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Tag: Hockey

  • 3 Alberta junior hockey players killed in crash heading to practice

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    STAVELY, Alberta — Three Southern Alberta Mustangs junior hockey players were killed Monday morning in a vehicle crash while heading to practice.

    RCMP said it responded to the crash at an intersection with Highway 2 in Stavely — about an hour’s drive south of Calgary. JJ Wright and Cameron Casorso, both 18 and from Kamloops, British Columbia, and 17-year-old Caden Fine of Birmingham, Alabama, were killed.

    Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, in a social media post, offered condolences to the players’ families and teammates.

    “The whole Alberta hockey family is standing with you in sorrow and in prayer,” Smith said. “In the days ahead, I know Albertans will wrap these families and this team in love and support as they navigate a pain no one should ever have to bear.”

    RCMP said the crash involved a northbound semi truck pulling gravel and a small passenger vehicle going east. The driver of the semi, a 40-year-old man from Stavely, sustained minor injuries.

    The U.S. Premier Hockey League team said on Facebook that it is working closely with authorities and is asking for privacy for the players’ families.

    “There are no words that can adequately express the depth of our grief,” the team said. “These young men were more than hockey players — they were teammates, sons, brothers, friends, and deeply loved members of our Mustangs family and the communities we call home. We are a family, and today our family is hurting.”

    At the town’s arena, three white and red jerseys with the last names of the players were draped over a table, along with three upright hockey sticks.

    The Kamloops Minor Hockey Association said in a statement that Casorso and Wright grew up in the B.C. organization. Casorso played from 2012 to 2025 and Wright from 2011 to 2025.

    “Although their journeys began here in Kamloops, they found a second hockey family and a new bond with the Southern Alberta Mustangs,” the statement said. “These three young men were teammates and friends to many. We are grieving together, as one hockey family forever changed by the loss of these young men.”

    The Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League also offered support on social media: “Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone who knew them,” the team said.

    News of the crash evoked memories of another deadly crash involving a junior hockey team.

    In April 2018, 16 people were killed and 13 injured when a bus carrying the Humboldt Broncos of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League crashed. The team had been on its way to a playoff game when a semi truck went through a stop sign and into the path of the bus at a rural intersection near Tisdale, Saskatchewan.

    The mayor of Humboldt expressed condolences to the Alberta team on Facebook.

    “We stand with your community as you mourn this tragic loss, and our thoughts are with all those affected,” Mayor Rob Muench said.

    ___

    AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

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  • Colorado snowplow driver on administrative leave after fatal I-70 crash

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    The snowplow driver who lost control last week on Interstate 70 and swerved into oncoming traffic has been placed on administrative leave amid the fatal crash investigation, state officials said.

    State patrol officials hope to complete the crash investigation within four weeks, but “many factors play into that timeframe,” Colorado State Patrol spokesperson Ivan Alvarado said Monday.

    The driver of a van carrying a youth hockey team headed to Denver for the Western Girls Hockey League weekend died in the Thursday morning crash on I-70 near Herman Gulch, and eight people in the van were injured, according to state patrol officials.

    The Clear Creek County Coroner’s Office identified the driver killed in the crash as 38-year-old Manuel Alejandro Lorenzana Villegas from Chatsworth, California. His cause of death remained under investigation on Monday, Chief Deputy Coroner Nichol Nelson said.

    Lorenzana Villegas was the father of one of the players on the youth hockey team, the Santa Clarita Lady Flyers, according to reporting from Denver7.

    A snowplow on westbound I-70 lost control in the snow shortly before 9 a.m. Thursday, crashing through the median and hitting a Toyota Tacoma in the eastbound lanes, state patrol officials said. The impact sent the Tacoma back across the median, where it hit a westbound BMW.

    State investigators said the snow plow then hit the Ford Transit van carrying the girls’ hockey team from California, sending the van down an embankment. The agency previously identified the vehicle as a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van.

    Three adults and four juveniles in the van were taken to Denver Health by ambulance, hospital officials said in a statement.

    A fifth juvenile passenger was airlifted to a separate trauma center with critical injuries, according to the state patrol. No other injuries were reported.

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  • Slow start, miscues doom Sharks as losing streak reaches three games

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    CHICAGO – The Sharks started slowly then allowed four goals is a wide open second period in what became a potentially costly 6-3 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday at the United Center.

    The Sharks allowed a first period power play goal to Connor Bedard then gave up three goals in a span of 8:22 before coach Ryan Warsofsky pulled starting goalie Yaroslav Askarov in favor of Alex Nedeljkovic.

    Macklin Celebrini had a goal and assist in the second period and defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin scored in the third, but the damage was done as the Sharks lost their third straight game and fell to 1-2-1 on their five-game road trip that ends Wednesday in Colorado.

    Askarov’s four goals allowed came on 10 shots as he now has just one win in his last six starts. Still, the Blackhawks goals Monday were more the result of Sharks defensive breakdowns than clear goalie miscues.

    The Sharks also took four minor penalties in the game’s first 24 minutes and also went 0-for-4 on the power play.

    Forwards Ryan Donato and Ilya Mikheyev both had four points for the Blackhawks, who snapped a five-game losing streak.

