the intensity will still be there 15-20 years down the line. Michigan and Michigan State are leaving their conference rivals behind as well, but are more rivals to each other than to the remains of the CCHA.  So what is to become of the Minnesota-North Dakota showdown in the future?