The Sportsletter - Let's Play Seven

BY JEFF YODER & MARISSA KASCH

JUNE 24, 2024 | SUBSCRIBE | WEB VIEW

Welcome Back 👋

It’s a massive Monday in sports. We’re crowning champs tonight in a pair of winner-take-alls for the Stanley Cup Finals (Game 7) and the Men’s College World Series (Game 3). A wild Sunday on the golf course and a weekend full of soccer, MLB and WNBA highlights bring us into the final week of June. Ready to play Game 7?

Letter Rip!

STANLEY CUP FINALS 🏆

Let's Play Seven

Photo: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images

Oilers Keep Comeback Alive, Throttle Panthers in Game 6 (5-1) to Force Game 7 Tonight (8:00 pm ET, ABC)

Three up, three down! The Edmonton Oilers are on the brink of history after coming back from down 3-0 in the Stanley Cup Finals to force Game 7 — a feat that’s only been completed once before (Maple Leafs, 1942). Game 6 wasn’t close, either. The Oilers, playing back in front of a raucous Canadian crowd, took a 3-0 lead into the third period before adding to their latest beatdown. The Panthers appeared to key on Connor McDavid and held him pointless, but the rest of the Oilers roster stepped up.

Game 6 Stars: Warren Foegle, Adam Henrique, Zach Hyman, Ryan McLeod and Darnell Nurse all scored in the onslaught. Edmonton goalie Stewart Skinner (20 saves) was stellar again, too. Edmonton found something in three straight elimination games. Only one more to go.

Watch: Oilers Win Easy in Game 6 (5-1)

Stanley Cup Finals Tied (3-3)

Game 7: Tonight (8:00 pm ET, ABC)

Stanley Cup Rewind Before Game 7

The Panthers outscored the Oilers 11-4 in the first three games (FLA Wins), but the Oilers have outscored the Panthers 18-4 in the last three (EDM Wins). Edmonton has all the momentum in Game 7, but Florida has home ice. One way or another, we’re crowning Cup champs tonight.

SportsNet: Against All Odds, Oilers Will Play Game 7: “If Anyone Can Do it, It’s the Oil”

SI: Oilers Become Third Team to Force Game 7 in Stanley Cup Finals After Trailing 3-0

MCWS

Gm 3: Winner-Take-All in Omaha

Photo: Peter Aiken / Getty Images

Texas A&M Takes Game 1 (9-5), Tennesse Takes Game 2 (4-1) to Set Up Winner-Take-All Game 3 Tonight (7:00 pm ET, ESPN)

The College World Series is tied 1-1 after an Aggie win on Saturday and a Volunteer win on Sunday. It all comes down to one winner-take-all game. Both teams have shown championship-caliber play, but one SEC team will get their first World Series title tonight.

Game 1: Texas A&M def. Tennessse (9-5)

The Aggies took Game 1 on Saturday with a 9-5 victory after earning five runs in the third inning. Gavin Grahovac established the he early lead with a leadoff home run in the first inning – the first leadoff homer in the MCWS Finals since 2003. Kaeden Kent continued his hot streak with a two-run homer in the seventh inning and a two-RBI single in the third. It was all A&M.

Game 2: Tennessee def. Texas A&M (4-1)

The Volunteers weren’t going down without a fight. Tennessee’s bats came alive late in Game 2 to secure a 4-1 comeback win and force the winner-take-all Game 3. Texas A&M struck first with a solo home run in the first courtesy of Jace LaViolette. Tennessee finally responded when Dylan Dreiling hit a two-run homer (7th) to take the lead and Cal Stark followed it up with another two-run homer (8th) while Drew Beam struck out seven batters with just one run through four innings. All square in Omaha.

Game 3: History in the Making

Tennessee looks to win its first-ever MCWS and become the first No. 1 seed to win since Miami in 1999. Texas A&M also looks to win its first-ever MCWS, which would also mark its first men’s championship in a major sport (football, baseball, basketball) since 1939. Either way, Game 3 is history in the making.

