It is not as dramatic a game-changer as in football or lacrosse, but possession matters a great deal in hockey, especially when there is someone in the penalty box.

Among the many things that John Hynes did not like about his team’s 4-1 loss to Pittsburgh in its final outing of October was its propensity to lose faceoffs. As the Wild coach cited in a clearly disappointed postgame press conference, Minnesota won two special teams faceoffs – just two – during the 60 minutes they were facing the Penguins.

One of the reasons the Wild signed Nico Sturm in the offseason was the German center’s historically good faceoff stats. Of course, Sturm was injured before ever playing a game this season, and after back surgery, his future was uncertain.

But if fans were questioning Hynes’ decision to sit rookie Danila Yurov on Saturday, and add sporadically-used Ben Jones as the fourth line center to face Vancouver, a glance at the season stats for faceoffs tells the tale.

Jones played just three of the Wild’s first 12 games this season, but in those contests, he won more than 70 percent of the time when the puck was dropped with Jones staring down an opposing center. That success does not come by accident.

“Obviously some guys make a living off it, so it’s something to take pride in,” Jones said, following the Wild’s Friday practice at TRIA Rink.

There is plenty of video study that goes into knowing what an opponent might do when the puck is dropped. And sometimes it comes down to luck. But doing your homework, if it provides even a slight edge, can be important.

“Sometimes it comes down to some technique stuff you can look at. Sometimes it comes down to the players you’re going against,” said Jones, 26, who began his career with a two-game stint for the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2021-22 season. “It’s kind of a weird little one-on-one battle that happens for some guys. As you get more into the groove of it you get more confidence, you start getting a couple more bounces and sometimes your percentage is better.”

And for a team looking to put a disappointing October in the rearview mirror, any and all bounces are good, especially if the Wild emerge with the puck in their possession.

Briefly

Yurov, who left the Pittsburgh game for a time after taking a shot to the chest in the second period, was a healthy scratch versus Vancouver, per Hynes. The coach said a game off here and there could help Yurov as he makes the transition from the KHL in Russia to the faster, more physical NHL style.

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The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has verified that DWI breath test results previously suspected to be invalid are accurate, the bureau said Friday.

The BCA had ordered all law enforcement agencies in the state to suspend usage of DataMaster instruments earlier this month until they verified that data was correctly entered into each instrument. Errors had been “identified … in particular when changing out a dry gas cylinder that is used for a control test,” said BCA Superintendent Drew Evans at the time, calling into question whether the control tests were valid in hundreds of cases.

“As I said before, we stand behind the instruments and the validity of the testing and the reliability of the instruments across Minnesota,” Evans said at a press conference Friday. “And our scientists are prepared to testify to the results of the new calculations and the instruments that they have done for a long time.”

BCA officials became aware of the data entry errors in September.

Several law enforcement agencies, including St. Paul police and the sheriff’s offices for Ramsey, Dakota and Washington counties were able to resume use of the breath tests shortly after the BCA’s order.

BCA lab scientists conducted a mathematical recalculation of the identified tests using the correct alcohol concentration of the installed cylinder, according to the BCA on Friday. They determined the control tests were successful and within established margins despite the data entry error and would testify that the control tests were valid, according to BCA officials. Police agencies and prosecuting attorneys with cases affected by the issue have been notified.

DataMaster machines are stationed at law enforcement offices around the state and between 19,000 and 20,000 DataMaster tests are conducted each year, according to the BCA. Initial errors were discovered in Aitkin, Winona and Chippewa counties, with additional errors later discovered in Hennepin and Olmsted counties.

To prevent any future issues, the BCA has halted all dry gas cylinder replacements by law enforcement personnel using DataMaster instruments moving forward, and only BCA personnel will be authorized to replace them. BCA staff have begun restricting access to the dry gas cylinder compartment on all DataMaster instruments.

More than 50% of DataMaster instruments have been verified to have proper installation and secured as of Friday, with the process expected to be done within the next few weeks. DataMaster operator training also has been updated. Future updates will be posted to the BCA website.

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The Marist Red Foxes became the latest opponent to experience a St. Thomas tidal wave on Saturday afternoon at O’Shaughnessy Stadium.

Getting contributions from all three phases of the game, the Tommies, who entered the game having scored 50 or more points in each of their past three games, won the turnover battle 5-0 and the game, 45-0.

“We played well in all three phases,” St. Thomas head coach Glenn Caruso said, “but when there’s s a zero up there at the end of the game that’s something special. Creating turnovers was big, but so was stopping the run and putting pressure on the quarterback.”

Given good field position on a number of occasions, the offense took full advantage. The Tommies have now outscored their opponents 209-40 during their four-game winning streak.

Quarterback Andy Peters continued his stellar play, completing 14 of 19 passes for 248 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and rushing for three more scores.

