Positive Numbers: Gopher men's hockey (Re-Entry!). The Pride On Ice did not need to win the B1G Tournament (held in a bubble in South Bend, Ind.); it felt certain that they would be in The Ice Dance (I'm trying to make it work, shut up). But the U., seeded second in the tourney, survived a pair of thrillers over bottom-feeder Michigan St. Sunday and Michigan Monday before upsetting top-seeded Wisconsin 6-4 Monday in a seesaw of a Game to take the tournament title. The Gophers extended their 2-1 lead with three Goals in a span of about 2 1/2 Minutes to take a 5-1 lead into the Second Intermission. But the Badgers were able to string three Goals of their own together (the first two about 90 Seconds apart) before Blake McLaughlin iced the Game and the conference tournament title with an Empty Netter.
After a couple fallow seasons away from postseason play, this is solid proof that the program under Bob Motzko is finally on the upswing. The offense, as you could tell from the tilt Tuesday night, will be this squad's calling card. But with that championship, I think the U. is in line to be a #1 seed. It'll probably be out in Loveland, Colo., in the West Region. We'll see when the 16-team field is selected on Sunday. But at least for one year, these young men are where they should be, and that should be reason to celebrate what can be brighter days ahead.
#0: Gopher softball (Last Week: -1). This is more like it. After a choppy start, the fastpitchers completed a three-Game sweep of Rutgers and then won all three Games versus Michigan St., all over the weekend. It's a 4-0 screening Week and a six-Game winning streak, but they're on the outside of the softball polls that I've seen, a consequence of dropping three early Games.
Oh, well. The club finally leaves the bubble of warm Leesburg, Fla., and begin a conventional routine, visiting Illinois for the weekend and a four-Game set.
#-1: Gopher volleyball (Re-Entry!). After two Weeks of inactivity due to COVID-19, the volleyballers finally got back on the court and took a pair against Illinois at Maturi over the weekend. Unfortunately, a spread-out home-and-home series vs. Wisconsin, the top-ranked team in the country, is now in doubt. Last/Thursday night's series-opener in Madison was postponed because of player depletion issues (because of coronavirus protocols) -- and for the second time this season, these issues are emanating from the Gophers' camp. The Games against Ohio St., slated for the 5th and 6th, were also postponed (and likely canceled) because the U., frankly, couldn't get their shit together. I have little patience for a team that has had to pause more than once because of COVID. One delay and everybody should have learned their lesson. A second delay? People are being sloppy and/or lazy. And I am docking the team for it here on the survey, even with an undefeated Week.
The return date is supposed to be Sunday night.
#-2: Wild (Last Week: -2). They completed a rare, pandemic-dictated three-Game sweep of The Bastard Winnipeg Jets that completed a perfect 5-0 homestand. And then last/Thursday they marched out to Denver ... and got hammered by The Bastard Quebec Nordiques, 5-1. So it appears as though we have a Jekyll/Hyde situation here. Still there are green shoots: Kirill Kaprizov is as good as advertised, Matz Zuccarello is earning the contract that he didn't when he signed it, and even though there is an adage that if you say you have two #1 Quarterbacks you really don't have any, the Goaltender tandem of Kappo Kahkonen and Cam Talbot is a very good 1-2 punch (well, until last/Thurdsday night, but with Talbot making 50 Saves, it's the Defense in front of him that let him down). Now they have to start winning on the road. Fortunately or unfortunately, they have only one more Game away from the Xcel Energy Center: Saturday afternoon, also against the Avalanche. They return right back into the warm, waiting arms of the X for a pair of tilts against Anaheim, the latter of which is the start of back-to-back Games that will end with a home date with -- and finally -- the St. Louis Blues.
#-3: Timberwolves (Last Week: 0). I think it's clear that the All-Star Break has done some good for this team. They actually went 2-2 this screening Week! Winning Games is a miracle, but they won a couple nailbiters in which they had to display some intestinal fortitude ... and they did! On Sunday, in the second of a two-Game home series versus Portland, they eked out a two-Point win on the strength of 34 Points from Anthony Edwards. And last/Thursday night, the Timberwolves actually mounted a comeback to beat Phoenix in Phoenix, 123-119. In that Game, Edwards notched a career-high 42, and Karl-Anthony Towns chipped in 41. Yes, it sure seems like Edwards has decided to step up his game. I don't know if it's sustainable, but surely the best Second-Half adjustment for this team (and this franchise) seems to be the emergence of the rookie from Georgia.
The Suns and Wolves are at it again in Phoenix tonight/Friday night. They then come home for Games vs. The Bastard Seattle SuperSonics and Dallas.
The XI face another ranked club on the road in Rutgers Sunday afternoon. That completes the Gophers' pandemic-shortened schedule. They are home for the final three Matches of the regular season, beginning Thursday afternoon against Purdue.
#-5: Gopher baseball (Last Week: -4). Dropped three-of-four against Illinois over the weekend. If not for a series-ending 5-3 victory Sunday evening, they would be riding a five-Game losing streak. They're already 2-6 on the season ... and they have played all their Games at U. S. Bank Stadium. Yikes. This weekend they, and work with me here, are playing Northwestern at U. S. Bank Stadium. However, the Wildcats will serve as the home team. Uh, alright.
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