Gophers Hockey – Page 6 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

‘Ant’ & Wolves Make a Statement in Game 1 Win

Posted on April 20, 2024April 20, 2024 by David Shama

Whether it was physical, or verbal, Anthony “Ant” Edwards and the Timberwolves made a statement with their 120-95 win over the Suns today at Target Center.

Edwards, who had averaged 14 points in three regular season losses to the Suns, scored 33 including 18 in the decisive third quarter as the Wolves took Game 1 of their opening Western Conference playoff series. Minnesota extended a 10-point halftime lead to an in-command 92-72 advantage after the third quarter. Edwards, the Wolves’ fourth year wunderkind was a full-time scorer and part-time cheerleader, dazzling with his shooting including four three-pointers while sometimes imploring the crowd to match his uber excitement.

Edwards even took to jawing in the second half with Suns superstar and Hall of Fame bound forward Kevin Durant who led his team in scoring with 31 points.

Late in the fourth quarter, Edwards stripped Durant of the basketball and took off down court for an uncontested dunk. The play was a microcosm of a game where the youthful Edwards and the Wolves played with more energy and physicality than Phoenix.

The Wolves had several days to prepare for their playoff opener and the results were to their liking. There was significant time spent by coaches and players watching past film of the Suns and also instructive practices to get ready for what could be a seven-game series.

In a 125-106 regular season ending loss at Target Center last Sunday the Wolves didn’t look engaged or tough. After today’s game coach Chris Finch said at his press conference heard on KFAN Radio that his team “made all the effort plays tonight.” He praised his team for running the floor, rebounding and playing “with some physicality on defense.”

The Wolves played a complete game, excelling at both ends of the court. They had 19 turnovers in the first half of last Sunday’s loss but totaled 24 today in four quarters. Minnesota was dominant in rebounding with a 52-28 edge (13-3 on offensive rebounds).

Suns’ sharp shooters and three-point specialists Grayson Allen and Bradley Beal who combined for 56 points (nine of nine on three-pointers) last Sunday scored 19 today and were one for six on three-pointers. When they and the other Phoenix starters went out of the game, the Suns bench didn’t match that of the Wolves who were led by Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Naz Reid who scored a combined 30 points for Minnesota. Respectively the two had the best plus-minus totals on the team, plus-28 and plus-22 .

After the game, Edwards was interviewed on the court by Bally Sports North, with the fans at the game and at home able to listen. “The crowd definitely played a big role in tonight’s game. Keep coming out and supporting us,” Edwards said.

He also noted that today was just one game in the series that earlier in the week had oddsmakers favoring the Suns. Words of wisdom from the 22-year-old.

Worth Noting

Here are the remaining dates, locations, times and networks for the Wolves-Sun series through Game 4: April 23, Minneapolis, 6:30 p.m. TNT; April 26, Phoenix, 9:30 p.m. ESPN; April 28, Phoenix, 8:30 p.m. TNT. Games can also be seen on Bally Sports North.

How ironic if the Wolves were to win the NBA championship 70 years after the Minneapolis Lakers did so. The 1954 Lakers were part of a Minneapolis dynasty that also won league titles in 1949, 1950, 1952 and 1953.

Three in a row for Gophers football regarding the No. 1 recruit from the state of Minnesota. Esko safety Koi Perich, the class of 2024 No. 1, signed with the Gophers last December. This month class of 2023 No. 1 Jaxon Howard, the edge rusher from Robbinsdale Cooper transferring from LSU, committed to a scholarship, and Minnesota received a verbal commitment from class of 2025 No. 1 Emmanuel Karmo, the linebacker also from Cooper.

With the transfer portal closing at month’s end, former Gophers center Pharrel Payne has yet to find a new program. One door seemingly closed when Indiana secured Oumar Ballo, a transfer from Arizona regarded as the top center in the portal.

