Gophers hockey to officially reignite North Dakota rivalry in 2025

Minnesota will travel to Grand Forks in 2025.

Apr 10, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; North Dakota Sioux goaltender Zane Gothberg (31) holds onto the puck against Minnesota Gophers forward Hudson Fasching (24) (24) during the second period in the semifinals of the Frozen Four college ice hockey tournament at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports / Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Gophers men's hockey will officially face North Dakota in the 2025-26 season, according to the program. The two teams will alternate games between Minneapolis and Grand Forks every year until 2028.

The best things are worth waiting for.#PrideOnIce pic.twitter.com/DJrBct1K4C

— Minnesota Men’s Hockey (@GopherHockey) August 12, 2024

The 2024-25 season will be the first time the two bitter rival programs have not faced each other since 1996-97. When Minnesota left the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) for the Big Ten conference in 2011, its rivalry with UND became a non-conference game.

Minnesota and North Dakota have faced each other 69 times and UND leads the all-time series 38-25-6. There is no official word if the future schedule will include a two-game series between the programs or a single game, but it confirms that one of the best rivalries in college hockey will continue for the foreseeable future.