Rink Report: Gophers and Fighting Hawks Renew Rivalry at the Ralph

This is the first time the Golden Gophers will make the trek to Grand Forks since 2012

GRAND FORKS, N.D. —  The Fighting Hawks are welcoming back an old rival to the Ralph Engelstad Arena this weekend when UND hosts the University of Minnesota.

This is the first time the Golden Gophers will make the trek to Grand Forks since 2012. Although it’s been a few years, the hawks say both their team, and the entire UND community knows this rivalry is still alive and well.

“Yeah, I don’t think the rivalry’s been lost in the last six years that’s for sure,” Forward Rhett Gardner said. “The hate is still there. I know we respect them and they’re going to be a good team. We’re really excited to take them on. I think it’s going to be one of the craziest weekends in the last few years, definitely. It’ll be a new experience for all of us. I don’t think it’ll be like anything we’ve seen before and it’ll be electric for sure.”

“Obviously our guys are excited, we’re excited, and I believe our fans are excited as well coming back to the Ralph,” Head Coach Brad Berry said. “I know we had a great experience last year going down there and the intensity and the rivalry was renewed for the first time in a long time and it won’t be no different here.”

“It’s a game that you have circled on your calendar ever since it was announced,” Forward Shane Gersich said. “I mean obviously it’s going to be packed. Obviously there’s been a lot of buzz around campus and stuff. I can’t imagine anything less from our fans. We have the best fans here in college hockey and we’re going to have to use them to our advantage.”

Head coach Brad Berry says despite the buzz around this series, he’s treating this like any other non-conference game. Puck drop for game one on Friday is at 7:37 p.m.