The Sportsletter - Canada's Last Hope 🇨🇦

BY JEFF YODER

MAY 21, 2024 |  SUBSCRIBE  |  WEB VIEW

Good Morning 👋

The NHL’s Final Four is set, and the Canada Cup curse rides on one team. Following a third Game 7 in 36 hours, it’s all gas (no brakes) before the Conference Finals and the Indy 500 this weekend. Get ready for speed week…

Letter Rip!

  STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS  

Game 7: Oiler Spoilers 🚨

Photo: Jeff Vinnick / Getty Images

Oilers Ice Canucks in Game 7 (3-2) to Return to Western Conference Finals — NHL’s Final Four is Set

The stage is set! Three of the four Stanley Cup finalists were secured before last night’s all-Canada clash, and it’s the Oilers — with a 15-minute frenzy — heading back to the Western Conference Finals. Edmonton hadn't won a Game 7 on the road in more than 25 years, but that changed in the blink of grade-school recess. The Oilers scored three goals in 15 minutes during the second period thanks to the sticks of Zach Hyman, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Cody Ceci. The Canucks battled back, scoring two in the final 10 minutes, but ultimately fell short. The dynamic duo of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl will get another crack at the penultimate series. The Oilers went to the West Finals two years ago (2022), but they haven’t won the Cup (or been to the Finals) since their run of five titles in seven seasons back in the 80s (1984-1990).

🇨🇦 Canada’s Last Hope: The Oilers-Canucks series was the last hope for Canada to break the Stanley Cup curse. None of the seven Canadian franchises have won the Cup since 1993 (31 years). The Oilers are the last shot for the Great White North in 2024.

Watch: Oilers Hold Off Canucks in Game 7 (3-2)

EDM Wins Series (4-3)

Stanley Cup Conference Finals

East: Rangers vs. Panthers (Wednesday)

West: Oilers vs. Stars (Thursday)

Read More

NHL: Oilers Hold Off Canucks in Game 7 to Advance to Western Finals

ESPN: Top Oilers Playoff Trends as Western Conference Finals Loom

  MLB  

Power Rankings: Royal Rumble 👑

Photo: Ed Zurga / Getty Images

Yankees & Astros Heating Up, Braves & Twins Slide, But It’s Time to Talk About the Royals…

It’s time for another snapshot of the MLB power rankings. A lot can change week-to-week, and we’ll show you why. Two of last week’s top five went on losing streaks of four or more games in just one week (Braves and Twins). On the positive side, the Yankees rode a seven-game win streak up until last night, and the Astros are beginning to come to life. And amid all of the up-and-down movement, one team is catching our attention — the Royals are for real. Kansas City won their fourth straight game last night. They’re 1.5 games back of first place in the AL Central, and that’s a far cry from their 31st-place finish in 2023. Keep your eyes on this KC sleeper...

MLB Power Rankings

1. Phillies (34-14) —

2. Yankees (33-16) ↑3

3. Dodgers (33-17) ↓1

4. Orioles (29-16) ↓1

5. Guardians (31-17) ↑2

6. Braves (27-17) ↓2

7. Royals (30-19) ↑3

8. Brewers (27-20) —

9. Padres (25-25) ↑2

10. Cubs (26-22) ↓1

Teams 11-20: 11. Mariners (26-22), 12. Twins (24-23), 13. Rays (25-24), 14. Rangers (24-24), 15. Giants (23-25), 16. Red Sox (24-24), 17. Mets (21-26), 18. Diamondbacks (22-26), 19. Astros (21-27), 20. Blue Jays (21-25)

Teams 21-30: 21. Pirates (22-26), 22. Tigers (23-24), 23. Cardinals (21-26), 24. Nationals (21-25), 25. Reds (19-28), 26. Athletics (19-30), 27. Angels (19-29), 28. Rockies (15-31), 29. Marlins (16-33), 30. White Sox (14-34)

Read More

CBS Sports: MLB Power Rankings: Why Only Five Teams Are in Baseball’s Upper Tier

B/R: MLB Power Rankings: Dodgers, Phillies, Yankees Continue to Dominate as Astros Wake Up

MLB Quick-Hitters

Devers Makes It 6: Rafael Devers set a Red Sox record last night by hitting a home run for the sixth straight game. It’s also the most in MLB since Mike Trout homered in seven straight games back in 2022. Boston blanked the Rays (5-0).

Mariners Snap NYY Streak: Despite their rise up the power rankings with a seven-game win streak, the Yankees finally lost last night after the Mariners rallied from three runs down in the 9th (5-4).

Sale Strikes Again: Chris Sale fanned nine batters and threw another scoreless seven innings in yesterday’s Braves-Padres nightcap. That took Sale’s scoreless streak to 20 innings, and he’s now 7-1 as a starter in Atlanta. The Braves won (3-0).

