>>Timberwolves Host Knicks
(Minneapolis, MN) — The Minnesota Timberwolves go for their third win in a row when they host the New York Knicks at the Target Center tonight. The Wolves are coming off a 103-100 win over the Milwaukee Bucks at home on Sunday night. Minnesota is in fifth place in the N-B-A Western Conference with a 19-10 record. New York has won eight of its last nine games and is 20-8 on the year. Tonight’s game tips off at 7 P-M in downtown Minneapolis.
>>Wild Welcome Predators
(St. Paul, MN) — The Minnesota Wild look to get back in the win column when they host the Nashville Predators at Grand Casino Arena tonight. The Wild just lost to the Colorado Avalanche 5-1 at home on Sunday. Minnesota is in third place in the N-H-L Central Division with 49 points. The Preds lost to Minnesota 3-2 in overtime in their first meeting back in November. Nashville has won back-to-back games to improve to 15-16-and-4 this season. Tonight’s game starts at 7 P-M in downtown St. Paul.
>>Team U-S-A In Action In Duluth Tonight
(Duluth, MN) — The United States will skate against Finland in a World Junior pre-tournament exhibition game tonight in Duluth at 6 P-M. The U-S skated by Germany in its first exhibition on Sunday 8-0. The Fins beat Germany 9-3 last Friday. Golden Gopher head coach Bob Motzko is leading Team U-S-A with a roster that has a lot of Minnesota flavor. The World Junior preliminary round begins this Friday in the Twin Cities. Here is the World Junior pre-tournament exhibition schedule, with results to date:
In Duluth (AMSOIL Arena):
Friday, December 19th: Finland 9, Germany 3 (final)
Sunday, December 21st: United States 8, Germany 0 (final)
Tuesday, December 23rd: United States vs. Finland, 6 P-M
In Bemidji (Sanford Center):
Friday, December 19th: Czechia 3, Latvia 2 (final)
Sunday, December 21st: Slovakia 3, Latvia 1 (final)
Monday, December 22nd: Czechia 2 , Slovakia 1 (final)
In Mankato (Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center):
Tuesday, December 16th: Switzerland 2, Minnesota State-Mankato 1 (final-shootout)
Tuesday, December 23rd: Canada vs. Denmark, 7 P-M
In Rochester (Rochester Recreation Center):
Sunday, December 21st: Switzerland 6, Denmark 1 (final)
Tuesday, December 23rd: Switzerland vs. Sweden, 7 P-M
>>Vikings Prepare For Week 17
(Eagan, MN) — The Minnesota Vikings are spending the short week getting ready for their game against the Detroit Lions at U-S Bank Stadium on Christmas Day. The Purple are on a three-game winning streak after taking down the Giants 16-13 in Week 16. Minnesota has already been eliminated from playoff contention, and the team is in last place in the N-F-C North at 7-8. Minnesota quarterback J-J McCarthy would not have been able to practice yesterday had the team had a workout. He has an injured hand. Meanwhile, the 8-7 Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown is dealing with a knee injury. It’s not expected to be serious but his status for Thursday’s game in Minnesota is unclear. Thursday’s game kicks off at 3:30 P-M.
>>N-F-C North: Packers To Host Ravens
(Green Bay, WI) — The Green Bay Packers are set for their final home game of the season. Green Bay will welcome the Baltimore Ravens to Lambeau Field on Saturday. Quarterbacks Jordan Love and Malik Willis are both dealing with injuries suffered in Saturday’s loss to the Chicago Bears. The Packers enter the week at 9-5-and-1, second place in the N-F-C North. Ravens signal caller Lamar Jackson has a “significant” contusion on his back and is day-to-day, coach John Harbaugh told reporters on yesterday. Jackson left Sunday’s loss to the New England Patriots at halftime after throwing for 101 yards. He has missed three games due to injury this season.
>>N-F-C North: Bears Prepare For Week 17
(Lake Forest, IL) — The Chicago Bears will spend the week getting ready for their game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium on Sunday night. The Bears are in first place in the N-F-C North with an 11-4 record after earning a 22-16 overtime win against the Green Bay Packers on Saturday. This Sunday’s game kicks off at 7:20 P-M.
