Minnesota Sports Roundup: Wild defeat Chicago in shootout

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ST. PAUL - Minnesota's Zach Parise and Matt Cullen each found the back of the net in the shootout to lift the Wild over the Blackhawks 3-2 last night at the Xcel Energy Center.

Cullen, a Moorhead native and former St. Cloud State standout, also scored in the first 90-seconds of regulation for Minnesota, which improved to 4-2-1. Wild forward Cal Clutterbuck chipped in with the game-tying goal a minute into the second frame. Niklas Backstrom stopped all 28 shots he faced after coming on in relief of Josh Harding, who allowed two early goals. Andrew Shaw and Jonathan Toews each lit the lamp for Chicago, which had started the season 6-and-0. Corey Crawford turned aside 23 shots in the setback. The Wild are at Anaheim tomorrow.

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The top-ranked University of Minnesota women's hockey team has won 34 consecutive games dating back to last season's NCAA title run. Two Minnesota players earned weekly accolades from the WCHA. Gopher senior goaltender Noora Raty of Espoo, Finland is this week's WCHA Defensive Player of the Week. She tied the NCAA record for career wins when she notched her 100th victory win on Sunday. Minnesota forward Hannah Brandt of Vadnais Heights is this week's Rookie of the Week. She had four points in the two wins at Wisconsin. North Dakota senior Jocelyne Lamoureux is the conference Offensive Player of the Week.

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Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin totalled 26 points and 13 rebounds to pace Los Angeles over the Timberwolves 96-90 last night in Minneapolis. DeAndre Jordan helped out with 16 points and 12 boards for Los Angeles, which has won two straight. LA guard Chris Paul missed his fifth straight game with a knee injury. Nikola Pekovic tallied 17 points and 12 boards for Minnesota, which has lost five in-a-row. Andrei Kirilenko and J.J. Barea each provided 14 points in the loss. Clippers forward Matt Barnes was ejected after an altercation with center Greg Stiemsma. Stiemsma later received a flagrant foul when he pushed Clippers guard Grant Hill to the floor during a rebounding attempt.

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Minnesota Timberwolves guard Alexey Shved will compete in the NBA Rising Stars Challenge during All-Star weekend next month. Shved was one of 18 players selected to compete in the game featuring the top rookies and sophomores in the league. Instead of splitting the teams by the rookie-sophomore distinction, the selections will once again be drafted fantasy-style by former All-Stars and current TNT analysts Charles Barkley and Shaquille O'Neal.

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A familiar face will be on NFL Network's Sunday coverage leading up to Super Bowl 47. Three-time MVP quarterback Brett Favre will join the network's NFL GameDay Morning show live from the Superdome before the 49ers and Ravens meet. Favre is best known for his time with the Green Bay Packers, but spent two memorable seasons with the Minnesota Vikings in 2009 and 2010.

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