UND faces the Gophers but this time, without the nickname

Grand Forks, ND (WDAY TV) -- UND faced the Gophers again at the Ralph, but without the nickname the drop of the puck just wasn't the same for fans on either side.

Fans came out in droves for one of the best rivalries in college hockey.

Rick Lupient: I've been coming up here for the past 10 years for every ND/Gopher game... I just love the rivalry

Jeff Nanstad: Games between the Gophers and ND are the finest in college hockey

Joel Scharf: A lot of healthy bantering back and forth

Kyle: Second to none in WGHA

But with this being the first home weekend the Fighting Sioux nickname isn't used at the Ralph... Even Gopher fans are feeling a void

Jeff: I'm sorry to see the name go

Rick: I feel sad about the nickname. I'm a huge gopher fan, but I love the fighting sioux nickname

For some, the change sparks anger.

Benjamin Lynch/ John Quest: As a Gopher fan, I don't like the Sioux, but I think it's absolutely ridiculously that you guys had to change your name

Jeff: It's got tradition, It's held in highest esteem, It makes no sense to take away that kind of tradition. It's like taking away the school, you don't take away the school, you don't take away the name

No matter what the sentiment, it's obvious the nickname won't die easily.

Rick: I'm always going to think of ND as the fighting sioux

Kyle: To me, they are the fighting sioux

Ben/John: As long as the student section keeps cheering "sioux", we'll keep hating them

Nickname or not, one thing is for sure inside the Ralph tonight, the rivalry continues.

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