    Entering Monday, the Sharks were two points out of a playoff spot in the still tightly packed Western Conference standings.

    “Every game is important this time of year,” Warsofsky said before Monday’s game. “We know where we are in the standings. Many people didn’t expect us to be where we are in this spot, and this is an opportunity for us. This is a great opportunity to to get back on it tonight against a good team, and get two points on the road and feel good about ourselves going to Colorado.”

    Monday’s game marked the first meeting of the season between the Sharks and the Blackhawks, and the second time that Celebrini had faced Bedard in the NHL.

    Celebrini, who entered Monday as the NHL’s fourth-leading scorer with 79 points in 53 games, assisted on a Will Smith first period goal in his one game against the Blackhawks last season, a 4-2 Sharks win at SAP Center on March 13, 2025.

    Bedard, the No. 1 selection in the 2023 NHL Draft, a year before the Sharks took Celebrini first overall, was held without a point that night but had five points in five career games against San Jose before Monday. Despite missing 13 games with a shoulder injury, Bedard still led Chicago with 52 points before Monday.

    More significant than the individual appeal of Monday’s game was its importance to the Sharks.

    San Jose began the road trip with a 5-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks, the NHL’s last place team, last Tuesday but two nights later, coughed up a three-goal lead and lost 4-3 in overtime to the Edmonton Oilers.

    The Sharks then had to kill six penalties and allowed a third period shorthanded goal in 3-2 loss to the Calgary Flames, another team that will likely miss the playoffs.

    The Sharks didn’t get the start they were looking for Monday – not even close — as they took three minor penalties in the first period, had just one shot on goal and allowed a power play goal to Bedard.

    After the Sharks were called for too many men, the Blackhawks worked it around the San Jose net, as Teuvo Teravainen took a pass from Tyler Bertuzzi, slid it over to an open Bedard for a one-timer from near the bottom of the circle and a 1-0 lead at the 7:00 mark.

    The Sharks’ only shot in the first period came from Celebrini with 11:33 left.

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    Curtis Pashelka

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  • Lightning’s historic four-goal comeback stuns Bruins in NHL Stadium Series

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    TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Nikita Kucherov scored the tying goal in the third period, Jake Guentzel scored the only goal in the shootout, and the Tampa Bay Lightning rallied from a four-goal deficit to beat the Boston Bruins 6-5 in front of 64,617 fans at an NHL Stadium Series game at Raymond James Stadium.

    Kucherov finished with a goal and three assists, Brandon Hagel had a goal and two assists, while Oliver Bjorkstrand, Darren Raddysh and Nick Paul all scored power-play goals after Tampa Bay fell behind 5-1 in the second period.

    Andrei Vasilevskiy finished with 29 saves.

    Tampa Bay’s four-goal comeback is the largest in NHL outdoor game history and the largest comeback victory in franchise history.

    Morgan Geekie had a pair of goals and three points for the Bruins. Viktor Arvidsson, Alex Steeves and Matthew Poitras also scored for Boston, which improved to 11-1-1 in the past 13 games. Charlie McAvoy had a pair of assists while Jeremy Swayman finished with 41 saves.

    The game featured the first goalie fight in outdoor game history when Vasilevskiy and Swayman exchanged blows at center ice in the second period.

    Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) and Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman (1) fight during the second period of a Stadium Series NHL hockey game Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)

    Kucherov capped off Tampa Bay’s rally with a one-timer from the left circle with 8:10 left in the third period.

    With an opening puck drop temperature of 41.8 degrees Fahrenheit (5.44 Celsius), Hagel fired up the crowd with a goal just 11 seconds in — the fastest goal in NHL outdoor game history and tying a franchise history for fastest goal to start a game.

    The Bruins scored the next five as Steeves, Geekie and Arvidsson all scored within a span of 7:39 to give Boston a 3-1 lead after the first. Poitras scored on a backhander at 2:22 of the second period while Geekie notched his second of the game at 8:18.

    Bjorkstrand scored at 10:28 to make it 5-2.

    The Lightning scored a pair of five-on-three power-play goals 23 seconds apart. Raddysh scored a goal for the fourth consecutive game to set a franchise record for a defenseman. Paul then tapped in a pass from Guentzel to make it 5-4.

    Up Next

    Bruins: At Florida on Wednesday night.

    Lightning: Host Buffalo on Tuesday night.

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    Associated Press

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  • Weather playing along for Lightning’s outdoor game

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    TAMPA, Fla. – The Tampa Bay Lightning is set to drop the puck Sunday evening an an entirely new location – outdoors.

    The Bolts will take on the Boston Bruins Sunday evening in the NHL’s Stadium Series game taking place at Raymond James Stadium.

    And the weather is cooperating.


    Bay area wind chills early on Sunday morning could be as low as the single digits and teens north and inland, so an extreme cold watch is in place for early Sunday.

    Sunday will be very cold and breezy with highs only in the 40s. 

    As far as the actual game, here’s what you need to know:

    Boston Bruins (32-20-3, in the Atlantic Division) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (34-14-4, in the Atlantic Division)

    Puck drop is at 6:30 p.m.

     

    The Tampa Bay Lightning will try to keep their seven-game home win streak intact when they play the Boston Bruins.

