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Deadspin | Rapids rout Dynamo behind brace from newcomer Kosi Thompson Apr 11, 2026; Commerce City, Colorado, USA; Houston Dynamo FC defender Felipe Andrade (36) battles for the ball with Colorado Rapids midfielder Josh Atencio (12) and midfielder Wayne Frederick (13) in the first half at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images Kosi Thompson scored two goals in his Colorado debut on Saturday night to help lead the Rapids to a 6-2 victory over the Houston Dynamo in Commerce City, Colo. Thompson, who was traded from Toronto FC on March 26, made an immediate impact with his new team, scoring his first two goals of the season. Rafael Navarro also scored a pair of goals and Josh Atencio added another for the Rapids (4-3-0, 12 points), who improved to 3-0-0 at home. Lawrence Ennali netted the only Houston goal before second-half stoppage time, as the visitors couldn’t capitalize on 18 shots, eight of them on goal. The Dynamo (2-4-0, 6 points) dropped their third consecutive match after winning two of three to begin the season. Colorado struck first just five minutes in when Thompson scored on his first run in a Rapids uniform. Dante Sealy sent a cross through the box which leaked out to Thompson, who fired in his first goal since 2023. The Rapids doubled their early advantage in the 17th minute when Thompson’s steal in Houston territory led to Atencio’s first goal of the season. Rapids goalkeeper Zack Steffen made three of his six saves in the opening half to help preserve Colorado’s two-goal halftime edge. At the 53-minute mark, Thompson’s second goal extended the lead to 3-0. Rebounding a deflection from Houston’s Diadie Samassekou in the box, Thompson fired in another right-footed attempt that snuck by Houston goalkeeper Jonathan Bond (three saves). The Dynamo finally found the back of the net in the 69th minute, as Guilherme Santos assisted on Ennali’s second goal of the year. Colorado answered just four minutes later, though, when Navarro netted his team-leading fourth goal of the year. Houston’s deficit was pushed to four in the first minute of second-half stoppage time when Felipe Andrade’s own goal made it 5-1. Santos scored two minutes later for Houston before Colorado’s late-game offense continued. After Hector Herrera’s foul, Navarro scored a penalty kick in the fifth minute of stoppage time to punctuate the lopsided outing. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Rapids #rout #Dynamo #brace #newcomer #Kosi #Thompson

Deadspin | Rapids rout Dynamo behind brace from newcomer Kosi Thompson
Deadspin | Rapids rout Dynamo behind brace from newcomer Kosi Thompson Apr 11, 2026; Commerce City, Colorado, USA; Houston Dynamo FC defender Felipe Andrade (36) battles for the ball with Colorado Rapids midfielder Josh Atencio (12) and midfielder Wayne Frederick (13) in the first half at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images Kosi Thompson scored two goals in his Colorado debut on Saturday night to help lead the Rapids to a 6-2 victory over the Houston Dynamo in Commerce City, Colo. Thompson, who was traded from Toronto FC on March 26, made an immediate impact with his new team, scoring his first two goals of the season. Rafael Navarro also scored a pair of goals and Josh Atencio added another for the Rapids (4-3-0, 12 points), who improved to 3-0-0 at home. Lawrence Ennali netted the only Houston goal before second-half stoppage time, as the visitors couldn’t capitalize on 18 shots, eight of them on goal. The Dynamo (2-4-0, 6 points) dropped their third consecutive match after winning two of three to begin the season. Colorado struck first just five minutes in when Thompson scored on his first run in a Rapids uniform. Dante Sealy sent a cross through the box which leaked out to Thompson, who fired in his first goal since 2023. The Rapids doubled their early advantage in the 17th minute when Thompson’s steal in Houston territory led to Atencio’s first goal of the season. Rapids goalkeeper Zack Steffen made three of his six saves in the opening half to help preserve Colorado’s two-goal halftime edge. At the 53-minute mark, Thompson’s second goal extended the lead to 3-0. Rebounding a deflection from Houston’s Diadie Samassekou in the box, Thompson fired in another right-footed attempt that snuck by Houston goalkeeper Jonathan Bond (three saves). The Dynamo finally found the back of the net in the 69th minute, as Guilherme Santos assisted on Ennali’s second goal of the year. Colorado answered just four minutes later, though, when Navarro netted his team-leading fourth goal of the year. Houston’s deficit was pushed to four in the first minute of second-half stoppage time when Felipe Andrade’s own goal made it 5-1. Santos scored two minutes later for Houston before Colorado’s late-game offense continued. After Hector Herrera’s foul, Navarro scored a penalty kick in the fifth minute of stoppage time to punctuate the lopsided outing. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Rapids #rout #Dynamo #brace #newcomer #Kosi #ThompsonApr 11, 2026; Commerce City, Colorado, USA; Houston Dynamo FC defender Felipe Andrade (36) battles for the ball with Colorado Rapids midfielder Josh Atencio (12) and midfielder Wayne Frederick (13) in the first half at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Kosi Thompson scored two goals in his Colorado debut on Saturday night to help lead the Rapids to a 6-2 victory over the Houston Dynamo in Commerce City, Colo.

