The Sportsletter - Back On The Ice 🏒

BY JEFF YODER

OCT. 14, 2021  |  SUBSCRIBE  |  BROWSER VIEW

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Good Morning,

Yesterday brought a break from the MLB Playoffs, so we’re re-introducing hockey into the mix as the NHL’s 2021-2022 season returns to the ice. Two primetime games hit the schedule tonight (see below) before another jam-packed weekend.

Letter Rip!

🗓️ TONIGHT'S SCHEDULE

NLDS Game 5

Dodgers at Giants (9:00 pm ET, TBS)

Thursday Night Football

Buccaneers at Eagles (8:20 pm ET, ESPN)

SUNDAY SPORTSLETTER

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NHL

Back On The Ice 🏒

Photo: Patrick Smith / Getty Images

NHL’s Opening Nights Feature Seattle Kraken Debut, Ovechkin’s Milestone & More

Welcome back, NHL! The league dropped the puck on the 2021-22 season on Tuesday night with a pair of games before last night’s five-pack. It was the first official game of the Seattle Kraken era on Night 1. Night 2 saw Alex Ovechkin net two goals to break another milestone. The Oilers won a shootout. Rookie Mason McTavish got his first goal. We’ve got plenty of highlights to open the season, and we’re just getting started.

NHL Opening Night Highlights

Release the Kraken: The Seattle Kraken made the franchise’s NHL debut on Tuesday night, but it was a 4-3 loss to the Golden Knights that spoiled the party. Seattle rallied from a 3-0 deficit to tie the game before Las Vegas’ Chandler Stephenson notched the winner.

Pens Pound the Champs: The defending Stanley Cup champions got blown out in their season-opener against the Penguins (6-2) that featured six goals in the third period.

NHL Night 2 Highlights

Ovechkin Scores Goal 732: Alex Ovechkin is climbing the leaderboard once again. The Capitals’ legend scored two goals in the season-opening win against the Rangers (5-1). Ovi passed Marcel Dionne for fifth on the NHL’s all-time goals list.

McTavish’s First Goal: Ducks’ rookie Mason McTavish recorded his first career goal and assist in Anaheim’s season-opening win over the Jets (4-1). The 18-year-old forward became the youngest goal-scorer in franchise history.

Additional Storylines

Yahoo! Sports: Top 10 Storylines for the 2021-22 NHL Season

NHL: Oilers Defeat Canucks in Shootout to Open Season

WNBA

Mercury Get Even in Game 2

Photo: Christian Peterson / Getty Images

Taurasi Takes Over in OT to Lift Mercury Over Sky (91-86, OT) & Even WNBA Finals at 1-1

We're all square in the WNBA Finals. After Chicago took Game 1, the Mercury were resilient in Game 2 with an overtime victory full of excitement. The Sky forced OT at 79-all with a late bucket by Courtney Vandersloot, but it was all Diana Taurasi in the extra period. Taurasi hit two 3s and tallied eight points to secure the win. She finished with 20 points on the night. Phoenix’s Brittney Griner led all scorers with 29 points and 9 rebounds, including the first dunk in WNBA Finals history.

Watch: Mercury def. Sky in Game 2 (91-86, OT)

The series heads to Chicago for Game 3 (Friday, 9:00 pm ET).

Additional Storylines

WNBA: Mercury Even WNBA Finals With Game 2 Win Over Sky

ESPN: Mercury Guard Diana Taurasi Voted Greatest WNBA Player of All Time

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🎥 OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

SOCCER: USMNT def. Costa Rica (2-1)

It’s back on track for the USMNT. Wednesday’s World Cup qualifier went the way of the stars and stripes despite a first-minute goal from Costa Rica. Sergino Dest ripped a left-footer to the upper-90 (25’) before Timothy Weah got a lucky bounce off the Costa Rica keeper for the deciding goal (66’).

THE STORYLINES

🏈 The Washington Football Team Probe

The NFL Players Association said Tuesday that it plans to request that the NFL release the remainder of the 650,000 emails reviewed as part of the investigation into workplace misconduct with the Washington Football Team. (ESPN)

🏒 Top 10 Storylines for the 2021-22 NHL Season

On the doorstep of the first full season in three years, here are the things we're talking about now and what will continue to develop over the course of the 2021-22 NHL campaign. (Yahoo! Sports)

⚾️ Each MLB Team’s Nightmare Contract

By Friday morning, only four MLB fanbases will still be cheering their teams on in 2021. Most have already turned their attention to what might lie ahead in 2022. But we're taking that one step further for a look at the most troubling contract situations for 2023 and beyond. (Bleacher Report)

📰 THE HEADLINES

Kyrie Irving Speaks Out About Vaccine Issue on Instagram Live

(ESPN)

Chicago Cubs Hiring Cleveland’s Carter Hawkins as Next GM

(Bleacher Report)

25-Year-Old Kenyan Runner Agnes Tirop Found Dead in Her Home

(USA Today)

WFT Owner Dan Snyder Reportedly Used Jon Gruden’s Emails in Court Filing

(Yahoo! Sports)

J.R. Smith Steps on Beehive During College Golf Tournament in North Carolina

(CBS Sports)

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