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Besides the obvious games on Hockey Day, there are 3 games I'm looking forward to the most based on rivalry and/or location/talent.

1. Grand Rapids vs. Duluth East at IRA Civic Center (Section Final rematch) As Mike Randolph said on the mnhockeyhub.com interview a couple weeks ago, you better get your tickets very early.

2. Grand Rapids at Bemidji at Sanford Center (potentially both in top 10-15 when they meet, and it's at the glitzy new arena in Bemidji)

3. Cloquet at Duluth East at Amsoil Arena. Probably best rivalry in the state at the nicest arena outside of Xcel Energy Center and Cloquet will be more competitive this year.

Best rivalry...Really?

Top rivalry in my mind when it comes to hockey is Warroad vs. Roseau. There are some other good ones, but that has to be the elite of the elite.

Other good rivalries:
Duluth East vs. Cloquet
Hill Murray vs. White Bear Lake
Osseo vs. Maple Grove
Virginia vs. Hibbing
Virginia vs. Eveleth (5-10 years ago when E-G was competitve)
Buffalo vs. Rogers (The fight from last year will only intensify this)
Edina vs. Eden Prairie
Lakeville South vs. Lakeville North
Edina, EP, Minnetonka, Wayzata (all combined)
Eagan vs. Eastview
South St. Paul vs. St. Paul Johnson (back in the day)

rapidsrapids wrote:Besides the obvious games on Hockey Day, there are 3 games I'm looking forward to the most based on rivalry and/or location/talent.

1. Grand Rapids vs. Duluth East at IRA Civic Center (Section Final rematch) As Mike Randolph said on the mnhockeyhub.com interview a couple weeks ago, you better get your tickets very early.

2. Grand Rapids at Bemidji at Sanford Center (potentially both in top 10-15 when they meet, and it's at the glitzy new arena in Bemidji)

3. Cloquet at Duluth East at Amsoil Arena. Probably best rivalry in the state at the nicest arena outside of Xcel Energy Center and Cloquet will be more competitive this year.

I'm surprised you didn't list Rapids vs Rapids during the tryouts...

BodyShots wrote:

rapidsrapids wrote:Besides the obvious games on Hockey Day, there are 3 games I'm looking forward to the most based on rivalry and/or location/talent.

1. Grand Rapids vs. Duluth East at IRA Civic Center (Section Final rematch) As Mike Randolph said on the mnhockeyhub.com interview a couple weeks ago, you better get your tickets very early.

2. Grand Rapids at Bemidji at Sanford Center (potentially both in top 10-15 when they meet, and it's at the glitzy new arena in Bemidji)

3. Cloquet at Duluth East at Amsoil Arena. Probably best rivalry in the state at the nicest arena outside of Xcel Energy Center and Cloquet will be more competitive this year.

I'm surprised you didn't list Rapids vs Rapids during the tryouts...

I listed the games I'm familiar with. This thread isn't about me being a homer. I have genuine interest in games throughout the state and am looking for input from other knowledgeable fans about regular season games this season. Don't you dare put me in that group of fans that can only see things through the lens of their favorite team.

Tigers33 wrote:Best rivalry...Really?

Top rivalry in my mind when it comes to hockey is Warroad vs. Roseau. There are some other good ones, but that has to be the elite of the elite.

Other good rivalries:
Duluth East vs. Cloquet
Hill Murray vs. White Bear Lake
Osseo vs. Maple Grove
Virginia vs. Hibbing
Virginia vs. Eveleth (5-10 years ago when E-G was competitve)
Buffalo vs. Rogers (The fight from last year will only intensify this)
Edina vs. Eden Prairie
Lakeville South vs. Lakeville North
Edina, EP, Minnetonka, Wayzata (all combined)
Eagan vs. Eastview
South St. Paul vs. St. Paul Johnson (back in the day)

East and Cloquet meet regularly in the playoffs. I can't put Roseau and Warroad above them because they never meet in sections as they are in different classes. Roseau/Warroad is near the top, I just get really sick of how overhyped that rivalry is. IMO, East v. Cloquet is better.

rapidsrapids wrote:

BodyShots wrote:

rapidsrapids wrote:Besides the obvious games on Hockey Day, there are 3 games I'm looking forward to the most based on rivalry and/or location/talent.

1. Grand Rapids vs. Duluth East at IRA Civic Center (Section Final rematch) As Mike Randolph said on the mnhockeyhub.com interview a couple weeks ago, you better get your tickets very early.

2. Grand Rapids at Bemidji at Sanford Center (potentially both in top 10-15 when they meet, and it's at the glitzy new arena in Bemidji)

3. Cloquet at Duluth East at Amsoil Arena. Probably best rivalry in the state at the nicest arena outside of Xcel Energy Center and Cloquet will be more competitive this year.

I'm surprised you didn't list Rapids vs Rapids during the tryouts...

I listed the games I'm familiar with. This thread isn't about me being a homer. I have genuine interest in games throughout the state and am looking for input from other knowledgeable fans about regular season games this season. Don't you dare put me in that group of fans that can only see things through the lens of their favorite team.

You must share the same lens' as Karl.... The "7AA" lens.

