Separated by 273 miles of hate, Minnesota and Wisconsin have always been bitter rivals in athletics. For most, the biggest game between the two sides is on the football field, where the schools clash for the infamous “Paul Bunyan’s Axe.” While football may draw higher ratings, no Minnesota-Wisconsin sports rivalry is as competitive and as heated as women’s hockey.
Since both teams are in the Western College Hockey Association, Wisconsin and Minnesota face each other four times at the minimum, a two-game home and road series every year. The teams develop familiarity and hatred with each other, adding so much more excitement to the action.