“He’s been an absolute godsend,” Caruso said of the graduate transfer. “It starts with Andy and the work he’s putting in. But I think the way he is progressing is directly correlated to what Coach (Jay) McIntyre and the offensive staff has been doing with him.”

The Tommies dominated the game from the start. After stopping Marist on fourth down at its own 38-yard line on the Red Foxes’ first possession, the Tommies struck quickly. Peters connected with wide receiver Quentin Cobb-Butler on a 38-yard touchdown pass on first down for an early 7-0 lead.

Forced to punt on its next possession, St. Thomas got the ball back at the Marist 16 when they recovered the ball after it hit a Marist player. Facing a fourth-and-7, Peters ran up the middle to the 2-yard line for a first down.

Peters carried the ball into the end zone on the next play, and a two-point conversion gave the Tommies a 15-0 lead.

A Nick Hand interception midway through the second quarter set the Tommies up at the Marist 36. A 1-yard run by Peters capped the drive for a 21-0 lead.

The Tommies’ fourth forced turnover of the first half — an interception by safety Rod Finley deep in St. Thomas territory— led to another touchdown drive. It ended with Peters’ third 1-yard touchdown run, giving the Tommies a 28-0 lead.

The added another touchdown in the closing seconds of the first half when Peters connected with tight end Luke Schuler on a 7-yard touchdown pass.

The win kept the Tommies’ hopes of winning the Pioneer Football League alive as they improved to 4-2 league play and 6-3 overall. It also sets up a crucial game at Drake next Saturday. The league-leading Bulldogs improved to 5-0 on Saturday with a win over Butler.

“Coach Caruso always talks about how we have to go 1-0 every single week,” said Tommies senior linebacker Jordan Pendelton. “This next game is the most important at the time, and we’re not going to look forward to anything that is not next week.

“We’re going go keep the pressure, keep the faith in our coaches’ game plan and go in and execute.”

Briefly

Starting left tackle Jason Laliberte, the anchor of the Tommies’ offensive line, sustained a right arm injury late in the first quarter and did not return. He spent the majority of the remainder of the first half in the injury tent, and was consoled by teammates when he exited the tent. … Caruso coached his 200th game for the Tommies. He improved to 37-16 on the Division I level.

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It’s been another frighteningly good year for horror fans.

Movie theaters — still, by far, the best place to enjoy a proper fright night — have been absolutely loaded with quality offerings essentially all year.

They’ve come in all sorts of chainsaw-sharp shapes and sizes, from straight-up gorefests and slow-brewing supernatural thrillers to silly-scary sci-fi and disturbingly romantic body horror (if, indeed, there is such a thing).

Some of these films were grand cinematic achievements, while others were breathtaking indie-success stories. Some were sequels — or prequels — which turned out to be as good as, or better, than expected.

All in all, it’s been another banner year for horror, which continues to shine — in terms of breadth of creativity and implementation of vision — like no other genre in the film world over the last five-plus years.

Here’s our annual list of the top horror movies of the year so far, timed, of course, with the Halloween season. So, pick a few of these — or all of them — and get ready to have a few really fun nights of watching fright flicks. Most, if not all, of these titles are available to stream through multiple services.

We went with 13, for obvious reasons, and have listed them in order of greatness. (Also make sure to read our list of the five most disappointing horror movies of 2025.)

Here are the Top 13 Horror Movies of 2025:

1. “Weapons”

It’s as perfect a film — from any genre — as we’ve seen in 2025, a remarkably visionary piece that succeeds on so many levels and seems destined to be referred to as an all-time horror-movie classic for decades to come.

Director Zach Cregger — having already stormed the castle with the directorial-screenwriting debut of “Barbarian” in 2022 — takes his game to an even higher level with this follow-up epic that utilizes multiple interrelated storylines to tell the complex tale of a group of grade-school children who go missing one night.

Everything about the film pulls you in, as Cregger drops bombs that expose such universal fears — not being able to protect our loved ones, situations spinning out of control, etc. — in a setting that feels both right next door and completely out of this world.

2. “Good Boy”

Indy, star of the movie “Good Boy.” (Ben Leonberg/Independent Film Company/Shudder/TNS)

The list of great canine actors would, of course, include Rin Tin Tin, Lassie (played by Pal) and Benji (real name Higgins). And to that list we can solidly add Indy, who – like Rin Tin Tin – uses his own name in his film debut.

“Good Boy” is a revelation on so many fronts, not the least of which is how many emotions/thoughts/feelings we — as non-canines — assign to our four-legged friends. Director Ben Leonberg uses that to his advantage as he juxtaposes menacing imagery with scenes of his own dog to build a story that is just brimming with dread.

Our own thoughts and fears carry the storyline, while Indy eats up the camera like he would a box of treats. This is nothing short of a master class in filmmaking.

