Hands down, Minnesota Gophers hockey fans say, they absorb more heckling and mouth-washing-with-soap-worthy words in Grand Forks than anywhere else.
But, that's part of the attraction.
"I never miss a trip here," said Dan Strem of Waconia, Minn., "because the arena is awesome, the atmosphere is great, and the Sioux fans hate our guts.
"It's absolutely a blast. The best part of the trip is the ribbing and ripping."
Strem, at age 27, appears more comfortable with the in-your-face culture of today than the middle-aged Dan Wehage of Twin Cities suburb Plymouth.
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"It's the worst place on the road for being treated -- and it's not even close," said Wehage, wearing a maroon hockey sweater.
"But if you're a hockey fan following your team on the road, you're going to get heckled. And I'd rather go through this atmosphere than go to Michigan Tech, where there are only a couple of thousand fans and no atmosphere."
Because of a scuffle that left a hockey fan seriously injured last season when the Sioux and Gophers met in Grand Forks, UND police and REA officials beefed up security for the weekend. Between the two groups, about 10 more than usual were working security.
But, Wehage said he has never felt physically threatened in his 21 consecutive years of attending a game in Grand Forks. "But, when you travel, you remember where you are, and you don't mouth off because you're outnumbered," he said.
In the first year of his streak, he showed his passion for the series by driving to Grand Forks from the Twin Cities in September and arriving at the ticket booth 14 hours early to nab one of only 55 seats available. Then, he drove home.
Wehage remembers games at the old Ralph Engelstad Arena, where the Gophers were pelted with snowballs as they arrived by bus for the game.
"That's just part of the tradition, part of the deal that makes this what it is," he said.
Gopher fans say it's the most difficult road ticket to get. They say their best rivalries are with UND and Wisconsin.
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"But the Sioux fans are the most knowledgeable because this school is all about hockey," said Zack Dubay. "In Madison, the students are more into basketball and football than hockey."
Fans wearing maroon-and-gold can be seen throughout the arena, sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with friends wearing green-and-white. The visitors also have their own section, in the upper reaches, as visiting WCHA teams are allotted 140 seats for their fans. So, there's a refuge from verbal abuse.
"Walking the concourse, you get barbs and an occasional shoulder," Dubay said. "We take more crap here than any other weekend of the year. But you're not afraid. Sioux fans are great to talk hockey with."
Of course, they wouldn't be Gopher fans if they didn't get in a jab with their No. 1 talking point. Said Strem:
"This hockey rivalry is like Canada vs. the USA. I say that because half of UND's team is from Canada."
Reach Bakken at (701) 780-1125; (800) 477-6572, ext. 125; or send e-mail to rbakken@gfherald.com .
