Michael Russo

ST. PAUL, Minn. — scored a pair of tying goals Saturday and is now one goal from another 40-goal season with six games left in the ’s season, but former University of Minnesota-Duluth forward scored the eventual winning goal in the second period when he deflected ’s point shot as the Wild lost to the , 4-2, at Xcel Energy Center. Advertisement had three points for the Jets. Minnesota went 2-2-2 on its six-game homestand and playoff-bound Winnipeg won a third straight content. The Wild, who are…

With a healthy scratch for nearly two straight months, it was fair to wonder when he’d play again. Or if the 38-year-old had played his last game? “As the games start building up, you never really know,” he told The Athletic. “You’re always hoping you can get in. “You just try not to think about it.” Advertisement Goligoski did finally get in, playing Thursday against the due to ’s injury. It was his first game since Feb. 7. He played again Saturday against but was minus-3. There have been so…

ST. PAUL, Minn. — In a final memory of this disappointing season, the put forth an uncharacteristically subpar effort to give their loyal fans, who sold out Xcel Energy Center once again, one final home loss to endure. Game 82, with both teams having nothing to play for, understandably can be tough to play, but some Wild players didn’t even attempt to empty the tank during a season-ending 4-3 loss to the on Thursday. Advertisement ’s first-period power-play goal didn’t hold up as the Wild took…

coach John Hynes, who has coached several USA Hockey national teams since the late 90s, was named head coach of the 2024 U.S. men’s national team that will compete in the World Championship May 10 to 26 in Czechia, . Hynes is serving as head coach of the U.S. men’s national team for the third time after stints behind the bench in 2016 and 2019. Advertisement He was head coach for three medal-winning U.S. under-18 men’s national teams as well, winning gold in 2006, silver in 2004 and bronze in 20…

The ’s lineup during their season-ending, 4-3 loss to the on Thursday night will look a lot like the one we see on opening night in October. That may not whet the appetite of fans after the Wild’s second missed postseason in 12 years, but there’s a chance for some twists. More than you think. Advertisement Let’s start with the top six. If you read the tea leaves, , who scored 11 goals and 30 points in a disappointing 78-game season, will not be handed the same spot next to and next season. Th…

When you’re the team operations director of a hockey team, you’re used to putting out fires. Flight delays, middle-of-the-night phone calls from players and staff, practice-time changes. If there’s a problem, you find a way to fix it … and there’s always an unforeseen problem. On Feb. 16, hours after the were clobbered 9-2 at home by the in a third straight “horrible” performance coming out of their bye/All-Star break, director of team operations Brandon Walker got word from general manager Ba…

The legendary Al Shaver, the beloved radio voice of the North Stars during the franchise’s 26 years in Minnesota, died Monday after a brief illness on Vancouver Island, B.C., at the age of 96, his son Wally, the longtime play-by-play radio voice of the Gophers, told The Athletic on Wednesday. Born in London, Ont., Shaver was a play-by-play announcer for radio and television stations in Guelph, Ont., Calgary and Medicine Hat, Alta. It was in Medicine Hat where he met his wife, Shirley. They were…

WASHINGTON — brushed off an early soft goal with an outstanding 27-save performance and continued his stupendous postseason by scoring a power-play goal and assisting on ’s eventual short-handed game-winner as the Presidents’ Trophy-winning moved to within a win of advancing to the second round of the playoffs thanks to a dominant special teams effort. Advertisement After ’s knuckler beat Shesterkin, the always-money responded just 34 seconds later and the Rangers skated to a 3-1, Game 3 vic…

ST. PAUL, Minn. — For years, watched as his girlfriend, then fiancée, then wife, Sophia, supported his career. She was a shoulder to lean on when things got tough in Minnesota. Moved to Nashville when he was traded there. Was a constant during the toughest season of his pro career — last year with the , when he tore his ACL. Advertisement So Kunin can’t wait to walk into Xcel Energy Center — the arena where he began his career as a rookie seven years ago — on Saturday with the shoe on the oth…

BOSTON — Hockey can be cruel sometimes. In a game the , allowing only three shots and 10 attempts in the first period, the finally started to apply pressure midway through the second period, getting scoring chances on successive shifts. But with the Bruins unable to capitalize, sapped all that earned momentum. The rookie defenseman clipped Panthers fourth-liner with a high stick, and what’s more, he drew blood for a double minor. Advertisement On the ensuing two power plays, the Panthers tur…