    Tampa Bay is 34-14-4 overall and 6-3-1 against the Atlantic Division. The Lightning have scored 180 total goals (3.5 per game) to rank sixth in league play.

    Boston is 32-20-3 overall and 9-8-0 against the Atlantic Division. The Bruins have a 7-4-0 record in games they have fewer penalties than their opponent.

    The matchup Sunday is the second time these teams play this season. The Lightning won 4-3 in the previous matchup. Anthony Cirelli led the Lightning with two goals.

    TOP PERFORMERS: Nikita Kucherov has 27 goals and 55 assists for the Lightning. Jake Guentzel has five goals and six assists over the past 10 games.

    Morgan Geekie has 30 goals and 20 assists for the Bruins. Viktor Arvidsson has five goals and one assist over the last 10 games.

    LAST 10 GAMES: Lightning: 8-1-1, averaging 3.5 goals, 6.6 assists, 4.2 penalties and 12.6 penalty minutes while giving up 1.6 goals per game.

    Bruins: 8-1-1, averaging 3.5 goals, 6.3 assists, 3.9 penalties and nine penalty minutes while giving up 2.5 goals per game.

    INJURIES: Lightning: None listed.

    Bruins: None listed.

    Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • Wayne Gretzky Wanted To Be A Shortstop for the Detroit Tigers

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    Today (Monday, Jan. 26th) is Wayne Gretzky’s birthday…ever hear the story of Wayne wanting to play for the Tigers?

    Wayne Gretzky Loved Tigers Baseball

    Back in 2017 Wayne Gretzky appeared on the Dan Patrick show when he started talking about playing other sports besides hockey. The conversation quickly turned to his love of baseball – and towards the end of the conversation he talks in detail about his love of the Detroit Tigers. Wayne Gretzky wanted to play shortstop for the Detroit Tigers.

    Wait. What? Here’s what he said: “My favorite sport, believe it or not, was baseball.” Asked whether, talent notwithstanding, he would’ve chosen to be a baseball player or a hockey player, he didn’t hesitate: “I would’ve taken baseball all day long. I would’ve loved to have been the shortstop for the Detroit Tigers. I grew up such a big Tiger fan, Ernie Harwell and listening to Tiger games.”

    Gretzky Wanted to Join The Detroit Red Wings

    As we try to process the vision of Gretzky wearing the old english D for the Tigers – what about joining the Red Wings? In the ESPN 30 for 30, Gretzky talked about Edmonton letting him choose a team for the trade…and it was down to two: Los Angeles and Detroit (his wife wanted him to come here BTW). Can you imagine him on the ice wearing the 99?

    Getty Images

    NEW YORK – CIRCA 1981: Wayne Gretzky #99 of the Edmonton Oilers skates against the New York Rangers during an NHL Hockey game circa 1981 at Madison Square Garden in the Manhattan borough of New York City. Gretzky’s playing career went from 1978-99. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)

    Jim O’Brien is the Host of “Big Jim’s House” Morning Show at 94.7 WCSX in Detroit. Jim spent eight years in the U.S. Naval Submarine Service, has appeared on Shark Tank (Man Medals Season 5 Ep. 2), raised over two million dollars for local charities and is responsible for Glenn Frey Drive and Bob Seger Blvd in the Motor City. Jim’s relationship with Classic Rock includes considering Bob Seger, Phil Collen from Def Leppard, Wally Palmer of the Romantics and many others good friends. Jim writes about ‘80s movies, cars, weird food trends and “as seen on TikTok” content.

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    Jim O’Brien

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  • Taylor Heise and Kendall Coyne Schofield help Frost beat Sirens 6-2

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    Taylor Heise and Kendall Coyne Schofield scored first-period goals just 12 seconds apart to help the Minnesota Frost beat the New York Sirens 6-2 on Sunday.

    Katy Knoll added two goals, which included an empty-netter, for Minnesota (6-2-3-3). Grace Zumwinkle and Kelly Pannek each scored a goal and Abby Hustler had two assists. Maddie Rooney had 25 saves.

    Kristyna Kaltounkova scored her ninth goal of the season for New York (7-0-2-6) and Anna Bargman scored her second goal this season with six minutes to play.

    Heise cut in front of the net, took a pass from Mae Batherson, and flicked a back-hand shot into the net to open the scoring 6:12 into the game. Shortly after the ensuing faceoff, a Frost turnover near the center line led to a jailbreak goal by Coyne Schofield that made it 2-0.

    Coyne Schofield leads the PWHL in goals (10) and points (16).

    Kaltounkova scored with 1:32 left in the first period to cut the deficit to 2-1.

    Kayle Osborne stopped 21 shots for the Sirens.

    Fans at the Grand Casino Arena chanted “ICE out now!” and there was a moment of silence for Alex Pretti — the second Minneapolis resident killed by federal officers this month — prior to the start of the game.

    Up next

    New York: The Sirens visit Boston on Wednesday.

    Minnesota: The Frost host Vancouver on Wednesday.

    In:

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    CBS Minnesota

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  • Rivals US and Canada could put North American dominance on display at the Olympics in Milan

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    One more goal. That’s how close the U.S. was to beating Canada in the final at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics before losing in overtime.

