MINNEAPOLIS — The excitement for Wolves fans is palpable, as they move to the second round of the playoffs for the first time in twenty years.

Wolves fandom is now being reflected on canvas, thanks to local artist Adam Johnson. Johnson’s painting of Naz Reid received love on X from Reid, who received his own copy of the art.

On Saturday, Wolves fever spread to Colorwheel Gallery in Minneapolis, where the artist dropped off free Reid posters for fans.

“It’s a great group with great chemistry so I’m really excited for the series,” said Sarah Hargadon from Minnetonka.

It’s not just the Wolves providing optimism right now in Minnesota. With the Minnesota Twins now winning a dozen games in a row, and even the Vikings, drafting Michigan star quarterback J.J. McCarthy, local sports fandom has reached fever pitch, for the moment, at least.

“I’m feeling really good. I think it’s just a really exciting time,” said Hargadon.

“It’s hard to be hopeful with all the scar tissue, but it’s looking bright which is always fun to follow,” said Charlie Wenner from Eden Prairie.

Despite two decades of limited success, fans said they have high hopes for the Wolves to have a strong postseason run.

“If they can beat Denver, which I think they will, then I think they get to the finals,” said Hargadon.

“They’ve looked really good so hopefully they can keep it rolling. There’s no reason to doubt it, unless you see something different,” said Wenner.

“Oh another sweep, yeah sure why not, I mean Denver’s good, but we’re better, and we have Anthony Edwards they don’t,” said Wolves fan Jamie Hoekstra.

Minnesota United announced today the club has signed MNUFC2 goalkeeper Alec Smir (pronounced smurr) to a Short-Term Agreement, making him available for Saturday’s MLS away contest against Atlanta United FC at 6:30 p.m. CT. This is Smir’s second Short-Term Agreement of the season, and is the last time he can be called into the first team for an MLS contest in 2024. Smir still has two Short-Term Agreements available for non-MLS competitions.

Smir has been with MNUFC2 since 2022, the season that the team was founded and began play in MLS NEXT Pro. Since 2022, the goalkeeper has made 22 game appearances (15 starts in net) in regular-season action. This season, Smir made the start and earned a clean sheet following the 3-0 U.S. Open Cup First Round victory at Chicago House A.C. in March. He was on his first Short-Term Agreement last week, making him available on the bench during the Loons’ 2-1 victory at home over Sporting Kansas City on April 27.

The North Carolina native notably was selected to participate in the 2022 MLS All-Star Skills Challenge in the return of “Goalie Wars”, defeating three other MLS NEXT Pro goalkeepers to win the surprise event at Allianz Field in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

TRANSACTION: Minnesota United signs MNUFC2 goalkeeper Alec Smir to a Short-Term Agreement. This is Smir’s second Short-Term Agreement of the season, and is the last time he can be called into the first team for an MLS contest in 2024. Smir still has two Short-Term Agreements available for non-MLS competitions.

Alec Smir
Pronunciation: smurr
Position: Goalkeeper
Date of birth: 4/13/1999 (25 years old)
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 183 lbs.
Birthplace: San Antonio, Texas
Hometown: Greensboro, North Carolina

LAKE PARKE — It’s a sign summer is right around the corner.

After an abnormally warm winter, fishing experts said even with the recent rain, the lake levels will be low.

End of the Road Resort Owner Chery Hedlund said they were blessed with an early ice out this year.

Hedlund said the ice went off Upper Cormorant the first week in April, a month earlier than last year.

So Hedlund has been busy getting the resort’s 10 cabins ready for guests for opening day on May 11.

The resort is booked for the first full week.

“We’re turning around, putting in the docks and cleaning up the cabins and cleaning up the yard, and go to town and buy bait,” said Hedlund.

But it hasn’t been all good news with Mother Nature, as they’re dealing with low lake levels.

“We’ve been blessed with the last couple of weeks of rain. So it brought it up enough to tolerate the people who are going to be able to pull up to the docks, like they normally are used to. But if we don’t get more rain and it starts to drop down, then it’s right back to challenge time,” said Hedlund.

While Upper Cormorant Lake is known for its good fishing, fishing guide Mike Witt says more weeds with warmer water might make fishing harder this season.

“We have a lot of weeds that never died, and the weeds are gonna be strong, you know, coming into the spring, so we might find it might be a little tougher to find the fish,” said Witt, who also owns Quality Bait & Tackle in Detroit Lakes.

But on the bright side, he said he expects there will be more walleye, northerns, bass and pan fish.

“There wasn’t near as much pressure on the fish and the fish caught a big break. And I think we’re going to see lots of fish caught,” Witt said.

For more good news for anglers, Hedlund said the DNR stocks her lake every other year with walleye fingerlings. She said they tend to go to Knights Point.

“And the hotspots kind of change throughout the season,” said Hedlund.

It leaves some adventure for eager anglers.

My name is Anne Sara, better known as Sara.
I was born an only child in Port-au-prince, Haiti and moved to the U.S at the age of 2.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is where I was raised.
After graduating with my bachelor degree at Albright College, I moved to Florida to continue my studies.
WDAY is the reason why I moved to North Dakota.