Thompson, who was traded from Toronto FC on March 26, made an immediate impact with his new team, scoring his first two goals of the season. Rafael Navarro also scored a pair of goals and Josh Atencio added another for the Rapids (4-3-0, 12 points), who improved to 3-0-0 at home.

Lawrence Ennali netted the only Houston goal before second-half stoppage time, as the visitors couldn’t capitalize on 18 shots, eight of them on goal. The Dynamo (2-4-0, 6 points) dropped their third consecutive match after winning two of three to begin the season.

Colorado struck first just five minutes in when Thompson scored on his first run in a Rapids uniform. Dante Sealy sent a cross through the box which leaked out to Thompson, who fired in his first goal since 2023.

The Rapids doubled their early advantage in the 17th minute when Thompson’s steal in Houston territory led to Atencio’s first goal of the season.


Rapids goalkeeper Zack Steffen made three of his six saves in the opening half to help preserve Colorado’s two-goal halftime edge.

At the 53-minute mark, Thompson’s second goal extended the lead to 3-0. Rebounding a deflection from Houston’s Diadie Samassekou in the box, Thompson fired in another right-footed attempt that snuck by Houston goalkeeper Jonathan Bond (three saves).

The Dynamo finally found the back of the net in the 69th minute, as Guilherme Santos assisted on Ennali’s second goal of the year.

Colorado answered just four minutes later, though, when Navarro netted his team-leading fourth goal of the year. Houston’s deficit was pushed to four in the first minute of second-half stoppage time when Felipe Andrade’s own goal made it 5-1.

Santos scored two minutes later for Houston before Colorado’s late-game offense continued. After Hector Herrera’s foul, Navarro scored a penalty kick in the fifth minute of stoppage time to punctuate the lopsided outing.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Rapids #rout #Dynamo #brace #newcomer #Kosi #Thompson

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Apr 11, 2026; Commerce City, Colorado, USA; Houston Dynamo FC defender Felipe Andrade (36) battles for the ball with Colorado Rapids midfielder Josh Atencio (12) and midfielder Wayne Frederick (13) in the first half at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Kosi Thompson scored two goals in his Colorado debut on Saturday night to help lead the Rapids to a 6-2 victory over the Houston Dynamo in Commerce City, Colo.

Thompson, who was traded from Toronto FC on March 26, made an immediate impact with his new team, scoring his first two goals of the season. Rafael Navarro also scored a pair of goals and Josh Atencio added another for the Rapids (4-3-0, 12 points), who improved to 3-0-0 at home.

Lawrence Ennali netted the only Houston goal before second-half stoppage time, as the visitors couldn’t capitalize on 18 shots, eight of them on goal. The Dynamo (2-4-0, 6 points) dropped their third consecutive match after winning two of three to begin the season.

Colorado struck first just five minutes in when Thompson scored on his first run in a Rapids uniform. Dante Sealy sent a cross through the box which leaked out to Thompson, who fired in his first goal since 2023.

The Rapids doubled their early advantage in the 17th minute when Thompson’s steal in Houston territory led to Atencio’s first goal of the season.

Rapids goalkeeper Zack Steffen made three of his six saves in the opening half to help preserve Colorado’s two-goal halftime edge.

At the 53-minute mark, Thompson’s second goal extended the lead to 3-0. Rebounding a deflection from Houston’s Diadie Samassekou in the box, Thompson fired in another right-footed attempt that snuck by Houston goalkeeper Jonathan Bond (three saves).

The Dynamo finally found the back of the net in the 69th minute, as Guilherme Santos assisted on Ennali’s second goal of the year.

Colorado answered just four minutes later, though, when Navarro netted his team-leading fourth goal of the year. Houston’s deficit was pushed to four in the first minute of second-half stoppage time when Felipe Andrade’s own goal made it 5-1.

Santos scored two minutes later for Houston before Colorado’s late-game offense continued. After Hector Herrera’s foul, Navarro scored a penalty kick in the fifth minute of stoppage time to punctuate the lopsided outing.

