Stanzel’s Sports Takeout — BREAKING NEWS: 2.26.25

Feb 26

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How can we expect the kids to be better when multiple parents are fighting in the stands at a youth hockey game (in N.D.)?

Wild Loses Another Big Gun, Plus Blows Two-Goal Lead

The Wild simply can’t cough up two-goal leads, not without Kirill Kaprizov and now Joel Eriksson-Ek. Without a clear timeline on Dolla Bill Kirill’s return, the Wild found out yesterday that their best center will miss “multiple weeks” (and we’re not talking two) due to injury.

It’s what made last night’s 3-2 home loss to Detroit so disappointing. They led 2-0, defended well but were subject to suspect goaltending. Filip Gustavsson allowed three goals on just 16 shots - two goals were from the blue line. Not going to do it in March and April.

Bill Guerin has some decisions to make ahead of the March 7 trade deadline. He won’t have either of his best two forwards back by then. What kind of forward can you fit under a tight salary cap? There’s not much room for a goalie, as he watched Wild castoff Cam Talbot best his former team. Gustavsson is looking more like the 2023-24 version of the Gus Bus than early this season or 2022-23.

The Wild, however, is still rather secure in its playoff positioning (up by nine points with 24 games to play) heading back out on the road for back-to-back games facing Utah and Colorado beginning Thursday.

Wolves Storm Back, Was it Best Regular Season Win Ever?

It was the most unlikely of wins for the Wolves, who trailed by 25 at one point and 16 with 3:41 left when Anthony Edwards exited the game with a bad calf. That meant four starters not available. What happened next was truly unbelievable, as the Wolves finished regulation on a 16-0 run and won in overtime thanks to a huge block by a returning Ant Man in a 131-128 win over first-place Oklahoma City on the road.

It marked the first time in NBA history a team has rallied from 20 down on the road to defeat a team with a winning percentage above .800. It also tied the Wolves’ franchise record for biggest comeback. And they’ve beaten the Thunder twice in 12 days.

Jaden McDaniels scored 27 points despite not taking a single 3-pointer. The Wolves got huge games off the bench from rookies Terrence Shannon Jr. (17 points) and Rob Dillingham (12 points).

The Wolves now head west for three, beginning with the surging Lakers Thursday. Minnesota wakes up today in a virtual tie for sixth in the West.

Gopher Hoops

For all their great strides, it’s going to be games like last night against bottom feeders that is Ben Johnson’s likely undoing. The sweep in SoCal seems like months ago, after the Gophers lost their second straight home game, 75-63, to a not very good Northwestern team. Minnesota has lost at home this season to the three bottom teams in the Big 10. Poor Dawson Garcia - 26 points and just one teammate in double figures. A lot of seniors on this team, too. Not that that’s a bad thing, but who’s coming to the U for basketball next year?

The Gopher women will have had a week off by the time they host Washington tonight.

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