MINNESOTA SPORTS FAN DAILY: Monday, January 8, 2018

Vikings 2018 Super Bowl Run Starts in 6 Days:

.@BaldyNFL states the case for @HarriSmith22 to be the NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

?: https://t.co/HgsPvPGpw6 pic.twitter.com/0xDmawEneW

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) January 7, 2018

#mnvikings-Saints matchup could have anything and everything, writes @SouhanStrib https://t.co/a1QyVfCjwq pic.twitter.com/ej0gkgjeGV

— Access Vikings (@AccessVikings) January 8, 2018

Much-improved Saints get rematch with #MNVikings in NFC playoffs https://t.co/3xrd1qutEz pic.twitter.com/aPtPE5pihJ

— Access Vikings (@AccessVikings) January 8, 2018

Vikings to face Saints in rematch of 2009 NFC championship game https://t.co/v5WO98ti7a pic.twitter.com/YRXPxzpWS7

— Pioneer Press (@PioneerPress) January 8, 2018

In this week's piece, @SageRosenfels18 broke down the rest of the NFC playoff field. Check out what he had to say about a Saints-@Vikings matchup.https://t.co/QP8JCzKkcp

— The Athletic (@TheAthleticMIN) January 8, 2018

Saints it is. Who you got next week? #skol

— The Athletic (@TheAthleticMIN) January 8, 2018

How’d We Do/Top Stories?

Final on Jan. 7 – UM 2, SCSU 0
Read more…https://t.co/fEafqHTgC4

— SCSU Men's Hockey (@SCSUHUSKIES_MH) January 8, 2018

Your three ⭐️'s of the game:

⭐️⭐️⭐️: David Hrenak (19 saves for SCSU)
⭐️⭐️: Darian Romanko (GWG)
⭐️: Mat Robson (34 save shutout)#PrideOnIce

— Minnesota M Hockey (@GopherHockey) January 8, 2018

A flurry of chances for SCSU with no luck. Minnesota’s Szmatula puts away the game with an empty net goal. 2-0 final, Gophers win pic.twitter.com/4GU8wtrX14

— Maddie MacFarlane (@MissMaddieMac) January 8, 2018

Eyssimont gets a puck to the back of the net but the goal is waived off for too many men on the ice. The score remains 0-0 pic.twitter.com/Voc3pNJxNq

— Maddie MacFarlane (@MissMaddieMac) January 8, 2018

Robson, #Gophers shut out No. 1 St. Cloud State https://t.co/ihY6487g0Z pic.twitter.com/iMKAyyWncU

— Star Tribune Sports (@StribSports) January 8, 2018

Gophers men’s hockey shuts out St. Cloud State https://t.co/9jMeTek3PW pic.twitter.com/KO183VTrlR

— Pioneer Press (@PioneerPress) January 8, 2018

Our @LisaByington and @ShelleyTill recap the @GopherWBB win over Michigan State. pic.twitter.com/akbZsag0T1

— Minnesota on BTN (@MinnesotaOnBTN) January 7, 2018

Nine different #Gophers scored in this afternoon's close victory over Michigan State! #SkiUMah
https://t.co/qsSimY5Ei2

— Minnesota WBB (@GopherWBB) January 8, 2018

The #Gophers threw @Stollings a postgame birthday party celebration after the big win today and it was absolutely LIT! pic.twitter.com/zdacz3sOcr

— Minnesota WBB (@GopherWBB) January 8, 2018

Gopher FANS you were B1G in our WIN today! Thank you to the nearly 3500 who rocked Williams and helped us pick up win #13???

— Marlene (@Stollings) January 8, 2018

Who Plays Today?

Timberwolves’ Karl-Anthony Towns showing ‘maturity and growth’ https://t.co/XzQidbJEkZ pic.twitter.com/jRFazaVlNQ

— Pioneer Press (@PioneerPress) January 8, 2018

With 41 @Timberwolves games in the books, @brittrobson checks in on Thibs' progress and more in his first-half report. https://t.co/p7ZmU1o0HK

— The Athletic (@TheAthleticMIN) January 7, 2018

Retweet if you love basketball as much as this guy… ?

JIMMY BUTLER #NBAVOTE! pic.twitter.com/6oxaphoqIs

— Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) January 8, 2018

Minnesota Sports Fan News, Articles, Tweets, Stuff:

In our latest episode of "No Shirts, Just Skins", we find out the real reason why Eric hates Case Keenum…

…and MUCH more as the #SKOL will face the Saints next week in the Divisional Round; (Entire Episode): https://t.co/KdBA7H66Jm pic.twitter.com/GINQbXJ346

— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) January 8, 2018

The first playoff game I’m actually able to sit down, watch, and LISTEN to….

…AND of course, I get Joe Buck. What did I do wrong?

— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) January 7, 2018

Somewhere in America, Adrian Peterson is currently smacking himself with a switch and repeatedly yelling “I’m an idiot.”

— Johnny Minnesota (@TheJohnnyMN) January 8, 2018

He’s good too

— CJ Smith lll ? (@Cjsmith004) January 7, 2018

Beat New Orleans, avenge ‘09
Beat Atlanta, avenge ‘98

Super Bowl LII

— Johnny Minnesota (@TheJohnnyMN) January 8, 2018

Others in Minnesota:

A numerical look at Gophers football coach P.J. Fleck’s first season https://t.co/0M5WCQsmlt pic.twitter.com/yLDEiMyDjy

— Pioneer Press (@PioneerPress) January 8, 2018

Ex-Vikings WR Terry LeCount has turned life around since drug-addicted playing days https://t.co/CXkDuXdkiZ pic.twitter.com/0P0IBePZe4

— Pioneer Press (@PioneerPress) January 7, 2018

National Stories to Watch:

Packers promoting Brian Gutekunst (son of former Gophers coach John) to be next GM https://t.co/T3f7EoeBLs pic.twitter.com/5YCEHfKABZ

— Star Tribune Sports (@StribSports) January 7, 2018

Who you got? #CFBPlayoff #RollTide vs. #GoDawgs pic.twitter.com/Wj414rKj9R

— SEC Country (@SECcountry) January 7, 2018

Saints sweep the Panthers. The video board in the Superdome just showed Sean Payton wielding a broom in the Saints’ raucous post-game locker room. Players grabbed it from him and joyously started sweeping the floor.

— Jeff Duncan (@JeffDuncan_) January 8, 2018

Game.

? @jalenramsey's pick gives us our first home playoff win in 18 years.#DTWD#BUFvsJAX pic.twitter.com/cMYh7Z08iD

— z-#Sacksonville (@Jaguars) January 7, 2018

Blake Bortles rushed for more yards than LeSean McCoy or Leonard Fournette. pic.twitter.com/m8abIHVCJl

— ESPN (@espn) January 7, 2018

One step closer to hoisting the Lombardi Trophy. pic.twitter.com/KKawhDgdLP

— ESPN (@espn) January 8, 2018

DOWN GOES #1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Buckeyes top Michigan State, 80-64! #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/K2H2yEkmFp

— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) January 7, 2018

And the first trophy of 2018 goes to … pic.twitter.com/ZgGhcklSvE

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 8, 2018

Congrats, @CharlesWoodson.

You're headed to the College Football Hall of Fame. pic.twitter.com/71nYx9LXPc

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 7, 2018

MSF Daily by Johnny Minnesota (@MNsportsNstuff) & The Boss@RealMNSportsFan