HighSchoolHockeyForums.com

Posted: **Tue Sep 04, 2007 9:30 am**

hockeyxprt1 wrote:Parade. They always had the best ice to skate on and the spectator area is laid out nicely.

Blueish-purpleish thing always made it look kind of funny in there - I could never get used to it. Change the paint, and I might be with you. Of course, if it's good enough for the Wild and Walt Disney, I'm probably in the minority.

I like the layout of the arena itself though.

Posted: **Tue Sep 04, 2007 10:04 am**

Sioux Fan wrote:Riverside Arena, Austin MN.

My dad Richard Notermann was instrumental in building this facility and is very ill and may be leaving us soon. I remember putting the first ice in the rink in my junior season. We stayed up all night and painted the ice and played a scrimmage the next day. Many great hockey players played there. I really like what Bob Motzko is doing at St. Cloud he grew up a few blocks from the rink.

I have many great hockey memories from there. Lou Vairo's Mavericks playing against Doug Woog's St. Paul Vulcans... Those were some battles.

It is a beautiful rink.

John
I hope everything goes well with your father.
I will have you and your family in my thoughts and prayers.
Mark

Posted: **Tue Sep 04, 2007 10:08 am**

Thanks Mark

Posted: **Tue Sep 04, 2007 11:54 am**

My top 5 Would be:

1. Roseau Memorial Arena - Classic rink with tons of tradition.
2. IRA Civic Center - Grand Rapids - Great atmosphere & tradition
3. Ralph Engelstad Arena - Thief River Falls - Great atmoshere when full - Section 8AA final etc.
4. Hibbing Memorial Arena - Another classic.
5. Wakota Arena - South St. Paul - Lots of tradition.

Posted: **Tue Sep 04, 2007 3:02 pm**

I'll say the newer arena in Cloquet. I like to stand on the visitors side on the walk around thing. It makes you feel like you are right above the game.

Posted: **Tue Sep 04, 2007 4:12 pm**

MNRinkRat wrote:I'll say the newer arena in Cloquet. I like to stand on the visitors side on the walk around thing. It makes you feel like you are right above the game.

That walkway above the rink is why I wouldn't put it in the top 5. It's great idea, and great place to see the game in spots, but there are too many places up there with blind spots (obstructed views, in our modern era that is inexcusable design error). It's a good arena all around though. Only other thing is I was suprised for a town with that much of a following they didn't put more seating in. They should have had both sides with 10-12 rows or whatever it is.

Posted: **Tue Sep 04, 2007 4:23 pm**

quickgym guy wrote:If you want to check out great atmosphere... Go to a Cloquet - Duluth East game at the Lumberdome. Make sure you get there at the start of the JV game if you want to get a seat.

Yep. The Lumberdome (whoever came up with that name should quit naming anything) up in what I refer to as Sappi City.

But the new place was nothing compared to the old place in terms of atmosphere.

The DECC is the a very comfortable place to watch a game but has an absolutely sterile atmosphere unless it's a section semi- or final.

Hopefully I'll be able to speak in glowing terms of the Duluth Heritage Hockey Center in a couple years. We'll see how it turns out.

Lee

Posted: **Tue Sep 04, 2007 6:18 pm**

Lee, agreed.

I would have to think that many of these larger arenas (TRF, DECC, etc) have a sterile atmosphere on most occasions. The rinks are just too big. For watching an average high school hockey game, one must have a not too small, not to large rink - and of course, a tradition of a hockey following in the community.

Though I may be biased because I grew up watching the hornets duke it out with the jefferson..
The bowl at BRAEMAR was always packed, loud, and fairly rowdy

Posted: **Tue Sep 04, 2007 6:18 pm**

Oh and if we are going to talk about the excel center in March... How about section 206(?)

Posted: **Tue Sep 04, 2007 9:13 pm**

Jack wrote: Just out of curiosity, what is so speacial about Moorhead?

Its where Slappy (shown here) hangs out...

Tough to get him out of his shell until December...

Posted: **Wed Sep 05, 2007 7:42 am**

MNRinkRat wrote:I'll say the newer arena in Cloquet. I like to stand on the visitors side on the walk around thing. It makes you feel like you are right above the game.

