According to visitwarroad.com, "the local residents like to say that Warroad is known for three things: walleyes, windows and hockey. Warroad is currently the only American port on Lake of the Woods, making for quick, easy access to fishing on 'the big lake.' It is also home to Marvin Windows and Doors, a company known internationally for its quality products, corporate integrity and family heritage. Finally, Warroad’s infamous moniker, 'Hockeytown USA' boasts of its proud hockey legacy."

Located on Highway 11, just five miles south of the Canadian border on Lake of the Woods, Warroad's prolific hockey tradition likely goes back to the early 1900s, when George Marvin arrived from Manitoba.

Warroad has produced seven Olympians, including 2014 Olympians Gigi Marvin and T.J. Oshie. Combined, those Olympians captured six medals (three gold and three silver). The high school has won four boys' state championships and two women's state titles in the last 25 years. Another claim to fame: no U.S. hockey team has won an Olympic gold medal without a player on its roster from Warroad. Then there's the Warroad Lakers, an unbelievably successful amateur team that skated from the 1940s to the late '90s.

Ask local residents and some may tell you they're just as proud of the opportunities available to current, not-yet-famous, young skaters in Warroad. The community makes sure that anyone who wants to skate, can skate, regardless of ability level or future National Hockey League prospects. The Gardens and Olympic rinks are often littered with bags of hockey equipment, that kids can leave there overnight, come back and use the next day. Warriors' head coach Jay Hardwick joked that the rink sometimes takes on the appearance of a day care.

From the Marvins, to the Christians, to the Oshies and Henry Boucha, certain names are synonymous with Warroad hockey. And so is that rivalry with nearby Roseau...

Roseau and Warroad are gearing up for the 167th meeting between the teams, to take place in Roseau on Thursday, January 7. While Roseau had the upper hand in the series from the 1950s through the 1980s and leads the all-time series with a 96-66-4 mark, Warroad has turned things around since 1990, scoring victories in 31 of the last 56 meetings. The Rams did win both matchups last season (both 3-2 scores), so Warroad is looking to get bragging rights back this week.

Jay Hardwick, Warroad High School boys hockey head coach:

"As long as I can remember – whether it was the old Gardens or the new Gardens – the rink was the place to be. You’re at the rink, playing hockey, watching games and it becomes a way of life for everyone around here. It’s instilled in you right away that Roseau is your rival, no matter what age you are. Whether you’re a mite all the way through high school, you always want to beat Roseau and get bragging rights."

"The rivalry is as strong as it ever was. It is a bit different now that there are different classes. When I was in high school, we were in the same class and had to battle to get to the state tournament. But it’s a game that everyone marks on their calendars, that everyone talks about here and in Roseau. They know it’s going to be a battle."

"I shouldn’t have to say a whole lot to the team. The kids know what it means. I shouldn’t have to fire them up because if you can’t get fired up for a Roseau game you shouldn’t be playing."

Jackie Bengtson, owner/manager of Main Street Bar & Grill in Warroad:

"Rivalry seems like a harsh word. People like to call it a rivalry and it is on the ice, but off the ice it doesn’t seem that way. They come here, we go there, we have friends there. It’s very intense for the teams, but many of the players are friends with each other. We do get busier on big game nights, when there are tournaments and other teams in town. That’s what’s fun about it."

Mike Marvin, former Warroad and Brown University skater; played on 1969 state runner-up team (that beat Roseau in the semifinals of the state tournament):

"We were fortunate in ’69, although we lost to Roseau in our section final, we had a chance to get to the state tournament through the “back door” (different rules then gave the Region 8 runner-up a second chance to get to the tournament by beating the Region 7 runner-up ) and face them again (at the Met Center in Bloomington). And that was the year Henry Boucha was our senior and our leader. He made it memorable for everybody."

"When my two kids were 7 and 8 and had their first chance to play in Roseau, it meant more to me than any game I played there, because we were once again continuing this Warroad-Roseau rivalry. I remember that day and I think that’s a common thing for fathers and mothers in both towns. Since then, my kids have had many hockey memories, but that was special."

"We measure our success by how we do against them. If we can beat them, we’re okay. If we can handle their high school boys or girls teams, we can probably play with anyone … It’s a rivalry built on respect … It’s not Hatfields and McCoys. They’re a great competitor for us."

"We keep seeing the same family names, playing hockey, from generation to generation. And we provide unlimited ice time for our kids. That answers the question of why so many great players have come from the two towns. If kids want to skate, there’s a place for them to skate. There are other places that have other passions, but this is what we do and we do it well."