Veteran guard Bridget Carleton was the first overall selection by the Fire. She started 44 games for Minnesota last season, averaging 6.5 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. She had been with the Lynx since 2019 after joining the franchise as a free agent.

thank you for everything, BC. 💙

Carleton was selected by the Portland Fire in the Expansion Draft. pic.twitter.com/N5XcSpHPlB

— Minnesota Lynx (@minnesotalynx) April 3, 2026

Maria Kliundikova joined the Lynx as a free agent last season, and she was the first selection of the second round for the Tempo. Listed at 6-foot-4, she played 34 games last season, and only one was in the starting lineup. She averaged 11.0 minutes and 4.4 points per game.

The Fire and the Tempo were allowed to select one unprotected player from each of the other 12 existing teams' 2025 rosters. It's fair to assume that the player for Minnesota was Carleton.

The traditional 2026 WNBA Draft is set for Monday, April 16, and the Lynx own the No. 2 overall pick. The preseason is set to begin on April 25.

With their 5-2 victory over the lowly Vancouver Canucks, the Wild (42-21-12) officially clinched a playoff spot. They've been headed for the postseason for months now, but this win finalized their berth.

Three of the five goals were scored by the Wild's star forwards, Matt Boldy and Kirill Kaprizov. Both Boldy — who scored twice — and Kaprizov reached 40 goals on the season on Thursday. It's the first time in franchise history that two players have hit the 40-goal mark in the same season.

These are just the sixth and seventh 40-goal seasons in Wild history. Kaprizov has four of them, having reached that mark in each of his last four fully-healthy seasons. The others belong to Marian Gaborik, Eric Staal, and now Boldy.

This was also a full-circle game for several players. It was the first time the Wild and Canucks have played since the teams pulled off a blockbuster trade that sent Quinn Hughes to Minnesota in exchange for Zeev Buium, Marco Rossi, Liam Ohgren, and a first-round pick in December.

Hughes recorded his 67th assist of the season (his 46th in 43 games with the Wild) and was a plus-4 in the win over his old team. None of the three ex-Wild players got on the scoresheet for Vancouver (22-45-8).

Filip Gustavsson made 29 saves for Minnesota in his 100th victory in a Wild sweater.

Boldy came into this game having gone a season-high seven consecutive contests without a goal. He ended that drought by opening the scoring midway through the first period, with assists from Marcus Johansson and Joel Eriksson Ek.

The Canucks tied it later in the period when a puck caromed off of the end wall and Gustavsson was caught out of position. Vancouver struck 42 seconds later on a Jake DeBrusk power-play goal to surge in front.

Just 23 seconds into the second period, Boldy scored his 40th of the season on a breakaway to knot the game at 2. Around six minutes later, Kaprizov matched him at 40 on a beautiful give-and-go with Mats Zuccarello that gave the Wild a lead they wouldn't relinquish.

Two goals from Ryan Hartman in the third period sealed the deal for Minnesota. He tipped in a Zuccarello shot to give the Wild some breathing room, then added an empty-netter — with assists from Kaprizov and Boldy — for his 20th goal of the campaign.

The Wild, who have seven games left in the regular season, will be back in action in Ottawa on Saturday. They're all but locked into a first-round series against the Dallas Stars.

A Spring Weekend Getaway to Northern MN is the perfect solution to cabin fever. This spring trip itinerary is perfect for a single, couple or family. This spring come for the outdoors, and stay to make memories in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. This small town located in northern Minnesota is perfect to relax, reconnect with loved ones, and recharge in Minnesota’s nature. A going to the lake destination, Grand Rapids is a scenic drive far enough but close enough to be convenient. 

There is a wide variety of lodging properties from in town Hotels, Motels, a Bed and Breakfast, and Vacation Rentals to off the beaten path and located on beautiful area lakes Resort Cabins and Vacation Rentals. You will find several cultural and historic attractions to tour, and an abundance of outdoor recreation trails, lakes and rivers. Try new bites and sips while you are in town, and discover the locally owned boutique style shops. Before you arrive, make sure that you check out our Events Calendar to see live music, live performances, seasonal events and festivals that are happening. This spring take a weekend getaway to northern Minnesota where you can relax, reconnect with loved ones, and recharge in Minnesota’s nature.

On this three day, two night vacation, you will take in six experiences that include: driving up the Avenue of the Pines Scenic Byway, hiking, eating out, live music, biking, axe throwing, and walking across the Mississippi River. The trip itinerary will help guide you through these experiences, places to eat & drink, and additional outdoor recreation resources and tips.

Trip Tips

• Packing layers of clothing for the spring in northern MN is essential. Mornings and evenings will be cool and afternoons will be mid-50's to low 70's.
• Spring lodging offers affordable points.
• If you are wanting to get rentals you will want to get in advance.
• Some area attractions and shops will be closed on Sunday.

Ready to shake off cabin fever? Start planning your spring weekend getaway to Grand Rapids, Minnesota, where scenic drives, outdoor adventure, local flavors, and small-town charm are waiting.

JMAC IS BACK. 🔥

McCarville joins the staff as an assistant coach. pic.twitter.com/00LbFnaOYc

— Minnesota Lynx (@minnesotalynx) April 2, 2026

A native of Stevens Point, WI, McCarville was the Big Ten freshman of the year under Brenda Frese in 2001-02, which was the best season in Gophers women's basketball history to that point. She stuck around when Pam Borton took over the program the following year and, along with All-American Lindsay Whalen, helped the Gophers reach the Sweet 16 for the first time in 2003.

As a junior, McCarville took a leap into stardom. The Gophers were a No. 7 seed in the 2004 NCAA Tournament and went all the way to the Final Four in Whalen's senior year. McCarville was an All-American as a senior in 2004-05. She ranks seventh in Gophers history in points scored and is second in both rebounds and blocks. Minnesota went 98-31 and made four straight NCAA Tournaments during McCarville's career.

After a standout college career, McCarville was selected with the No. 1 overall pick by the Charlotte Sting in the 2005 WNBA Draft. She then went third overall to the New York Liberty in the 2007 Dispersal Draft following the folding of the Sting franchise. McCarville was the WNBA's most improved player in her first year with New York, then had a career year in 2008 with 13.7 points per game.

In 2011, McCarville was suspended for the entire season after failing to report to training camp. She didn't play in 2012 either, choosing to spend more time with her family. But in 2013, McCarville was acquired by the Lynx in a three-team trade, reuniting with Whalen. She started every game that season and helped Minnesota win the 2013 WNBA title. She was also the Lynx's starting center in 2014 and 2016, sandwiched around a season missed due to injury.

In total, McCarville played 313 games across nine WNBA seasons with three teams. Recently, she's served as the girls' varsity head coach at her high school alma mater in Stevens Point. She now joins Eric Thibault, Rebekkah Brunson, and Whalen as an assistant coach under Reeve.

The Lynx also announced the hiring of Jasmine Allen as basketball operations manager, Jeremy Ford as dietitian, Imani Lewis as video coordinator, Andy Oakland as basketball operations coordinator and Grace Allen as sports performance coordinator.

The Lynx hold the No. 2 overall pick in this year's WNBA draft, which will take place on April 13. Their preseason slate begins in late April, with the regular season opener set for May 10 at Target Center.

In June 2025, Jack Curtis was diagnosed with late-stage II unfavorable Hodgkin's lymphoma. Despite the diagnosis, Curtis hasn't let it get in the way of playing out his senior season for the Carleton College Knights, where he stars as the football team’s quarterback and a pitcher for the baseball team.

In 2025, Curtis helped lead the college football team, which is based in Northfield, to a 6-4 record while throwing for 3,120 yards, 29 touchdowns, and just seven interceptions, while completing 72% of his passes. Curtis finished his college football career with 8,599 passing yards, 83 touchdown passes, and 31 interceptions.

On the diamond, Curtis has yet to appear in a game for the 5-11 Knights this season. During his previous two seasons, he posted a 4.74 ERA with a 2-2 record in 10 appearances, tallying 20 strikeouts while allowing 23 earned runs.

In a social media post on Tuesday, Gruden announced that he had hosted Curtis for the day. Gruden now runs a YouTube channel featuring his popular "QB Class" series, where he interviews quarterback prospects, watches game tape, and conducts on-field drills.

"We would love to help Jack finish out his senior year on a high note and assist with his tuition costs and medical bills," Gruden wrote, while promoting Curtis' GoFundMe. "If you love football and great young men, Jack is both and would really appreciate your support!"

Curtis’ GoFundMe has raised $57,000 of its $60,000 goal. Since Gruden’s post, numerous donations ranging from $5 to $5,000, including a $500 gift from former NFL quarterback Brian Hoyer.

Curtis announced on March 2 that doctors found no cancerous activity at his first remission appointment.

Curtis is majoring in physics and plans to attend graduate school to pursue a PhD in aerospace engineering after graduating from Carleton.

Entering play Monday, Minnesota and Dallas have each played 74 games. The Wild (41-21-12) have 94 points, six behind the Stars (44-18-12). Colorado, with 106 points, has two games in hand, making them a cinch to clinch the Central Division and the No. 1 overall seed in the Western Conference.

It won't be easy for the Wild to chase down the Stars, but it's possible.

First, the Stars have a more difficult remaining schedule. According to Tankathon, the Stars' have the third-hardest remaining schedule in the West, with an opponents' win percentage of .577. Minnesota sits in the middle of the 16-team West, with the eighth-easiest remaining schedule based on an opponents' win percentage of .543.

Of Dallas' final eight opponents, four are currently in the playoff picture. Additionally, the Stars are at home, where they're 22-10-4 this season, in five of their last eight games.

• Mar. 31: at Boston (92 points)
• Apr. 2: vs. Winnipeg (74 points)
• Apr. 4: vs. Colorado (106 points)
• Apr. 7: vs. Calgary (70 points)
• Apr. 9: vs. Minnesota (94 points)
• Apr. 11: vs. NY Rangers (69 points)
• Apr. 13: at Toronto (75 points)
• Apr. 15: at Buffalo (98 points)

Of Minnesota's final eight foes, only two are currently in the playoff picture, though that comes with a caveat. Additionally, the Wild are on the road, where they are 21-11-4 this season, for five of their last eight games.

• Apr. 2: vs. Vancouver (50 points)
• Apr. 4: at Ottawa (86 points)
• Apr. 5: at Detroit (86 points)
• Apr. 7: vs. Seattle (75 points)
• Apr. 9: at Dallas (100 points)
• Apr. 11: at Nashville (77 points)
• Apr. 13: at St. Louis (73 points)
• Apr. 14: vs. Anaheim (86 points)

The caveat is that Ottawa, Detroit, Seattle, Nashville, and St. Louis, despite currently not occupying one of the eight playoff spots, are all within striking distance in the wild-card race. That means the only "easy" game left on the schedule is Wednesday against the NHL-worst Canucks.

It's going to be a grind, and it could very well come down to the result of the April 9 game against Dallas. Either way, the Wild and Stars will likely meet in the first round, and that will serve as the ultimate test for a Minnesota team that hasn't advanced past to the second round since 2015.

Those playoff failures include first-round playoff losses to the Stars in 2016 and 2023.

On just his fourth shift of the game, Stramel suffered the injury while blocking a shot and did not return. Michigan State went on to take a 3-1 lead, but the Badgers rallied with two late goals and won in upset fashion in overtime to advance to the Frozen Four.

Despite the injury, the Wild are still working on signing Stramel to his NHL entry-level contract, according to Michael Russo of The Athletic. That would allow him to join the team for his rehab process as he recovers from injury.

Had Stramel been healthy, he could've been a candidate to make his debut for the Wild in April and perhaps play in the postseason, like Brock Faber did in 2023 and Zeev Buium did last year. With that said, there may not have been room for Stramel in the lineup after the Wild's trade deadline additions of bottom-six centers Michael McCarron and Nick Foligno. Centers Nico Sturm and Danila Yurov were scratched on Saturday, so there's some depth at that position.

Stramel, a Rosemount native, had quite the senior season at MSU. Across 37 games, scored 19 goals and added 25 assists for 44 total points. He was a plus-29. He played on the Spartans' top line with 2025 sixth overall pick Porter Martone, who just signed his entry-level deal with the Flyers.

The Wild drafted Stramel with the 21st overall pick in the 2023 draft, despite the fact that he was coming off a quiet freshman season at Wisconsin (12 points in 33 games). Stramel's sophomore year was even less productive, with just 8 points in 34 contests. But the former U.S. National Team Development Program standout transferred to Michigan State for his junior year, and that move proved to be a great one. He broke out with 27 points in 37 games last season and then was even better this year.

