Stanzel’s Sports Takeout — BREAKING NEWS: 4-24-23.
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Back to Mon-Wed-Fri this week with the Wild’s playoff schedule helping the cause.
Wild Irate at Two Phantom Calls That Led to Goals in Game 4 Loss
Wild fans, don’t let the story of Game 4 be that the refs jobbed you. That’s the attitude of a population whose men’s sports team’s haven’t won a title since 1991. Wait…
While BOTH phantom “bullsh*t” calls on Marcus Foligno led to Stars’ goals, the Wild had ample opportunities to score - including two straight breakaways by Foligno and an ice cold Kirill Kaprizov - but ran into the proverbial “hot goalie” in Dallas’ 3-2 win to even the best-of-seven series 2-2. Game 5 is Monday in Dallas at 7, with the Stars holding home ice advantage again.
Lakeville North grad Jake Oettinger, who has never gotten over losing the state title game to Edina at The X, made a much better memory last night, stonewalling the Wild by making 33 saves. Although many times, the Wild was its own worst enemy.
But we’ll start with the A topic, a couple horrendous penalty calls on Foligno.
The Stars got on the board with a goal from Tyler Seguin, after a phantom interference penalty against Foligno that Wild fans will remember for years.
And if you think that was bad, check out the “tripping” call on Foligno with the Wild pressing while down a goal with five minutes left in regulation. Foligno himself got high sticked on the play.
Foligno didn’t hold back post-game, calling the penalties “bullsh*t” and calling the officials “arrogant.” Dean Evason refused to comment on officiating after the game, but said “everyone in hockey” was watching the game.
Seguin scored another PPG, a tally that went down as the game-winner. Freddie Gaudreau scored with the extra attacker with 80 seconds left, but Oettinger made a great save on Marcus Johansson in the final seconds.
While the penalties were poor calls, there’s also no rule you have to gift opponents 7 PPG on 16 chances in a series.
Without Oettinger, the penalties wouldn’t have mattered and the Wild would have taken its first-ever 3-1 series lead.
Oettinger was especially good in the second period, first stopping Foligno’s breakaway with his glove. He dropped the puck, but got his pad on Moose’s rebound attempt, and followed that with a stop on Kaprizov a couple minutes later.
Evason has some decisions to make. He’s been leery to make tough lineup choices - save for his goalie situation. But despite his two goals in Game 3, Mats Zuccarello has not been good (and for the last month). He’s holding Kaprizov back. The team’s best forward this series, Gustav Nyquist, is making plays everywhere. It’s time to try Nyquist with Kaprizov. And has anyone seen Matt Boldy??
Wolves Survive Game 4, Head Back to Denver
It would be fitting if this year’s Timberwolves team - left for dead a dozen times - became the first team in NBA history to overcome a 3-0 series deficit to win a playoff series.
A long way to go of course, but the Wolves are still alive despite blowing a 12-point lead in the final 2:52 of regulation. Anthony Edwards again carried Minnesota, scoring 34 points while Mike Connelly added 19 and eight assists. Karl Anthony Towns, saddled wtih foul trouble before eventually fouling out, scored 17. One of the reasons KAT was in foul trouble of course was trying to guard Nikola Jokic, who wound up with a game-high 43 points despite early foul trouble himself.
Game 5 is Tuesday in Denver.
The Wolves led by 12 after an ANT three-pointer with 2:52 left, but they allowed the Nuggets three straight treys, while not having the best shot selection themselves.
The win was not without a cost, as Kyle Anderson took an inadvertent hand to the face from ANT. He left the game with an eye/facial injury.
Twins Struggle Against Last-Place Washington, Win 1 of 3
The Twins’ two wins at Yankee Stadium seem like forever ago - but it was only ten days. Since then, Minnesota had lost six of seven before Bailey Ober’s strong outing powered the Twins to a 3-1 win over the lowly Nationals yesterday at Target Field.
It was a cold weekend at Target Field, but both teams had to play. The Twins looked listless and quite frankly uninterested in playing, especially Saturday. You had a good feeling going into the day too, because BOTH Byron Buxton and Carlos Correa were playing a day game after a night game. Doesn’t happen too often.
Ober, making a spot start but trying to push his way into this rotation, allowed just a run in 5 ⅔ innings. The bullpen has had a rough go of it lately, but Caleb Thielbar, Jorge Lopez and Jhoan Duran combined to get the last 10 outs. Lopez hasn’t allowed an earned run this season, and it’s possible that the stage was just too big for him last year when he struggled as a closer.
Jorge Polanco is back, and homered Sunday. As did Michael A. Taylor - his four home runs trail only Joey Gallo for the team lead. Where would the Twins be without Taylor in center? You start to wonder if Buxton will see the field regularly, even once warmer weather hits.
The Yankees are at Target Field for three games starting tonight. Sadly, the temperature isn’t expected to be at my minimum level to enjoy my two favorite teams. The Twins are 12-10 and the Yankees 13-9. However, the Yankees trail red-hot Tampa by six games, while Minnesota is in first in the AL Central.
Loons Can’t Score, Can’t Win
Eight goals. It’s what the Loons have scored (and in fairness, allowed) in winning three of their eight games to open the season. That one per game average won’t cut it, and it didn’t in Saturday’s rainy 1-0 loss at West leading Seattle.
The Loons take a break Tuesday from MLS play to take on the USL’s Detroit City in the third round of the U.S. Open Cup in Michigan. The Loons won’t have an easy time - Detroit City, who play in a second tier league - beat MLS club Columbus in the U.S. Open Cup last year.
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