  WNBA  

Caitlin Clark's Injury Scare 👀

Photo: Emilee Chinn / Getty Images

Fever Fall to 0-4 as Caitlin Clark Shakes Off Injury Scare & 1st Technical Foul to Cap Rough Opening Week

We know there are 143 other players in the WNBA, and we’ll give them their due throughout the Summer. For now, the Caitlin Clark watch party is still in effect. Indiana Fever fans — and women’s basketball fans everywhere — held their breath on Monday after Clark suffered an ugly ankle injury in the first half against the Connecticut Sun. She returned, fired up enough to get her first WNBA technical before the Sun eked out a nail-biter (88-84). Clark had 17 points and one logo-3, but it’s 0-4 for the Fever and their rookie sensation. They’re getting better, though, and Clark’s bunch has only played two of the top three teams in their first four games. Better days ahead.

Watch: Clark Injured, T’d Up in Another Fever Loss

Other WNBA Highlights

Liberty def. Storm (74-63)

Sabrina Ionescu (20 pts, 8 asts), Liberty 4-0

Read More

Sporting News: Clark’s Late Outburst Earns Fever Costly ’T’ in Final Minutes

ESPN: Rude Awakening? Normal Transition? Inside Caitlin Clark’s Up-and-Down First Week as a Pro

Editor’s Note: We know many readers have requested more coverage of the WNBA, specifically Caitlin Clark (after nearly every game). We’ve also heard from readers who don’t want to see Clark-only content all Summer. Hang with us while we navigate the polarization, but we’ll cover the ‘W’ more once the NBA Playoffs end.

  STORYLINES   

⚽️ Team USA for Copa America

The U.S. will host Copa America 2024 this Summer, and it’ll be a great tune-up test for the ’26 World Cup. Gregg Berhalter’s 27-man USMNT roster has just been revealed. (Sporting News)

🏈 Rookie QBs at OTAs

The Bears, Commanders, and Patriots drafted quarterbacks 1-2-3 atop the NFL Draft, and those three newcomers are adjusting to OTAs. How about the teams? (Sports Illustrated)

🏀 The Future of the Knicks

It’s hard to say which injury did them in. “Hit after hit,” as Tom Thibodeau described it. New York is faced with roster questions, but an optimistic future still stands. (FOX Sports)

  NEWS   📰 

🎾 Rafael Nadal Receives Huge Ovation Upon Arriving at Likely Last French Open (SI)

🏈 Justin Jefferson Not at Vikings OTAs Amid Contract Extension Talks (B/R)

🏈 Jim Otto, Hall of Fame Center for the Raiders, Dies at Age 86 (CBS Sports)

⛳️ Scottie Scheffler’s Court Hearing for Traffic Incident Postponed to Next Week (Yahoo! Sports)

🏀 Victor Wembanyama & Chet Holmgren Headline 2023-24 NBA All-Rookie Team (Sporting News)

⚾️ MLB Investigating Ex-Angel David Fletcher for Gambling With Same Bookmaker Used by Ohtani’s Interpreter (EPSN)

🏈 Newly-Signed Eagles WR DeVante Parker Retires Surprisingly at Age 31 (NBC Sports)

🏀 Former NBA Ref Rips Chris Paul: ‘One of the Biggest A—holes I Ever Dealt With’ (B/R)

  SCHEDULE   🗓️

Today's Must-Watch List

🏀 NBA Playoffs

Gm 1: Pacers at Celtics (8:00 pm ET, ESPN)

⚾️ MLB

Mets at Guardians (6:10 pm ET, MLBTV)

Braves at Cubs (7:40 pm ET, TBS)

D-Backs at Dodgers (10:10 pm ET, ESPN+)

🏀 WNBA

Wings at Dream (7:30 pm ET, WNBALP)

Mercury at Aces (10:00 pm ET, WNBALP)

⚽️ U.S. Open Cup (Round of 16)

Sporting Kansas City vs. FC Tulsa (8:30 pm ET)

LAFC vs. Loudoun United FC (10:30 pm ET)

*Stream on USSoccer.com

  SPOTLIGHT   🔦

A Midwest Victory Lap 🏁

Image via Giphy

Sports Fans in the Midwest Are Having a Year. Let's Take a Moment to Spotlight the Hot Streak & Take a Victory Lap...

• Winter Football (January-February): Michigan (CFB) and Kansas City (NFL) raised football trophies to start 2024. The Detroit Lions won multiple playoff games for the first time, too.
• Spring College Sports (March-April): Purdue made their first Final Four run in 44 years in March. The Chicago Bears (NFL) and Indiana Fever (WNBA) found future stars with No. 1 draft picks in April — Caleb Williams and Caitlin Clark.
• Main Events in May: The South might claim Kentucky (debatable), but Louisville has been the center of the sports world in May with the Kentucky Derby and last weekend’s PGA Championship. Now, the T-Wolves (Minnesota) and Pacers (Indiana) are back in the conference finals for the first time in decades.

This coming weekend, Indy gets the spotlight with the Pacers at home in the East Finals on Saturday before the Indy 500 on Sunday. Speed week is here. We'll get the party started soon and wave the official flag of Summer. 🏁

Quite a run for the flyover states...

— Proud Midwest Sportswriter

  THE TEAM  

Writer & Editor: Jeff Yoder

Lead Designer: Joe Stella

Assistant Writer: Marissa Kasch

Social Media: Aaron Yorke

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