Okay, I even "gophered" to the archives to make sure Carol hadn't posted this
yet (some listserv link must have been down again, sorry about the double
post AGAIN!) so if 2 copies show I'm not taking any heat this time! (This means
you, Charlie!) :-) :-) :-)
 
Here's the report from the Orientation issue of the Daily:
 
Headline: Fans, alumni praise new Mariucci Arena
Publish Date: 08/23/1993
 
.RM138PT/By Joe Christensen
 
For the Daily
 
It took 16 months of construction to complete the $21 million dollar
new Mariucci Arena.
 
And Saturday night, enthusiastic Gopher hockey fans tried to blow the
roof off.
 
With the lights dimmed, former Gopher greats were introduced to
rousing ovations from 7,538 hockey diehards who claimed their general
admission seats almost two hours before the ceremony started.
 
"I think it's unquestionably the best college hockey arena in the
country," said former Gopher Lou Nanne. "It's especially nice for the
fans, because they've supported Gopher hockey for so long."
 
The cheers that once rang in the old Williams/Mariucci arena for 43
years sounded again for former Olympians, professionals and
All-Americans.
 
The noise peaked as Doug Woog, John Mayasich and Neal Broten rode
their spotlights to the blueline.
 
"It's nice to be playing the first game here with the players that
gave a lot of tradition to the old Mariucci," said Broten who won the
1981 Hobey Baker award and was named honorary captain of the Maroon
Team, which featured both of his brothers.
 
Broten's former Gopher and Olympic teammate Steve Christoff also
appreciated the experience.
 
"Gopher hockey was something myself and others dreamed of," he said.
"It was a big part of our lives and it brings back a lot of good
memories."
 
Herb Brooks, former Gopher and Olympic coach, had mixed feelings
about the evening. Brooks, also a former Gopher player, did not suit
up for the introduction ceremony but watched from the luxury boxes.
 
"I'm sure a lot of people have a lot of bitter-sweet memories," he
said.
 
Brooks complimented the arena, but wasn't sure whether the new
building had enough nostalgia to carry on the tradition of the old.
 
"I'm not sure if you could do it, and I'm not sure you would want to
do it," he said before explaining that Gopher hockey didn't need the
new facility to recruit the top players. "Life goes on though."
 
Nanne, an All-American from 1963, disagreed.
 
"I think this building will get its own tradition in a hurry," he
said.
 
Others like Trent Klatt, who passed up his senior year of eligibility
in 1992 to play for the Minnesota North Stars, enjoyed the reunion
more than the facility.
 
"I don't even know how to explain it," he said. "I got a taste of it
when I signed with the Stars and got a chance to play with Neal
Broten, but to play with guys like Steve Christoff, it's an
incredible feeling because I grew up watching these guys."
 
So did several of the fans who adorned the maroon and gold seats.
 
Troy Johnson, a 25-year-old from St. Cloud, had never been to a
Gopher game before but said the event was like getting an early
Christmas present.
 
"It's really kind of special," he said. "I used to go to North Star
games and it's kind of neat to see the NHLers play here."
 
Bob Zvanovec, 42, came mostly to see how the new arena compared to
the old one.
 
"There doesn't seem to be a bad place to sit in the arena," he said
while complimenting the structure for allowing fans to see the game
while in the concourse.
 
Zvanovec had been to the old arena to watch a few games but never
owned season tickets.
 
"I don't know if I'll get another chance to come here again, because
with the North Stars leaving it seems like the competition to see
hockey in Minnesota will increase, and it'll be difficult to obtain
tickets," he said.
 
The fans who grabbed most of the 9,130 seats saw current Gopher coach
Woog, an All-American in 1965, miss three scoring opportunities in
the first period of the Alumni /Legends game.
 
Tom Younghans scored the only goal of the period to give the Maroon a
1-0 lead.
 
During the intermission, Larry Olimb, a 1992 graduate, beat Corey
Millen, a 1987 graduate, in the finals of the breakaway contest.
 
The Maroon scored eight consecutive goals in the final period
including two by Tim Bergland, also a 1987 graduate, to beat the
White 10-2.
 
After the game, the Gophers christened the new arena with its first
ceremonial stick-raising salute. With the alumni band playing "The
Battle Hymn of the Republic," the current varsity players joined the
alumni to raise their sticks to the fans.
 
It's a tradition carried out after every Gopher sweep at home games,
and one the fans hope to see well into the future at the new arena .
 
-- Staff reporter Sam Sigelman contributed to this article.
 
Pam Sweeney
Go Gophers!!!
1993 WCHA Playoff Champions!!!