Payne, who reportedly visited Indiana, is likely seeking an NIL deal paying well into six figures. Unlike Indiana, where there is a track record of six-figure NIL deals, the Gophers’ NIL pot might not exceed $600,000 to $700,000. That’s been enough, though, to retain Dawson Garcia, Elijah Hawkins, Parker Fox and Mike Mitchell Jr., and receive a commitment from Canisius transfer Frank Mitchell who will replace Payne.

Gophers athletic department leaders Mark Coyle and Jeremiah Carter, along with men’s basketball coach Ben Johnson and Katie Harms representing the NIL Dinkytown Athletes collective, will discuss NIL’s impact on college sports at Wednesday’s Capital Club breakfast at Mendakota Country Club. More information about the Capital Club is available from Patrick Klinger, patrick@agilemarketingco.com.

Drake Maye, who the Vikings could end up drafting in the first round Thursday night, a year ago was projected by some authorities to be the No. 1 quarterback prospect in the 2024 NFL Draft but an inconsistent 2023 season with North Carolina dropped his stock. Maye’s inconsistency could be partially attributable to playing for a new offense coordinator, but the potential, including arm strength, is there to make him an intriguing draft target whose flaws might be easily fixed by the Vikings coaching staff.

“It’s all there. He just needs to end up in the right system,” said Daniel House who offers his football insights on Mnvikingscorner.com and Gophersguru.com.

Ten former Gophers are on NHL rosters of Stanley Cup playoff teams: Brady Skjei, Carolina Hurricanes; Casey Mittelstadt, Colorado Avalanche; Kyle Okposo, Florida Panthers; Tommy Novak, Nashville Predators; Hudson Fasching, New York Islanders; Mike Reilly, New York Islanders; Ryan Lindgren, New York Rangers; Blake Wheeler, New York Rangers (on Injured Reserve); Matthew Knies, Toronto Maple Leafs; Nate Schmidt, Winnipeg Jets.

Stillwater-based Creative Charters is hosting its annual Kentucky Derby trip, with the April 28-May 5 travel a dream experience for horse racing fans with its insights about the sport and Kentucky racing culture. The fun, of course, includes the “Run for the Roses” on May 4.

BTW, Creative has sold out its gold, maroon and white trips—and is now selling the pink and green trips—for the Gophers October 12 game against UCLA at the historic Rose Bowl. Minnesota last played in the Rose Bowl on January 1, 1962, defeating UCLA 21-3.

News of O.J. Simpson’s death earlier this month prompted memories of September 1968 when the Gophers, coming off their 1967 Big Ten championship season, hosted nationally-ranked Southern California and the most hyped player in college football—Orenthal James Simpson. Minnesota coach Murray Warmath let the Memorial Stadium grass grow long hoping to slow O.J., but the All-American tailback and the Trojans had their way winning 29-20.

Twins’ broadcaster Cory Provus, who is about eight inches shorter than 6-foot-4 TV partner Justin Morneau, stands on a wooden box in the TV booth to minimize the difference in size between the two.

The economic impact of Minneapolis hosting WrestleMania 41 next year could be over $225 million but the WWE has yet to make a final announcement about the 2025 location. Online reports have Las Vegas as a Minneapolis rival to host the multi-days extravaganza that draws young and old from across the country and elsewhere.

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Chargers May Offer Vikings Path to Quarterback McCarthy

Posted on March 17, 2024March 17, 2024 by David Shama

The Vikings have potential to move up in the first round of next month’s NFL Draft by making a trade with the Chargers. Minnesota could propose sending its No. 11 and 23 first round picks to Los Angeles, along with wide receiver Jordan Addison, in exchange for the No. 5 slot in the draft.

That move would give Minnesota a high probability of being able to select Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy. For months speculation has been he is a Viking favorite in the quarterback-loaded 2024 draft.

A former college coach compares McCarthy to 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy who in his second season almost led his team to a Super Bowl win over the Chiefs. Both are heady quarterbacks who play with poise.

“J.J. (is a) similar style with better arm talent and athleticism,” the coach said in a text. “Would be a great pick for the Vikes.”