What about the old arena nest door... where the doors for the visitors bench open towards the ends instead of the middle.

Posted: **Wed Sep 05, 2007 10:05 pm**

1.) Baudette Bay
2.) Roseau
3.) Hibbing
4.) Braemar
5.) Grand Rapids

Posted: **Wed Sep 05, 2007 10:30 pm**

The Hippodrome is by far the best place to watch a hockey game at. It's covered with hockey history and is the home to a team that is going to shock alot of people this year..Da Bears

Posted: **Thu Sep 06, 2007 7:59 am**

The Payne arena in Richfield will always be the nicest for me. I played there and have worked there for almost 11 years. Lots of excellent players from Richfield and Holy Angels have called this place their home rink for years.

Posted: **Thu Sep 06, 2007 9:03 am**

shortbus boy.02 wrote:The Hippodrome is by far the best place to watch a hockey game at. It's covered with hockey history and is the home to a team that is going to shock alot of people this year..Da Bears

LOL. The Hippodrome rocks. Lost a tooth there in a mens league game years ago.

Posted: **Thu Sep 06, 2007 11:18 am**

I don't know if any boys HS games are played there, but Ridder may be the best as far as sight lines. Have been to a few youth games there and it is very nice.

This would be a better rink than Mariucci to host the section games and state consolation games, not so cavernous.

I still can't believe the girls don't want to play there.

Posted: **Thu Sep 06, 2007 12:10 pm**

1. Braemar West
2. Burnsville when full
3. Old Minnetonka (not Pagel)
4. Richfield

Posted: **Thu Sep 06, 2007 12:19 pm**

DumpandChase1 wrote: This would be a better rink than Mariucci to host the section games and state consolation games, not so cavernous.

I don't know about that. Based on the attendance at last year's section 5AA & 6AA finals, if they would have played at Ridder, probably close to 3,000 people would have been turned away.

Posted: **Fri Sep 07, 2007 3:29 pm**

Memorial in Roseau is the best place i've seen a game. You can feel the tradition in that place. Northern hockey is the best! Hopefully they'll be hanging the 8th banner from the ceiling in March.

Posted: **Fri Sep 07, 2007 6:32 pm**

The Met Center when I was a youngster watchin' the Bursville Braves in those old section 1 title games.

Posted: **Sat Sep 08, 2007 7:22 pm**

RIVERSIDE!!! come on.. those who have played there, u gotta say that has to be one of the nicest rinks

Posted: **Sun Sep 09, 2007 1:08 pm**

merritt29 wrote:RIVERSIDE!!! come on.. those who have played there, u gotta say that has to be one of the nicest rinks

did they fix the ice? cause last time i played there it was like slush... and last year the arena was practially empty... but in all i pretty much like the arena

Posted: **Mon Sep 10, 2007 12:38 pm**

#1 Mound (the pond)

Posted: **Mon Sep 10, 2007 3:42 pm**

Jack wrote:
The Best 4th Liner wrote:1. Moorhead
2. Grand Rapids
3. Bloomington Jefferson
4. Roseau
5. Alderich

Xcel Energy Center is of course the best in March but i wanted to keep my list to high school rinks
Just out of curiosity, what is so speacial about Moorhead?

1/2 of Moorheads games are against top opponents in Minnesota or the best team in north dakota (cross town rival fargo). When those games are in Moorhead the place is rocking.

Personally I dont see what everyone likes about the little ralph. Does TRF ever even fill that rink. Sure it is a huge expensive rink but wouldnt it be better playing in a smaller rink that is jam packed, instead of just a few sections filled.

Posted: **Mon Sep 10, 2007 3:47 pm**

Moorhead has a prety nice rink. It has the folding style seats and the "upper deck" at the ends, but it essentially only has seating on one side. And I must specify that Fargo South is their crosstown rival. Others like Shanley, West, North, etc. simply cannot compete.

HighSchoolHockeyForums.com

What is the best arena in Minnesota to see a HS game

Re: Riverside Arena

Re: My Top 5!

Let us not forget the nice Richfield Palace

Re: My Top 5!

post 8269