    One more goal. That’s how close the U.S. was from tying Canada in the semifinals at the 2014 Sochi Olympics before losing 1-0.

    One more goal. That’s how close the U.S. was to beating Canada in the final at the 4 Nations Face-Off a year ago before losing in overtime.

    “Canada won, right?” U.S. center Jack Eichel said. “So, they’re obviously on top.”

    Canada has won every major international men’s hockey tournament featuring a the NHL’s best players over the past 16 years, a run that includes the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. With Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar joining forces for the first time on the same sheet of ice, the nation known as the cradle of the sport goes into the Milan Cortina Olympics next month as the gold medal favorite.

    “It’s always been Canada,” longtime U.S. star Patrick Kane said.

    The U.S. has been closing ground for decades, and the fight-filled 4 Nations put the border rivalry in the spotlight while ramping up expectations that the Games will be another showcase of North American dominance.

    “The men haven’t been able to get over that hump and defeat Canada and win a gold medal, and I think this is their best chance to do it,” said retired U.S. winger T.J. Oshie, whose shootout heroics against host Russia in Sochi is one of the most memorable Olympic moments in history. “This is the best U.S.A. team that I’ve seen. And if they can come together like they did in the 4 Nations, I think that for the first time, I’d say it’s a pretty fair fight going into it.”

    European powerhouses Sweden and Finland, the latter being the defending Olympic champion, will be in the mix, as could the Czechs or Germans. But in a tournament without the Russians, the U.S. and Canada look like the teams to beat. BetMGM Sportsbook set Canada as a 5-4 favorite, ahead of the U.S. at just over 2-1.

    Canada won the 4 Nations on McDavid’s goal in Boston last February and has the deepest, most talented forward group of any of the 12 countries involved. That includes 19-year-old Macklin Celebrini, who was on the couch cheering last February while in awe of the quality of play on display.

    “That was the best hockey I’ve ever watched,” Celebrini said. “Just the pace, the amount of skill, physicality — all of it combined is the best.”

    It could be even faster in Milan, and not only because the rinks are more than 3 feet shorter than NHL-regulation length.

    “That’ll probably make the game a lot tighter, too,” Makar said. “The Olympics will be a completely different kind of thing, almost even more amplified.”

    The U.S. has hopes for its first men’s hockey gold medal at the Olympics since the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” team. That’s not a pipe dream, as the U.S. National Team Development Program and grassroots growth of the sport has closed the gap on Canada.

    “The talent pool and the level of the players of the Americans now I think is as high as it’s ever been,” Kane said. “That’s kind of how we felt in 2010, 2014, (and it) keeps getting better.”

    The teams split at the 4 Nations, games that U.S. center Jack Hughes described as crazy and just a taste of what he and other players are in for in Milan.

    “Once you see the level of competition at the 4 Nations, you’re so hungry to get back to that and you want to be in the Olympics so bad just because the level of hockey was so high,” said Hughes, who is set to play with older brother Quinn at the Games.

    Oshie grew up in Warroad, Minnesota, a 20-minute drive from the Canadian border. He described the simmering rivalry as hatred: “For a long time, they were just almost too good to get past.”

    Maybe not anymore, particularly given Canada’s seeming vulnerability in goal and the U.S. strength at hockey’s most important position. But there is no guarantee these teams face off in single-elimination play at the Olympics, so USA Hockey general manager Bill Guerin insists he and his staff did not construct a roster just to beat Canada.

    “We built the best team possible,” Guerin said. “We did that with us in mind. We’re worried about us, not anybody else.”

    ___

    AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

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  • Knoll, Zumwinkle score twice, Frost swamp Torrent 6-2

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    Katy Knoll and Grace Zumwinkle scored two goals apiece and the Minnesota Frost handed the Seattle Torrent their worst loss, 6-2 on Sunday.

    Minnesota, which spoiled the Torrent’s inaugural home opener 3-0, became the first team to score more than four goals against the expansion team.

    Taylor Heise had a goal and two assists and Abby Hustler had a goal and an assist for the Frost (5-1-2-3). Maddie Rooney had 24 saves in picking up her second win.

    Jessie Eldridge and Danielle Serdachny scored for the Torrent (3-1-1-5). Minnesota threw a season-high 45 shots at Seattle goalie Hannah Murphy.

    Knoll opened the scoring with a power play goal late in the first period, putting a one-timer from the bottom of the left circle over Murphy’s shoulder.

    Zumwinkle poked in a rebound over her own miss in the opening seconds of the second period and midway through blew a wrist shot from the right circle over Murphy.

    Eldridge was alone out front for a wrister after intercepting a Heise pass, but Heise made up for that with a goal early in the third period before Knoll made it 4-1.

    Seattle, which ended a four-game road trip, returns home to play league-leading Boston on Sunday.

    Minnesota plays at the New York Siren on Friday.

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    CBS Minnesota

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  • The Uplift: Daddy daughter dance

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    The Uplift: Daddy daughter dance – CBS News









































    Watch CBS News



    David Begnaud takes us to a Louisiana prison where fatherhood is the focus. He meets inmates who got the chance to take part in a daddy-daughter dance and reconnect with their kids. Plus, more heartwarming news.

