LOS ANGELES — Until Nico Sturm scored a classic garbage time goal late in the Minnesota Wild’s 5-2 win in Anaheim on Friday, the visiting team’s offense had been an all-Russian affair. Minnesota built a three-goal lead after Danila Yurov scored twice, and Kirill Kaprizov and Yakov Trenin each scored once.

Among the team’s quartet of Russians, only Vladimir Tarasenko – who had three shots on goal in the game – failed to get in on the party.

“Vladdy with no points, but if he scored it (would) be a great night for Russia,” Yurov said afterward in his halting but rapidly improving English.

In training camp and early in the season, when he was still getting used to the pace and style of the NHL, Yurov used Tarasenko as an interpreter on a few occasions. Now, the 22-year-old speaks on his own, and takes some pride in his growing grasp of the language. And on the ice, centering the team’s top line between Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello, his contributions are on display for all to see.

“My adaptation, I think, is over,” Yurov said following his first two-goal game as a NHL player. “My English is improving every day. I speak a lot of (it) in the locker room and in the hotel with guys, and try to do good things on the ice, just working in (the) gym. Try getting better every day.”

Both of his goals versus the Ducks came from going to the net and letting master set-up man Quinn Hughes find him. The first came when a Hughes shot to the net was tipped by Trenin, then glanced off Yurov’s skate and in. The second came when Yurov tipped a Hughes shot to put the game away in the third.

“He scored because he was in the right spots,” Wild coach John Hynes said. “Obviously, Hughes made a couple nice shots, and when you’re in that scoring area, which he got to tonight, it was good to see him get rewarded for it.”

Picked 24th overall by the Wild in the 2022 NHL Draft while playing in the KHL in his native country, Yurov won a league title there in 2024, then signed with the Wild a year later in May 2025. He made his debut Oct. 13 of this season in a 2-1 shootout win over the Kings in St. Paul.

With the Wild up by three in the closing minute on Friday, and the Ducks goalie on the bench for an extra attacker, Minnesota controlled the puck and it was obvious that Kaprizov and Zuccarello were trying to feed Yurov for the potential first hat trick into the empty net. It didn’t work out, and the Wild “settled” for a 3-0-1 record so far on this two-week road trip.

But with the game in hand, Hynes enjoyed watching his top line trying to create a milestone for Yurov.

“Yurov’s such a good kid, and it was nice to see those guys trying to get it to him,” Hynes said. “I was hoping it was going to work out.”

The Wild as an organization make an emphasis on five star lodging when the team travels. Visiting the Ducks, that meant holing up at a world-renowned resort overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Laguna Beach for a few nights. The stay was tempered just a bit by the fact that January is definitely the rainy season in the Golden State. Peeks of sunshine amid spotty showers and temperatures in the 60s fahrenheit were the best California had to offer.

Still, for Yurov’s first trip to the West Coast, the accommodations were impressive.

“I thought it was good,” he said of the resort. “But the weather, not good.”

Minnesota Wild right wing Danila Yurov, right, skates off after scoring during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Anaheim Ducks, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/William Liang)

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By MATT O’BRIEN and JOSH FUNK

The U.S. military operation that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and flew him out of the country early Saturday has also disrupted Caribbean travel at a busy travel time for the region.

No airline flights were crossing over Venezuela on Saturday, according to FlightRadar24.com. And major airlines canceled hundreds of flights across the eastern Caribbean region and warned passengers that the disruptions could continue for days after the Federal Aviation Administration imposed restrictions.

Flights to Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Aruba and other destinations near Venezuela were canceled. The airlines are waiving change fees for passengers who have to reschedule their flights this weekend.

The FAA had earlier said it imposed a temporary airspace restriction on Puerto Rico’s international airport and surrounding regions.

An announcement by Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan posted on the social media site X said restrictions were put in place because of the “security situation related to military activity” in Venezuela.

As a result, most commercial airlines to and from the airport that are operated by U.S. airlines have been suspended or may be canceled.

