Stanzel’s Sports Takeout — BREAKING NEWS: 1.26.24
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Chiefs (+4) and Lions (+7) for me. Happy Hockey Day Minnesota to those who rightly celebrate.
Wolves Eek Out Win in Brooklyn
If the Wolves learn to put inferior teams (ok, good ones too) away they’ll be really scary. But that’s a big if. The Wolves used a 36-17 second quarter bulge to build a 17-point lead before holding on for a 96-94 win at Brooklyn last night.
The Nets tied things up with 71 seconds left, but a KAT to Rudy Gobert alley oop dunk put the Wolves back in front for good. It wasn’t easy then even, as Jaden McDaniels fouled Mikal Bridges with 2.1 ticks remaining. But Bridges missed the first free throw and that was it.
KAT and ANT combined for 51 points.
The Wolves are at an 8-36 San Antonio team on Saturday.
Wild Can’t Hold Third-Period Lead
Speaking of teams not being able to close out games, the Wild allowed two goals 34 seconds apart in the third period, as Nashville rallied for a 3-2 win at The X.
A stunned silent crowd sat silent for a few minutes after the two goals, which came after Kirill Kaprizov scored again in the second period. But Jake Middleton had an ill-advised fight, and Zach Bogosian negated a would-be power play with an instigator penalty (he was protecting Kaprizov, who got elbowed) and the Preds started building some momentum. Those two plays left the Wild with four defenseman for a good chunk of time.
Worst thing is, the Wild had a chance to get within two points of fourth-place Nashville and now they’re six back.
The Wild hosts the woeful Ducks for a late 8 p.m. start Saturday for Hockey Day. Always a well lubed up crowd for the Hockey Day finale.
Gopher Hockey
The Gopher men are at No.8/No. 7 Michigan State. The Spartans lead the Big 10. The women play a home-and-home against Minnesota State in a potential first-round WCHA playoff preview.
PHWL Minnesota Unbeaten in Regulation No More
Montreal avenged a shutout loss in Minnesota’s home opener, edging Taylor Heise’s team 2-1 at The X on Wednesday. Minnesota certainly deserved a better fate, outshooting Montreal 46-26 including seven from Grace Zumwinkle, who had a hat trick in the meeting earlier this month.
It’s a rare back-to-back for Minnesota Saturday (at Boston) and Sunday (at New York).
Gopher Hoops
The Gopher men try to avoid their fifth straight Big 10 loss Saturday at Penn State. The women have lost two of three heading into Sunday’s road tilt at Illinois.
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