–Field Level Media

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#Deadspin #Rapids #rout #Dynamo #brace #newcomer #Kosi #Thompson

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Giannis tried to have it both ways, and the Bucks paid for it <div id="zephr-anchor"><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Giannis Antetokounmpo’s latest attempt at saying he doesn’t want to play for the Milwaukee Bucks anymore — without actually saying it, so he doesn’t look bad — could be what finally, mercifully gets his long, ugly, ongoing divorce from the franchise over the finish line.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">His fear of becoming the “bad guy” by requesting the trade he’s so clearly been longing for has only prolonged this inevitable split and convinced the Bucks to bleed assets in the process. Now, as their ship sinks, they’re realizing that they offloaded all of their lifeboats to cut weight because Antetokounmpo wanted to sail faster.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">While Giannis is not solely to blame for this, it’s impossible to argue that his impatience and constant holding his team’s feet to the fire didn’t contribute. Let’s take a trip back to 2021.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Months after Milwaukee captured its first title in 50 years, Antetokounmpo publicly cast doubt on his future with the Bucks, for no discernible reason at all, during an <a href="https://www.gq.com/story/giannis-antetokounmpo-athlete-of-the-year-2021">interview with GQ Magazine’s Zach Baron.</a></p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">“One challenge was to bring a championship here and we did,” he told Baron. “It was very hard, but we did. Very, very hard. I just love challenges. What’s the next challenge? The next challenge might not be here.”</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Huh? Less than half a year after winning a title, you’re already thinking about leaving??</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">“Me and my family chose to stay in this city that we all love and has taken care of us—for now [with a five-year supermax extension through the 2025 season],” he added. “In two years, that might change. I’m being totally honest with you. I’m always honest.”</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Giannis critics — and at this point, even Bucks fans — might argue that sometimes he’s a little <em>too</em> honest. After a second-round exit in 2022 and a devastating first-round upset at the hands of the Miami Heat in 2023 raised tensions further, Giannis memorably went on a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mXGSjnUvSM">long rant about how sports don’t ever feature failure</a>, but it was his next public comments that were more notable: The star issued another public warning to the Bucks, once again hinting at an eventual departure during a September 2023 appearance on the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0x6zCD7NpeQ"><em>48 Minutes Podcast.</em></a></p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">“So as I said, if the Milwaukee Bucks are on the same page for the rest of my career, great. If not, I have to win. I have to win. And I think the city and people will understand it… I have to do whatever it takes for me to win. And if there’s a better situation for me to win the Larry O’Brien, I have to take that better situation.”</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">The message echoed what he’d <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/24/sports/basketball/giannis-antetokounmpo-milwaukee-bucks-contract.html?smid=tw-share">told <em>The New York Times</em></a> a month prior<em>.</em></p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">“But at the end of the day, being a winner, it’s over that goal,” he said. “Winning a championship comes first. I don’t want to be 20 years on the same team and don’t win another championship.”</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Just talking about wanting to win championships would be one thing, but his constant flirting with a trade request elsewhere to do so pushed Milwaukee into desperation mode.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">General Manager Jon Horst and the rest of the front office, with their collective palms profusely sweating, made the following moves in response to appease their perpetually noncomittal star, despite injuries being the driving force behind the team’s previous playoff shortcomings:</p></div><div class="duet--article--block-placement jgpyd51 jgpyd50 duet--article--article-body-component"><ul class="duet--article--unordered-list _1nfb3k4i feuejx0 ls9zuh1"><li class="feuejx1"><span class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup"><strong>May 4, 2023: </strong>Fired Head Coach Mike Budenholzer </span></li><li class="feuejx1"><span class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup"><strong>June 5, 2023: </strong>Hired Adrian Griffin as head coach (<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/4557575/2023/05/27/adrian-griffin-bucks-coach/">Who Giannis endorsed over Nick Nurse and Kenny Atkinson</a>)</span></li><li class="feuejx1"><span class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup"><strong>September 27, 2023: </strong>Traded Jrue Holiday, Grayson Allen, and three first-round picks for Damian Lillard</span></li><li class="feuejx1"><span class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup"><strong>December, 2023: </strong>Brought Doc Rivers in as <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5222650/2024/01/23/bucks-adrian-griffin-firing-why-doc-rivers/">coaching advisor</a> for Griffin</span></li><li class="feuejx1"><span class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup"><strong>January 23, 2024: </strong><a href="https://wisportsheroics.com/milwaukee-bucks-adrian-griffin-giannis-antetokounmpo/">Fired Griffin after 44 games</a> (31-13)</span></li><li class="feuejx1"><span class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup"><strong>January 27, 2024: </strong><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5288376/2024/02/21/giannis-antetokounmpo-interview-bucks-nba-damian-lillard-doc-rivers/">Hired Rivers</a> as head coach and went 17-19 for the rest of the season</span></li><li class="feuejx1"><span class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup"><strong>February 6, 2025: </strong>Traded Khris Middleton, A.J. Johnson, and a 2028 first-round pick to the Wizards for Kyle Kuzma</span></li><li class="feuejx1"><span class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup"><strong>July 