There’s almost a national consensus the first three franchises drafting in the first round—the Bears, Commanders and Patriots—will select quarterbacks, and perhaps in the order of Caleb Williams, Drake Maye and Jayden Daniels. The Cardinals hold the No. 4 selection and seemingly are committed to five-year veteran QB Kyler Murray and won’t select McCarthy.

Wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. is considered a generational talent and certain to be the first wide receiver selected in the draft. He should be a perfect fit for the Cardinals who need a big play receiver to complement Murray.

The above scenario would provide the Vikings the opportunity to trade with the Chargers for McCarthy. Los Angeles has one of the NFL’s elite quarterbacks in Justin Herbert. They have just four wide receivers on their roster and are not only depleted in numbers but in talent after releasing mainstays Keenan Allen and Mike Williams.

The Chargers are reorganizing payroll and personnel under new leadership including head coach Jim Harbaugh. They could be interested in receiving Addison, a talented deep threat still on a rookie contract who played like a future star for the Vikings last season. With the Vikings No. 11 selection Los Angeles might be able to land Brock Bowers, considered the prize among tight ends. At No. 23 Harbaugh could find a physical offensive lineman.

Kwesi Adofo-Mensah photo courtesy of Minnesota Vikings

Minnesota GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah might test the Chargers by offering tight end T.J. Hockenson instead of Addison. If it’s Hockenson, then maybe the Vikings will also dangle a second round pick while retaining Addison.

The Chargers have the option of staying at No. 5 and likely taking Malik Nabers, perhaps the second-best wide receiver in the draft. Addison, though, is a proven commodity and Harbaugh is on a mission to build a championship team in Los Angeles and could warm to the idea of additional picks in his first draft.

With a bridge quarterback for next fall in Sam Darnold, the Vikings are on the clock to find their future leader and best playmaker. They don’t need to panic, though, as the draft approaches.

Worst case scenario is staying at No. 11 and finding a Bo Nix or Michael Penix Jr. Then take a season to develop whoever the new QB is and accept the likely reality the losses will pile up. Minimal wins will result in a favorable draft position next season and could present the Vikings with an even better opportunity to select a talented quarterback or other playmaker.

Adofo-Mensah would be wise to also think long term about a 2025 opportunity to acquire a first-round pick from a likely bottom feeder team. The lowly Panthers don’t figure to show much improvement next season and have many positional needs. In the months ahead Adofo-Mensah should keep his Carolina colleagues on speed dial.

Worth Noting

In Adofo-Mensah’s two previous drafts leading the Vikings he has had minimal success, clicking on one major success in Addison who had 70 receptions for 911 yards and 10 touchdowns last season. The pressure is on Adofo-Mensah in the next 12 months to make moves that pay off. The public is restless, and ownership won’t have indefinite patience with the first-time GM.

Contrary to what you may have heard, junior Gophers point guard Elijah Hawkins, the Big Ten assists leader, isn’t a lock to return for another season at Minnesota. “It’s going to be a quick decision, though, in the next week or so,” he told Sports Headliners after Minnesota’s opening game loss in the Big Ten Tournament to Michigan State on Thursday.

It was a Minneapolis and Target Center first hosting the Big Ten men’s and women’s tournaments the past two weeks. Kevin Warren, the former Vikings executive now president of the Bears, led the Minneapolis destination drive when he was Big Ten commissioner.

Word is the tournaments may not return, though, with the Big Ten likely to use past destinations and new ones on the West Coast as the league expands with Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington.

The men’s tournament was played before thousands of empty seats while the women’s tourney, led by pop culture Iowa phenom Caitlin Clark, packed the building. In Iowa’s three games reported attendance was 18,354, 18,746 and 18,575.

The Timberwolves, averaging 18,024 per game, rank 17th in NBA attendance, per ESPN.com.

Despite having one of the best seasons in franchise history, there are covered seats in Target Center not available for sale at Timberwolves games. Although those seats are not the most desirable, they could be available for sale soon as the playoffs near.

