It's no mystery that I miss the in-state rivalry fostered by the WCHA. Its teams had long histories and even longer memories. Its rosters were filled with players who grew up playing against one another. Its fans drove short distances and made for loud, raucous crowds. In short, it was kind of awesome. So yes, I miss that probably more than I have a right to, but that's part of why I'm happy this weekend. Because tomorrow afternoon, four of Minnesota's five Division I college programs face off in the North Star College Cup.
Not only does the NSCC tournament provide a meaningful context for Minnesota-based teams to play one another and reignite decades-old rivalries, it also gives me a chance to check in with four of the seven teams the H-WCHA series of articles covers.