6, 2025:</strong> Waived and stretched Damian Lillard to clear cap space used to sign Myles Turner</span></li><li class="feuejx1"><span class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup"><strong>February 8, 2026: </strong>Signed Cam Thomas</span></li><li class="feuejx1"><span class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup"><strong>March 23, 2026: </strong>Waived Cam Thomas</span></li></ul></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">It’s not a player’s job to understand how roster construction works, even if they’re openly imploring the team to make moves. Milwaukee’s front office still did all of the above on purpose, and none of it worked. That means they deserve blame too, but now, after years of giving up assets to try and undo the mistakes they made while trying to fix previous mistakes, there isn’t anything left for them to do. They have no control over their own draft picks until 2030 (with no first-rounder at all in 2029) and will have to settle for the less-favorable in three consecutive pick swaps while also working with $20 million in dead cap for the next five seasons thanks to their rush to waive Lillard.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">The only way to replenish those assets is by trading a star, like Giannis, for a plethora of picks and young players. It was always going to be the reality for Milwaukee. Now, in a multi-year attempt to avoid ruining his reputation with Bucks fans, Antetokounmpo has stranded them on a sinking ship… and ironically <a href="https://www.brewhoop.com/bucks-polls/64054/milwaukee-nba-poll-giannis-antetokounmpo-injury-league-investigation-doc-rivers">ended up with many fans sick of him anyway</a>, the very thing his tortured will-he-or-wont-he PR strategy seemed intended to avoid.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">His unwillingness to choose between loyalty and the pursuit of winning has motivated the Bucks to do anything and everything to prolong their championship window — a window that’s been closed for years due to Antetokounmpo’s unavailability come playoff time in 2023 and 2024, and now permanently shut due to their desperation to reopen it just a sliver, with the team responding like they forgot their keys at the office and decided to burn down their house in response.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Even this year, he tried to save face when he reiterated to the Bucks for a few months before the Feb. 5 trade deadline that <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/48412620/inside-fractured-relationship-giannis-antetokounmpo-milwaukee-bucks">he was prepared to be moved</a>. According to NBA insider and <a href="https://x.com/RunItBackFDTV/status/2042615414711091490">personal enemy of Doc Rivers</a>, Shams Charania, while Giannis declined to publicize a trade request, he made it clear to all parties involved behind the scenes that he felt both sides needed to move on immediately, as the franchise was not in position to compete.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">“Giannis has wanted to handle this professionally by being very up front with the team,” one source with direct knowledge of the situation told Charania. “This could have been a happy resolution but instead might end up being a nasty breakup.”</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">It would’ve been a happy resolution for Giannis, who would’ve left to greener pastures, but not for the Bucks, whose lack of any future assets is a result of the long list of attempts to appease their disgruntled Finals MVP — who was playing games before even signing his first contract extension.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Both that, and the one inked in 2023 reportedly came with a handshake agreement that the Bucks would accommodate any desired trade destinations whenever Giannis would hypothetically decide to leave, according to <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/48412620/inside-fractured-relationship-giannis-antetokounmpo-milwaukee-bucks">an April 7 report from Charania.</a> It was an early indication that Milwaukee was going to have <em>earn </em>his loyalty.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">The Bucks were so deprived of picks and young players to use in trades because of their willingness to include half of them to bring in Holiday in 2020, who they later attached the remaining picks to trade for Lillard, who they then waived, stretched, and set their hypothetical home ablaze to enable their final offering to Antetokounmpo — Turner, who falls firmly in the “what does he even do?” category.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Milwaukee’s decision to cut Lillard and sign Turner out of sheer panic should tell you exactly how hamstrung they are in terms of assets. They have Antetokounmpo’s non-comital demeanor to thank for a lot of that.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">That would all be bad enough, but even now, as the Bucks try and salvage something from this disaster of this injury-riddled, trade-drama-marred season, Giannis is standing in the way.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Antetokounmpo has wanted nothing more than to suit up and help them win games now that Milwaukee is eliminated from playoff contention and trying to shrink the window in which their lesser-pick-swap with the New Orleans Pelicans falls this spring. In doing so, he was willing to not only risk lessening the Bucks’ lottery odds, but also risk another injury, which could discourage trade suitors from offering the best possible return when the market for his services opens (presumably this summer).</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">“For somebody to come and tell me to not play or not to compete, it’s like a slap in my face,” Antetokounmpo told reporters ahead of the April 3 matchup against the Boston Celtics. “I’m available to play, but I’m not in the game. I’m available to play today. Right now. I’m available.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">“So, I don’t know where the relationship goes from there.”</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">But it’s hard not to find all of this incredibly disingenuous, and poorly considered at that. Giannis clearly doesn’t care about where the relationship is going. He already knows. It’s over. It’s been over for a while. Giannis only cares if he looks good as he’s being flown away from the submerged S.S Fiserv. And in his years-long, hackneyed attempt to avoid looking like the bad guy, he made that perception unavoidable.</p></div></div> #Giannis #ways #Bucks #paid