Put this in the “I will show them category.” Former Gophers basketball coach Dan Monson, fired by Long Beach State several days ago, led the 49ers to the Big West Tournament title last night and an entry into the NCAA Tournament field.

Another former Gophers head coach, Richard Pitino, led New Mexico last evening to the Mountain West tourney title and an NCAA Tournament invite.

Happy Birthday yesterday to former Gophers’ basketball captain Paul Presthus who turned 79.

The WrestleMania extravaganza is April 6 and 7 in Philadelphia and don’t be surprised if it’s staged next year at U.S. Bank Stadium.

MLB.com has the Twins ranked No. 15 for best farm system among 30 franchises. The top Minnesota prospects are outfielder Walker Jenkins (No. 10 in player rankings), shortstop Brooks Lee (No. 18) and outfielders Emmanuel Rodriguez (No. 42) and Gabriel Gonzales (No. 79). The Orioles’ farm system is ranked No. 1.

It will be a high of 51 degrees with partial sun in Kansas City for the Royals and Twins opener March 28, per Accuweather.com.

Former Golden Gophers quarterback Tim Salem, who played for his dad Joe Salem at Minnesota in 1980, has been hired as senior advisor for special teams at Georgia Tech. Salem has made a career of successful assistant coaching stops including at Illinois, Pitt, Purdue and Ohio State.

The Gophers men’s hockey team now awaits its positioning in the NCAA Tournament on March 24 after losing 2-1 to Michigan last night in a Big Ten Conference Tournament semifinals game. “I didn’t like us for big stretches tonight,” Minnesota head coach Bob Motzko said. “The first five minutes, I thought we had a little pop and gave a goal up. Then we got back on our heels.”

There were about 60 attendees last Tuesday night at Huntington Bank Stadium for an informational meeting regarding Name, Image and Likeness opportunities to benefit female athletes at Minnesota. Financial commitments will be coordinated through the official Gophers collective, Dinkytown Athletes.

The football Gophers begin practice Thursday and will not hold an official spring game. The 11 a.m. Saturday practice at Huntington Bank Stadium will be open to members of Dinkytown Athletes. The general public can attend the 4:30 p.m. practice at Athletes Village April 11.

Could be the golf course at Interlachen Country Club may not open until August or later because of renovation.

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Carlos Correa ‘Mr. Clutch’ for Twins Just like Kirby Puckett

Posted on October 10, 2023October 13, 2023 by David Shama

Carlos Correa’s clutch performance for the Twins in the postseason prompts memories of the late Kirby Puckett. It was Puckett who made that still famous quote before Game 6 of the 1991 World Series, telling teammates to “jump on his back” because he was going to carry the team.

Correa is more than shouldering his load, too, including driving in three of Minnesota’s six runs Sunday night when the Twins tied their American League Division Series at 1-1 with the Astros. Fittingly, Correa even threw out the last Astros batter of the evening with a spectacular fielding play and throw in the 6-2 win.

In four postseason games this fall Correa is hitting .588, and it’s not just his performance at the plate that has been key for the Twins. His fielding, high baseball IQ and leadership have all been impactful. Before coming to Minnesota, the 29-year-old shortstop experienced six postseason years with the Astros.

Do-Hyoung Park, writing for MLB.com yesterday, offered this timely quote about Correa from manager Rocco Baldelli: “We’ve always heard all of the sayings and things: When the lights come on and the bright lights, there are some guys, they’re giants in the light. He’s one of them. That’s what he is.”

Correa, who joined the Twins in 2022 as a free agent and then re-signed with them last off-season, made history Sunday night with those three RBI. He now has 63 career postseason RBI, tied with David Justice for third best ever among big leaguers.

No doubt the Twins’ $200 million “Mr. October” looks forward to moving up that historical list (Bernie Williams tops at 80, Manny Ramirez second with 78) but the big prize right now is advancing to the World Series. To do that the Twins will need two more wins to close out the Astros and be able to win four games in the American League Championship Series.

