Categories: ColumnsWinnipeg Jets

Minnesota Nice vs. Friendly Manitoba

It is quite clear that these two teams do not like each other.  With the Wild being the Jets closest geographic opponent there has long been hope that these two squads would develop a rivalry.

Today was the first regular season meeting of five in 2014/15 between these two teams and following the Wild’s 4-3 OT win, Minneapolis Star Tribune reporter Michael Russo spoke to Wild defenceman Keith Ballard who had this to say:

Today’s game featured plenty of stick work, chirping from both benches and even a couple of fights, including captain Andrew Ladd dropping the gloves with the aforementioned and surly Keith Ballard.

Once again there were plenty of Jets fans in attendance at the Xcel Energy Center and that certainly adds to the atmosphere and rivalry.

We won’t get a chance for a rematch for over a month as these two teams won’t play again until a home and home series which starts December 27th in St. Paul and then is followed by a December 29th date at the MTS Centre.

What are your thoughts on the rivalry?  Is it real or artificial?

David Minuk

Working hard on a daily basis to provide the latest Winnipeg Jets and Manitoba Moose news for our readers and listeners. I also appear on the Illegal Curve Hockey Show every Saturday on our YouTube channel as well as the Illegal Curve Post-Game Show after every single Jets game. And I occasionally jump in the play-by-play booth at Canada Life to provide colour analysis during Manitoba Moose games.

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