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  • Hagel scores winner as Lightning win 8th straight

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    TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Brandon Hagel snapped a third-period tie with his 20th goal of the season to lead the Tampa Bay Lightning to their eighth consecutive win with a 4-2 victory over the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday night.

    Jake Guentzel and Zemgus Girgensons also scored for the Lightning, and Anthony Cirelli added an empty-netter. Nikita Kucherov recorded his seventh straight multipoint game with a pair of assists.

    Andrei Vasilevskiy finished with 31 saves for his sixth consecutive win.

    Parker Kelly and Brock Nelson scored for Colorado, which has dropped consecutive games in regulation for the first time this season. The Avalanche had just three regulation losses on the season entering Tuesday.

    Scott Wedgewood stopped 24 shots for Colorado.

    Hagel scored the winning goal after Kucherov protected the puck near the left circle, found Max Crozier who cut down the slot before finding Hagel for a sweeping one-timer at 8:31 of the third period. Cirelli scored an empty-net goal with 1:25 left.

    Guentzel put Tampa Bay up 1-0 coming out of the corner on the power play with space to get out front and find the top far corner with 12 seconds left in the opening period.

    Colorado scored twice in six minutes to take the lead. Kelly found a loose puck in the paint at 3:22 before Nelson fired a shot from the left faceoff dot that deflected off the stick of Erik Cernak and knuckled past Vasilevskiy at 9:31.

    Girgensons pulled the Lightning even again late in the second, getting inside position on Cale Makar on top of the crease and getting his stick down for Yanni Gourde to find for the redirect at 17:22.

    Colorado played without captain Gabriel Landeskog and defenseman Devon Toews, who both returned to Denver earlier in the day. Landeskog was injured after running into the net against Florida on Sunday and Toews was injured on Saturday against Carolina. Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar said both are expected to miss weeks.

    Up next

    Avalanche: Host Ottawa on Thursday.

    Lightning: Visit Philadelphia on Saturday.

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    Associated Press

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  • How many kids in Minnesota play hockey?

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    From the frozen ponds and lakes to the packed indoor rinks serving as community hubs, hockey is uniquely celebrated and cherished in Minnesota like no other state in the country.

    “It’s something that we play all year round both in the city community organization, but then all the way through AAA hockey as well,” said hockey dad Jimmy Mullen.

    Kids often learn to skate not long after learning to walk, fueling a potential passion for the winter sport. 

    “My youngest is in mites and my oldest is a squirt,” said hockey mom Kristina Hill of Andover. 

    Hockey is the sport Hill grew up in, something many Minnesotans can relate. 

    “It’s just kind of woven into the fabric,” said Jeremy Reed, executive director of Minnesota Hockey, the governing body of youth and amateur hockey in the state.

    How many kids in Minnesota play hockey? Reed said the latest numbers show 54,921 as of Dec. 17, 2025. The numbers he shared for this year include adults ages 19 and up, of which there are about 8,000. 

    For the previous 2024-2025 season, Minnesota Hockey had 50,597 participants ages 18 and under playing for local associations and recreation leagues. 

    That’s most of any state in the country by a longshot. Massachusetts comes in second at around 40,120 kids ages 18 and under. New York was third with 36,180, followed by Michigan with 24,391. In Wisconsin, there were 17,986 kids last season.

    What’s led to such high participation in Minnesota? 

    “Part of that is because the way hockey is delivered in the communities with the community support and the support for the rinks and the public-owned rinks,” said Reed.

    There are over 230 indoor ice rinks in Minnesota, according to Rinkside Advertising Network. Come winter, hundreds more form outdoors so long as Mother Nature allows.

    “We live just two minutes from our rink, and we’ve got a handful of outdoor rinks in Andover,” said Hill.

    “We get a chance to skate with people from Florida, people that come up from Chicago. They always tell us real quick about how close the rinks are [in Minnesota],” said Mullen.

    What’s the time commitment parents new to hockey can expect?

    “It’s a lot, it’s definitely a labor of love getting the kid to the rink early on the weekends,” said Hill.

    “We skate, you know, probably two hours a day at some points, during the weekends we’re twice a day,” said Mullen, admitting his family is on the high side of the spectrum in terms of time commitment.

    Reed said how much time a family spends going to rinks for practice and games will depend on the level of competition they’re seeking. The state’s rec league program, which has just one night of practice and one day of games per week, offers an easy entry for families new to the competitive side of the sport.

    “The nice part is it’s not a one-size-fits-all approach. You can certainly tailor it to how you want,” said Mullen.

    More than 14,000 girls under 18 played local association hockey in Minnesota last year. That ranked number one in the nation.

    Minnesota Hockey created a guide for parents new to the sport on what to expect, including budgeting. Click here to learn more.

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    Jeff Wagner

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  • Victoire rally to beat the Frost 3-2 in overtime

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    Abby Roque tied it with 29 seconds left with goalie Ann-Renée Desbiens off for an extra attacker, Marie-Philip Poulin scored her second goal of the game 3:12 into overtime and the Montreal Victoire beat the Minnesota Frost 3-2 on Sunday.