Foreign airlines and military aircraft are not included in this restriction, the statement said. “Passengers are urged to check the status of their flight directly with their airline before heading to the airport.”

JetBlue said it canceled about 215 flights “due to airspace closures across the Caribbean related to military activity.” It also noted that flights to the Dominican Republic and Jamaica were not affected by the government’s restrictions. Customers could rebook their travel or request a refund if the flights were canceled, the company said.

United said it was adjusting its schedule to account for airspace closures in the Venezuela region. It said customers could change their travel plans in the region for free as it continued to monitor the situation and worked with U.S. aviation authorities.

Southwest said it canceled all Aruba flights for Saturday and suspended Puerto Rico flights until late afternoon, but flights to the Dominican Republic were unaffected.

American said it was waiving change fees for flights to and from about 20 island destinations, including Anguilla, Antigua, Curacao, Saint Lucia and the U.S. and British Virgin Islands.

Delta said it has issued a travel waiver for customers traveling to or from 13 impacted airports through Tuesday.

By VANESSA A. ALVAREZ, TIM REYNOLDS and BRUCE SCHREINER, Associated Press

DORAL, Fla. (AP) — Revelers chanted “liberty” and draped Venezuelan flags over their shoulders in South Florida on Saturday to celebrate the American military attack that toppled Nicolás Maduro’s government — a stunning outcome they had longed for but left them wondering what comes next in their troubled homeland.

People gathered for a rally in Doral, Florida — the Miami suburb where President Donald Trump has a golf resort and where roughly half the population is of Venezuelan descent — as word spread that Venezuela’s president had been captured and flown out of the country.

Outside the El Arepazo restaurant, a hub of the Venezuelan culture of Doral, one man held a piece of cardboard with “Libertad” scrawled with a black marker. It was a sentiment expressed by other native Venezuelans hoping for a new beginning for their home country as they chanted “Liberty! Liberty! Liberty!”

“We’re like everybody — it’s a combination of feelings, of course,” said Alejandra Arrieta, who came to the U.S. in 1997. “There’s fears. There’s excitement. There’s so many years that we’ve been waiting for this. Something had to happen in Venezuela. We all need the freedom.”

Trump insisted Saturday that the U.S. government would run the country at least temporarily and was already doing so. The action marked the culmination of an escalating Trump administration pressure campaign on the oil-rich South American nation as well as weeks of planning that tracked Maduro’s behavioral habits.

About 8 million people have fled Venezuela since 2014, settling first in neighboring countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. After the COVID-19 pandemic, they increasingly set their sights on the United States, walking through the jungle in Colombia and Panama or flying to the U.S. on humanitarian parole with a financial sponsor.

In Doral, upper-middle-class professionals and entrepreneurs came to invest in property and businesses when socialist Hugo Chávez won the presidency in the late 1990s. They were followed by political opponents and entrepreneurs who set up small businesses. In recent years, more lower-income Venezuelans have come for work in service industries.

They are doctors, lawyers, beauticians, construction workers and house cleaners. Some are naturalized U.S. citizens or live in the country illegally with U.S.-born children. Others overstay tourist visas, seek asylum or have some form of temporary status.

Niurka Meléndez, who fled her native Venezuela in 2015, said Saturday she’s hopeful that Maduro’s ouster will improve life in her homeland. Meléndez immigrated to New York City, where she co-founded Venezuelans and Immigrants Aid, a group striving to empower the lives of immigrants. She became a steadfast advocate for change in her home country, where she said her countrymen were “facing a humanitarian crisis.”

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She hopes those hardships will end as a result of American intervention.

“For us, it’s just the start of the justice we need to see,” Meléndez said in a phone interview.

Her homeland had reached a “breaking point” due to forced displacements, repression, hunger and fear, she said. She called for international humanitarian support to help in Venezuela’s recovery.

“Removing an authoritarian system responsible for these crimes creates the possibility, not a guarantee, but a possibility, for recovery,” she said. “A future without criminal control over institutions is the minimum condition for rebuilding a country based on justice, rule of law, and democratic safeguards.”