Stramel, 21, projects as a bottom-six center in the NHL, with a chance to be a second-line player. He's a right-shot center with solid size at 6'3" and 216 pounds. He plays a physical game, scores goals around the net, and has some playmaking skill. Stramel could make his NHL debut as soon as next season, although it's also possible he spends some time at AHL Iowa depending on the Wild's depth situation.

That moment, which has felt like a formality for months now, will have to wait. The Wild fell behind 3-0 early in the game and couldn't quite complete a comeback attempt. They made it a 4-3 game in the third but ultimately lost 6-3 to the Bruins.

The good news for Minnesota (41-21-12) is that there are still eight games on the regular season schedule to get the job done. They're at no real risk of missing the postseason and are almost certainly headed for a heavyweight first-round series against the Dallas Stars. Saturday's loss hurt the Wild's pursuit of home-ice advantage in that series more than anything else.

Minnesota has largely been treading water over the past month, going 6-7-2 over its last 15 games. The last couple weeks of the regular season will be about staying healthy, mixing different players into the lineup, and trying to find some momentum before the playoffs.

Ryan Hartman and Mats Zuccarello each had a goal and an assist for the Wild on Saturday. Quinn Hughes picked up two more assists, giving him 66 this season. But Pavel Zacha and Elias Lindholm each scored a pair of goals for the Bruins (41-24-8), who got three assists from Minnesota native Casey Mittelstadt in the win.

Matt Boldy, who has 38 goals this season for Minnesota, has now gone seven straight games without one, marking his longest goal drought in over a calendar year.

The Bruins opened the scoring a minute into Saturday's game, then tacked on another in the first period on a 2-on-1 rush. They made it 3-0 midway through the second.

Kirill Kaprizov got the Wild on the board in the second period off a great feed from Hartman, but the Bruins responded with a goal early in the third. Things got interesting later in the period when Zuccarello scored late in a two-man advantage and Hartman cut the deficit to one with a little over six minutes to play. But the Bruins sealed the deal with Zacha's second goal and then an empty-net tally from Lindholm.

The Wild don't play until next Thursday against the Canucks in what will be Hughes' first game against his former team (and the return to Minnesota for Marco Rossi, Zeev Buium, and Liam Ohgren). By then, the Wild may have already clinched a playoff spot, pending results elsewhere in the league.

In the early moments of the Wild's thrilling 3-2 win over the Panthers in Sunrise, FL on Thursday, LaPanta posted a photo with a dig at the attendance on his personal social media account. In the post featuring a picture of the crowd at Amerant Bank Arena, LaPanta said, "Good to see that all of those 'diehard life long Panther fans' that were seen in public for the first time ever during the Stanley Cup Finals have gone back into hiding."

Good to see that all of those “diehard life long Panther fans” that were seen in public for the first time ever during the Stanley Cup Finals have gone back into hiding. pic.twitter.com/LIhhTQUb3z

— Anthony LaPanta (@AnthonyLaPanta) March 26, 2026

The cheap dig instantly garnered plenty of negative reaction from Panthers fans, with the play-by-play voice for Florida Atlantic football and basketball, Ken LaVicka, responding "you're a child."

you're a child.

— Ken LaVicka (@KLVsays) March 27, 2026

One commenter responded with a screenshot of an article from The Athletic that ranked the Wild's television broadcast as the 27th best in the NHL.

27th ranked broadcast team for a reason I guess pic.twitter.com/lyzukhlMEE

— David (@David954FLA) March 27, 2026

There were numerous comments referencing the North Stars leaving and the sparse attendance before their departure. Several comments also referenced the Wild's lack of championships, while boasting about the Panthers' two straight Stanley Cup titles.

The 'backlash' continued Friday morning with The Dan Le Batard Show getting in on the action.

After briefly recapping the "tough loss" for the Panthers, radio host Jonathan Zaslow began going in on LaPanta, who he calls "some guy," for the shot.

"All right, it's very early in the game and the Minnesota Wild play-by-play guy decides, in the middle of calling the action, I'm going to take a photo of the crowd and I'm going to post on Twitter," said Zaslow. "So, this isn't some podcaster who follows the Minnesota Wild. This isn't some blogger who follows the Minnesota Wild. This is their actual play-by-play television announcer who decides we are going to come after Panther fans for not showing up at the end of the season. Which, by the way, the announced crowd last night was just under 19,000."

https://www.youtube.com/live/fjPtJNMzoCQ?si=OFduunuAru5Or86E

According to official league game summary, attendance on Thursday evening in Miami was 18,979, which is just under 1,000 fewer fans than Florida's average attendance this season. According to Hockey-reference, the Panthers average around 19,895 fans, which ranks third-best in the league. For reference, the Wild average around 17,940 fans this season,14th-best in the league. However, that's because the Panthers' home capacity is 19,677, which is just under 2,000 more seats than the Wild's Grand Casino Arena at 17,954.

While the photo LaPanta posted does show plenty of vacant seats at the Arena, Zaslow points out there's probably a good reason for that.

"He's pointing the picture at Club Red, or whatever it's called," continued Zaslow. "This is the two sections, center ice, which have the all-you-can-eat buffet. I don't know about you, but if I purchase those seats, I'm probably going to spend a few minutes at the all-you-can-eat buffet before I get to my seats."

"It's a big-time hospitality area for the Panthers," added Le Batard Show producer Michael Ryan Ruiz.

Zaslow then shifted to taking a shot at the team and state LaPanta commentates on.

"And so, he points there and does the whole 'Diehard lifelong Panther fans have gone back into hiding,'" Zaslow continued. "Let me also remind everybody that this dolt doesn't point out to everyone. Let me remind everybody, the Minnesota, the city of Minnesota had their hockey team taken from them. And I'm sure it had nothing to do with fan support. Their team moved to Texas. Texas!"

Moving past the 'city of Minnesota' comment, Zaslow is inadvertently correct that the North Stars' departure did have nothing to do with fan support.

The then-owner of the North Stars, Norm Green, moved the team after the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission denied the organization the opportunity to improve the Met Center. According to HockeyDB.com, North Stars attendance figures averaged 13,910 in the team's final season in Minnesota, in an arena that sat approximately 15,784 for hockey.

Upon hockey's return to Minnesota, the fans showed up by regularly selling out the home arena, oftentimes with less than stellar play from the Wild. That includes a 230-game regular season sellout streak from Dec. 2, 2013 to Oct. 20, 2019.

"Pretty crappy stuff out of the play-by-play guy from Minnesota," added co-host Dave Dameshek.

Cheap dig at the Florida fan base? Sure. Funny comment? You be the judge. The post may have been an attempt at a quip from LaPanta at his Worst Seats in the House podcast co-host Michael Russo, who covers the Wild for The Athletic and covered the Panthers before coming to Minnesota. Russo commented on the post, saying, "About as smart a take as your playoff format one."

About as smart a take as your playoff format one 🙄

— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) March 27, 2026

After winning back-to-back Stanley Cups and making three straight Cup Final appearances, the injury-riddled Panthers are going to finish well short of the playoffs this season.

Class 1A semifinals Friday

Here are the schedule/results for the Class 1A semifinal games at Williams Arena.

• #5 Hills-Beaver Creek 71, #1 Henning 67 (Final, OT)
• #2 Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton 76, #3 Red Lake County 58 (Final)

Class 2A semifinals Friday

Here are the schedule/results for the Class 2A semifinal games at Williams Arena.

• #1 Goodhue 76, #5 Albany 74 (Final)
• #2 Pequot Lakes vs. #3 Minnehaha Academy, 8 p.m.

Saturday's championship schedule

Here is the schedule for the 2026 finals on Saturday at Williams Arena

• Class 1A final: #2 Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton vs. #5 Hills-Beaver Creek, 11 a.m.
• Class 3A final: #1 Totino-Grace vs. #2 DeLaSalle, 1 p.m.
• Class 2A final, #1 Goodhue vs. TBD, 5 p.m.
• Class 4A final: #5 Chaska vs. #7 Apple Valley, 8 p.m.

Joel Eriksson Ek stole the show with the winning goal with five seconds remaining in the third period, and his shot was the 50th on goal in a game that saw Florida goalie Daniil Tarasov make a whopping 47 saves.

MINNESOTA CALLS GAME AGAINST FLORIDA WITH 4 SECONDS LEFT 🥶 pic.twitter.com/R5KspRG4kn

— ESPN (@espn) March 27, 2026

Minnesota built a 2-0 lead on second-period goals by Marcus Foligno and Ryan Hartman, but Florida bounced back with a goal by Matthew Tkachuck 42 seconds into the third period and then tied it on Aaron Ekblad's goal with 1:13 left in regulation.

Overall, it was a solid night for the Wild, who made some history with Marcus and Nick Foligno playing on the same team together for the first time in their long NHL careers. The Wild acquired Nick from the Blackhawks before the trade deadline, and Marcus played for the first time after missing 12 games due to a lower-body injury.

There was one injury scare for Minnesota. Jared Spurgeon fell face first into the goal post and wound up suffering a cut on his face. Head coach John Hynes revealed afterward that Spurgeon would be alright despite needing some stitches.

At 41-20-12, the Wild moved within three points of the Dallas Stars for second place in the Central Division. It's all but a foregone conclusion that Minnesota and Dallas will meet in the first round of the playoffs; it's just a matter of which team will have the home-ice advantage to start the series.

Dallas (43-18-12) lost a fourth consecutive game Thursday night, falling 2-1 to the New York Islanders.

The Wild are back on the ice at Boston on Saturday. The puck drops just after 4 p.m. CT.

Pierce, 37, and children Hudson, 8, Cayden, 6, and Avery, 4, died after their home caught fire on the 2100 block of Richard Avenue early Saturday morning.

Hinrichs was out of town on business at the time of the fire, and a statement released by the husband and father says he is "completely devastated" by the tragic loss of his family.

"We have lost a beautiful wife, daughter, sister and friend in Jessi, and three amazing children who were the light of our lives, Hudson, Cayden and Avery, whose lives were all taken too soon," he said.

The shocking incident has led to a flood of tributes from the NHL world and the Twin Cities sports media community, with Pierce a hugely popular hockey personality, working as a Minnesota Wild reporter for NHL.com, a regular guest on Twin Cities sports talk station Skor North, and also the co-host of the hockey podcast Bardown Beauties with Kirsten Krull.

A GoFundMe campaign to help Hinrichs following the tragedy has raised more than $220,000 as of Friday morning, with NHL teams including the Wild among those that have contributed sizable sums to the fund.

Hinrichs acknowledged the outpouring that has followed the fire, saying: "We thank everyone for the extraordinary amount of love and support during this difficult time.

"From the fire departments and first responders to the White Bear Lake and Mahtomedi communities to the Minnesota Wild, the NHL, local hockey communities, and the nationwide support, we are grateful for the outpouring of compassion we have received.

"We ask for continued privacy during this extremely difficult time as we grieve this unthinkable loss."

The investigation into the cause of the fire continues, but preliminary investigation appears to have ruled out an intentional fire.

A public visitation will be held for Pierce, Hudson, Cayden and Avery on Sunday. More details here.

Class 1A quarterfinals schedule/results Thursday

Here are the schedule/results for the four Class 1A quarterfinal games taking place at Target Center on Thursday.

• #1 Henning 61, #8 Upsala 45 (Final)
• #5 Hills-Beaver Creek 72, #4 Southland 69 (Final)
• #2 Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton 81, #7 Cherry 72 (Final)
• #3 Red Lake County 85, #6 Liberty Classical Academy 63 (Final)

Class 1A semifinals schedule Friday

Here is the schedule for the Class 1A semifinal games at Williams Arena on Friday.

• #1 Henning vs. #5 Hills-Beaver Creek, 12 p.m.
• #2 Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton vs. #3 Red Lake County, 2 p.m.

Class 3A semifinals schedule/results Thursday

Here are the schedule/results for the Class 3A semifinals games at Williams Arena on Thursday.

• #1 Totino-Grace 89, #4 Northfield 61 (Final)
• #2 DeLaSalle 73, #3 Richfield, 70 (Final)

Class 3A final Saturday

We'll get the top-two seeds in the state squaring off for the Class 3A title at Williams Arena on Saturday.

• #1 Totino-Grace vs. #2 DeLaSalle, 1 p.m.

Class 4A semifinals schedule/results Thursday

Here are the schedule/results for the Class 4A semifinal games at Williams Arena on Thursday

• #1 Tartan 51, #5 Chaska 60 (Final)
• #3 Maple Grove 63, #7 Apple Valley 73 (Final)

Class 4A final Saturday

Two of the lowest seeds in the tournament have pulled off upsets to reach the title game.

• #5 Chaska vs. #7 Apple Valley, 8 p.m.