    Poulin skated through the defense and beat goalie Maddie Rooney with a backhander in front of a capacity crowd of 10,172 at Place Bell. Poulin ran her points streak to a career-high five games.

    Poulin also assisted on Roque’s goal, and Ann-Renée Desbiens made 19 saves. Montreal snapped a three-game losing streak to improve to 3-2-0-4.

    Kendall Coyne Schofield scored her PWHL-leading eighth goal to give Minnesota the lead with 1:50 left. Roque then tipped in Poulin’s pass from the side of the net.

    Mae Batherson also scored for Minnesota, and Rooney made 35 saves. The Frost are 4-1-2-3. They earned six of 12 points on a four-game trip.

    Up next

    Victoire: Play Vancouver in Quebec City on Sunday.

    Frost: Host Seattle on Sunday.

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    CBS Minnesota

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  • Rangers beat Panthers 5-1 in first outdoor hockey game in Miami

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    MIAMI — Have a day, Mika Zibanejad.

    He made Sweden’s Olympic team, had a hat trick and put together the first five-point NHL outdoor game in history, all in the span of a few hours, to help the New York Rangers beat the Florida Panthers 5-1 on Friday night in the Winter Classic — the first outdoor game played in the Sunshine State.

    Artemi Panarin scored twice, Alexis Lafrenière had three assists and Igor Shesterkin stopped 36 shots for the Rangers, who improved to 6-0-0 when playing outdoors.

    “I think it’s hard to grasp the whole day,” Zibanejad said. “But yeah, a great 12, 16 hours. It’s been a fun day.”

    Sam Reinhart scored for Florida, which was playing outdoors for the first time and lost for the fourth time in its last six contests overall. The Panthers gave up goals to Zibanejad and Panarin 64 seconds apart late in the first period, giving New York a 2-0 lead, and the Rangers kept control the rest of the way.

    Panthers coach Paul Maurice said the NHL deserved enormous credit for pulling off an event he called “spectacular.”

    “A Southern setting (and) the ice was fine,” Maurice said. “The spectacle was incredible. It was just brilliant, the entire kind of weekend. … I would imagine the Rangers really loved it. But for the losing coach, it was an incredible memory.”

    Florida outshot New York 37-20 and had 38 hits to New York’s 20, but watched the Rangers block of its 27 shot attempts.

    The star of the night was Zibanejad, who reached five points in a game for the fourth time.

    “He’s one of our core players,” Rangers coach Mike Sullivan said. “We rely on him in so many circumstances out there on both sides of the puck.”

    Zibanejad’s third goal was an empty-netter with 1:28 left. Rangers fans tried throwing hats to no avail; the seats were too far from the ice for any of them to get even close to the playing surface.

    “We have amazing support wherever we go,” Zibanejad said.

    The roof was open, as were the huge window panels behind what typically is left field at loanDepot Park — home of Major League Baseball’s Miami Marlins. There was some snow falling from the edges of the stadium, there were blasts of fire and after years of planning, there was hockey on a baseball field.

    “Awesome experience,” Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad said. “Really happy I was able to able to experience something like this. Would have loved to get the win, but at the end of the day, a true first-class experience.”

    Did it work? Outdoor ice typically doesn’t hold up with temperatures in the 60s, and there were some player complaints that the surface wasn’t conducive to speedy play. But it worked well enough for the Rangers, who were 4-6-3 in their last 13 games coming into Friday.

    “These events are a lot more fun and a lot more memorable when you win,” Zibanejad said.

    The temperature of 63 degrees Fahrenheit (17 Celsius) at game time was the second-warmest of any of the NHL’s 44 outdoor games that have counted in the standings. It was 2 degrees cooler than on Feb. 27, 2016, when Detroit beat Colorado at Denver’s Coors Field, home of the Colorado Rockies.

    The Rangers — with a snow effect around their walkway — were called to the ice at 8:13 p.m. The Panthers — as fire shot skyward along their path — came out about a minute later. And that’s about when snowflakes began falling from the top of the stadium, as the roof continued opening.

    There was another celebration before faceoff, when Rangers and Panthers players who will be part of the U.S. Olympic hockey team at the Milan Cortina Games next month were introduced. Panthers defenseman Seth Jones made the team earlier Friday, as did injured Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk.

    Tkachuk placed an American flag over Jones’ shoulders and the crowd roared.

    It was a spectacle, as expected. The Rangers showed up in all-white outfits, as if it was a beach day. The Panthers came with a “Miami Vice” theme, wearing white suits, pastel shirts and even showing up in Ferraris instead of a bus.

    “If you would have asked me 25 years ago … this might be the last place that I thought it would take place,” Sullivan said. “So, I just think it speaks volumes for technology and its advancements and the ability to put a sheet of ice down in this type of environment.”

    Rangers: Host Utah on Monday.

    Panthers: Host Colorado on Sunday.

    ___

    AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

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  • Kucherov, Raddysh carry the Lightning past the Sharks, 7–3

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    SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Nikita Kucherov scored his 20th goal of the season on a second-period power play and added four assists, Darren Raddysh had a hat trick and the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the San Jose Sharks 7–3 on Saturday.

