Editing Xcel Energy Center (section)

==Sports==
Xcel Energy Center is a hub for sports events in the Midwest. In 2004, ESPN named the arena the best overall sports venue in the U.S.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bauer |first=Ted |date=June 4, 2008 |title=SPORTS AND POLITICS: XCEL ENERGY CENTER |url=https://www.espn.com/espnmag/story?id=3425273 |access-date=March 3, 2024 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref> It hosted the NCAA [[NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship|Frozen Four]] tournament in 2002, 2011, 2018, and 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kahner |first=Johnny |date=2023-11-14 |title=Tickets to college hockey's 2024 NCHC Frozen Faceoff at Xcel Energy Center on sale - CBS Minnesota |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/tickets-to-college-hockeys-2024-nchc-frozen-faceoff-at-xcel-energy-center-on-sale/ |access-date=2024-03-02 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}}</ref> The [[National Lacrosse League]]'s [[Minnesota Swarm]] played in the arena from January 2005 until they moved to Georgia in 2015. The [[Minnesota Lynx]] of the [[Women's National Basketball Association|WNBA]] used Xcel Energy Center during the [[2016 WNBA Playoffs]] and the [[2017 WNBA season]] as their home arena, Minneapolis's [[Target Center]], was undergoing renovation.<ref>{{cite web |date=12 September 2016 |title=Lynx to play first two playoff games in St. Paul |url=https://www.twincities.com/2016/09/12/lynx-to-play-first-two-playoff-games-in-st-paul/ |access-date=24 February 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Lynx to play 2017 home games at Xcel Energy Center |url=http://www.startribune.com/lynx-to-play-2017-home-games-at-xcel-energy-center/387837721/ |access-date=24 February 2019 |website=Star Tribune}}</ref> As of 2018, it is host venue of the [[National Collegiate Hockey Conference Tournament|NCHC Frozen Faceoff]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=2017-09-07 |title=NCHC Establishes New Partnership with Xcel Energy Center to Host Frozen Faceoff |url=https://www.nchchockey.com/news_article/show/831040 |access-date=2018-03-17 |work=National Collegiate Hockey Conference}}</ref> The venue formerly hosted the [[Big Ten Men's Ice Hockey Tournament]], alternating with [[Joe Louis Arena]] in Detroit.<ref>{{cite web |date=May 4, 2017 |title=Big Ten Announces Conference Schedule for 2017-18 Hockey Season |url=http://www.bigten.org/sports/m-hockey/spec-rel/050417aaa.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170508225541/http://www.bigten.org/sports/m-hockey/spec-rel/050417aaa.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 8, 2017 |access-date=21 June 2017 |publisher=[[Big Ten Conference]]}}</ref><ref name="sbnation-oncampus">{{cite web |last=Dilks |first=Chris |date=September 30, 2016 |title=Big Ten Officially Approves On-Campus Playoffs |url=https://www.sbncollegehockey.com/2016/9/30/13125088/big-ten-officially-approves-on-campus-playoffs |access-date=20 June 2017 |website=[[SB Nation]]}}</ref> The venue is used by the [[Minnesota State High School League]] (MSHSL) for its Girls Volleyball State Tournament, Wrestling State Tournament, and the Boys and Girls Hockey State Tournaments.

The [[Minnesota Wild]] played their first game at the arena on October 11, 2000, against the [[Philadelphia Flyers]]. Their first win at the arena came on October 18, 2000, when they defeated the [[Tampa Bay Lightning]] 6–5. The Wild's first playoff game at the arena was on April 14, 2003. In that game, the Wild suffered a 3–0 loss to the [[Colorado Avalanche]]. On April 21, 2003, the Wild won their first playoff game 3–2 on an overtime game-winner by [[Richard Park (ice hockey)|Richard Park]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=2002-03 Minnesota Wild Roster and Statistics |url=https://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/MIN/2003.html |access-date=2019-04-24 |website=Hockey-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> On April 26, 2015, the Wild clinched a playoff series at the arena for the first time, defeating the [[St. Louis Blues]] 4–1 in game six of the Western Conference Quarterfinals.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round schedule |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/2015-stanley-cup-playoffs-first-round-schedule/c-762688 |access-date=2019-04-24 |website=NHL.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

In 2023, it was announced that the [[Minnesota Frost]] of the [[Professional Women's Hockey League]] would be based out of the arena.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kennedy |first=Ian |date=2023-11-28 |title=PWHL Officially Announces Venues |url=https://thehockeynews.com/womens/pwhl/pwhl-officially-announces-venues |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231129221758/https://thehockeynews.com/womens/pwhl/pwhl-officially-announces-venues |archive-date=2023-11-29 |access-date=2024-01-06 |work=[[The Hockey News]]}}</ref> The team hosted its inaugural home game on January 6, 2023—a 3–0 shutout victory over the [[Montreal Victoire|Montréal Victoire]]. [[Grace Zumwinkle]] scored the first home goal for the Frost, and went on to record a [[hat-trick]]; [[Maddie Rooney]] recorded the shutout.<ref name=":0" /> With more than 13,000 fans in attendance, the game set a new record for attendance at a professional women's hockey game.<ref name=":1" /><gallery>
File:122007-WildXcel-001.jpg|Interior during a Minnesota Wild game
File:Box_Lacrosse.jpg|Interior during a Minnesota Swarm lacrosse game
File:2006_WCHA_Final_Five.jpg|Interior during the 2006 WCHA Final Five Championship
File:2009 MN Boys Hockey State Championship.jpg|Interior prior to the 2009 Boys' High School Championship game between Eden Prairie and Moorhead
File:Xcel Energy Center - March 2020.jpg|Interior before the 2020 Minnesota State High School League Boys' Hockey AA Championship game between Eden Prairie and Hill Murray
</gallery>