Class 2A semifinal schedule Friday

Here is the schedule for the Class 2A semifinal games at Williams Arena on Friday.

• #1 Goodhue vs. #5 Albany, 6 p.m.
• #2 Pequot Lakes vs. #3 Minnehaha Academy, 8 p.m.

Pierce, 37, died along with her three children Hudson, 8, Cayden, 6, and Avery, 4, after their home caught fire on the 2100 block of Richard Avenue early Saturday morning. 

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but officials say their preliminary findings have not led to any evidence that the fire was set intentionally.

A public visitation for Pierce and her three children is scheduled for Sunday, March 29, at Mueller Memorial located at 4738 Bald Eagle Ave., in White Bear Lake. 

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On Wednesday, the White Bear Lake Fire Department confirmed the identities of the four victims of the devastating house fire, adding they will be “forever be loved and remembered by their husband and father, Mike Hinrichs, and the White Bear Lake and Mahtomedi communities.” 

The city said fire officials have been in close contact with Mike Hinrichs to support him, his family, and his friends in recent days. 

“He has asked us to share his request for privacy while he grieves and the rest of his family and friends navigate this unimaginable time,” a press release details.

A GoFundMe to support Hinrichs in the wake of his tragic loss has raised more than $200,000.

Pierce worked as a Minnesota Wild reporter on NHL.com and a was a regular on Twin Cities radio, particularly on sports talk station Skor North. A hugely popular figure in the Twin Cities media and wider NHL community, her death has sparked an outpouring of tributes across North America.

Class 3A quarterfinals schedule/results Wednesday

Here are the schedule/results for the four Class 3A quarterfinals games on Wednesday at Williams Arena on Wednesday.

• #1 Totino-Grace 90,#8 Minneapolis-South 56 (Final)
• #4 Northfield 56, #5 Mankato East 49 (Final)
• #2 DeLaSalle 87, #7 Grand Rapids 37 (Final)
• #3 Richfield 72, #6 Sartell 62 (Final)

Class 3A semifinal schedule Thursday

Here is the schedule for the Class 3A semifinals on Thursday at Williams Arena.

• #1 Totino-Grace vs. #4 Northfield, 12 p.m.
• #2 DeLaSalle vs. #3 Richfield, 2 p.m.

Class 2A quarterfinal schedule/results Wednesday

Here are the schedule/results for the pair of Class 2A quarterfinals games at Williams Arena on Wednesday.

• #2 Pequot Lakees 69, #7 Blake 60 (Final)
• #3 Minnehaha Academy 77, #6 Waseca 69 (Final)

Class 2A semifinal schedule Friday

Here is the schedule for the Class 2A semifinal games at Williams Arena on Friday.

• #1 Goodhue vs. #5 Albany, 6 p.m.
• #2 Pequot Lakes vs. #3 Minnehaha Academy, 8 p.m.

Class 1A quarterfinals schedule Thursday

Here is the schedule for the four Class 1A quarterfinals games at the Target Center on Thursday.

• #1 Henning vs. #8 Upsala, 11 a.m.
• #4 Southland vs. #5 Hills-Beaver Creek, 1 p.m.
• #2 Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton vs. #7 Cherry, 3 p.m.
• #3 Red Lake County vs. #6 Liberty Classical Academy, 5 p.m.

Class 4A semifinal schedule Thursday

Here is the schedule for the Class 4A semifinals games at Williams Arena on Thursday.

• #1 Tartan vs. #5 Chaska, 6 p.m.
• #3 Maple Grove vs. #7 Apple Valley, 8 p.m.

NEWS: Welcome the architect of @TommieWBBall's future...@MandyPearson_ is the new head coach @UofStThomasMN women's basketball!

STORY - https://t.co/smVe9lWX90#RollToms pic.twitter.com/892lUvczhF

— St. Thomas Athletics (@TommieAthletics) March 25, 2026

"I am absolutely thrilled to welcome Mandy to St. Paul and the University of St. Thomas," St. Thomas AD Phil Esten said in a release. "Throughout the process, Mandy not only demonstrated she was the best coach for this job, but the best person as well. Mandy is a proven winner, and her dedication not only to excellence on the court, but in human development as well, made her the obvious choice to lead Tommie women's basketball."

"Her proven success in developing championship-caliber teams and fostering a strong culture aligns with the department's commitment to competing at the highest level while prioritizing the holistic growth of its student-athletes. With experience building and sustaining winning programs, Pearson is well-positioned to lead the Tommies into their next phase of success at the Division I level. As a community, we are excited for this next chapter in St. Thomas basketball history as we continue to build on the foundation set by our proud past."

Pearson has been the head coach at UMD for the past 11 seasons. She compiled a 208-105 overall record and a .665 winning percentage at the school. She led the 2025-26 Bulldogs team to the Elite Eight before falling to No. 3 Colorado Mesa on Tuesday.

"I am incredibly grateful to be named the head women's basketball coach at the University of St. Thomas," Pearson said in a release. "I sincerely appreciate Athletics Director Phil Esten and Deputy Athletic Director Julie Manning's professionalism during this process. I am very excited to begin working with [Esten and Maning]. Their vision for St. Thomas women's basketball on and off the basketball court is incredibly exciting and effortlessly aligns with my own. I cannot wait to begin getting to know our student-athletes and the St. Thomas community."

Pearson was previously the head coach at St. Mary's University in Minneapolis from 2007 to 2015. She was an assistant coach at Hamline University before that, which came after a four-year playing career at Concordia College of Moorhead.

After going 7-21 in their first season as a Division I program, St. Thomas had between 13 and 16 wins in each of the last four seasons. Pearson will now look to become the coach to take the Tommies into the NCAA Tournament for the first time at the D1 level.

During the final minutes of Albany's win over Jackson County Central in the Class 2A quarterfinals, Thomas Bidne lined up a three-pointer from the corner and buried it. Despite Jackson County Central getting blown out by the defending state champs, the announcers, like the crowd at the Target Center in Minneapolis, erupted with joy.

This was awesome! What a moment for Thomas Bidne at the State Tournament! From his teammates and coaches to the opposing team and coaches (well done Albany) to the excitement of the announcers. Truly awesome!! pic.twitter.com/lPxRLxXW4v

— Dave Peterson (@davecpeterson) March 25, 2026

In 2017, KARE 11's Boyd Huppert did a feature story on Bidne, who at the time was an 8-year-old second-grader playing percussion in the Jackson County Central High School band.

Bidne and his twin sister Julia were born at 27 weeks. While Julia was the bigger, healthier of the two, Thomas weighed only 1.8 pounds and spent the first year of his life in the hospital. In the womb, Thomas didn't receive enough blood to his brain, so, as Huppert reported, his parents, Mike and Laura Bidne, knew he would face cognitive challenges.

But as it turns out, Thomas has elite rhythm, thus his ability to perform in the high school band as an 8-year-old. Not to mention catch a pass in the corner, set his feet, square his shoulders, and knock down a three-pointer on high school basketball's biggest stage.

"Thomas is so proud, and he is incredibly lucky to have our JCC boys in his corner! There really aren't words to explain how grateful Mike and I are [for] the emotions we feel watching him be accepted for exactly who he is," Laura Bidne wrote in a Facebook appreciation post for a February article about Thomas in the Jackson County Pilot.

In that same article, Jackson County Central's star athlete, future Minnesota Gophers tight end Roman Voss, called Thomas "the best part of the game."

“It’s just awesome to have someone there that always has a positive mindset on basketball and in life,” Voss told the Pilot. “He’s someone to look to if you’re down. He’s awesome for the team.”

Minnesota Sports and Events confirmed the bid on Tuesday, revealing a plan for the draft to be centered around U.S. Bank Stadium in downtown Minneapolis, with complementary events at the Mall of America in Bloomington and the Minnesota Vikings' training headquarters in Eagan.

"This is an excellent opportunity to showcase our city, of course support the Vikings, and make sure that the whole world gets to see this exceptional place that we get to call home," said Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey.

For information about the bid, read more from the Bring Me The Sports team here.

The backbreaking moment came on one of the oddest goals you'll ever see. Tied 3-3 with 2:53 remaining in the third period, Erik Cernak was gifted the go-ahead goal after defenseman Charle-Edouard D'Astous fired the puck off the end boards and goalie Filip Gustavsson fumbled it between his legs, giving Cernak an open net to score on.

Erik Cernak SHATTERED the camera in the back of the net 🤯📸 https://t.co/DOO4POErk2 pic.twitter.com/IDTn65rGix

— TNT Sports U.S. (@TNTSportsUS) March 25, 2026

Mats Zuccarello and Brock Faber scored in the first period to give the Wild a 2-0 lead, and Vladimir Tarasenko's goal at 9:51 of the second period made it a 3-1 game. The Lightning responded with two goals before the end of the second period to tie the game, although Minnesota can argue that it should've led 4-3 going into the third had it not been for Michael McCarron's goal being disallowed with 1:07 remaining.

You can be the judge for yourself in the replay below, but the Lightning challenged for goaltender interference, and the officials determined that Bobby Brink caused a Tampa Bay player to contact goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy before McCarron scored.

No goal pic.twitter.com/8nsHDcIIFA

— Spoked Z (@SpokedZ) March 25, 2026

The game also featured a couple of intense fights, including McCarron delivering a nasty uppercut punch to Corey Perry.

Michael McCarron fed Corey Perry a LETHAL uppercut 😳
pic.twitter.com/lIESF1b9gA

— Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) March 24, 2026

Minnesota's Nick Foligno also left Tampa's Scott Sabourin bloodied after a lengthy fight at center ice.

SCOTT SABOURIN AND NICK FOLIGNO GIVE THE PEOPLE A CENTER ICE SHOW 🍿 pic.twitter.com/ycn0Sdiv2s

— Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) March 25, 2026

At 40-20-12, the Wild have 90 points and are still five points behind Dallas for second place in the Central Division. Assuming Colorado wins the division, the Wild and Stars are locked into facing each other in the first round of the playoffs. It's merely a matter of which team will have the home-ice advantage.

A GoFundMe campaign was launched late Sunday afternoon to help Pierce's husband, Mike Hinrichs, in the aftermath of his devastating loss. By Monday morning donations had exceeded $87,000, since when several large commitments have been pledged by NHL teams, with the total now nearing $200,000.

The Minnesota Wild and Columbus Blue Jackets each donated $10,000 to the GoFundMe campaign. The NHL Players Association donated $5,000, the Professional Hockey Writers Association donated $1,000, and NHL.com staff donated $2,235.

Pierce, 37, legal name Jessi Hinrichs, died along with her three children Hudson, 8, Cayden, 6, and Avery, 4, and the family dog in a house fire at their White Bear Lake home early Saturday morning.

She was well-known local media personality covering the Minnesota Wild as a game day and feature reporter for NHL.com. She also co-hosted the Bardown Beauties hockey podcast in collaboration with Skor North, as well as appearing regularly on Skor North's Judd's Hockey Show podcast.

In a Monday evening post, the White Bear Lake Fire Department said the cause of the fatal fire is still under investigation, but its "preliminary findings have not led to any evidence that the fire was set intentionally."

In an emotional tribute podcast on Judd's Hockey Show, Pierce's longtime Bardown Beauties co-host Kirsten Krull said Pierce was "one of the most amazing moms I ever met."

"Like, human, friend, she was like a big sister to me. I always told people that. I was like, 'Well, she's my podcast co-host, but honestly, she's like another big sister to me.' So, I always thought of her that way and referred to her to other people," she said.

AJ Fredrickson, a co-host of Judd's Hockey Show, said, "It's hard to not mention Jessi without mentioning her kids because they were such a big part of her life."

"She was such a great person," continued Fredrickson. "The amount of people that have shared an experience of how she touched their lives and vice versa, I mean I expected a lot but it's been incredible."

"I don't think I've ever met anyone who was as beloved and yet was so unapologetically themselves," said Skor North's Judd Zulgad. "My observation was she was beloved. People loved her... I admired it."

The Wild shared a tribute video on Monday that included comments from general manager Bill Guerin, head coach John Hynes, as well as longtime star Jared Spurgeon.

The team plays their first game since the news became public on Tuesday night. The Wild are in Tampa to take on the Tampa Bay Lightning, who have left a seat open in their press box in honor of Pierce.

Incredibly classy move by the @TBLightning tonight, saving a pressbox seat for a friend we all wish was covering this #mnwild game with us. 😥 pic.twitter.com/yRa3tStBGo

— Jess Myers (@JessRMyers) March 24, 2026

Class 4A quarterfinal results Tuesday

Here's the schedule/results for today's opening round of Class 4A games at the Target Center.

