Minnesota State Regains Top Spot In National Hockey Polls
The Minnesota State men's hockey team has returned to the top spot in the national polls.
Watch CBS News
The Minnesota State men's hockey team has returned to the top spot in the national polls.
Basketball and hockey conference titles are being decided this week.
At long last, Minnesota will finally get the chance to host an outdoor NHL game next season. The Wild will play the Chicago Blackhawks in one of the NHL's two "Stadium Series" games. The match-up is set for Feb. 21, 2016 at TCF Bank Stadium. "A real thrill," Wild CEO Matt Majka said. "And happiness. And a little relief maybe, too, because we've been waiting a long time."
It was considered one of the best hockey conferences in the state in the 1970's -- but times have changed, and enrollments have declined. Minneapolis has consolidated the conference into one high school hockey program, representing the entire city.
With the St. Paul Winter Carnival kicking off, there are plenty of ways to enjoy the winter weather this weekend. That includes one big event that's back for another round – Red Bull Crashed Ice.
Devan Dubnyk stopped 25 shots against his former team, and Jason Zucker and Zach Parise both scored their 16th goal of the season to lead the Minnesota Wild past the Arizona Coyotes 3-1 on Saturday night. Charlie Coyle also scored for the Wild (20-19-5), who won their second straight after dropping seven of eight.
Minnesota is living up to its name as the state of hockey. Thousands of athletes are lacing up their skates around the state for the 9th annual Hockey Day Minnesota. The premier games are happening at Holman Field in St. Paul where high school hockey teams are competing on an outdoor rink.
Crews at the U.S. Pond Hockey Championship are using cutting-edge technology to keep the ice smooth and safe. More than 500 hockey games on 25 rinks all on one lake can chew up the ice pretty good.
Alright Wild fans, are you back on the bandwagon yet? I, of course, never got off. But was last night's win enough to get you back to believing in this team? It was enough for WCCO-TV reporter Rachel Slavik, who sent me the following text after last night's game:
Hundreds of hockey players are hitting the ice this weekend as part of the U.S. Pond Hockey Championships. It's a chance to lace up your skates and celebrate hockey the way nature intended.
You could call it a hockey holiday. This year the Labatt Blue U.S. Pond Hockey Championships celebrate 10 years of fun out on the ice. The first-ever U.S. Pond Hockey Championships in 2006 saw 120 teams compete.
Devan Dubnyk stopped 18 shots in his Minnesota debut, Jason Pominville had three assists against his former team, and the Wild snapped a six-game skid with a 7-0 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday night. The Sabres extended their losing streak to nine — all decided in regulation. No NHL has done that since the Edmonton Oilers lost nine straight in regulation from Feb. 25 to March 15, 2007, according to STATS.
You could call it one big hockey celebration this weekend. Two big hockey events to take in – the 10th Annual U.S. Pond Hockey Championships at Lake Nokomis and it's Hockey Day Minnesota on Saturday.
The NHL has suspended Minnesota Wild defenseman Ryan Suter for two games, without pay, for elbowing Pittsburgh Penguins forward Steve Downie. Suter struck Downie on Tuesday night at 4:22 of the second period. The NHL handed down the punishment on Wednesday.
On Jan. 2, the Minnesota Wild defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs by a score of 3-1. The hope at the time was that winning the first game in 2015 would be a springboard to another playoff berth much like last year, when Minnesota defeated Buffalo in their first game of 2014. Instead, the Wild have lost six-straight games and find themselves eight points out from the final playoff spot.
Hockey Day Minnesota is this Saturday. High school, college and pro teams will play outside throughout the day on a specially-made rink. It's a celebration of the state's official sport that an estimated 100,000 Minnesotans play.
David Perron scored twice and added an assist to lead the Pittsburgh Penguins by the reeling Minnesota Wild 7-2 on Tuesday night. Paul Martin, Kris Letang and Chris Kunitz each had a goal and an assist for the Penguins. Marcel Goc and Brandon Sutter also scored for Pittsburgh.
Let's recap your weekend, shall we? The Timberwolves lost their 14th and 15th in a row Friday and Saturday night. The Wild were outscored a combined 7-2 in losses to Nashville and Chicago, and have now lost five in a row and 11 of their last 13. Gopher men's basketball blew a 9-point lead with less than 8 to play at Michigan and lost their fourth in a row. Men's hockey was swept in Michigan, too, and has now lost three of four.
Defenseman Ryan Suter has been selected to represent the Minnesota Wild at the NHL All-Star Weekend Jan. 24-25 in Columbus, Ohio. It is the second All-Star appearance for Suter. Suter has one goal and 21 assists in 38 games this season for the Wild, the fourth-most points by a Minnesota player.
