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The Minnesota Wild have made resilience a valuable habit, halfway through a banged-up regular season

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The Minnesota Wild have made resilience a valuable habit, halfway through a banged-up regular season


ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota Wild wouldn’t need much time to identify a theme for their first half of the regular season — unfazed ought to do it.

In a fitting finish to their 41st game, the Wild reached the midpoint of the schedule in taxing fashion by fending off the St. Louis Blues 6-4 for their fourth straight victory on Tuesday night.

“Even if we’re up or even or down, I think we just keep playing,” defenseman Jonas Brodin said. “To do that, I think that’s really good. We’ve just got to keep doing it the rest of the season.”

Minnesota (26-11-4) kept pace with Central Division leader Winnipeg, staying two points behind the Jets with one game in hand. The Wild have the fourth-best record in the NHL, after missing the playoffs last season with largely the same roster. One key difference in 2023-24 was a lack of resiliency when injuries and slumps came their way.

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“The vibes are high. Everyone’s feeling good,” defenseman Jake Middleton said.

With Brodin leading the way with a career-high 33:02 of ice time, the second-most by any player in the NHL this season, the Wild managed to outlast a late surge by the Blues with contributions from everywhere in the lineup.

Defenseman Brock Faber, the runner-up for the Calder Trophy last year for the league’s top rookie, departed in the first period with an upper-body injury. That meant more minutes for Zach Bogosian on the first blue-line pair with Brodin, with captain Jared Spurgeon sidelined by a lower-body injury.

Minnesota Wild defenseman Jake Middleton is congratulated for his goal during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the St. Louis Blues, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. Credit: AP/Matt Krohn

Flanked by the second forward line of Marcus Johansson, Joel Eriksson Ek and Ryan Hartman down the stretch with a one-goal lead, Brodin and Bogosian were a two-man wrecking crew in front of goalie Marc-Andre Fleury during a supersized shift to end the game. Johansson’s empty-netter with 36 seconds left gave the Wild a 6-4 lead and a much-needed deep breath.

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“That six-man unit to end the game was special to watch,” said Middleton, who returned from a 10-game absence due to an upper-body injury with a goal and an assist.

The defensemen combined for three goals and two assists. Brodin, who led the team with four blocked shots, was justifiably proud of the effort.

“It’s fun to be playing those situations, too, like when it’s on the line. I love to play those minutes. That’s what you dream of when you’re a kid, play those tight games and those shifts. I love it,” Brodin said. “You forget you’re tired when you’re on the ice.”

St. Louis Blues center Brayden Schenn, right, and Minnesota Wild...

St. Louis Blues center Brayden Schenn, right, and Minnesota Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin reach for the puck during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. Credit: AP/Matt Krohn

So what’s the recovery plan?

“I don’t know. Maybe order a pizza or something,” Brodin said.

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Wild coach John Hynes had no update on Faber’s condition after the game, but Brodin and his blue-line boys will surely be ready for more role upgrades after the first half they’ve experienced. Brodin missed 10 games earlier this season himself.

Up front, star left wing and leading scorer Kirill Kaprizov is still out with a lower-body injury that has cost him six games and counting. Earlier this season, Eriksson Ek and another top-six forward, Mats Zuccarrello, missed 29 games between them.

“You can go one of two ways when you hit adversity, and we’re choosing to rise to the occasion,” Bogosian said. “That’s what we need to do.”



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East Range Police Department officer passes away

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East Range Police Department officer passes away


A police officer in northern Minnesota unexpectedly passed away earlier this week.

The East Range Police Department said that Sgt. Cody Siebert passed away on Friday, less than 24 hours after being diagnosed with a brain infection.

The department said that Siebert was known for his happy-go-lucky personality and that “if you couldn’t get along with Cody, it was your fault.”

Siebert started at the K9 program in Babbitt with K9 Taconite (Tac) before going to the East Range Police Department.

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“The hole left by Sgt. Siebert’s passing will be impossible to fill,” East Range police said. “We at ERPD love you and will miss you always. We have it from here.”

Mesabi East Schools also stated that the district was “truly blessed to have him walking our halls, greeting students, encouraging staff, and building relationships that went far beyond the badge.”

Click here for a GoFundMe to support Siebert’s family.



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How ICE’s presence is affecting child care in Minnesota

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How ICE’s presence is affecting child care in Minnesota


What happens to day care providers when families decide to stay home? Coming up at 9 a.m. on Monday, MPR News host Angela Davis is joined by early childhood education reporter Kyra Miles to talk about how the the increase of federal immigration agents is affecting the child care industry and children, families and child care workers.



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Utah Mammoth take down Minnesota 5-2 to end the Wild’s winning streak at 6

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Utah Mammoth take down Minnesota 5-2 to end the Wild’s winning streak at 6



The Wild were taken down by the Utah Mammoth 5-2 on Friday night to end Minnesota’s winning streak at six games. 

Lawson Crouse scored twice and U.S. Olympian Clayton Keller had a goal and two assists for Utah.

Logan Cooley and Barrett Hayton also scored and Karel Vejmelka made 21 saves to help the Mammoth rebound from a 4-2 home loss to NHL-leading Colorado on Wednesday night in their return from the Olympic break. Utah began the night in the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

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U.S. Olympian Matt Boldy scored and assisted on Kirill Kaprizov’s goal for Minnesota. Second behind Central Division-rival Colorado in the West, the Wild are 9-2-1 in their last 12. They beat the Avalanche 5-2 on Thursday night in Denver.

Cooley opened the scoring with a short-handed goal with 6:37 left in the first period. The former University of Minnesota star got the puck on the right side off a deflection and put a shot between Wallstedt’s legs for his 15th goal.

Keller scored his 18th at 4:26 of the second. Nick Schmaltz forced a turnover on a forecheck and fed Keller on the right side.

Crouse made it 3-0 at 7:49 of the second. He came down the middle, took a pass from Keller and beat Wallstedt with a backhander.

Kaprizov countered for Minnesota on a power play with 5:57 left in the second. He has 33 goals this season.

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Hayton made it 4-1 on a power play at 1:19 of the third, and Crouse added his 16th of the season on a tip with 7:12 to go.

Boldy got his 35th of the season with 5:57 remaining.

Up next

Wild: Host St. Louis on Sunday.

Mammoth: Host Chicago on Sunday.

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