• #1 Tartan 72, #8 Blaine 44 (Final)
• #5 Chaska 71, #4 Lakeville South 53 (Final)
• #7 Apple Valley 75, #2 Wayzata 73 (Final)
• #3 Maple Grove 82, #6 Alexandria Area 65 (Final)

Class 4A semifinal schedule Thursday

Here is the schedule for the Class 4A semifinals on Thursday at Williams Arena.

• #1 Tartan vs. #5 Chaska, 6 p.m.
• #3 Maple Grove vs. #7 Apple Valley, 8 p.m.

Class 2A quarterfinal results Tuesday

Here are the schedule/results for the pair of Class 2A quarterfinals games at the Target Center on Tuesday.

• #1 Goodhue 70, #8 Perham 49 (Final)
• #4 Jackson County Central 49, #5 Albany 85 (Final)

Class 2A quarterfinal schedule Wednesday

Here is the schedule for the pair of Class 2A quarterfinals games at Williams Arena on Wednesday.

• #2 Pequot Lakes vs. #7 Blake, 6 p.m.
• #3 Minnehaha Academy vs. #6 Waseca, 8 p.m.

Class 3A quarterfinals schedule Wednesday

Here is the schedule for the four Class 3A quarterfinals games on Wednesday at Williams Arena.

• #1 Totino-Grace vs. #8 Minneapolis South, 10 a.m.
• #4 Northfield vs. #5 Mankato East, 12 p.m.
• #2 DeLaSalle vs. #7 Grand Rapids, 2 p.m.
• #3 Richfield vs. #6 Sartell, 4 p.m.

Class 1A quarterfinals schedule Thursday

Here is the schedule for the four Class 1A quarterfinal games at the Target Center on Thursday.

• #1 Henning vs. #8 Upsala, 11 a.m.
• #4 Southland vs. #5 Hills-Beaver Creek, 1 p.m.
• #2 Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton vs. #7 Cherry, 3 p.m.
• #3 Red Lake County vs. #6 Liberty Classical Academy, 5 p.m.

Braden Grimm faces seven charges in connection with the incident, including third-degree assault, fourth-degree assault on a peace officer, and two counts of obstruction or interference with a peace officer.

Grimm is a student at Minnesota State University, Mankato, and pitched for Mavericks baseball team in 2025. He also played for the Mankato MoonDogs.

A spokesperson for the university tells Bring Me The News that "Grimm is not a member of the team at this time."

Around midnight Friday, officers working foot patrol in downtown Mankato were alerted of a fight outside a bar, with witnesses pointing them towards a suspect in a gray sweatshirt, who was later identified as Grimm.

According to a criminal complaint, officer Brianna Wagner approached Grimm and asked him for his ID, which Grimm allegedly claimed he did not have despite being in an area where he would need an ID to get into bar.

When the officer "took ahold" of Grimm's left arm and "instructed him to place his hands behind his back," the man "tensed up and tried to push past" Wagner, the complaint says.

As Wagner maintained a hold on Grimm, he "aggressively spun around and pushed against" her, then a second officer took hold of the man, "who continued to forcefully propel himself away" and "fell to the ground."

"The male continued to aggressively attempt to move away from officers and was able to get his knees underneath him and started to stand up," per the complaint.

To prevent him from fleeing, Wagner grabbed onto Grimm's legs, as he "used force to continue to resist," causing the officer's "head to hit the pavement with the weight of the male behind it."

A video posted to Facebook via local satire page Mankato Man shows Wagner with a bloodied face as she, the other officer, and a bouncer take Grimm into custody outside Rounders Sports Bar.

The complaint says the Wagner "incurred a significant injury from the male’s conduct," which required 11 stitches in two separate lacerations on her face.

Grimm, who's originally from Evanston, Ill., refused a breath test, but police believe he was under the influence of alcohol.

He also refused to identify himself and had in his possession an ID for a different person with a 2002 birthdate, according to the complaint.

Grimm was taken to Blue Earth County Jail, where he appears to have already made bail.

Hungry Like the Wolf brings Minnesota labor history and sharp comedy together in a fast-moving new production at History Theatre. Written by Sandra Struthers and directed by Laura Leffler, the show draws from the groundbreaking story of the Willmar Eight — the women who led the first American bank strike in the United States right here in Minnesota — while weaving in themes of gender equity, political history, and pop culture.

Blending humor, social commentary, and unmistakable ’80s energy, the production also folds in references to McCarthyism, director Lee Grant, and an unmistakable obsession with Duran Duran. The result is a lively, unconventional theatrical experience that balances history with irreverence and heart.

Tickets start at $25, with performances running through April 12 and select dates offering accessible services through History Theatre.

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In a Monday evening post, the White Bear Lake Fire Department says that the cause of the fire at Pierce's home on the 2100 block of Richard Avenue is still under investigation, but its "preliminary findings have not led to any evidence that the fire was set intentionally."

"Our priorities are, first and foremost, being present for those directly affected by this tragedy, conducting a thorough investigation, and ensuring our first responders involved in this incident heal alongside the community," the department said.

Pierce, 37, legal name Jessi Hinrichs, died along with children Hudson, 8, Cayden, 6, and Avery, 4, and the family dog in the fire, which was reported to authorities at 5:26 a.m. Saturday.

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It has been reported by Minnesota Wild insider Michael Russo of The Athletic that Mike Hinrichs – Pierce's husband and the children’s father – was out of town on a work trip at the time of the fire.

A GoFundMe has been launched to help Hinrichs in the wake of his devastating loss. As of Monday morning it had raised just over $80,000. By 7 p.m. Monday, that figure had grown to $146,000.

Pierce, a Minnesota Wild reporter for NHL.com and a regular fixture on Twin Cities radio, particularly on sports talk station Skor North, was a hugely popular figure in the Twin Cities media and wider NHL community.

Tributes from the Minnesota Wild, including General Manager Bill Guerin, were shared by the team on Monday.

Today we remember our good friend Jessi ❤️ pic.twitter.com/RxXxGaP6BN

— x - Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) March 23, 2026

The five finalists include Wayzata teammates Christian Wiggins and Nolan Anderson, Hopkins guard Jayden Moore, Henning High School's Kale Misegades, and Waseca's Deron Russell.

Nolan Anderson, Christian Wiggins

The Wayzata (25-3) teammates have led the Trojans into the state tournament as the No. 2 overall seed in Class 4A, where they will face No. 7 Apple Valley in the quarterfinals on Tuesday. Anderson is averaging 23.1 points per game, while Wiggins, who was recently named the Gatorade Player of the Year in Minnesota, averages 21.1 points.

Anderson is committed to the Golden Gophers, while Wiggins will play at Iowa State. Notably, fellow Gophers commit, East Ridge guard Cedric Tomes, did not make the list of five after being included among the 10 semifinalists.

Since Hopkins standout Joe Coleman signed with the Gophers in 2011, Amir Coffey and Braeden Carrington are the only two Minnesota Mr. Basketball winners to play college basketball in Minnesota.

Jayden Moore

Moore averaged 18.2 points and 9.3 assists per game to lead the Royals to a 21-8 record. They fell to Wayzata in the section championship, putting a bow on Moore's record-setting prep basketball career in which he set the state's all-time assists record.

Moore will play in college at the University of North Dakota.

Deron Russell

The scoring machine has the Bluejays in the Class 3A state tournament as the No. 6 seed, and they will play No. 3 Minnehaha Academy in the quarterfinals on Wednesday night. Russell broke Waseca's all-time scoring record, passing former Minnesota State-Mankato national champion star Malik Willingham's previous mark.

Russell is committed to North Dakota State University as a football player.

Kale Misegades

The 6-foot-2 guard has led Henning to a 30-0 record entering the state tourney, where they are the No. 1 seed in Class 1A and will face No. 8 Upsala in Thursday's quarterfinal opener. Misegades is committed to Division II Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall.

Pierce, 37, legal name Jessi Hinrichs, died along with children Hudson, 8, Cayden, 6, and Avery, 4, and the family dog at their home on the 2100 block of Richard Avenue.

Pierce's husband and the children's father, Mike Hinrichs, was out of town on a work trip at the time of the fire, and a GoFundMe campaign was launched to help him in the wake of his devastating loss.

Having been launched on Sunday afternoon, donations quickly surged to more than $87,000 as of Monday morning.

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Mike Hinrichs confirmed their tragic deaths on social media Sunday, writing: "Jess was beautiful, vibrant, full of life – she lit up every room she walked into and made everyone feel welcome.

"She left a lasting mark on everyone lucky enough to know her. Above all she was a devoted and loving mother to her three amazing children: Hudson, Cayden, and Avery.

"While Jess was lucky to land her dream job writing about hockey, podcasting, and more, she spent every second beyond that creating adventures with her family. Avery loved fashion and dance. Cayden, a comedian-in-training loved wrestling for sport and for play. Hudson was full of curiosity and loved basketball and sports.

"Our hearts are heavy as we grieve this unimaginable tragedy. We hold onto the memories, the laugher, and the love they gave so freely."

Pierce was a fixture in the Twin Cities sports media industry, working as a game day and feature reporter covering the Wild for NHL.com, making regular appearances on sports talk stations Skor North and KFAN, and co-hosting the Bardown Beauties hockey podcast with Kirsten Krull, a collaboration with Skor North.

There was an outpouring of grief from the North American hockey community as the news broke, including from her podcast co-host Krull, who likened Pierce to "a big sister."

"Family isn’t always blood, but the people you choose and that couldn’t have been more true. Jessi was like another big sister to me," she said. "She had a confidence and a way of being able to talk to anyone that I envied. She had an unmatched work ethic and a huge heart. Any time I needed help, needed to rant, or needed someone she was there without hesitation. Most importantly, she was the best mom and loved her kids and family fiercely."

Prominent Minnesota Wild reporter Michael Russo paid tribute to Pierce in The Athletic, writing: "Her personality was infectious, her confidence inspiring. So even if you didn’t know her, you felt like you did. Even if you weren’t friends with her, you felt like you were."

As of Monday morning, authorities in White Bear Lake have not released any details regarding the suspected cause of the fire.

Kirsten Krull co-hosted the Bardown Beauties podcast with Pierce, likening her to a "big sister" who was always there for her "without hesitation."

"Family isn’t always blood, but the people you choose and that couldn’t have been more true. Jessi was like another big sister to me. She had a confidence and a way of being able to talk to anyone that I envied. She had an unmatched work ethic and a huge heart. Any time I needed help, needed to rant, or needed someone she was there without hesitation. Most importantly, she was the best mom and loved her kids and family fiercely," Krull stated.

"She brought me into her world and introduced me to her family and friends and I’m so grateful she did. Hudson, Cayden and Avery were the best kids and I’m so grateful she let me be part of their lives. The visits on game days, being able to come to their house and hang out with the family are memories I cherish."

Family isn’t always blood, but the people you choose and that couldn’t have been more true. Jessi was like another big sister to me. She had a confidence and a way of being able to talk to anyone that I envied. She had an unmatched work ethic and a huge heart. Any time I needed… pic.twitter.com/R0Ug5fjwEj

— Kirsten Krull (@KirstenKrull) March 22, 2026

According to the White Bear Lake Fire Department, the fire was reported at a home on the 2100 block of Richard Avenue at 5:26 a.m. Saturday. Firefighters discovered four victims and a deceased dog inside the home.

News of the tragic house fire has stretched far and wide, a result of Pierce's larger-than-life media personality. From SportsCenter anchor Linda Cohn to Spittin' Chiclets co-host Ryan Whitney, and the National Hockey League itself, tributes are being paid to the Minnesota mother of three.

“The entire National Hockey League family sends our prayers and deepest condolences to the Pierce family on the passing of Jessi Pierce and her three young children,” the NHL said in a statement. "Jessi loved our game and was a valued member of the NHL.com team for a decade. We will miss her terribly.”

"Devastated and heartbroken," Cohn, the longtime ESPN anchor, said. "Jessi was beautiful inside and out. Her passion outside of her family, was hockey. I was such a huge fan. Was always thrilled and shared so many laughs with her when I came on her show Bardown Beauties. She was so genuine and stayed true to herself. My heart aches for Jessi, her 3 children and their dog. This is so hard to accept. May they all RIP."

Words cannot describe the profound loss the hockey world is grappling with this weekend - a cherished colleague and friend in Jessi Pierce, alongside her three beautiful children.

Jessi’s spirit and enthusiasm at the rink was so infectious. It just can’t make sense. 💔😭🙏

— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) March 22, 2026

"This is a beyond heartbreaking story out of Minnesota. Feel sick for Jessi’s husband and her entire family," said Whitney, who played nine years in the NHL after being the fifth overall pick in the 2002 NHL Draft.

Dave McCarthy, an NHL.com correspondent for the Toronto Maple Leafs and host on NHL Network Radio, spent a few minutes Sunday talk about the impact Pierce had on his life.