Zach Parise has returned to the Minnesota Wild, still saddened by the death of his father but eager for a respite on the ice. Parise practiced with the team Friday and said he plans to play Saturday against the Nashville Predators.
Fans and friends of J.P. Parise are mourning the loss of a hockey legend. Gregg Pendy, a fan, said Thursday that he knew the best place to honor Parise, who died at his home Wednesday night. The place was Tom Reid's Hockey City Pub in St. Paul.
As the Minnesota Wild hopefully snap their two-game losing streak Thursday against the Chicago Blackhawks, some fans may enjoy a new way to order some suds. Xcel Energy Center is launching a first-of-its-kind beer vending machine, placing a Budweiser "smart" beer vending machine on the main concourse near section 113.
A high school hockey player got a big scare after he suffered a neck injury during a game on Saturday. Sixteen-year-old Zack Munger plays defense for Plymouth's Providence Academy. During their junior varsity game against Breck on Saturday, another player hit Zack cleanly, but he fell awkwardly into the boards.
The month of December was not kind to the Minnesota Wild. During the month the Wild went 4-5-3 and found themselves ranked 11 out of 14 teams in the Western Conference, and seven points out of a playoff spot.
If the Minnesota Wild are going to bounce back from another December swoon, they'll need Darcy Kuemper to return to his early season form. Kyle Brodziak, Jared Spurgeon and Mikko Koivu scored, Kuemper made 34 saves, and the Minnesota Wild beat the short-handed Toronto Maple Leafs 3-1 on Friday.
Minnesota Timberwolves center Naz Reid and Atlanta Hawks forward Mouhamed Gueye were ejected Monday night after an altercation early in the fourth quarter of Minnesota's 138-116 win.
Anthony Edwards scored 21 of his 30 points in the first half as the Minnesota Timberwolves used a dominant second quarter to cruise to a 138-116 win against the short-handed Atlanta Hawks.
A question for applicants wishing to fill vacancies in the U.S. Attorney's Office in Minnesota is sparking concerns from some attorneys who are concerned that politics is getting in the way of a once apolitical job.
Two Philadelphia-based men accused of traveling to Minneapolis after a friend told them the taxpayer-funded programs there presented "a good opportunity to make money," pleaded guilty to wire fraud on Monday.
A 20-year-old Minneapolis man on Monday pleaded guilty to fatally shooting a man in the Elliot Park neighborhood last summer.
A 20-year-old Minneapolis man on Monday pleaded guilty to fatally shooting a man in the Elliot Park neighborhood last summer.
A judge sentenced a man to nearly three years in prison for straw purchasing dozens of guns, some of which were tied to criminal activity across the Twin Cities, including the killings of two young girls in 2021.
The Minnetonka Skipperettes finished in a top-three spot in jazz, earning a ticket to the state tournament for the first time since 2005, after a 21-year absence.
Teenage brothers born in Minneapolis and now living in Chicago documented federal immigration agents in both cities for months.
The Minneapolis Fire Department says the pop-up nature of the blockades makes emergency response especially difficult.
January is typically a slow month at Frontiersman Sports, but employees at the St. Louis Park, Minnesota, gun shop said sales spiked 30% above normal for the month.
The daughter of a Minnesota gubernatorial candidate was killed Friday in an apparent attempted murder-suicide involving her husband.
Two Republican candidates in the 2026 Minnesota gubernatorial race have dropped out: one for a heartbreaking reason, while the other is entering a different race.
People describing themselves as constitutional observers tell WCCO that in the past week, reports of ICE agents disguising themselves have flooded in from the Twin Cities Metro and rural areas of the state.
Last month, congressional Republicans moved closer to lifting a 20-year ban on mining near Minnesota's Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, pushing a resolution to end the moratorium through the House.
Three people are dead after a house fire in a small western Wisconsin town early Saturday.
John Lauritsen shares the story behind a massive snow sculpture that's now become a winter destination.
A jury has found a Wisconsin man guilty of forging threats against President Donald Trump in an attempt to get a witness against him deported.
Minnesota and Wisconsin are among the 11 states reporting their first measles cases of 2026.
Hundreds of schools in Minnesota and Wisconsin have closed or shifted to virtual learning on Friday amid dangerous cold.
The ongoing presence of ICE and federal law enforcement in the Minneapolis area has kept many immigrants at home for fear of being arrested. Now, their neighbors are crowdsourcing to cover their rent.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations aren't only happening in the Twin Cities. Federal agents are also working in smaller towns, and in some, seeing similar resistance from the community.