3. “Bring Her Back”

Sally Hawkins, left, and Jonah Wren Phillips in “Bring Her Back.” (Ingvar Kenne/A24/TNS)

What do you do for an encore after crafting the greatest horror film of the 21st century? Well, if you’re Australian twin filmmakers Danny and Michael Philippou, you drop another classic. No, “Bring Her Back” isn’t as excellent as 2022’s “Talk to Me” — but, then again, only a very small handful of films in horror movie history have been. Yet, it’s definitely a supernatural freakfest that will stick to your bones long after you leave the theater.

4. “Final Destination: Bloodlines”

“Final Destination” is one of the two most consistently entertaining franchises in all of horror, with the other being, of course, Chucky/“Child’s Play.” Yes, that’s taking into account the 2009 FD outing, which even the horrible CGI couldn’t dissuade us from watching multiple times. This sixth edition, which is a prequel to the original 2000 masterpiece, hits all the notes that make this series so worth fans’ time — the memorable ensemble casts, the no-frills storylines, the fun twists and turns and, most significantly, the crazy-clever death scenes.

5. “The Monkey”

Is it the best Stephen King adaptation that the horror film genre has ever seen? No. That title still goes to the original “Carrie.” But “The Monkey” might just be the most fun King adaptation, taking fans on a wildly enjoyable roller coaster ride of blood and guts that will have gorehounds howling like there is no tomorrow. If crazy, elaborately orchestrated death scenes are what draws you to horror then this tale of an evil monkey creature — don’t call it a toy! — is definitely for you.

6. “Heart Eyes”

We’ve had plenty of romantic subplots set in the middle of horror films, with Christopher Landon’s “Happy Death Day” and “Freaky” being two excellent examples. Yet, Josh Ruben’s “Heart Eyes” is really a first-rate romantic comedy that manages to draw on so many of the genre’s tropes — the initial attraction, the work conflict, the undeniable chemistry that one or more parties wants to deny, the second/third chance at real romance, and so on. Into that equation comes a masked killer — The Heart Eyes Killer, a.k.a. H-E-K — to bust the formula wide open and create something that feels refreshingly new.

7. “Together”

Body horror, the subgenre often defined by mutilations of the human form, is one of the most maligned areas of horror. And, usually, for good reason. Yet, when it’s done right — such as in last year’s Oscar-nominated “The Substance” — it can serve as wicked commentary on the state of human affairs. “Together” is another such keeper, using plenty of hard-to-watch moments to train a microscope on what it means to lose yourself in a relationship.

8. “Presence”

Who went into 2025 having Steven Soderbergh on their bingo card as the director of the first great horror movie of the year? Well, turns out the Oscar- and Palme-d’Or-winning director — known for such milestone movies as “Traffic,” “Erin Brockovich” and “Sex, Lies, and Videotape” — can also dish out convincingly low-key chills with the best of them. “Presence” (which hit theaters in January, after debuting at the Sundance Film Festival one year prior) is a ghost story with a twist that we absolutely didn’t see coming. The less you know going in, the better.

9. “Sinners”

This will be the first horror film that many will think of when it comes to 2025 — and, for good reason, since the Ryan Coogler-directed epic was quite good, made a ton of money and, perhaps most importantly, helped introduce blues music to many new listeners. We wouldn’t be surprised if this vampire tale, which finds mighty Michael B. Jordan doing double duty as twin brothers, even ends up being the very rare horror film that scores a best picture Oscar nomination.

10. “The Ugly Stepsister”

There have been so many dark reimaginings of fairy tales and other children’s tales lately – including this year’s “Steamboat” (based on the legendary 1928 Walt Disney animated short “Steamboat Willie”) and the “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey” travesties — and most haven’t been anything other than a complete waste of time. Not so for this Norwegian folk-horror triumph that uses the Cinderella storyline to outline the dangers of chasing beauty.

11. “Dangerous Animals”

When filmmakers want to do something different in the overplayed shark genre, they usually either make the creature bigger (“The Meg”) or give it more heads (just Google around a bit) – neither of which, of course, makes it different. Yet, director Sean Byrne manages to deliver something that feels strikingly new and novel with “Dangerous Animals,” a thriller that is equal parts “Jaws,” survival horror film and serial killer tale. It’s a blend that we didn’t see coming. And it’s completely fin-tastic.

12. “M3GAN 2.0”

We went into this with wildly low expectations — which, face it, never hurts — given that the advance trailer made it look like the filmmakers had abandoned everything that made the first “M3GAN” so enjoyable in favor of a third-tier superhero approach. Yeah, well, there’s some of that. But this sci-fi/superhero/horror hybrid works surprisingly well, thanks to quality writing, great effects and a tight focus on the wit and — for lack of a better term — humanity of this hi-tech killer doll.

13. “Companion”

Need even more bloody AI humanoid fun after watching “M3GAN”? Well, just roll right into a double feature with this well-made tale of the possible pitfalls that lay ahead as technology continues to replace human interaction/connection in so many wrong ways. Thematically, it reminds us of some of the zombie flicks that leave one questioning who the real monster is in the equation.’

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