"She was an absolute model about the way to live your life and the way to do the job that she did so well," McCarthy said, commending Pierce for being an incredible mother and colleague. "She just did what needed to be done, and that's what she was always all about."

On my dear friend and colleague Jessi Pierce.

A wonderful reporter and an even better mom.

She set a standard on how to do it all. I will miss her. pic.twitter.com/sLMxGdr50C

— Dave McCarthy (@DaveAMcCarthy) March 22, 2026

Locally, Pierce's colleagues, those who knew her or encountered her in passing, have also offered words of admiration and respect.

"Twitter is filled w/ odes to Jessi Pierce from people who spent hours with her weekly as she covered Wild. Me? I might see her once a month in (the) press box, but Jessi always had mercy on (the) old guy who could use team info — plus a few minutes pregame convo that was laugh-filled," longtime Minnesota sports columnist Patrick Reusse said.

"My greatest compliment for anyone encountered in the sports world (or life) is that he or she is a 'character' … meaning, unique & enjoyable to be around. And that was always my read on Jessi: 'What a character.'"

There are no words to express how heartbroken we all are.

Jessi Pierce (Hinrichs) was the most vibrant person - the life of the party, always with a smile on her face, always bringing a passion to every article and podcast and interview she did. Jessi simply loved covering the…

— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) March 22, 2026

Yesterday was an absolute nightmare and it hasn’t subsided. Jessi was so much more than just a contributor to us, she was a friend, a super mom, and a wife. She commanded every room she walked in. I was literally booking a tee time with her on Thursday. I’m heartbroken.

— Declan Goff (@DexsTweets) March 22, 2026

We are heartbroken and join the State of Hockey in mourning the tragic loss of Jessi and her children. May they rest in peace 💔. pic.twitter.com/H8L8Wgu6l4

— x - Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) March 22, 2026

SKOR North's Judd Zulgad spoke with Pierce on his hockey podcast on Friday, noting that Pierce's kids burst into her podcast studio in the middle of the show. One day later, his friend and her children were gone.

"It still doesn’t seem real and it certainly doesn’t seem fair," Zulgad wrote in a tribute to Pierce. "There are no words to describe this tragedy and yet there are countless words to describe Jessi. She was special in so many ways."

Bracket:

After a 23-14-1 record, the Bulldogs earned the No. 2 seed in the Albany, New York regional. It's their first time back in the tournament since 2021-22. They will play No. 3 seed Penn State on Friday night at 8 p.m. CT. That game will be broadcast on ESPN2.

The Mavericks are back in the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year under third-year head coach Luke Strand. They won the CCHA automatic bid after beating St. Thomas in the conference tournament title game.

With a 22-10-7 overall record, they earned the No. 4 seed in the Loveland, CO regional. They'll face the No. 1 seed Western Michigan on Friday.

This year's Frozen Four is headed to Las Vegas. It will take place on April 9 and 11.

Authorities in White Bear Lake confirmed a fire broke out at a home on the 2100 block of Richard Avenue at 5:26 a.m. Saturday, with an adult, three children, and a dog found dead after the blaze was suppressed.

It has since been confirmed that the victims were Pierce and her three children.

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Pierce was a fixture in the Twin Cities sports media industry, working as a game day and feature reporter covering the Wild for NHL.com, making regular appearances on sports talk stations Skor North and KFAN, and co-hosting the Bardown Beauties hockey podcast with Kirsten Krull, a collaboration with Skor North.

The White Bear Lake Fire Department has not provided any details at this time regarding the cause of the fire, with an investigation into the blaze ongoing.

“Our hearts ache for those involved in this tragedy,” the department said. “We ask our community to come together and support one another during this difficult time.”

Minnesota's hockey and sports media communities have expressed devastation, with Wild analyst Kevin Gorg posting on social media that "our hockey world is hurting."

Just hearing the news about the loss of Jessi and her kids in a house fire. Absolutely gutted," said longtime Minnesota sports insider Jon Krawczynski. "Jessi was such a bright, shining light in this media market. Enthusiastic, smart, funny, warm and wholly original. Such a big fan of her work, but more so her as a person."

Just gutted. @jessi_pierce was truly one of a kind and had the biggest heart. Prayers to her family. Absolutely heart broken. pic.twitter.com/PIDaD981GV

— Natalie Darwitz (@NatalieDarwitz) March 22, 2026

RIP Jessi and children🙏🙏🙏🙏

— Pat Micheletti (@patmick2626) March 22, 2026

There are no words to express how heartbroken we all are.

Jessi Pierce (Hinrichs) was the most vibrant person - the life of the party, always with a smile on her face, always bringing a passion to every article and podcast and interview she did. Jessi simply loved covering the…

— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) March 22, 2026

💔 pic.twitter.com/lKgfiV0Nfw

— Phil Mackey 🎙 (@PhilMackey) March 22, 2026

Note: The details provided in this story are based on law enforcement’s latest version of events, and may be subject to change.

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Weets was behind the bench for the last four years, but left due to what she describes as persistent and sometimes aggressive behavior from parents.

"This decision is not related to the players or their effort, commitment, or conduct," Weets writes in her letter, shared with Bring Me The News.

"My resignation is the result of ongoing and unresolved issues related to parental conduct within the program. Excessive parental involvement repeatedly interfered with player accountability and coachability, with certain parents operating outside the appropriate role of parents within the program structure."

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Her letter was followed by a March 17 statement from Cloquet High School principal Steve Battaglia, who said "there were some parents who made Kennedy’s (and her assistants) job(s) significantly less than enjoyable."

The "repeated instances" of inappropriate conduct toward her and her staff included "emails, text messages, phone calls, confrontational meetings, conduct violations during games, and communications" that raised safety concerns, as well as letters and notes left at Weets' home and on her car.

Additionally, there was a post-game confrontation outside the team locker room that resulted in the school administration banning the parents involved from the arena for the remainder of the season.

Battaglia's statement notes that after the locker room confrontation, school administration representatives "increased their presence at practices and games."

He continues, "Disagreement between parents and head coaches isn't uncommon, however some of the stuff that has gone on rarely happens in high school sports."

The statement also notes that the school adminsitration met with all parents who wanted to express concerns about the situation. However, it does not detail the nature of those concerns or whether any action was taken in response to those meetings.

Following Weets' resignation, the school has posted a job listing for a replacement and hopes to have a recommendation for the school board by April.

Storm, who also teaches physical education at the school, resigned from his coaching position on March 19, the district's communications director, Grace Olson, tells Bring Me The News.

Details about Storm's leave of absence have not been shared publicly, but Olson says the coach was on leave "pending the outcome of an investigation regarding allegations that were made against him."

He returned to his teaching position in early February.

Further details about the investigation have not been shared, as the district considers that information "private data." However, the Minnesota Star Tribune notes that sources shared details on "times when he lost his temper."

Lakeville South girls hockey coach Kurt Weber was named the acting head coach for boys hockey in February and remained in the position through the end of the season. 

Storm, a Lakeville High School graduate and former Owatonna coach, became the Lakeville South coach in the 2021-22 season and took the Cougars to the state tournament three times during his tenure.

Storm replaced Janne Kivihalme, who went on to be an assistant coach at Augsburg University for two seasons and is currently an assistant coach for the Rosemount High girls' team. 

Breaking Barriers & Building Comfort: Celebrating Megan During Women in Trades Month

March is Women in Trades Month—a time to recognize the hardworking, skilled women who are making an impact in industries traditionally dominated by men. At Logan Companies, we’re proud to spotlight one of our own: Megan, one of the few female HVAC technicians in the field, and a dedicated professional serving Minnesota homeowner with expertise, heart, and grit.

A Family Tradition Turned Personal Mission

For Megan, a career in HVAC wasn’t by chance—it was a path that was shaped by her upbringing.

“HVAC runs in the family,” she shares. “Growing up, I watched my father work in the trade, and I saw the pride they took in solving problems and helping people stay comfortable and safe in their homes. That really stuck with me.”

That early exposure shaped more than just career curiosity—it shaped her values. Today, Megan carries on that tradition while building something of her own. What she loves most about the job is simple: no two days are ever the same.

“Every day is different. Each job brings a new challenge. I enjoy working with my hands, troubleshooting systems, and knowing that what I do makes a real difference for families and businesses.”

It’s that mindset—problem-solver, protector, professional—that defines her work.

Built for Minnesota’s Toughest Seasons

Being an HVAC technician in Minnesota isn’t for the faint of heart.

With subzero winters and hot, humid summers, our state pushes heating, cooling, and plumbing systems to their limits. Megan sees it all.

“In the winter, we deal with frozen pipes, furnace breakdowns, and heating inefficiencies. In the summer, it’s all about keeping A/C units running properly and efficiently. There’s never really a slow season—we have to be ready year-round.”

Minnesota’s climate doesn’t just demand quick fixes—it demands preparation. Megan is a strong advocate for preventative maintenance, helping customers stay ahead of problems before extreme weather makes them worse.

“A little upkeep now can save homeowners from major issues later.”

More Than a Technician—A Trusted Neighbor

One of Megan’s most memorable service calls came during a brutal cold snap when temperatures dropped well below zero.

She was dispatched to help an elderly woman whose furnace had completely failed. When Megan arrived, the home was already dangerously cold.

“She didn’t have another heat source. I diagnosed a failed ignitor and, thankfully, had the part on my truck.”

But she didn’t just replace the part and leave.

“I stayed to make sure everything was running safely and helped her set her thermostat properly so she’d stay comfortable. It’s not just about fixing equipment—it’s about making sure people are safe and cared for, especially when they need it most.”

That’s the Logan Companies difference in action.

Advice for Homeowners: Don’t Wait

When asked for one piece of advice for Minnesota homeowners, Megan doesn’t hesitate:

“Don’t wait until something breaks.”

She recommends:

• Changing HVAC filters every 1–3 months
• Scheduling professional service before each heating and cooling season
• Watching for slow drains or small plumbing leaks before they become costly repairs

“Regular maintenance goes a long way. A little attention now can prevent big, expensive problems later.”

It’s practical advice from someone who’s seen what happens when small issues are ignored.

A Woman Thriving in the Trades

As one of the few female HVAC technicians in the industry, Megan has faced challenges—but she’s never let them define her.

“Early on, I had to prove myself a bit more. But once customers and coworkers saw that I knew my stuff and took pride in my work, the respect followed.”

Her perspective is clear: skill, work ethic, and professionalism matter most.

“This industry values what you bring to the table. My advice to other women considering this path? Don’t be intimidated. If you’re passionate and willing to learn, there’s absolutely a place for you here.”

Women in Trades Month is about visibility—and Megan’s story is proof that the trades offer real opportunity, stability, and fulfillment for women ready to step forward.

Rooted in Community

When she’s not serving customers, Megan is spending time with her kids—playing outside, cheering at sporting events, or simply relaxing together. She’s also an avid runner.

“Running helps me clear my mind, stay active, and push myself. That focus definitely carries over into how I approach my work.  If I could tell Minnesota homeowners one thing about Logan Companies, it’s that we truly care about doing the job right and treating people with respect. We’re not just there to fix a problem—we’re there to build trust.”

As a local, customer-focused company, that personal connection matters.

“We’re helping our neighbors. It’s about doing things the right way and making sure customers feel taken care of.”

Celebrating Women in Trades Month

This March, we celebrate Megan—and all the women making a difference in skilled trades across Minnesota.

At Logan Companies, we’re proud to support technicians who bring skill, integrity, and heart to every service call. Megan represents the future of the trades: knowledgeable, hardworking, community-focused, and committed to excellence.

If you see Megan on your next service call, know you’re in capable hands.

And if you’re a young woman considering a career in the trades? Let her story be your sign.

It emerged earlier this week that when he came to Minnesota to sign for the Vikings last week, Murray made a point of paying a visit to Parlour Bar with his agent for one of its famous Parlour Burgers.

It emerged, based on reporting by Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer, that Murray had tried a Parlour Burger when he was playing in Minnesota for the Arizona Cardinals several years ago.

On his second visit, Breer noted, he had an extra "splurge" by ordering a basket of fries with it.

Taking advantage of Murray fever, Parlour has announced a "Kyler Murray Splurge" between now and the end of March, giving customers 50% off fries whenever they order a burger.

"Kyler, the feeling is mutual! 💜 We are so excited to have you in purple and we’ve got Parlour burgers ready for you whenever you need them." the bar said.

"Be like Kyler Murray, splurge a little, get the fries."

The Parlour Burger is generally considered one of the best in the Twin Cities, with its melt-in-the-mouth combo of ground chuck, ribeye and brisket, finished with white American cheese on an egg bun.