While Operation Metro Surge continues in the Twin Cities, Minnesota's farm country is also feeling the impact. The major concerns for farmers and the trickle-down effect it could have on consumers.
Minnesota's governor spoke out Sunday afternoon following the shooting death of Alex Pretti by federal immigration enforcement agents. "What's the plan, Donald Trump? What is the plan?" Walz said. "Fear, violence and chaos is what you wanted from us, and you clearly underestimated the people of this state and nation."
A marching protest against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Minneapolis Friday afternoon happened as a widespread work stoppage across Minnesota, as organizers called for a day of no work, no school and no shopping.
A Mexican immigrant working in Minnesota says federal officers arrested and beat him. Court documents detail a laundry list of head injuries that hospital workers called life-threatening, including eight skull fractures and five brain bleeds. Ashley Grams is learning more from those documents.
A question for applicants wishing to fill vacancies in the U.S. Attorney's Office in Minnesota is sparking concerns from some attorneys who are concerned that politics is getting in the way of a once apolitical job.
Teenage brothers born in Minneapolis and now living in Chicago documented federal immigration agents in both cities for months.
January is typically a slow month at Frontiersman Sports, but employees at the St. Louis Park, Minnesota, gun shop said sales spiked 30% above normal for the month.
Rev. Katherine Lewis of St. David's Episcopal Church in Minnetonka, Rev. Daniel Ruth, executive director of Lutheran Partners in Global Ministry, and Rev. Amanda Lunemann of Grace United Methodist Church in Burnsville, Minnesota, each say they felt a calling to be at the Jan. 23 protest at MSP Airport, despite the risk of arrest and the reality of the bone-chilling cold.
January is typically a slow month at Frontiersman Sports, but employees at the St. Louis Park, Minnesota, gun shop said sales spiked 30% above normal for the month.
Amid ongoing immigration operations in Minnesota, a local company is filling a desperate need for on-demand legal help.
Outside the governor's mansion in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Friday, demonstrators, including many students and teachers, pleaded for Gov. Tim Walz to enact an immediate eviction moratorium to help families impacted by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement surge.
It's part of broader protests calling on the Minneapolis-based retailer to respond more directly to immigration enforcement.
While Operation Metro Surge continues in the Twin Cities, Minnesota's farm country is also feeling the impact. The major concerns for farmers and the trickle-down effect it could have on consumers.
Two Philadelphia-based men accused of traveling to Minneapolis after a friend told them the taxpayer-funded programs there presented "a good opportunity to make money," pleaded guilty to wire fraud on Monday.
A 20-year-old Minneapolis man on Monday pleaded guilty to fatally shooting a man in the Elliot Park neighborhood last summer.
A judge sentenced a man to nearly three years in prison for straw purchasing dozens of guns, some of which were tied to criminal activity across the Twin Cities, including the killings of two young girls in 2021.
Teenage brothers born in Minneapolis and now living in Chicago documented federal immigration agents in both cities for months.
January is typically a slow month at Frontiersman Sports, but employees at the St. Louis Park, Minnesota, gun shop said sales spiked 30% above normal for the month.
Public health officials say a measles crisis has long been brewing in Minnesota.
Patients in Minnesota are canceling appointments and deferring critical health care needs because of fear of immigration enforcement as the federal crackdown continues, doctors say.
Children's Minnesota announced Tuesday it plans to pause some gender-affirming care for children amid "threats" from the federal government.
Nurses in Minneapolis doubted federal immigration officers' claims about a Mexican immigrant's severe injuries.
Minnesota and Wisconsin are among the 11 states reporting their first measles cases of 2026.
Bad Bunny says he wants to bring his culture to his 2026 Super Bowl halftime show Sunday.
Renowned comedian Dave Chappelle is set to return to the Twin Cities later this month to perform and "show a stand with a community at the center of events that should unite all Americans," show organizers said Monday.
Complete closure of the performing arts center in Washington, D.C., will start on July 4, Mr. Trump said. It's not yet clear how extensive the changes to the building might be.
Music's biggest night returned Sunday with the 68th annual Grammy Awards. Here is how to watch and stream and what to know.
In 1971, Demond Wilson appeared on an episode of "All in the Family," a role that led him to land a lead part in "Sanford and Son."
Minnesota Timberwolves center Naz Reid and Atlanta Hawks forward Mouhamed Gueye were ejected Monday night after an altercation early in the fourth quarter of Minnesota's 138-116 win.
Anthony Edwards scored 21 of his 30 points in the first half as the Minnesota Timberwolves used a dominant second quarter to cruise to a 138-116 win against the short-handed Atlanta Hawks.