Stillwater-WBL should be a good couple of games this year. Eastridge- Woodbury.

How about Kellogg and Ramsey back in the 70- 80's
Now on school Roseville

Got to go with Roseau vs. Warroad (NOT overhyped!) and Hill Murray vs. WBL.

How about Kellogg and Ramsey back in the 70- 80's

You got a time machine?

I'll say Benilde vs. Minnetonka

Eagan vs. Lakeville South

Maple Grove vs. Blaine

Maple Grove vs Duluth East

wbl and hill murray

warroad and roseau

any of the teams in the classic lake confrence besides hopkins

East vs Grand Rapids
East vs Eden Prairie
Eden Prairie vs Edina
Tonka vs Benilde
Tonka vs East
Hill Murray vs WBL
Lakeville S vs N

Edina vs. Burnsville
Edina vs. Holy Angels

There has been some great games in recent years

Going on past experiences:

St Thomas against Hill Murray was a barn burner last year.

Anyone against Edina -- tends to be a good game. Cretin-Derham gave them a helluva game two years ago. Last year, the Tonka game was insane (down 4-0, Edina rallies in the third and wins in overtime).

Wayzata and Duluth East was also an OT classic last year.

Hermantown against Eden Prairie was fun (except Hermantown parents are about the worst in the state, IMO)

Not sure if any of these matchups are on the calendar (other than Lake conference) but I'd buy tickets for sure.

I'm gonna make a special effort to see Burnsville, Apple Valley, Eagan and Jefferson this year. South Metro deserves more respect, especially Eagan this year.

Shinbone_News wrote:Going on past experiences:

St Thomas against Hill Murray was a barn burner last year.

Anyone against Edina -- tends to be a good game. Cretin-Derham gave them a helluva game two years ago. Last year, the Tonka game was insane (down 4-0, Edina rallies in the third and wins in overtime).

Wayzata and Duluth East was also an OT classic last year.

Hermantown against Eden Prairie was fun (except Hermantown parents are about the worst in the state, IMO)

Not sure if any of these matchups are on the calendar (other than Lake conference) but I'd buy tickets for sure.

I'm gonna make a special effort to see Burnsville, Apple Valley, Eagan and Jefferson this year. South Metro deserves more respect, especially Eagan this year.

I remember sitting in the Hermantown section near parents a few years ago and hearing them actinglike they had just won their section when they scored a goal in what was then an 8-0 regular season game. Classy.

Lee

Not all intense rivalries, but there are some fun matchups in the Schwan Cup - schedules are posted here:

http://www.nscsports.org/sports/hockey/ ... esults.stm

BodyShots wrote:You must share the same lens' as Karl.... The "7AA" lens.

The finest lens there is!

I went to the East-Cloquet game at the CARC last season; it was definitely a large crowd and lots of East people made the trip, but there were empty seats on the Cloquet side. That never would've happened a few years ago, when they'd get 3,000 into the DECC for a regular season game. If the two teams are close to each other again performace-wise in the next few years, it should pick back up again. But rivalries need two competitive teams, and last year's East-Cloquet games were not competitive.

As for the topic, I'll add the Edina Holiday Classic to the list we have. Otherwise I'll say "whatever game myfoxhockey is showing tonight," since I'm usually at their mercy when it comes to catching big games.

Tonka vs Edina. Surprised this game alone hasn't been mentioned yet.

Hibbing @ Hermantown. One of the top A matchups of the season and likely to meet again in St. Paul.

Any game involving a Duluth East loss is worth watching.

Wayzata Vs. BSM... this game is new this year. Maybe not a historic rivalry, but a good one for the students as many BSM students went to Wayzata/know the student body at Wayzata very well.

Oldtimehockeyguy23 wrote:Wayzata Vs. BSM... this game is new this year. Maybe not a historic rivalry, but a good one for the students as many BSM students went to Wayzata/know the student body at Wayzata very well.

In addition to Wayzata, Benilde looks to have a very challenging non-conference schedule. In a few short weeks we'll start to see if they'll they deserve all the pre-season hype and Top 10 rankings they've been getting, before any games have been played. Here are some of the tougher n-c matchups that have been posted thus far:

12/1 vs. Hill-Murray
12/8 vs. Burnsville
12/10 vs. Duluth Marshall
12/13 vs. Holy Angels
12/20 vs. Maple Grove
1/5 vs, Wayzata
1/12 vs. Minnetonka
1/27 vs. Moorhead
1/31 vs. Bloomington Jefferson
2/8 vs. Shattuck-St. Mary's Prep
2/18 va, Stillwater

Any Lake Conference game not involving Hopkins is sure to be a great watch this season. Minnetonka-Duluth East should also be a great game.

Shinbone_News wrote:
St Thomas against Hill Murray was a barn burner last year.

This was a great and rowdy game partly because they were ranked first in A and AA respectively at the time and for most of the year.

What will the equivalent inter-league instant classic be this year (don't say Roseau and Warroad please)???

Duluth East and... Hermantown??? Breck?


(Remember last year rumblings that St Thomas was finally graduating up to AA. Is that happening this year????)