Parlour first launched the burger at its original North Loop location, though Twin Cities media personality Jason DeRusha was informed that Murray went to its St. Paul location for his burger last week.

Parlour also sells its burger at its Excelsior bar, via its roaming food truck, and at U.S. Bank Stadium, Target Field and Huntington Bank Stadium.

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CBA details

The simplest takeaway: players are going to get paid more — a lot more. Under the terms of the new CBA, the salary cap will jump from just $1.5 million in 2025 to $7 million starting this season. Supermax contracts will now start at $1.4 million, up from $249,244 in 2025. Meanwhile, the average salary rises from $120,000 in 2025 to around $600,000 in 2026. The minimum salary will also increase to more than $300,000 under the new deal, up from $66,079 in 2025.

By getting the CBA worked out now, the league will be able to begin its 30th season on time. However, the offseason calendar will have to be reworked and condensed to fit in an expansion draft for two new teams, free agency, the draft, and preseason — all before the first regular-season game on May 8. How will this condensed offseason play out?

51-day sprint

The only offseason events that previously had scheduled dates are the WNBA Draft, set for April 13, and training camps opening six days later on April 19. The expansion draft and free agency dates are still to be determined now that the CBA has been verbally agreed upon. Any way you look at it, the next month and a half is going to be chaotic before the season gets underway. Let's take a look at the Lynx's involvement in these offseason events one at a time.

WNBA draft

The draft, as previously stated, is set for April 13. The Lynx have just two picks in the three-round draft: the No. 2 overall pick and the final pick. Minnesota landed the No. 2 overall selection through a draft-night trade that saw the Lynx send the 2024 No. 7 overall pick to Chicago, which used it to draft Angel Reese.

At No. 2 overall, the Lynx will have their choice of ultra-talented prospects. Spanish center Awa Fam, UConn guard Azzi Fudd, UCLA center Lauren Betts, TCU guard Olivia Miles, and LSU guard Flau'jae Johnson all occupy the top five on most big boards heading into the draft. Fudd, Betts, and Miles will all be active in the NCAA Women's Tournament this month.

Expansion draft

No date has been officially set for the expansion draft, though The Athletic reported it will likely be held on April 6 for the incoming Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo. The mechanics of how the expansion draft will work are still unclear.

Typically, new teams select players from existing WNBA rosters, with current teams allowed to protect five players. Expansion teams are then allowed to pick one player from each team's roster. They are also usually permitted to select one unrestricted free agent as part of the draft. However, due to the expectation of a new CBA this offseason, many contracts across the league expired following the 2025 season. As a result, most rosters currently have just one to four players under contract, mostly on rookie-level deals. So how the expansion draft will function remains a bit of a mystery. That leads us to...

Free agency

More than 100 WNBA players are currently unrestricted free agents, making this offseason a potential league-wide reset. Many expect some of the league's biggest names to re-sign or be cored by the teams they played for in 2025. That doesn't mean everyone will return to their previous clubs, so there will likely be plenty of chaos as more than 100 free agents search for new deals.

ESPN's Kendra Andrews reported that free agency is likely to take place between April 7–18, though those dates are subject to change pending formal approval of the new CBA.

These dates are subject to change as the new CBA formally signed, but here are the key dates that were provided to teams back in late February, per source:

April 1-6: Expansion Draft, which includes teams protecting their players, the coin flip between Portland & Toronto, and…

— Kendra Andrews (@kendra__andrews) March 18, 2026

According to Her Hoop Stats' WNBA Salary Cap Database, the Lynx have just two players — Dorka Juhász and Anastasiia Kosu — under contract for the 2026 season. Meanwhile, eight players from last year's roster are set to hit unrestricted free agency, including Napheesa Collier, Kayla McBride, DiJonai Carrington, Courtney Williams, Alanna Smith, Natisha Hiedeman, Bridget Carleton, and Jessica Shepard. Collier has been one of the league's biggest stars and has spent her entire professional career in Minnesota. Smith is the reigning co-Defensive Player of the Year.

The Lynx front office, like every other front office across the league, will have its work cut out as it negotiates deals with free agents to fill out the roster within a condensed time frame.

Training camp, preseason, regular-season tip-off

Training camps will open across the WNBA on April 19. The Lynx will play a three-game preseason before beginning an expanded 44-game regular-season schedule. Minnesota will open its preseason on the road against the Washington Mystics on Saturday, April 25. That will be followed by two home games: one against the Nigeria Women's National Team on April 27 and another against the Toronto Tempo on May 1.

The Lynx's regular season begins May 10 at Target Center against the Atlanta Dream. Tip-off for the season opener is set for 6 p.m. CT.

That's a wrap on the season

Thank you, Tommie Nation, for your support through it all 💜#RollToms | #CompetitiveJoy pic.twitter.com/M3cMg6TQEU

— St. Thomas Men’s Basketball (@TommieMBBall) March 18, 2026

The Tommies had to go cross-country on Monday morning to face Seattle U in the first round of the NIT on the road on Tuesday night. They looked like a team that felt the travel. They finished 21 of 56 (38%) from the field and 5 of 22 (23%) from three, to go along with 21 turnovers. The sloppy basketball was simply too much to overcome.

Year five as a Division I program was the first time St. Thomas was eligible for postseason play, and they finished with a 24-10 record, which was the same record they had in 2024-25. There was plenty of momentum all season with the brand new Lee & Penny Anderson Arena. They have a huge opportunity to continue to build, but they will need to keep their best players.

Notable players with eligibility remaining (2025-26 stats)

• Nolan Minessale, 2 years: (19.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.3 assists)
• Nick Janowski, 3 years: (16.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists)
• Isaiah Johnson-Arigu, 3 years: (10.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.1 assists)
• Carter Bjerke, 1 year: (9.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.2 assists)
• Ben Oosterbaan, 2 years: (7.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists)
• Austin Herro, 2 years: (5.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists)

Now more than ever, it's incredibly challenging for mid-major programs like St. Thomas to retain the majority of their top players from year to year. They will face a huge challenge this offseason, as their entire starting lineup and seven of the top eight players from their rotation have eligibility remaining beyond this season. Ryan Dufault (5.7 PPG) is the only player who played more than five minutes per game this season who is out of eligibility.

After seeing players like Andrew Rhode (Virginia and Wisconsin) and Kendall Blue (Nebraska) leave for Power Conference programs in the transfer portal over the last few seasons, it's probably unrealistic to think St. Thomas will return its entire core.

Minessale, Janowski and Johnson-Arigu will obviously be the three most challenging players to retain, as they will all have plenty of opportunities at a higher level in college basketball.

The athletic department at St. Thomas has obviously spent a lot of money over the last five years, with the jump from D3 to D1 and a brand new arena. We might truly find out how much money they have this offseason because it's going to be expensive if they want to keep their men's basketball roster together.

St. Thomas has already built itself into a consistent mid-major program with three straight seasons with 20 or more wins and a NIT appearance. They have an opportunity to take another big step next season if they can keep just a majority of their roster.

Teams were seeded 1-8 on Tuesday evening. Check out the brackets and quarterfinal matchups in each of the four classes below.

Class 4A

The quarterfinals will be played on Tuesday, March 24, at Target Center.

• 10 a.m. — #1 Tartan vs. #8 Blaine
• 12 p.m. — #4 Lakeville South vs. #5 Chaska
• 2 p.m. — #2 Wayzata vs. #7 Apple Valley
• 4 p.m. — #3 Maple Grove vs. #6 Alexandria Area

The winners will play in the semifinals at Williams Arena at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Thursday, March 26, followed by the championship game at Williams Arena on Saturday, March 28 at 8 p.m.

Class 3A

The quarterfinals will be played on Wednesday, March 25, at Williams Arena.

• 10 a.m. — #1 Totino-Grace  vs. #8 Minneapolis South
• 12 p.m. — #4 Northfield vs. #5 Mankato East
• 2 p.m. — #2 DeLaSalle vs. #7 Grand Rapids
• 4 p.m. — #3 Richfield vs. #6 Sartell

The winners will play in the semifinals at Williams Arena at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. on Thursday, March 26, followed by the championship game at Williams Arena on Saturday, March 28, at 1 p.m.

Class 2A

The quarterfinals will be played on Tuesday and Wednesday (March 24-25) at Target Center and Williams Arena. The first two games below are on March 24, and the last two are on March 25.

• 6 p.m. — #1 Goodhue vs. #8 Perham — (Target Center)
• 8 p.m. — #4 Jackson County Central vs. #5 Albany — (Target Center)
• 6 p.m. — #2 Pequot Lakes vs. #7 Blake — (Williams Arena)
• 8 p.m. — #3 Minnehaha Academy vs. #6 Waseca — (Williams Arena)

The winners will play in the semifinals at Williams Arena at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Friday, March 27, followed by the championship game at Williams Arena on Saturday, March 28, at 5 p.m.

Class 1A

The quarterfinals will be played on Thursday, March 26, at Target Center.

• 11 a.m. — #1 Henning vs. #8 Upsala
• 1 p.m. — #4 Southland vs. #5 Hills-Beaver Creek
• 3 p.m. — #2 Janes-Waldorf-Pemberton vs. #7 Cherry
• 5 p.m. — #3 Red Lake County vs. #6 Liberty Classical Academy

The winners will play in the semifinals at Williams Arena at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. on Friday, March 27, followed by the championship game at Williams Arena on Saturday, March 28, at 11 a.m.

Now, as acquisition speculation turns toward this summer, insiders across the league are once again hinting and speculating that Guerin could be lining up for another swing at a blockbuster move.

Much of the speculation surrounding the Wild throughout January and February revolved around a potential move for Rangers center Vincent Trocheck. The veteran winger was a surprise addition to Team USA's roster for the Olympics, one that Guerin, as U.S. GM, helped put together. Trocheck proved to be a vital piece of a penalty kill unit that didn't allow a single goal during the tournament. However, as the deadline passed, Minnesota didn't make a move for Trocheck, with reports later coming out that the Wild thought New York's asking price was too steep.

After staying patient at the deadline, Guerin is potentially gearing up for another blockbuster trade this summer. The Athletic's Michael Russo and Joe Smith are reporting that Guerin has "every intention" of pulling off another trade for a star, either this offseason or at next year's deadline.

So who could that possibly be? Well, Russo and Smith threw out names like St. Louis' Robert Thomas and Ottawa's Brady Tkachuck. Also listed was Hughes' brother Jack, who plays for the New Jersey Devils. Those are elite players, but one player Guerin hasn't been shy about publicly applauding is Toronto superstar Auston Matthews, who captained Team USA in Italy.

"I think the world of him," Guerin said on TSN radio last Thursday when asked about Matthews.

"There are different types of leadership. I think a lot of people expect the captain to be this 'rah-rah' guy, stand up in the locker room and give a big speech. He's not that type of guy. To be quite honest with you, most of the captains that I played with in the National Hockey League were not those types of guys. Scott Stevens never had a speech for us. Kelly Buchberger never had a speech. Guys like that, they do their leading on the ice and I think that's what Austen is. He's an unbelievable guy."

View the original article to see embedded media.

Matthews was recently ruled out for the season after sustaining a torn MCL in a controversial collision caused by Anaheim's Radko Gudas. The injury comes at a time when Toronto has struggled for wins and sits near the bottom of its division, though the Leafs did beat the Wild in St. Paul on Sunday night.

There is also growing speculation that the Leafs could be willing to throw in the towel on their current roster and prepare for a reset. If that happens, Matthews would be one of the biggest names to hit the trade block in a long time.

After not giving in to the high asking price for Trocheck in March, the Wild have kept a stockpile of key assets to use as trade bait this summer. Guerin will have his 2027 first-round pick, along with young stars and prospects like goaltender Jesper Wallstedt, center Danila Yurov, and prospects Charlie Stramel and Adam Benak.

Of course, it might take all of them to land a player of Matthews' caliber.

"He's one of the best two-way guys in the game," Guerin told TSN. "I think his defensive game, his two-way game, and I know he gets credit for it, but I think it's completely underrated. How dedicated he is to his own end. His stick and striping pucks, I don't know, he's a hell of a player, man. I know he deals with a lot there in Toronto, but I think the world of him."

League insider Elliotte Friedman mentioned on a recent edition of his 32 Thoughts podcast that he was talking with a rival executive who joked that Guerin may as well have a bright neon sign outside Grand Casino Arena saying, "Come here, Auston. Quinn is waiting for you." Guerin hasn't been shy about making big moves, so why would he stop when an opportunity to land a 28-year-old superstar center is potentially on the table?

"I really think the world of him as a person," said Guerin. "He delivered for us."

