hockeyxprt1 wrote:Parade. They always had the best ice to skate on and the spectator area is laid out nicely.
Blueish-purpleish thing always made it look kind of funny in there - I could never get used to it. Change the paint, and I might be with you. Of course, if it's good enough for the Wild and Walt Disney, I'm probably in the minority.
My dad Richard Notermann was instrumental in building this facility and is very ill and may be leaving us soon. I remember putting the first ice in the rink in my junior season. We stayed up all night and painted the ice and played a scrimmage the next day. Many great hockey players played there. I really like what Bob Motzko is doing at St. Cloud he grew up a few blocks from the rink.
I have many great hockey memories from there. Lou Vairo's Mavericks playing against Doug Woog's St. Paul Vulcans... Those were some battles.
It is a beautiful rink.
John
I hope everything goes well with your father.
I will have you and your family in my thoughts and prayers.
Mark
1. Roseau Memorial Arena - Classic rink with tons of tradition.
2. IRA Civic Center - Grand Rapids - Great atmosphere & tradition
3. Ralph Engelstad Arena - Thief River Falls - Great atmoshere when full - Section 8AA final etc.
4. Hibbing Memorial Arena - Another classic.
5. Wakota Arena - South St. Paul - Lots of tradition.
I'll say the newer arena in Cloquet. I like to stand on the visitors side on the walk around thing. It makes you feel like you are right above the game.
MNRinkRat wrote:I'll say the newer arena in Cloquet. I like to stand on the visitors side on the walk around thing. It makes you feel like you are right above the game.
That walkway above the rink is why I wouldn't put it in the top 5. It's great idea, and great place to see the game in spots, but there are too many places up there with blind spots (obstructed views, in our modern era that is inexcusable design error). It's a good arena all around though. Only other thing is I was suprised for a town with that much of a following they didn't put more seating in. They should have had both sides with 10-12 rows or whatever it is.
quickgym guy wrote:If you want to check out great atmosphere... Go to a Cloquet - Duluth East game at the Lumberdome. Make sure you get there at the start of the JV game if you want to get a seat.
Yep. The Lumberdome (whoever came up with that name should quit naming anything) up in what I refer to as Sappi City.
But the new place was nothing compared to the old place in terms of atmosphere.
The DECC is the a very comfortable place to watch a game but has an absolutely sterile atmosphere unless it's a section semi- or final.
Hopefully I'll be able to speak in glowing terms of the Duluth Heritage Hockey Center in a couple years. We'll see how it turns out.
I would have to think that many of these larger arenas (TRF, DECC, etc) have a sterile atmosphere on most occasions. The rinks are just too big. For watching an average high school hockey game, one must have a not too small, not to large rink - and of course, a tradition of a hockey following in the community.
Though I may be biased because I grew up watching the hornets duke it out with the jefferson..
The bowl at BRAEMAR was always packed, loud, and fairly rowdy
MNRinkRat wrote:I'll say the newer arena in Cloquet. I like to stand on the visitors side on the walk around thing. It makes you feel like you are right above the game.
What about the old arena nest door... where the doors for the visitors bench open towards the ends instead of the middle.
The Hippodrome is by far the best place to watch a hockey game at. It's covered with hockey history and is the home to a team that is going to shock alot of people this year..Da Bears
The Payne arena in Richfield will always be the nicest for me. I played there and have worked there for almost 11 years. Lots of excellent players from Richfield and Holy Angels have called this place their home rink for years.
shortbus boy.02 wrote:The Hippodrome is by far the best place to watch a hockey game at. It's covered with hockey history and is the home to a team that is going to shock alot of people this year..Da Bears
LOL. The Hippodrome rocks. Lost a tooth there in a mens league game years ago.
I don't know if any boys HS games are played there, but Ridder may be the best as far as sight lines. Have been to a few youth games there and it is very nice.
This would be a better rink than Mariucci to host the section games and state consolation games, not so cavernous.
I still can't believe the girls don't want to play there.
DumpandChase1 wrote:
This would be a better rink than Mariucci to host the section games and state consolation games, not so cavernous.
I don't know about that. Based on the attendance at last year's section 5AA & 6AA finals, if they would have played at Ridder, probably close to 3,000 people would have been turned away.
Memorial in Roseau is the best place i've seen a game. You can feel the tradition in that place. Northern hockey is the best! Hopefully they'll be hanging the 8th banner from the ceiling in March.
merritt29 wrote:RIVERSIDE!!! come on.. those who have played there, u gotta say that has to be one of the nicest rinks
did they fix the ice? cause last time i played there it was like slush... and last year the arena was practially empty... but in all i pretty much like the arena
The Best 4th Liner wrote:1. Moorhead
2. Grand Rapids
3. Bloomington Jefferson
4. Roseau
5. Alderich
Xcel Energy Center is of course the best in March but i wanted to keep my list to high school rinks
Just out of curiosity, what is so speacial about Moorhead?
1/2 of Moorheads games are against top opponents in Minnesota or the best team in north dakota (cross town rival fargo). When those games are in Moorhead the place is rocking.
Personally I dont see what everyone likes about the little ralph. Does TRF ever even fill that rink. Sure it is a huge expensive rink but wouldnt it be better playing in a smaller rink that is jam packed, instead of just a few sections filled.
Moorhead has a prety nice rink. It has the folding style seats and the "upper deck" at the ends, but it essentially only has seating on one side. And I must specify that Fargo South is their crosstown rival. Others like Shanley, West, North, etc. simply cannot compete.
