Photo by Rich Moll

Written By: Ryan Baker, Journalist

For the fourth time ever, the Minnesota Wind Chill will be hosting a game at TCO Stadium, the practice facility for the Minnesota Vikings.

This upcoming Friday night, the reigning champs host the undefeated Atlanta Hustle in a venue that hasn’t been won at ever by the homegrown squad. Thus far, Minnesota has suffered losses to Indianapolis, Salt Lake, and New York at the esteemed location.

This game has been on many calendars before the start of the season. Not only does this take place at one of the most prolific locations in the league, but new offseason addition, Justin Burnett, played for Atlanta for the previous three seasons.

Photo by Rich Moll

“I’m excited. They look great right now. I’m happy for them, but there’s no better team or time to rain on their parade than the Wind Chill. I’d like to see us win the first and third quarters. When we come out strong and get energetic, it’s a hard train to stop,” said Burnett.

The Wind Chill are coming off a dominant win over the Pittsburgh Thunderbirds, but also a loss against the Chicago Union in their home opener the previous week. Meanwhile, the Hustle are rolling at 6-0, with their most recent wins coming against the San Diego Growlers and the Carolina Flyers.

“We’re going to have to play a good game. We need our fans to get in it and generate some early momentum. I’ve been looking forward to this game and opportunity. It’s going to take a really good performance on both sides of the frisbee to get the job done,” said head coach Ben Feldman.

Photo by Rich Moll

The Wind Chill are going to need some of their key guys to step up to win this game. One guy who is no stranger to success at TCO is Gordon Larson. Last year against the Empire, Larson put up five assists, four goals, and over 500 total yards.

“I think I am good at showing up and playing my game regardless of the moment. I’ve never been one to play nervous or overthink things, so I’m going to try and do what I always do,” said Larson. “I love playing at TCO, the fans are always incredible and raise the excitement of every game we have there.”

This is a matchup of what can be and what is. Currently, what is, is the Minnesota Wind Chill are still just three games removed from hoisting the trophy. However, what can be, is the possibility of Atlanta being a frontrunner in this league.

Minnesota runs their offense through Will Brandt and Josh Klane, two guys who will need to make sure they get off on the right foot. Minnesota’s evident downfall in recent years has been starting off slow. They struggle to get the offensive flow established early in games, which puts them in too big of a hole to climb out of.

Photo by Meghan White

“They are super athletic, talented, and they got a lot of goal-scoring threats. We have to be ready for that. It’s going to take good defensive pressure to stagnate their momentum. They are not going to turn over the disc at a high clip, and they are one of the best teams in the league.”

Burnett and other new additions, James Pollard and Max Hanscom, have been headlining the already stout D-line of Minnesota, combining for 15 blocks through three games. Look for those three to impact the multi-faceted offense with Austin Taylor, Adam Miller, and Brett Hulsmeyer at the helm.

“They went out and added a ton of offensive firepower, as well as shifting over Adam [Miller] to O-line, so the offense really has no real weaknesses. They have huge deep threats, quick and shifty mid-cutters, handlers adept at playing small ball but also hucking, and everyone on the line is comfortable throwing tough shots. It’s a dangerous combo, but I’m excited to take on the challenge and make their lives miserable again,” said Burnett.

With a win, Minnesota can build off some legitimate momentum heading into the rest of the season. On the other side, with a loss, Minnesota could put themselves in a hole that would look mighty deep this early in the season.

Tune in this Friday at 7:00 p.m. CT to watch one of the most anticipated matchups of the year. Click here!

Get tickets to the white-out-themed game at TCO Stadium here!