As fate would have it, a couple of years ago the roundball team made the
"sleep 16" of the NC$$. Radio, TV and newspaper coverage was massive. The
                         ^ for bb'ers, hockey got little coverage^
hockey team lost to a bunch of Canadians(i think they had red jersys that year)
in front of a packed house at the Civic Center for second place. Unless you
have lived in MN i don't think you can understand the depth of passion hockey
has there. The NC$$ finals draw well there evne without the Gophers playing.
If the Gophers & Badgers faced off for the championship you couldn't steal a
ticket, even if it was the same day as the Viking/Packer Stuper Bowl, Twins/
Brewer World Series & Dick Webbers comeback bid. Would the hockey team be
treated better by the media if nothing else happened that day - yes. Would
more non-Mn, non-Canadians care - probably not.