UND-Minnesota rivalry 'feels like Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals every time'

GRAND FORKS — UND's Will Zellers went to boarding school with Minnesota's Brodie Ziemer and John Whipple. They trained and hung out together in the Twin Cities this summer. But they haven't texted this week. "We were kind of talking in the summertime that we're going to cut ties a little bit as the season goes on," Zellers said. "Because there are no friends in this rivalry." North Dakota and Minnesota will meet for the 301st and 302nd times at 7 p.m. Thursday and 6 p.m. Friday in 3M Arena at Mariucci. Both games are sold out — as usual — for perhaps college hockey's most intense and heated rivalry. Some are well-versed in the history. Zellers grew up in Gopher Country — Maple Grove, Minn. — as the son of UND alums. Zellers frequently wore Sioux jerseys to school as a child. "Any time they were playing," Zellers said, "I didn't have too many friends to talk about it with." Others have been introduced to the rivalry. Gopher sophomore for