Stanzel’s Sports Takeout — BREAKING NEWS: 2.18.25

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Feb 18

Written By Ryan Stanzel

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Sorry we’re late. A busy time of the year to be a school weather person/communicator. Be back Friday and stay warm.

NBA “All-Star” Game was unwatchable as well as all that came with it.

U.S./Canada for Four Nations Glory on Thursday

Let’s hope the entree is as good as the appetizer.

Five nights after an electrifying 3-1 American win that included three orchestrated fights in the first nine seconds of the game, the U.S. and Canada will meet in the 4 Nations Face-off Final on Thursday in Boston. The Americans are banged up too, not so much from the Canada game but from a 2-1 loss last night to Sweden (a game that didn’t matter). Both Tkachuk brothers, Auston Matthews and Charlie McAvoy have all missed some time.

You know me, I think fighting doesn’t have much of a place anymore in the NHL. But like everyone else, I loved it when a group chat between the Tkachuk brothers and J.T. Miller led to all three dropping the gloves in Montreal on Saturday. And then the Americans were by far the better team, but they’d better expect a huge Canadian push on Thursday. The Canadians were cruising along 4-0 in their final round robin game yesterday against Finland, but former Wild player Mikael Granlund scored twice and it was suddenly 4-3 late before Sidney Crosby hit an empty-netter.

The Wild begin practice today and get back to it Saturday in a nationally televised matinee at Derroit.

Gopher Hoops

The Gopher men have won two of three, including a 69-66 road win at USC on Saturday night. Minnesota rallied from a nine-point halftime deficit, and won despite getting just seven points from their best player Dawson Garcia. A huge game from Lu’cye Patterson (25 points). The Gophers are at UCLA late tonight.

The Gopher women have lost five of six, after a 76-70 home loss to Oregon on Sunday. They play at Purdue on Wednesday.

Gopher Hockey

Thankfully there’s no shootout in the post-season. It seems impossible, but the Gophers have missed on their last 28 shootout attempts, including the second game of a weekend set in Michigan. Minnesota also lost the first game in OT, leaving four critical points on the table. Suddenly, their weekend series at home against Ohio State could see them falling into third in the Big 10.

Speaking of leaving points on the table, the Gopher women split against an inferior St. Cloud State team, setting up the final WCHA weekend against UMD as a huge series that will be the difference between finishing third and fourth in the conference. Fourth place of course means a semifinal matchup against No. 1 Wisconsin. Minnesota did fall to fourth in the nation. The Gophers have a three-point lead on UMD, with both games coming at home. Pretty much only a Bulldogs sweep would put Minnesota into fourth.

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