Sports Illustrated reporter Albert Breer revealed that Murray, who signed for the Vikings last week after being released by the Arizona Cardinals, took his agent to Parlour Bar in Minneapolis' North Loop, where he wanted another taste of its famous Parlour Burger.

Murray reportedly first experienced the Parlour Burger when he was in town with the Cardinals in 2023 for summer practices, and it clearly made the correct impression on the 28-year-old quarterback.

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"So with all that done, and a 9:20 p.m. CT flight back to DFW scheduled, Murray suggested he and [his agent Erik] Burkhardt grab that burger, remembering how good it was the last time he was there," Breer reports, describing the aftermath of Murray putting pen to paper with the Vikings.

It's clear Murray has affection for Minnesota, having revealed during his opening press conference that he rooted for the Vikings as a kid and "cried real tears" when Brett Favre through a devastating interception in the 2009 NFC Championship game against the New Orleans Saints.

The Parlour Burger is generally considered one of the best in the Twin Cities, with its melt-in-the-mouth combo of ground chuck, ribeye and brisket, finished with white American cheese on an egg bun.

Murray won't have far to go to find another when he's playing for the Vikings later this year, with U.S. Bank Stadium one of the seven locations Parlour sells its burgers, the others being its three Twin Cities restaurants (Minneapolis, St. Paul, Excelsior), its roaming food truck, and at Target Field and Huntington Bank Stadium.

The Tommies have floated around the bubble for an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament all season. They're currently No. 14 in the NCAA Collegiate Power Index (NPI), which would likely have them on the right side of the field before the rest of the conference tournaments wrap up.

St. Thomas has a chance to answer any doubts about their NCAA Tournament outlook in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) tournament championship game on Friday night against Minnesota State in Mankato.

Because everyone loves a bracket.

🔗: https://t.co/Zgm13vDOhD #CCHAHockey | #2026MasonCup pic.twitter.com/YI62yH2yx8

— CCHA (@CCHAHockey) March 15, 2026

The Mavericks are currently No. 17 in the NPI, so a Mason Cup win is likely their only chance of playing in the NCAA Tournament. St. Thomas beat Minnesota State in two out of three regular season matchups. Two of those games were played in St. Paul and one St. Thomas win came in overtime.

Minnesota State won the CCHA regular season crown, so that's why Friday's game will be in Mankato. The Mavericks beat Ferris State and Michigan Tech in the first two rounds. St. Thomas got by Lake Superior State and Augustana in its path to the championship. The Tommies lost to the Mavericks in last year's Mason Cup final, so they will look for revenge this time around.

This year's NCAA Tournament will not feature the Gophers, St. Cloud State or Bemidji State. Minnesota Duluth already has a spot secured as the No. 6 team in the NPI. St. Thomas and Minnesota State will battle represent the state of hockey on a national stage.

Minnesota State head coach Luke Strand is looking for his second straight NCAA Tournament appearence since replacing longtime head coach Mike Hastings in 2023. Rico Blasi has been the head coach at St. Thomas since 2021, and he's looking to be the first to lead the Tommies to the Division I tournament.

Friday night's game is scheduled to start at 7:07 p.m. CT.

It was an uninspiring home loss for the Wild (38-18-12) against a Leafs team that sits near the bottom of the Eastern Conference (29-27-12) and had lost nine of its last ten games coming into this one. Toronto was also without its best player in Auston Matthews, who will miss the rest of the season after suffering a significant injury this week.

The Maple Leafs stunned the St. Paul crowd — a group of fans that braved a Minnesota snowstorm to attend the game — with three goals in a span of about seven minutes early in the second period. The Wild got back into the game when Vladimir Tarasenko scored twice in less than 30 seconds early in the third period, but the equalizing goal eluded Minnesota after that. Despite out-shooting the Leafs 38 to 26, the Wild left empty-handed.

Neither team got on the board in the first period. Once the second began, the Leafs struck quickly. Morgan Rielly laced home a wrist shot just over a minute after the first intermission ended. About a minute later, Bo Groulx tipped home a Troy Stecher shot to double the lead. Six minutes after that, Groulx scored again off of a Matt Boldy giveaway. Those were just the third and fourth goals of Groulx's 69-game NHL career.

Heading into the third period, Wild coach John Hynes tried to give his trailing team a spark by shaking up his forward lines. Kirill Kaprizov moved to play with Boldy and Joel Eriksson Ek, with Vladimir Tarasenko joining Ryan Hartman and Mats Zuccarello, among other changes.

It worked. Five minutes into the third, the Wild got on the board when Tarasenko scored a goal from Zuccarello and Hartman. Then, off the ensuing faceoff, Tarasenko scored again, with the same two players getting the assists. Those two goals in a span of 23 seconds got the home crowd going, and it felt like the Wild weren't done.

But the third goal never came to fruition. Zuccarello had a great chance in front of the net that he couldn't get past Toronto goaltender Anthony Stolarz, who made 36 saves on the night. And Knies wrapped it up with an empty-netter in the final minute.

The Wild have now lost four of their last five games, including three straight home defeats against non-playoff teams from the East. It's looking more and more like they'll finish in third place in the Central Division and open the postseason with a difficult first-round matchup against Dallas or Colorado.

The Wild's next game comes on Tuesday night in Chicago against the Blackhawks, who have the third-fewest points in the West. Then Chicago comes to St. Paul on Thursday to complete a two-game set between the teams.

Men's tournament

• Braeden Carrington, Wisconsin (Park Center)
• Nolan Winter, Wisconsin (Lakeville North)
• Jack Robison, Wisconsin (Lakeville North)
• Jack Janicki, Wisconsin (White Bear Lake)
• Nasir Whitlock, Lehigh (DeLaSalle)
• Nolan Groves, Texas Tech (Orono)
• Tre Holloman, NC State (Cretin-Derham Hall)
• Nate Heise, Iowa State (Lake City)
• Cam Heide, Texas (Wayzata)
• Taison Chatman, Ohio State (Totino Grace)
• Will Tschetter, Michigan (Stewartville)
• Chase Thompson, Clemson (Alexandria)
• Kendall Blue, Nebraska (East Ridge)
• Andy Stefonowicz, North Dakota State (Minnetonka)
• Caleb Schoenrock, North Dakota State (St. Francis)
• Jalen Wilson, Northern Iowa (Benilde-St. Margaret's)
• J’Vonne Hadley, Louisville (Cretin-Derham Hall)
• Liam Carney, High Point (Providence Academy)
• Gavin Pendergast, Long Island (South St. Paul)

Women's tournament

University of Minnesota(No. 4 seed)

• Amaya Battle, Hopkins
• Mara Braun, Wayzata
• Tori McKinney, Minnetonka
• Sophie Hart, Farmington
• Brynn Senden, Wayzata
• Taylor Woodson, Hopkins
• Kennedy Klick, Maple Grove
• Niamya Holloway, Eden Prairie

University of Wisconsin-Green Bay (Minnesota's first-round opponent)

• Jenna Guyer, Centennial
• Ellie Buzzelle, Rogers
• Maren Westin, Becker
• Sophie Lahti, Pine City

Others

• Gianna Kneepkens, UCLA (Duluth Marshall)
• Callin Hake, Nebraska (Chanhassen)
• Aneisha Scott, Richmond (DeLaSalle)
• Aaliyah Crump, Texas (Minnetonka)
• Mallory Heyer, Oregon (Chaska) (Gophers transfer)
• Kierra Wheeler, West Virginia (Robbinsdale Cooper)
• Amber Scalia, Miami Ohio (Stillwater)
• Olivia Olson, Michigan (Benilde St. Margaret's)
• Addi Mack, Maryland (Minnehaha Academy)
• Trinity Wilson, Vanderbilt (Lakeville North)
• Tessa Johnson, South Carolina (St. Michael-Albertville)
• Jordan Ode, Michigan State (Maple Grove)
• Olivia Pawlicki, Colorado State (Shakopee)
• Hadley Thul, South Dakota State (Alexandria)
• Ellie Colbeck, South Dakota State (Fergus Falls)
• Madison Mathiowetz, South Dakota State (Sleepy Eye)
• Natalie Mazurek, TCU (Eden Prairie)

The Tommies are one of 32 teams expected to play in this year's NIT. The event continues to go through changes as a top option for teams who miss out on the NCAA Tournament, but it still involves numerous top programs, notably Auburn, Wake Forest and Dayton, among others.

Let's do this‼️

The #NIT2026 bracket, complete with first round tip-off dates/times, is here 🏀

It all starts Tuesday night. pic.twitter.com/ico6Ulbjrj

— NIT (@NITMBB) March 16, 2026

Many other Power Conference programs have looked towards the new College Basketball Crown (CBC) as a different option for a postseason tournament. The Gophers could've been a candidate to be invited to this year's NIT, but they were not included, nor were any Big Ten teams, for the second straight year.

St. Thomas will travel to face Seattle in the first round on Tuesday night at 9 p.m. CT. That game will be broadcast on ESPN+. The winner will advance to the next round to face the winner of Auburn and South Alabama.

The Tommies are still one of the youngest programs in Division I men's basketball. Their first season playing at the new Lee & Penny Anderson Arena in St. Paul resulted in a 24-9 record. They will now play in their first postseason tournament as a Division I program.

"[The Minnesota Wild are] in contact with the NHL and [the Maple Leafs] about tomorrow’s game. A decision will be made later today; depends if it’s safe for Leafs to get into Minnesota late tonight, as they play in Buffalo," he wrote on social media.

#mnwild in contact with the NHL and #mapleleafs about tomorrow’s game. A decision will be made later today; depends if it’s safe for Leafs to get into Minnesota late tonight as they play in Buffalo

— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) March 14, 2026

The Wild will play the Rangers at home on Saturday night, before the storm is expected to start.

They are currently scheduled to host Toronto at 6:30 p.m. CT on Sunday evening. This is a developing story.

Sunday Update: The Maple Leafs got into Minnesota safely and the game is a go.

The Minnesota State High School League announced that the Class 2A championship game originally scheduled for 6 p.m. at the Williams Arena has been brought forward to 4:30 p.m.

The Class 4A game scheduled for 8 p.m. at the same venue will now start at 6:30 p.m.

The 2A final will see No. 1 Providence Academy take on No. 2 Marshall School, Duluth, while the 4A final will see No. 1 Hopkins face No. 2 Rosemount.

There are no changes to the 1A and 3A finals, which will begin at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. respectively.

Due to the weather forecast, Saturday evening's Girls Basketball championship game start times have been adjusted.

This decision was made in conjunction with the University of Minnesota to help ensure the safest and most manageable experience for teams, staff and spectators. pic.twitter.com/q7KkcA5ghm

— Minnesota State High School League (@MSHSL) March 13, 2026

"Due to the weather forecast, Saturday evening's Girls Basketball championship game start times have been adjusted," the MSHSL said. "This decision was made in conjunction with the University of Minnesota to help ensure the safest and most manageable experience for teams, staff and spectators."

A massive winter storm, the biggest of the season, will hit Minnesota starting Saturday afternoon, with 12-18 inches of snow expected in the Twin Cities by Monday morning.

Travel is expected to be "near impossible" on Sunday, with blizzard warnings issued for southern and southwestern Minnesota.

"I mean, me personally, I would like to see it changed but I understand why we don't," Guerin said Thursday on TSN's First Up with Korolnek & Colaiacovo show. "It goes year to year. Like, I think this year is just really unique in that you have these three real strong teams, all in one division. You don't see that a ton."

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Under the current format, the Minnesota Wild and Dallas Stars would square off in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Both the Wild and Stars are two of the four best teams in the entire league, meaning one of the favorites to win the Stanley Cup would be guaranteed to be out after just one round.

What makes it even more unique is that Dallas and Minnesota aren't even the best teams in their own division. The Colorado Avalanche currently have the most points (97) in the league. That means the Central Division features three of the four best teams in the league by total points. And because of the format, whoever wins the Dallas/Minnesota series would likely take on the Avs in round two of the playoffs, resulting in two of the Cup favorites being out before the league gets to the conference finals.

Gripes about the playoff format have been around since the league switched to the current format in 2014. Calls for change have only grown louder as this season has gone on and Colorado, Dallas, and Minnesota continue to assert their dominance in the league. Guerin, while potentially being a victim of the current format this year, noted that you have to be careful what you wish for in wanting change.

"It doesn't really matter because who do you play? Do you play Dallas or do you play Edmonton? OK, good luck with that," continued Guerin. "Do you play Utah, who we've had a hard, hard time with until last game? You're going to play a good team no matter what. The parity in the league is so strong that you're going to play somebody good."

"On the other side of it, the teams that work so hard to get to the top, you know what, maybe deserve to play one of the teams that hasn't gotten there. So, I see both sides of it, to be honest with you."