Schreiner reported from Shelbyville, Kentucky.

Bruce Helmer and Peg Webb

When people hear the phrase “financial health,” they often picture high income, a perfectly balanced portfolio, or a retirement account with a very large number attached to it. In reality, financial health is much more personal and far more practical.

At its core, financial wellness is about feeling secure today while preserving the freedom to make changes as life evolves. Financial health isn’t something you acquire and file away. It’s a habit that seeks progress, not perfection.

One useful way to track your progress is through a regular Financial Health Check — a simple, repeatable process to see what’s working, what isn’t, and where small tweaks to how you do things could make a big difference over time.

Start with goals and understanding

A good financial checkup begins with clarity. Do you know what you’re working toward, and do you understand the basics needed to get there? That might mean saving consistently, managing debt responsibly, or having a basic grasp of how investing works.

Many people underestimate how important education is to financial confidence. Money stressors often stem from uncertainty, not poor decisions. Reading financial articles, listening to educational podcasts, or attending a community workshop can be important first steps in becoming financially literate.

Know your net worth

A net worth statement may sound intimidating, but it’s simply a snapshot: what you own minus what you owe. Your home equity, savings, and investments go on one side; mortgages, loans, and credit card balances go on the other.

Updating this once-a-year can be surprisingly powerful. The number itself matters less than the direction. Is your net worth gradually improving over time? That trend often tells the real story.

Understand your cash flow

Before you can create a budget, you need to know where your money actually goes. Tracking spending for a month or two, whether through an app, spreadsheet, or even a simple notebook, can reveal patterns you might not notice otherwise.

This step isn’t about judgment. It’s about awareness. Many people discover they’re doing better than expected, while others find small leaks that quietly add up.

Spend with purpose

Not all spending is bad spending. The real question is whether your money is supporting what matters most to you.

Cutting back on low-value expenses, such as unused subscriptions or impulse purchases, can free up dollars for things you truly enjoy. The goal isn’t deprivation. It’s balance, so you can spend on what brings you happiness without guilt.

Pay yourself first

Saving for retirement remains one of the clearest indicators of long-term financial health. Even modest increases, especially when tied to raises, can make a meaningful difference over time.

It’s also worth paying attention to where your savings go from a tax perspective, balancing taxable, tax-deferred, and tax-free accounts when possible. Workplace benefits, such as employer matches, health savings accounts, and financial education tools can add meaningful support.

Manage debt and credit sensibly

Debt isn’t inherently bad, but high-interest debt can be a major obstacle to achieving financial peace of mind. Paying down credit cards and other costly loans often delivers immediate relief from money worries.

Checking your credit report once a year is another smart habit. Errors and identity theft are more common than many people realize, and your credit profile affects everything from loan rates to insurance costs.

Prepare for the unexpected

An emergency fund acts as your financial shock absorber. Ideally, it covers several months of essential expenses. Building it gradually is perfectly acceptable.

Accessibility is very important. Emergency savings should be liquid and stable, not tied up in long-term investments meant for growth.

Review your investments periodically — and your comfort level

At least once a year, it’s worth asking whether your investment mix still fits your goals, time horizon, and tolerance for risk. A simple gut check helps: Are you sleeping well at night? If market swings cause ongoing anxiety, your portfolio may need adjustment.

Don’t overlook your physical health

Financial health doesn’t exist in isolation. Physical health plays a major role in how much you can enjoy the life you’re planning for. Staying active, eating well, and keeping up with preventive care are just as important as saving and investing.

In the end, a Financial Health Check isn’t about achieving a perfect score. It’s about staying engaged, making thoughtful choices, and recognizing that small, consistent improvements can lead to lasting financial freedom.

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The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual.

Bruce Helmer and Peg Webb are financial advisers at Wealth Enhancement Group and co-hosts of “Your Money” on WCCO 830 AM on Sunday mornings. Email Bruce and Peg at yourmoney@wealthenhancement.com. Advisory services offered through Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC, a registered investment adviser and affiliate of Wealth Enhancement Group.