    Brayden Point, Dominic James and Brandon Hagel also scored for Tampa Bay, and Oliver Bjorkstrand and Jake Guentzel each had two assists. Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 19 shots.

    The Lightning raced to a three-goal lead in the first seven minutes. Point opened the scoring at 2:37, Raddysh followed at 4:08, and Hagel scored his 19th goal of the season on a power play at 6:46 to chase goalie Yaroslav Askarov.

    Pavol Regenda had a hat trick for the Sharks, and Timothy Liljegren and Jeff Skinner each had two assists. Macklin Celebrini added an assist to extend his points streak to 10 games. Askarov made seven saves. Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 12 shots in relief.

    Up next

    Lightning: Host Colorado on Tuesday night.

    Sharks: Host Columbus on Tuesday night.

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  • Panthers and Rangers Play Outdoor Hockey Game in Miami, Replete With Snow and Fire

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    MIAMI (AP) — There was snow. There was fire. And after years of planning, there was hockey on a baseball field in Miami.

    The Florida Panthers and New York Rangers dropped the puck Friday night in the 44th outdoor game in NHL history. It was the first for Florida, which has won the last two Stanley Cup titles.

    And this Winter Classic wasn’t the warmest outdoor game ever: It was 61 degrees Fahrenheit (17 Celsius) outside when the windows behind what usually is left field began opening at 8:04 p.m., under a calm and clear sky.

    That made it the third-warmest outdoor game in league history, 4 degrees cooler than the 65-degree air on Feb. 27, 2016, when Detroit beat Colorado at Denver’s Coors Field, home of the Colorado Rockies, and 1 degree cooler than the game on Jan. 25, 2014, when Anaheim beat Los Angeles 3-0 at Dodger Stadium.

    The Rangers — with a snow effect around their walkway — were called to the ice at 8:13. The Panthers — as fire shot skyward along their path — came out about a minute later. And that’s about when snowflakes began falling from the top of the stadium, as the roof continued opening.

    There was another celebration before faceoff, when Rangers and Panthers players who will be part of the U.S. Olympic hockey team at the Milan Cortina Games next month were introduced. Panthers defenseman Seth Jones made the team earlier Friday, as did injured Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk.

    Tkachuk placed an American flag over Jones’ shoulders and the crowd roared.

    It was a spectacle, as expected. The Rangers showed up in all-white outfits, as if it was a beach day. The Panthers came with a “Miami Vice” theme, wearing white suits, pastel shirts and even showing up in Ferraris instead of a bus.

    “If you would have asked me 25 years ago … this might be the last place that I thought it would take place,” Rangers coach Mike Sullivan said. “So, I just think it speaks volumes for technology and its advancements and the ability to put a sheet of ice down in this type of environment.”

    Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

    Photos You Should See – December 2025

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  • Florida Panthers enlist stars for unique cancer fundraiser

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    The Florida Panthers have signed Wayne Gretzky, Martina Navratilova, Michael Bublé, Dustin Johnson, and the Miami Heat for a unique project

    MIAMI — For their latest project, the Florida Panthers signed Wayne Gretzky, Martina Navratilova, Michael Bublé, Dustin Johnson and the Miami Heat.

    And they were armed with paintbrushes, not hockey sticks.

    The Panthers — a few hours before their Winter Classic outdoor game at the Miami Marlins’ ballpark against the New York Rangers — unveiled a couple dozen panther sculptures, all painted in a unique way and now being auctioned off with hopes of raising $1 million for cancer research.

    Gretzky commissioned a sculpture that displays some of his stats, Johnson arranged one depicting a scene from Augusta National, Bublé’s is adorned in rhinestone braille, the NBA’s Heat commissioned a pair of sculptures with some of the team’s themes, artist Romero Britto painted one as well and Navratilova didn’t technically paint hers — she dipped tennis balls into paint and then served them into the panther, creating a polka-dotted splash of various colors.

    “To be able to have the privilege to reach out and make those contacts and have those folks say, ‘Of course,’ what a gift that was,” Panthers general manager and hockey operations president Bill Zito said. “It’s just so neat.”

    About $700,000 has been raised already, Zito said. The idea for the fundraiser — “Panthers on the Prowl,” they call it — is loosely built around Chicago’s “Cows on Parade” art project. Zito and his wife Julie co-chair the Panthers’ project; she is a breast cancer survivor, and Zito has lost a number of relatives to the disease.

    “It was my wife Julie’s idea,” Zito said. “And we lived in Chicago during ‘Cows on Parade,’ and then Romero Britto said we should auction them. I can’t take credit for any of it.”

    Many of the panthers were on display at LoanDepot Park on Friday, where about 35,000 fans attending the Winter Classic would see them.

    “There’s a tear and a smile,” Zito said. “And then you think, you know what, there’s a reason that everybody is engaged. There’s a reason that everybody gave their time and their talent. And it’s because it works and it’s right.”

    ___

    AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

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  • How to Watch Canada vs Finland: Live Stream 2026 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship, TV Channel

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    Canada faces Finland in this U20 hockey matchup at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship on Wednesday, New Year’s Eve.

