Stanzel’s Sports Takeout — BREAKING NEWS: 1.22.25

Jan 22

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Kevin O’Connell isn’t going anywhere; the Vikings head coach signed a multi-year extension with the team yesterday. You may remember that a lazy national report (probably floated by O’Connell’s agent to force the Vikings hand) that said other teams were interested in trading for O’Connell’s rights. He was never going anywhere. The Vikings are said to be working on a well-deserved extension for GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, too.

No. 23 Gopher women host No. 24 Michigan at The Barn tonight.

Gophers offer WR Donovan McNabb Jr. a scholarship (they’re not the only one).

Hockey Day Minnesota is now four days and kicks off with Lakeville North and Rosemount tonight outdoors at Valleyfair in Shakopee. They’ll be glad HDM wasn’t earlier this week.

Brianne Jenner scored the game’s only goal in the fourth minute as Ottawa beat Minnesota 1-0 in PWHL action at Xcel Energy Center last night.

Back-to-Back Wins for Ben Johnson’s Gophers

It’s back-to-back wins for Ben Johnson’s Gophers, the latest a 72-67 win at Iowa last night to climb out of the Big 10 basement. Minnesota, which won in Iowa City for the first time since 2015, appeared to have the game comfortably won before a stunning Hawkeye rally late.

Iowa, which was not overly competitive in the game until the final minutes and shot just 3-for-22 percent from 3-point range, had been 10-1 at home.

As he does most nights, Dawson Garcia led Minnesota with 20 points.

Minnesota hosts Oregon on Saturday looking for its third straight win.

Wild Finally Solves Avs

Facing a fall into the wild card spot in the Central, the Wild played one of their best games of the season, beating Colorado 3-1 in a Monday matinee. It marked Minnesota’s first win over Colorado since the 2022-23 season.

The Avs had whipped the Wild 6-1 earlier this month, but getting Brock Faber back proved a spark Minnesota needed. David Jiricek is making himself quite home on the blueline, too.

Minnesota’s win brought them back to second in the Central, five points back of Winnipeg.

The Wild is back home to face Utah on Thursday. The Utah Hockey Club’s preferred name the Yetis was rejected by the U.S. Patent Office.

Wolves Cough One Up to Grizzlies; Mavs Tonight

The Wolves lost another game they never should have, coughing up a fourth quarter lead to Memphis for the second time in just more than a week, falling 108-106 at the Grizzlies in a Monday matinee.

We’re past the midway point of the season, and it looks like the Wolves are at best a slightly better than .500 team, especially with Donte DiVincenzo’s troublesome sprained big toe that now has him listed as out indefinitely.

Mike Conley has regressed too much to be the primary ballhandler. When Julius Randle gets the ball, no one else gets it. They need Rob Dillingham to grow up, and fast.

Anthony Edwards scored 32 points against the Grizz, but missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer. Naz Reid scored 29 points, as Chris Finch went with Reid over Rudy Gobert for important minutes. He’s searching for anything, but truth is the manpower just isn’t there with this lineup.

And so tonight a pair of underperforming teams meet in Dallas in a nationally televised game on ESPN. The Wolves and Mavs, conference finalists last season, are both in the play-in round, currently. And Minnesota has another playoff rematch, Denver, on Saturday.

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