In a surprising move to some, the Wild have two goaltenders playing in the Milano Cortina Winter Games: Filip Gustavsson and Jesper Wallstedt, who is in his first full NHL season.
The Minnetonka Skipperettes finished in a top-three spot in jazz, earning a ticket to the state tournament for the first time since 2005, after a 21-year absence.
Some 2026 Winter Olympics athletes say their winning medals are falling apart, coming detached from their ribbons.
The Republican Party endorsing convention is in May, and Demuth has said that if she doesn't win the endorsement, she will drop out, but several candidates are expected to continue to the August primary.
In a crowded field, Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth had a very good caucus night; she won the straw poll by about 32%.
The state of Minnesota is vowing to continue the legal battle after it and 12 cities were denied a temporary restraining order that would have shut down Operation Metro Surge.
The state of Minnesota is vowing to continue the legal battle after it and 12 cities, including St Paul and Minneapolis, were denied a temporary restraining order that would have shut down Operation Metro Surge.
While Operation Metro Surge continues in the Twin Cities, Minnesota's farm country is also feeling the impact. The major concerns for farmers and the trickle-down effect it could have on consumers.
John Lauritsen shares the story behind a massive snow sculpture that's now become a winter destination.
Northland Arboretum was built half a century ago on top of what was once a city dump. But over time, nature carved its own path with a little help from a Zamboni.
St. James is a smaller town with a main street and a railroad running though. But inside a local building, the main street and the railroad are even smaller.
On Dec. 9, 1965, "A Charlie Brown Christmas" debuted on CBS, and it became an instant classic. Lee Jenkins' home is proof that the show is still a hit six decades later.
Holiday lights are on full display across the state right now, and just south of the Twin Cities you'll find a Christmas light show that's been around for more than half a century.
According to the Police Executive Research Firm, 82% of police departments in the United States equip officers with body cameras. That number comes from 2023, meaning it could be even higher by now.
With the new $2,600 stipend, DHS said the cost of a single self-deportation is $5,100. That's significantly less than the cost to arrest, detain and deport an undocumented immigrant, which DHS said costs more than $18,000.
It might be hard to believe, but it's gotten warmer outside over the past few days. The temperature is creeping above zero during the day, but the wind chill remains dangerously low. So, how is wind chill calculated?
Minnesota gun rights are in the spotlight after U.S. Border Patrol agents shot and killed a lawful gun carrier over the weekend.
It's a saying Minnesotans and Wisconsinites know well: "There's no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing." The problem is that even proper clothing might not be enough to withstand the bitter chill headed for the bold north.
Minnesotans got a great view of the northern lights Tuesday night.
A look at the newest addition to the polar bear population at St. Paul, Minnesota's Como Zoo.
From food shelves to school programs, our team is proud to serve where it matters most.
The Minnesota State Fair has unveiled its new food, drinks and vendors for 2025.
A suspect was taken into custody after an attack on Pearl Street Mall in Boulder on June 1 in which there were 15 people and a dog who were victims. The suspect threw Molotov cocktails that burned some of the victims, who were part of a march for Israeli hostages.
WCCO meteorologist Lisa Meadows says above-average temperatures will continue through the entire week.
In Minnesota, weather can be all over the place. Here at WCCO, we want to give you what you need to prepare for what's happening next.
WCCO meteorologist Lisa Meadows says tomorrow will be breezy with a high in the mid-30s.
Light rain and snow will fall north of the metro Monday evening, says NEXT Weather meteorologist Lisa Meadows.
Tomorrow will be breezy with a high in the mid-30s, but warmer highs look to be moving in again by next weekend, WCCO meteorologist Mike Augustyniak reports.
WCCO meteorologist Lisa Meadows says above-average temperatures will continue through the entire week.
The ICE surge in Minnesota has sparked ongoing protests. Some draw tens of thousands of demonstrators, others just a few dozen. The Trump administration claims money motivates critics to hit the streets. In Good Question, Jeff Wagner investigates if there's any truth behind the assertion that protesters get paid.
Target says it's going to add more staff to its stores because shoppers have reported sloppier shelves, longer checkout lines, and items out of stock.
A western Wisconsin community is coming together to support a family after a devastating fire. Three people died over the weekend at a home in Anderson Township. WCCO's Ubah Ali has more on the legacy they leave behind.
A Mexican immigrant working in Minnesota says federal officers arrested and beat him. Court documents detail a laundry list of head injuries that hospital workers called life-threatening, including eight skull fractures and five brain bleeds. Ashley Grams is learning more from those documents.