It's certainly an issue many Wild fans have been dreading this season. The Wild are having one of their best seasons in franchise history, yet their current 88 points are still a bit off the Avs (97 points) and Stars (92 points), who both have games in hand on Minnesota.

Guerin calls the guarantee of one of the best teams in the league being out in the first round "unfortunate."

"That's really the crappy part of it, is somebody's going home," continued Guerin. "I guess, competitively if you look at it, you're going to play a good team anyways. But, I do agree with you that one of the top three teams should not be going home (in round one)."

The Wild are having an incredible regular season. But because of the playoff format, they're almost certainly going to have to play a conference finals-caliber series just to end their drought and get past the first round for the first time in 11 years.

Class 1A quarterfinals Thursday

Here's the schedule/results for today's opening round at Maturi Pavilion.

• #1 Mountain Iron-Buhl 75, #8 Braham 62 (Final)
• #4 Hillcrest Lutheran 83, #5 New Richland-H-E-G 55 (Final)
• #2 Sleepy Eye St. Mary's 72, #7 Mayer Lutheran 57 (Final)
• #3 Kelliher/Northorne 69, #6 Central MN Christian 82 (Final)

That sets up semifinal games Friday between Mountain Iron-Buhl and Hillcrest Lutheran, as well as Sleepy Eye St. Mary's against Central Minnesota Christian. The games start at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m., respectively, at Williams Arena.

Class 3A semifinals Thursday

The top-four seeds are in the semifinals, and the games today will be played at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. at Williams Arena. First up is No. 1 Stewartville against No. 4 Cretin-Derham Hall, followed by No. 2 Benilde-St. Margaret's versus No. 3 Marshall.

Today's results:

• #1 Stewartville 65, #4 Cretin-Derham Hall, 51 (Final)
• #2 Benilde-St. Maragrets 71, #3 Marshall 59 (Final)

The title game is Saturday at 2 p.m. at Williams Arena.

Quarterfinal results:

• #1 Stewartville 73, #8 Willmar 54
• #4 Cretin-Derham Hall 84, #5 Hill-Murray 65
• #2 Benilde-St. Marget's 88, #7 Rock Ridge 53
• #3 Marshall 70, #6 Totino-Grace 44

Class 2A semifinals Friday

The semifinals will be played at Williams Arena, with tip times scheduled for roughly 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. The first semifinal is between No. 1 Providence Academy and No. 5 Perham, followed by No. 2 Duluth Marshall against No. 3 New London-Spicer.

Quarterfinal results:

• #1 Providence Academy 103, Central Public 68
• #5 Perham 66, #4 Rochester Lourdes 63
• #2 Duluth Marshall 65, #7 Sauk Centre 38
• #3 New London-Spicer 55, #6 Minnehaha Academy 48

Class 4A semifinals Thursday

The top-four seeds advanced, and at 6 p.m. No. 1 Hopkins will play No. 4 Maple Grove. That'll be followed by No. 2 Rosemount against No. 3 Rochester Mayo. Both games are at Williams Arena.

Today's results:

• #1 Hopkins 60, #4 Maple Grove 45 (Final)
• #2 Rosemount 65, #3 Rochester Mayo 64 (Final)

Quarterfinal results:

• #1 Hopkins 65, #8 Blaine 28
• #4 Maple Grove 65, #5 East Ridge 53
• #2 Rosemount 71, #7 Chanhassen 56
• #3 Rochester Mayo 73, #6 Monticello 71

"Since curiosity is mounting I’ll share what I feel comfortable with: I have been away from [Good Morning Football] due to an extremely personal + tragic health situation of an immediate family member," Erdahl revealed Wednesday. "I want to thank my leaders at the NFL for allowing me this time at home. I’ll be back on Monday."

Since curiosity is mounting I’ll share what I feel comfortable with: I have been away from @GMFB due to an extremely personal + tragic health situation of an immediate family member. I want to thank my leaders at the NFL for allowing me this time at home. I’ll be back on Monday.

— Jamie Erdahl (@JamieErdahl) March 11, 2026

Bring Me The News cannot confirm how long Erdahl has been away from the show, but the last time her name is referenced on the Good Morning Football podcast is Feb. 13.

Erdahl was a multi-sport athlete at Breck School in Minnesota and went on to play college softball and basketball at St. Olaf University, later attending American University, where she got her degree in communications. 

Her first reporting jobs were on the sidelines of Minnesota high school basketball games, which led to a job with New England Sports Network (NESN) as a rinkside reporter for the Boston Bruins, in addition to covering the Boston Red Sox.

CBS Sports hired her in 2014, and in 2018 she was promoted as the top sideline reporter for the SEC Game of the Week, where she was paired with fellow Minnesotan, play-by-play announcer Brad Nessler. She also served as a sideline reporter for the NFL on CBS, in addition to working NCAA basketball games. 

She joined the NFL Network in 2022.

Erdahl's contract with NFL Media isn't public, but her future on Good Morning Football could be in the hands of ESPN, which acquired a massive chunk of NFL Media assets last August. According to Front Office Sports, ESPN absorbed all NFL Media talent contracts, meaning their fate going forward is up to ESPN.

Front Office Sports cited a source who said, “A lot of people who have their contracts expiring this spring or summer—on-air people, reporters and anchors—are very worried about what their future will look like."

All of the section championship games will be played on Wednesday-Friday. Take a look at the looming title games and semifinal matchups that will be played throughout the state over the next 72 hours, followed by the state tourney brackets being unveiled on Saturday morning.

Class 4A

Section 1: #1 Lakeville South vs. #2 Farmington (Thursday)

Section 2: #1 Prior Lake vs. #2 Chaska (Friday)

Section 3: #1 Eagan vs. #3 Apple Valley (Thursday)

Section 4: #1 Tartan vs. #3 Cretin-Derham Hall (Thursday)

Section 5: #1 Maple Grove vs. #2 Osseo (Friday)

Section 6: #1 Wayzata vs. #2 Hopkins (Friday)

Section 7: #1 Blaine vs. #2 Andover (Thursday)

Section 8: #1 Alexandria vs. #3 Elk River (Thursday)

Class 3A

Section 1: #1 Northfield vs. #2 Austin (Thursday)

Section 2: #1 Mankato East vs. #3 St. Peter (Thursday)

Section 3: #1 Minneapolis South vs. #2 South St. Paul (Thursday)

Section 4: #1 DeLaSalle vs. #2 Mahtomedi (Thursday)

Section 5: #1 Totino-Grace vs. #2 Becker (Thursday)

Section 6: #1 Richfield vs. #2 Orono (Thursday)

Section 7: #1 Grand Rapids vs. #3 Hibbing (Thursday)

Section 8: #1 Sartell vs. #6 Fergus Falls (Thursday)

Class 2A

Section 1: #1 Goodhue vs. #6 Caledonia (Thursday)

Section 2: #1 Belle Plaine vs. #3 Waseca (Wednesday)

Section 3: #1N Morris/Chokio-Alberta vs. #2S Jackson County Central (Thursday)

Section 4: #1 Minnehaha Academy vs. #2 St. Croix Lutheran (Friday)

Section 5: #3 Maranatha Christian Academy vs. #9 Blake (Friday)

Section 6: Championship on Friday pending semifinals

• #1 Albany vs. #4 St. Cloud Cathedral (Wednesday)
• #2 Annandale vs. #6 Melrose (Wednesday

Section 7: Championship on Friday pending semifinals

• #1 Pequot Lakes vs. #4 Mora (Wednesday)
• #2 Pierz vs. #3 Esko (Wednesday)

Section 8: Championship on Friday pending semifinals

• #1 East Grand Forks vs. #4 Perham (Wednesday)
• #2 Staples-Motley vs. #3 Osakis (Wednesday

Class 1A

Section 1: #1 Southland vs. #3 Lewiston-Altura (Thursday)

Section 2: #1 Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton vs. #3 Springfield (Wednesday)

Section 3: #1N Central Minnesota Christian vs. #1S Hills-Beaver Creak (Thursday)

Section 4: #1 Liberty Classical Academy vs. #2 Heritage Christian Academy (Friday)

Section 5: Championship on Friday pending semifinals

• #1E Braham vs. #2E Upsala (Wednesday)
• #1W Nevis vs. #2W Sebeka (Wednesday)

Section 6: Championship on Friday pending semifinals

• #1 Henning vs. #4 Breckenridge (Wednesday)
• #2 Pelican Rapids vs. #2 Park Christian (Wednesday)

Section 7: Championship on Friday pending semifinals

• #1 Cherry vs. #4 Barnum (Wednesday)
• #2 Mountain Iron-Buhl vs. #3 Deer River (Wednesday)

Section 8: Championship on Friday pending semifinals

• #1 Fertile-Beltrami vs. #3 Stephen-Argyle Central (Wednesday)
• #2 Red Lake County vs. #5 Northern Freeze (Wednesday)

Saturday's thrilling Class AA final between Moorhead and Minnetonka drew a crowd of 19,648 to Grand Casino Arena, according to the Minnesota State High School League, the organizers of the annual hockey tournament.

That attendance number was larger than all 11 NHL games played across the United States and Canada on Saturday evening.

Here are the attendance figures below for the 11 NHL games played on Saturday:

• Washington Capitals at Boston Bruins:  17,850
• New York Rangers at New Jersey Devils: 16,514
• Nashville Predators at Buffalo Sabres: 19,070
• Philadelphia Flyers at Pittsburgh Penguins: 18,342
• Tampa Bay Lightning at Toronto Maple Leafs: 18,514
• Utah Mammoth at Columbus Blue Jackets: 18,668
• Vancouver Canucks at Winnipeg Jets: 14,294
• Montreal Canadiens at Los Angeles Kings: 18,145
• Carolina Hurricanes at Calgary Flames: 18,302
• New York Islanders at San Jose Sharks: 17,435
• Ottawa Senators at Seattle Kraken: 17,151

Those games include three in Canada (Toronto, Winnipeg, Calgary), one at the top team in the Atlantic Division (Buffalo), an in-state rivalry (Philadelphia-Pittsburgh), and numerous games featuring teams in the hunt for a Wild Card spot (Bruins, Capitals, Predators, Flyers, Blue Jackets, Mammoth, Jets, Kings, Canadiens, Sharks, Senators, and Kraken).

In fact, the Class AA final outdrew all seven of the league's Sunday games as well, including the Wild's shootout loss in Colorado to the Avs, which featured two of the top four teams in the entire league.

Those at Grand Casino Arena late Saturday got an incredible show. Moorhead trailed Minnetonka 4-1 with just over 10 minutes left in the game. However, the defending champs would go on to score four unanswered in an incredible double overtime come-from-behind win.

With just over a minute left in overtime, Avs star Nathan MacKinnon was called for an interference penalty, giving the Wild a 4-on-3 power play. Colorado was able to hold on for that final minute and send the game to a shootout. Matt Boldy scored a pretty shootout goal for the Wild, but they went 1 for 4 in total and MacKinnon delivered the winner in round four.

Kirill Kaprizov and Nico Sturm scored third-period goals for the Wild (37-16-11) to turn a one-goal deficit into a one-goal advantage. Their lead lasted less than six minutes, as the Avalanche (43-10-9) tied it via a Nicolas Roy deflection. Jesper Wallstedt's 34 saves weren't quite enough for Minnesota.

Had they won, the Wild would've become the first team all season to beat Colorado when trailing after two periods. Instead, the Avs improved to 34-0-0 in those situations. They're also a perfect 17-0-0 when scoring the first goal at home this season.

Neither team got on the board in a first period where the Avs out-shot the Wild 14 to 8. The scoring opened with MacKinnon's NHL-leading 43rd goal midway through the second. A Quinn Hughes turnover was snagged by Nazem Kadri, who picked up an assist in his first game back with the Avs following the trade deadline.

Early in the third period, the Wild went on the man advantage. And they cashed in on the power play after just four seconds. Joel Eriksson Ek won the faceoff, Hughes passed the puck to Kaprizov, and his centering pass deflected off of Brent Burns' stick and into the Colorado net. Matt Boldy's stick was also right there, but the goal has been credited to Kaprizov. It's his 36th of the season, breaking a tie with Boldy for the team lead.

A few minutes later, the Avalanche were on a power play when Nico Sturm got a shorthanded breakaway opportunity and went bar-down to give Minnesota the lead. Colorado was 0 for 5 on the power play in the game.

With a little over seven minutes remaining, Roy's deflection from Brett Kulak knotted the score at two. The Wild had a power play late in the third period — and newcomer Bobby Brink had a decent chance with the second unit — but couldn't score.

The Wild, who remain in third place in the stacked Central Division, will be back in action on Tuesday night against the Utah Mammoth in St. Paul.