    How to Watch Canada vs Finland

    • When: Wednesday, December 31, 2025
    • Time: 7:30 PM ET
    • TV Channel: NHL Network
    • Live Stream: Fubo (try for free)

    As the preliminary round of the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship reaches its climax, Canada and Finland square off in what could decide the top seed in Group B and shape quarterfinal matchups. Canada enters the contest riding high after a dominant 9-1 victory over Denmark, showcasing a potent blend of depth and scoring punch led by top prospects like Gavin McKenna and Michael Hage, both among the team’s leading point producers. The Canadians have shown glimpses of their offensive explosiveness throughout the tournament, combining skill, speed, and size, and will be looking to carry that momentum into this marquee showdown. A win here not only secures bragging rights but also could provide a more straightforward path through the knockout rounds.

    Finland, meanwhile, has carved its own path through the group with disciplined play and strong team balance. The Finns have been impressive on both ends of the ice, including a resounding 8-0 victory over Latvia, and boast multiple contributors in their forward corps as well as steady goaltending from Petteri Rimpinen. Their methodical puck possession and willingness to grind through defensive structure have kept them unbeaten in regulation, making them a dangerous foe capable of upsets if Canada’s top unit isn’t sharp. Historically, this matchup has favored Canada, but Finland’s all-around performance this tournament suggests this New Year’s Eve clash will be competitive and potentially pivotal for momentum heading into the playoff rounds.

    This is a great matchup that you will not want to miss; make sure to tune in and catch all the action.

    Live stream Canada vs Finland with Fubo: Start your free trial now!

    With Fubo, you can watch live television without cable on your phone, TV, or tablet. Fubo carries a wide array of sports and entertainment channels, including local sports packages and top national channels like ABC, FOX, CBS, ESPN, FS1, MTV, Comedy Central, and much more. The best part is you can try it out today for free.

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  • Kendall Coyne Schofield scores twice, Hensley stops 31 as Frost cruise to 5-1 win over Sceptres

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    Kendall Coyne Schofield scored her league-leading sixth and seventh goals, Nicole Hensley shined with a 31-save outing, and the Minnesota Frost topped the Toronto Sceptres 5-1 on Tuesday night.

    Katy Knoll, Britta Curl-Salemme and Grace Zumwinkle also scored for Minnesota. Taylor Heise had three assists.

    Daryl Watts had the lone goal for Toronto. Elaine Chuli made 14 saves, with Raygan Kirk turning away two shots in relief in the third period.

    Watts opened the scoring 4:55 into the contest when she backhanded a puck over Hensley’s right shoulder on a pass into the slot from Renata Fast.

    Curl-Salemme put Minnesota ahead at 12:59. With one skate behind the goal line, some feet away from the end boards, Curl-Salemme fired it in off Chuli’s shoulder, who seemed to have to duck her head to not get hit by the shot.

    Coyne Schofield made it a three-goal game with 4.4 seconds left in the second when her low backhand shot trickled in five-hole on Chuli, who was replaced by Kirk after the period.

    Coyne Schofield added an empty-netter with 3:17 left after Toronto pulled Kirk for an extra attacker with 5:45 remaining.

    With her first-period goal, Watts became the second PWHL player to have 50 career points, joining Montreal’s Marie-Philip Poulin (55).

    Up next

    Frost: Visit Ottawa on Saturday.

    Sceptres: Host Seattle at TD Coliseum in Hamilton, Ontario, as part of the PWHL Takeover Tour on Saturday.

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  • Bolts hold off Canadiens 5-4, extend winning streak to four games

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    TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Nikita Kucherov scored twice, Gage Goncalves added two assists and had the deciding goal in the shootout as the Tampa Bay Lightning held off the Montreal Canadiens 5-4 on Sunday.

    Oliver Bjorkstrand had two assists for Tampa Bay. Nick Paul and Pontus Holmberg also scored for the Lightning, who won their fourth straight game. Jonas Johansson stopped 32 shots and both attempts in the shootout.

    Juraj Slafkovsky scored twice, including the tying goal with 3.8 seconds left, and added an assist as Montreal rallied from deficits of 3-0 and 4-1 in the third period to secure a point. Noah Dobson had a goal and an assist, and Ivan Demidov also scored for the Canadiens. Jacob Fowler finished with 18 saves for Montreal, which played its first game coming out of the Christmas break.

    Kucherov scored two of Tampa Bay’s three goals in the second period. 

    Goncalves fed Kucherov for a breakaway goal at 2:28 of the second. Kucherov scored again at 12:11 when Goncalves missed a 2-on-1 chance wide, but Brayden Point picked up the rebound and quickly fed Kucherov above the crease.

    Paul made it 3-0 at 14:49. 

    Demidov broke up Johansson’s shutout bid 1:06 into the third period, poking in a Slafkovsky pass above the paint. But Holmberg answered 34 seconds later, deflecting a Bjorkstrand pass to score in his fourth consecutive game. Montreal then scored three times in the final 10:44 of the third.

     

    Slafkovsky started the comeback at 9:16 before and Dobson scored at 12:17 to make it a one-goal game.

    Earlier Sunday, Tampa Bay activated Brandon Hagel from injured reserve after missing four games and placed defenseman Ryan McDonagh on injured reserve, three games after he returned from an 18-game absence.

     

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