Minnesota
Christian Fitzgerald nets second hat trick of season, Wisconsin hockey beats Minnesota in Big Ten opener
MADISON – It took 734 days and seven meetings, but the Wisconsin men’s hockey team finally got the best of its border rival.
The Badgers snapped a six-game winless streak against the Gophers on Thursday Oct. 30 with a 5-2 victory at the Kohl Center in the Big Ten opener.
Wisconsin, which is ranked No. 14, in the USCHO poll, extended its unbeaten streak to open the season to seven games. With a 5-0-2 record the Badgers are off to their best start since the 2000-01 season when they started 7-0.
Senior forward Christian Fitzgerald recorded his second hat trick of the season, while seniors Ben Dexheimer and Kyle Kukkonen made two assists. Nine plays in all scored a point for the Badgers.
No. 18 Minnesota, which dropped its third straight game, fell to 2-6-1.
Five of the seven goals in the game were scored in the second period.
Sophomore Logan Hensler scored what proved to be the game-winner at the 11:56 mark of that period off a pass from Kukkonen to give UW a 3-2 edge.
Fitzgerald’s performance allowed him to surpass last season’s goal total. It was also his second multi-goal game of the season. He had a hat trick in the second game at Lindenwood.
He gave UW a 1-0 lead at the 5:26 mark of the second period and pushed the Badgers’ lead to 4-2 at the 2:19 of the third period. He completed the hat trick with an empty net goal with 75 seconds left.
Check jsonline later for more on the game.
See how the bald eagle’s story shows its enduring symbolism
As the U.S. celebrates 250 years, the bald eagle endures as North America’s native sea eagle and national bird.
The common loon, Minnesota’s state bird, is more closely related to a penguin than a duck.
Despite loons predominantly living in the northern hemisphere and penguins mostly living in the southern hemisphere, researchers consider them to be genetic cousins. Taxonomic analyses placed them in an evolutionary cluster tracing back 40 million to 50 million years ago, along with herons and pelicans.
While loons and ducks share habitat on Minnesota lakes, they aren’t close relatives. Ducks are closer cousins to geese and swans.
After sharing a common ancestor, penguins and loons developed distinct characteristics. Loons can fly, but struggle to move on land; penguins can’t fly, but waddle on land. Penguins use flipper-like wings to swim; loons use webbed feet for underwater propulsion.
They have some similar features, however, including dense bones to help dive underwater and their tuxedo coloring.
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Fires in the past burned more frequently in western Canada, but recent years have seen that trend migrate eastward, with large fires now burning in Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic provinces, Prof Chasmer said, leading to more noticeable smoke in densely populated cities like Toronto and New York.
Minnesota United, the Liberia Lone Star National Football Team and SARX today announced that the international friendly against the Liberia National Team, scheduled for July 26, 2026, has been canceled.
While we were looking forward to welcoming the Liberia National Team and celebrating the strong ties between Minnesota’s Liberian community and our club, circumstances outside of our control have made it necessary to cancel the match. We appreciate the understanding of our supporters and wish the Liberia National Team all the best.
Fans who purchased tickets to the match will be refunded within approximately 3-10 business days.
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