Stanzel’s Sports Takeout — BREAKING NEWS: 12.11.23
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Vikings Beat Raiders 3-0 in Lowest Scoring Indoor Game in NFL History
If you enjoyed the Vikings’ 3-0 win in Las Vegas yesterday, you’re probably destined to wake up to a lump of coal two weeks from today. I, like most sane people, was rooting for the game to go the full 60 minutes, plus a potential overtime, and end 0-0. Because if we were subjected to those three hours, why not make it the first ever 0-0 game in the NFL overtime era, and the first scoreless tie since 1943.
Instead, Kevin O’Connell came to his senses and inserted Nick Mullens in place of Josh Dobbs midway through the fourth quarter. The artist formerly known as the Passtronaut had led the Vikings to a whopping 16 yards passing through three quarters. Mullens wasn’t exactly brilliant, but he made a couple key passes including one to a recently invisible Jordan Addison that set up Greg Joseph’s field goal for the only points of the game.
The Raiders had a chance to drive and tie the game in the final two minutes - I mean why would they score if they hadn’t sniffed the end zone the prior 58 minutes - but undrafted Viking Ivan Pace Jr. capped off a brilliant game with an interception. He also had 13 tackles and a sack.
It was the lowest scoring NFL game since 2007. The Vikings hadn’t played a scoreless game through three quarters since 1971. The Raiders had NEVER played one.
Per Takeout subscriber Chris Long of KSTP, the Raiders took just eight snaps inside Vikings territory. That included a punt, two penalties and a fumble. Vegas didn’t take a snap outside their own 28 in the final 24-plus minutes of the game.
But it was a costly win for the 7-6 Vikings, who are in playoff position with four games left, including two at first-place Detroit. The division winner, remember, plays a home playoff game. But that may not matter if they don’t have Justin Jefferson, who took a shot to the ribs after reeling in a pass that Dobbs drastically overthrew. O’Connell called it an internal chest injury; Jefferson went to the hospital but was able to travel home with the Vikings. Jefferson had just returned after missing two months. RB Alexander Mattison and tackle Bryan O’Neill both left with ankle injuries.
And it’s a short week, because in the NFL’s search of the almighty dollar, the Vikings play a Saturday noon game in Cincinnati this week.
Wild Wins Without Brodin
Ironically enough it was after the Wild lost its best overall defenseman that they played their most complete game of this four-game road trip, winning 3-0 in Seattle last night. Minnesota finished the road trip 2-2, while the Kraken lost for the eighth straight game.
Jonas Brodin is expected to miss considerable time after a nasty check (an unpenalized, undisciplined at all hit) by Evander Kane late last week in Edmonton. Matt Boldy, Marco Rossi and Joel Eriksson-Ek each scored for the Wild, while Filip Gustavsson made 24 saves for his second shutout of the season. The Gus Bus is hitting his stride - he’s 4-1-0 with a 1.21 GAA and a .921 SV% in his last five games.
The Wild returns home Thursday to host Seattle.
Wolves 17-4 After Sixth Straight Win
How does a No. 1 seed in the playoffs sound? Three quarters of a season to go, but at this point there’s nothing that makes you think the Wolves couldn’t do that. Six straight wins and a 17-4 mark after a 127-103 dismantling of the Grizzlies in Memphis on Friday. The Grizz aren’t very good, but the Wolves are just blowing bad teams out.
This despite injured Anthony Edwards playing less than four minutes. KAT had 24, Rudy Gobert 16 and another 20 rebounds, and unheralded Troy Brown Jr. scored 20.
Edwards is listed as questionable for tonight’s game in New Orleans.
The Wolves are three games up on the nearest Western Conference pursuer. They’re 7.5 up on 11th-place Golden State.
Gopher Hockey Update
I had a feeling walking out of Ridder after watching the No. 2 Gophers’ 5-3 win over No. 3 Wisconsin, that Saturday would be a different story. That was certainly the case, as after an emotional Friday night that included a major penalty to Gophers star Abbey Murphy, the Badgers won 5-1 in a laugher on Saturday. Murphy is the Gophers’ best player and also their most temperamental. It’s usually an advantage for her, but despite two goals on Friday she went to the box for a two handed slash of a Badgers player after someone knocked her over. The play was reviewed for an ejection, but the officials couldn’t find a video of the play…The WCHA standings as we hit the winter break are Ohio State with 37 points, the Gophers with 33 and Badgers with 31.
The Gopher men have a case of the splitsies. They’re 5-4-3 in the Big 10 and 9-5-4 overall after winning 5-4 at Ohio State on Friday, with a 1-1 tie Saturday that included the Buckeyes earning the extra point in the shootout. Minnesota hasn’t swept a series since their first of the season, against St. Thomas Oct. 13-14.
Gopher Hoops Update
The Gopher women won their Big 10 opener, improving to 9-1 in the process with a slim 60-58 win over Purdue at The Barn on Sunday. They’ve got just a couple of non conference home games in the next two plus weeks, including an 11 a.m. start against Grambling State on Wednesday.
The Gopher men won their second straight, 77-57 over Florida Gulf Coast at The Barn on Saturday. Three non conference games remain before the New Year - IUPUI is up next Tuesday.
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