Stanzel’s Sports Takeout — BREAKING NEWS: 11.17.25
This young Wolves fan is just the best, so mad the Kings didn’t miss a second free throw so she could get free chicken tenders. Somehow we haven’t unearthed who this girl is and offered her free tendies for life.
Great to have curling on my TV this weekend, even if Team Shuster and friend of The Takeout Chris Plys won’t be Olympians in 2026. No one had beaten a Shuster team in a Trial final in 20 years. Congrats Team Casper. The Olympics start Feb. 6.
Still a week before the Loons’ conference semifinal matchup in San Diego.
Vikings Done in by Kick Return After Big Rally
If you just accept the fact the Vikings aren’t a playoff team, you’ll be able to digest yesterday’s 19-17 loss a lot easier. And the remainder of the season, to be honest.
Per The Athletic’s playoff simulator, the 4-6 Vikings are down to a three percent chance of making the post-season, after rallying from a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter but still falling 19-17 to the Bears at home.
Just moments after J.J. McCarthy hit Jordan Addison to give the Vikings’ a 17-16 lead with 50 seconds left, Minnesota inexplicably didn’t kick the ball out of the endzone. Devin Duvernay returned that kickoff 56 yards, setting up a game-winning field goal by Cairo Santos - the ball almost hit the left upright. Kevin O’Connell was FURIOUS at special teams coach (at least for now) Matt Daniels.
Truth is, the Vikings were lucky to even be in the position. McCarthy was woeful for more than the first three quarters. One throw he looks like a college freshman underthrowing of overthroiwng by 10 years. The next he puts too much gas in the throw and the receiver is unable to handle iet. And occasionally, he’s really good.
But he wasn’t really good enough Sunday. It didn’t help his receivers dropped multiple passes that were right at them - most notably Addison and T.J. Hockenson. In the first half, McCarthy was 9-for-18 for 73 yards. He threw two interceptions, including this one in the endzone.
It’s not like the Vikings will lose the rest of their games - although Green Bay and Seattle the next two weeks on the road will be extremely difficult. But they’re going to see what they have in McCarthy for the rest of the season. It’s hard to give up on a QB so early, especially one that missed a year due to injury, but the throwing inaccuracy is…not good, and hasn’t improved.
Red-Hot Wild Beats Vegas on Kaprizov OT goal
There are maybe five NHL players who could have scored the game-winning goal from the position Kirill Kaprizov scored in overtime last night. Aren’t you glad he’s ours?
Kaprizov sniped a one-timer from a ridiculous angle low in the right circle as the Wild beat Vegas 3-2 to move to 6-1-1 in the last eight games.
The win came just 26 hours after the Wild blanked one of the best teams in the West, the Anaheim Mighty Ducks. That was Jesper Wallstedt’s second straight shutout.
The 9-7-4 Wild has crawled back into a tie for third in the Central Division at the NHL’s three-quarter pole mark. Minnesota plays host to Carolina on Wednesday for an unreasonable 8:45 p.m. central time start.
Wolves’ Streak Snapped by Nuggets
After beating up on far inferior opponents (Kings and Jazz) for four games, the Wolves fell 123-112 Saturday against the Nuggets. Kind of a raw deal to face that type of opponent the second half of a back-to-back.
The Wolves led by five at the half, but were worn down in the final 24 minutes. Their starting backcourt of Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo combined to miss 22-of-34 shots. Four of the Nuggets’ five starters had 20 points or more.
It’s yet another home game - the third in four nights - for the 8-5 Wolves tonight when they host Dallas.
Why Can’t Minnesota Beat the Big Big 10 Teams?
The Gophers remained winless on the road with a 42-13 loss at No. 6 Oregon on Friday night. It wasn’t an unexpected result.
But at what point do Gopher fans demand more than knowing they have no shot each year against Oregon, Ohio State and usually one more team (this year it was Iowa)? Indiana is going to make the college football playoff this year and is No. 2 in the country. What’s stopping MInnesota from being Indiana?
The Gophers play at Wrigley Field on Saturday against Northwestern, their penultimate regular season game. They’ll play a bowl game no matter what; but they’d better not lose their finale at home to Wisconsin.
Gopher Hockey
The Gopher men took a big step back from last weekend’s Big 10 sweep, losing a 6-2 decision at home to Long Island University on Friday. They did recover for a 6-3 win on Saturday against the Sharks, who were coming off a sweep of…Robert Morris. The Gophers actually played a decent game Friday but were vastly outplayed in the goaltender department. The 5-8-1 Gophers host 10-4-0 Penn State this weekend.
The Minnesota women, ranked second, easily dispatched of Bemidji State by a combined 15-4 score in a weekend sweep of the Beavers. They’ve got a home-and-home with Minnesota State this weekend. The Mavericks have won just two of 10 WCHA games.
Gopher BB
The Gopher men got away with one Saturday, needing overtime for a seven-point win over Green Bay. The Phoenix had gotten beat by 19 points by St. Thomas the night before. Cade Tyson scored 27 points for the 3-1 Gophers, who host Chicago State on Tuesday.
The Minnesota women whipped NJIT 88-39 Friday to move to 4-0. They’ve won each game by 40-plus points, but it’ll get real this Wednesday when they visit 4-0 Kansas.
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