CRYSTAL, Minn. — Life can change in an instant — Jen Kelly knows that firsthand.

Kelly started riding horses when she was just 8 years old. As an equestrian with years of experience, she’s taken a tumble or two — until a tumble in September 2020.

“It happened quickly and I landed on my face,” Kelly said. “I had been instantly paralyzed from the back down.”

Kelly broke three vertebrae in her neck and crushed her spinal cord. Facing the fear of never walking again, five words from her doctor kept her going: “You’re going to walk again.”

“Those were literally and figuratively my marching orders from there on out,” Kelly said.

Kelly spent months at North Memorial and then spent rehab at Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute.

“Walking is exceptionally complex,” Dr. Mandy DeRasmi with Courage Kenny said. “It’s a lot of coordination and balance and strength.”

At Courage Kenny, Kelly had access to cutting-edge technology and top neurosurgeons. Day after day, Kelly put in the work.

“She always wanted to try new things,” DeRasmi said. “She would do research on her own and come to me and be like ‘Oh, what do you think about this? What do you think about this? What do you think about this? Should I try this? Should I but this?’”

Throughout it all, it was Kelly’s mindset that stood out to doctors.

“You can tell a difference with the patients that have a little bit of gumption to them,” DeRasmi said.

Kelly had both gumption and gratitude.

“I really pushed hard and I really expected a lot from myself,” Kelly said. “And I wasn’t going to let myself down, let alone the others who support me. The new normal is about being grateful for the ‘yay moments.’ When I first recovering, something as simple as holding a toothbrush was amazing.”

Those small yay moments led to big ones.

“To see my horse again, to pet him, to talk to him, and to be in the barn and smell the hay and smell the horses,” Kelly said. “Year, that was a real milestone moment for me.”

While Kelly is now walking, her recovery will be a life long endeavor and healing process. She said she will continue to focus on her mobility , balance an strength.

“There’s really two paths you can take,” she said. “You can take I the discouraged depressed place and that really is self pity, or you can look outward and that’s about gratitude. So, I chose the gratitude path.”

Kelly hopes her story touches just one person, then it’s all worth it. Someday, she wants to write a book.

Sunday’s NHL showdown features the Minnesota Wild (20-6-4) hosting the Vegas Golden Knights (19-8-3) at Xcel Energy Center.

Both teams are looking to bounce back after tough losses to the Edmonton Oilers. The Golden Knights suffered a 6-3 defeat on Saturday in Edmonton, halting their four-game winning streak as they continue their road trip in Minnesota.

Despite the loss, Jack Eichel notched his 40th point of the season with his 31st assist, maintaining his status as Vegas’ offensive linchpin. Eichel has also tallied 15 points across 13 career matchups against the Wild.

Here, GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch Minnesota Wild vs Vegas Golden Knights NHL game, plus plenty more.

Minnesota Wild vs Vegas Golden Knights: Date and puck-drop time

The Wild will square off against the Golden Knights in a thrilling NHL clash on Sunday, December 15, 2024, at 6:00 pm ET/3:00 pm PT, at Xcel Energy Center, in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

How to watch Minnesota Wild vs Vegas Golden Knights on TV & stream live online

Streaming service: ESPN+

Start an ESPN+ subscription from $11.99 a month

Sign up today

The starting price for an ESPN+ subscription is $11.99/month or $119.99/year. For an extra $16.99 a month, you can package it with Disney+ and Hulu.

Streaming the game with a VPN

Unable to watch this game due to broadcast restrictions? A VPN could be the answer to your problems.

When it comes to streaming live sports, NordVPN is our pick for the best VPN service in 2024. You can even try NordVPN risk-free with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Stream live anywhere in the world with Nord VPN

Get NordVPN

Advertisement

Minnesota Wild vs Vegas Golden Knights team news

Minnesota Wild team news

Kirill Kaprizov has been a force this season, pacing Minnesota with 45 points in 29 games (1.5 points per game). His scoring split includes 20 goals and 25 assists, making him the team’s most dynamic contributor.

Between the pipes, Filip Gustavsson has excelled with a 14-5-3 record. He boasts a 2.2 goals-against average, allowing only 49 goals while making 581 saves for a .922 save percentage—ranking fifth in the NHL.

Vegas Golden Knights team news

For Vegas, Jack Eichel continues to shine, leading the team in points (40) and assists (31).

Goaltender Adin Hill has a 13-5-2 record this season, with a 2.8 goals-against average and a .900 save percentage, placing him 38th in the league. On defense, Brayden McNabb holds a team-high +16 plus-minus rating, anchoring Vegas’ blue line.

Head-to-head record

The Republican Party in Minnesota has a new Chair following a vote by the State Central Committee on Saturday.

David Hann, who has served as the Minnesota Republican Party chair for the past three years, confirmed the vote with 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS.

Wayzata City Councilor Alex Plechash will be replacing Hann, who issued the following statement regarding the committee’s vote:

“It has been an honor to serve the Republican Party these past three years. We’ve made great progress, retiring our longstanding debt and putting ourselves in a great position to win in 2026. The Republican Party’s continuing dedication to preserve the principles of our Founding is essential to the future of our country. I wish the best for the new administration in building on the foundation we have laid.”

Committee members voted Donna Bergstrom in as the Vice Chair. Bergstrom received five more votes than Kip Christensen to win the spot.