That itinerary would put the Twins back in the World Series for the first time since 1991. Minnesota defeated the Braves in seven games, partially because of Puckett’s heroics in Game 6. The five-tool superstar robbed Ron Gant of an extra base hit and had three hits including an 11^th inning walk-off home run for the ages that won the game and tied the series 3-3 in front of a delirious Metrodome crowd.

Puckett was a centerpiece on World Series championship teams in 1991 and 1987. In 24 postseason games he hit .309, with five home runs and 16 RBI. He was also a leader who inspired teammates, just like a guy in the here and now—Carlos Correa.

Worth Noting

Twins Hall of Famers Johan Santana and Joe Mauer will do the ceremonial first pitch honors before this afternoon’s ALDS game at Target Field. Minneapolis-based vocalist Aby Wolf will perform the national anthem.

Today’s Minnesota starting pitcher Sonny Gray, who held the Blue Jays scoreless in last week’s Wild Card series win, faces the Astros for the third time this year. He is 0-0 and has a 2.77 ERA against the Astros, with four walks and 16 strikeouts in two starts.

Ryan Jeffers has been the Twins’ catcher in each of the four postseason games, after splitting assignments during the regular season with Christian Vazquez. Jeffers has excelled defensively and calling games for the 3-1 Twins but has just two hits in 13 at bats.

Knowledgeable and optimistic Twins fans know the World Series starts October 27 and potentially runs through November 4. Home field advantage in the best of seven series, just like in the ALDS and ALDCS, is determined by which two teams had the better regular season record.

Twins radio voice Cory Provus, who calls Big Ten Network football games, will also work BTN men’s basketball during the upcoming season.

By Friday, after the Wild’s home opener against the Panthers Thursday night, it’s anticipated that over a nine-day period about 300,000 fans in the Twin Cities will have attended games of the Twins, Vikings, Wild and football Gophers.

The Wild has only two players on its 21-man opening night roster that weren’t with Minnesota last year: forwards Pat Maroon (Tampa Bay) and Marco Rossi (Iowa). Defenseman Brock Faber is the youngest player on the roster at 21; while goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, who turns 39 in November, is the oldest.

Hockey authority Bill Robertson predicts the Wild will finish seventh in the Western Conference and make the Stanley Cup Playoffs. “Healthy (Kirill) Kaprizov and solid goaltending will be big keys for the Wild this year,” the former college hockey commissioner wrote via email. “Former Gopher Brock Faber will take a huge step forward and become an impact player for Minnesota.

“Boston is the best team in the NHL as they have depth from top to bottom and will be ready this year for the Stanley Cup Playoffs! No quick exit this year. Best player in the game is Edmonton’ s Conner McDavid as he is a superstar and can impact a game when he is on the ice. Conner has awesome skills.”

The Wild announced today that Kaprizov has been named an alternate captain.

Jim Harbaugh, who was a candidate for the Vikings head coaching job before Kevin O’Connell was hired in 2022, has the No. 2 college football team in the AP Poll but doesn’t make the top 10 in annual compensation among his peers. His $8.2 million at Michigan ranks No. 12, with Alabama’s Nick Saban No. 1 at $11.4 million and Michigan State’s embattled Mel Tucker No. 5 at about $10 million, per Usatoday.com last week.

Minnesota’s P.J. Fleck ranks No. 26 at $6 million.

The 1-4 Vikings and 3-3 Gophers are struggling but other state teams are excelling including St. Thomas, 3-0 in conference games and leading the Pioneer League, and Saint John’s, No. 8 nationally in the D3football.com rankings and tied with Carleton for the best league record in the MIAC at 3-0 each.

Happy birthdays: NFL legend Brett Favre is 54 today, October 10. Former Gopher athletics director Mark Dienhart turns 70 tomorrow.

Forward Parker Bjorklund from St. Thomas has been voted preseason first team All-Summit by the league coaches. The voting also predicted the Tommies will finish fourth in the standings behind South Dakota State, Oral Roberts and North Dakota State.

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