>>N-F-L: 49ers Take Down Colts
(Indianapolis, IN) — The San Francisco 49ers went east to pick up a 48-27 win over the Indianapolis Colts on Monday Night Football. Brock Purdy threw for 295 yards with five touchdowns and an interception in the San Francisco win. Christian McCaffrey put up 146 yards of total offense and caught two touchdowns, while George Kittle had seven catches for 115 yards and a score of his own. The Nine have won five in a row to improve to 11-4 on the season. Philip Rivers completed 23 of 35 passes for 277 yards with two touchdowns and an interception for Indy in the loss. Jonathan Taylor rushed for 46 yards and a touchdown and Alec Pierce caught four passes for 86 yards and two touchdowns. The Colts have lost their last five games to drop to 8-7, third place in the A-F-C South and on the outside looking in of the playoff picture.
>>N-F-L: Kansas City Chiefs Announce Move To Kansas
(Topeka, KS) — The Kansas City Chiefs are heading across the Missouri River for Kansas. The team and the Kansas governor have reached an agreement to bring the football franchise to Wyandotte County, Kansas in time for the 2031 season. The new stadium will have a dome, which could attract higher profile events such as the Super Bowl, and Final Four. The Chiefs have been in Kansas City, Missouri since 1963 and in their current stadium since 1972.
>>Gopher Football In Arizona
(Phoenix, AZ) — It is game week for the Golden Gopher football team, which is in Arizona getting ready for Friday’s Rate Bowl against New Mexico. Minnesota arrived on Sunday and had its first practice in Phoenix yesterday. The 7-5 Gophers take on the 9-3 Lobos on Friday at 3:30 P-M. New Mexico is scheduled to arrive in Arizona today. Friday’s game will be the first-ever meeting between these two programs.
>>Big Ten: Ohio State’s Ryan Day Will Call Plays In CFP
(Columbus, OH) — Ohio State’s head coach is taking on more responsibility ahead of the school’s College Football Playoff showdown. Ryan Day will call plays on offense ahead of the second-seeded Buckeyes’ matchup against Number-10 Miami in the Cotton Bowl from Arlington on New Year’s Eve. Current offensive coordinator Brian Hartline took the head coaching job at South Florida but will still coach receivers for O-S-U’s playoff run.
>>Big Ten: Notre Dame USC College Football Game Coming to an End
(Los Angeles, CA) — The annual Notre Dame against U-S-C football game is reportedly coming to an end. Multiple media outlets are reporting the two sides have failed to reach an agreement to play each other again in 2026. Next season would have been the 100th anniversary of the annual rivalry game, where the teams battle for the Jeweled Shillelagh (shill-LAY-lee) trophy.
>>Gopher Basketball Off Until Next Week
(Minneapolis, MN) — The University of Minnesota men’s basketball team will have the rest of the week for the holiday before returning to campus on Friday to resume practice. The 7-5 Golden Gophers will host Farliegh Dickinson on Monday night at Williams Arena at 8 P-M. Minnesota head coach Niko Medved says he and the coaching staff are learning how to maximize the players they have to be successful. The Gophers have been playing without two starters for nearly a month and are down to about eight scholarship players. But, Minnesota is also playing some of its best basketball, having won three of its four December games so far. Medved says his starting point guard Chansey Willis had his injured foot operated on last week and the surgery went well. Willis will miss the remainder of the season, as expected. Meanwhile, the Gopher women’s team opens Big Ten play at Indiana next Monday night.
>>Minnesota-Native Lindsey Vonn Takes Third in Ski World Cup
(Val-d’Isère, France) — Minnesota native Lindsey Vonn takes third place at the Ski World Cup in France on Sunday. The 41-year-old came out of retirement to compete in one season and the upcoming Winter Olympics. It’s her first World Cup win in almost eight years, and she became the oldest skier in Alpine history to win a Cup event. Alpine competition at the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics starts in February.