Sporting News: Late Homers Power Tennessee to G2 Win in College World Series

GOLF ⛳️

Scheffler, Yang & Chaos on the 18th

Photo: Keyur Khamar / Getty Images

Climate Protestors Vandalize 18th Green at Travelers Championship Before Scottie Scheffler (-22) Wins Playoff

Nothing new here. Scottie Scheffler (-22) came back on Sunday to run down Tom Kim (-22) and win another PGA event — this time in a playoff hole. Scheffler’s dominant year of golf continues. But what is new here? The scenes at the 18th green of the Travelers Championship were overrun by climate protestors on Sunday, and they waited until all the cameras were on Scheffler and Kim in the final group. More than six demonstrators from ‘Extinction Rebellion,’ a climate activist group, wore shirts reading “No golf on a dead planet” as they laced the green with powder and stole the show at TPC River Highlands.

Watch: Climate Protestors Storm 18th Green at Travelers Championship

As you can imagine, police engaged in what looked like a tackling drill at NFL training camp. Scheffler and Kim finished the 18th tied (-22) before Scheffler won the playoff by one stroke. I’m not sure if we've seen something quite like this in golf, and it certainly became a security concern for players and patrons.

Watch: Scheffler (-22) Tops Kim (-22) in Playoff to Win Travelers

LPGA Championship: Yang, At Last!

Amy Yang Wins 1st Major After 17-Year LPGA Career

After a 17-year LPGA career, Amy Yang is finally a major winner. The South Korea native went low at the Sahalee Country Club to win the LPGA Championship with a score of 7-under. Yang became the front-runner after Lexi Thompson (-1) and Nelly Korda (+6) collapsed following Round 1. She out-shot the field by three strokes during a tough weekend in the Pacific Northwest. Yang, 34, was 0-for-75 in major tournaments despite a solid, lengthy LPGA run. She’s the oldest LPGA major winner since 2018, and she didn’t hide her excitement.

“I came close several times and I started doubting myself if I’m ever going to win a major before I retire… I’m so grateful and very happy.” — Amy Yang

Watch: Yang (-7) Wins LGPA Championship for 1st Major

SOCCER

USMNT's Hot Summer Start 🇺🇸

Photo: Omar Vega / Getty Images

‘Captain America’ Christian Pulisic (1 Goal, 1 Assist) Leads USMNT in Hot Start to Copa America

Two minutes into Copa America 2024, and Captain America strikes! Christian Pulisic wasted no time kickstarting the U.S. Men’s National Team in their Copa America opener on Sunday against Bolivia at AT&T Stadium in Dallas. Pulisic took a give-and-go with Tim Weah off a corner kick and curled a beauty into the upper-right corner. That quick strike that set the tone for a much-needed masterful showing by the USMNT. Forty minutes later, Pulisic ran the attack and found the left foot of 22-year-old Folarin Balogun for the insurance goal. That was all the stars and stripes needed to cruise to victory. It's an early lead in Group C, and Pulisic had his boot all over Match 1.

Watch: Pulisic’s Presence Felt in 🇺🇸 USMNT Win Over 🇧🇴 Bolivia (2-0)

International Soccer Scoreboard

Copa America Scores

🇺🇾 Uruguay def. 🇵🇦 Panama (3-1)

🇻🇪 Venezuela def. 🇪🇨 Ecuador (2-1)

🇲🇽 Mexico def. 🇯🇲 Jamaica (1-0)

🇨🇱 Chile draw 🇵🇪 Peru (0-0)

UEFA Euros 2024

🇭🇺 Hungary def. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scotland (1-0)

🇨🇭 Switzerland draw 🇩🇪 Germany (1-1)

🇧🇪 Belgium def. 🇷🇴 Romania (2-0)

🇵🇹 Portugal def. 🇹🇷 Turkey (3-0)