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FIDE Candidates 2026 Women’s section: Vaishali stumbles against Zhu Jiner; title-race wide open <div id="content-body-70853894" itemprop="articleBody"><p>Grandmaster R. Vaishali succumbed to time pressure as a series of inaccuracies cost her full points in a defeat to Zhu Jiner, who joined her atop the women’s section after Round 12 on Sunday.</p><p>The game began with a Caro-Kann Defence, with Vaishali, playing White, opting for an aggressive approach and advancing her h-pawn early.</p><p>In the middlegame, Vaishali played 27. d5, blowing open the centre and turning the contest into a tactical race. She followed it up with Qh7 and Qh8 on moves 31 and 33, paralysing Zhu’s back rank and forcing the knight to f8, with the position appearing completely winning for the Indian.</p><p>However, as the clock ticked down, Zhu promoted to a second queen with 38. g1=Q+. Vaishali needed to find a precise sequence of checks to force mate or secure a draw, but missed a key safety square for her king. Instead of stabilising, she allowed Zhu to gain tempo, and the Chinese Grandmaster eventually forced her resignation.</p><p class="publish-time" id="end-of-article">Published on Apr 12, 2026</p></div> #FIDE #Candidates #Womens #section #Vaishali #stumbles #Zhu #Jiner #titlerace #wide #open

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Deadspin | A’s promote top prospect, LHP Gage Jump, with Aaron Civale hurt Feb 23, 2026; Scottsdale, Arizona, USA; Athletics pitcher Gage Jump (79) throws against the San Francisco Giants in the third inning at Scottsdale Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images Top prospect Gage Jump is set to join the Athletics’ roster when starter Aaron Civale is placed on the injured list, according to multiple reports Tuesday. A left-handed strikeout pitcher, Jump has fanned 56 batters in 38 innings over nine starts at Triple-A Las Vegas this season. The 23-year-old has walked 20 and posted a 4.50 ERA with an 0-2 record. A second-round draft pick out of LSU in 2024, Jump is the No. 41 overall prospect in baseball per MLB Pipeline, which rated him third among A’s prospects behind shortstop Leo De Vries and left-hander Jamie Arnold. Arnold was the 11th overall pick in the 2025 draft out of Florida State and is currently pitching at Double-A Midland. Civale was pulled after four innings on Monday, raising red flags with a velocity drop that manager Mark Kotsay traced postgame to an issue with his right shoulder or lat. The A’s said Civale would undergo testing Tuesday. He allowed seven runs on nine hits and one walk, tossing only 73 pitches in Monday’s 9-2 loss to the visiting Seattle Mariners. He allowed five runs in five innings to the Los Angeles Angels last week, when he said he had been “working through” the arm issue “for a little bit.” His fastball velocity averaged 88.3 mph on the stadium radar gun on Monday, more than 3 mph off of his 2026 season average. Civale, 30, is 5-2 this season and his ERA stands at 4.20 through 11 starts. Prior to facing the Angels and Mariners in the past two turns through the rotation, he had a 2.70 ERA. He surrendered 14 hits (six home runs) and 12 earned runs in those two games. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #promote #top #prospect #LHP #Gage #Jump #Aaron #Civale #hurtFeb 23, 2026; Scottsdale, Arizona, USA; Athletics pitcher Gage Jump (79) throws against the San Francisco Giants in the third inning at Scottsdale Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

Top prospect Gage Jump is set to join the Athletics’ roster when starter Aaron Civale is placed on the injured list, according to multiple reports Tuesday.

A left-handed strikeout pitcher, Jump has fanned 56 batters in 38 innings over nine starts at Triple-A Las Vegas this season. The 23-year-old has walked 20 and posted a 4.50 ERA with an 0-2 record.

A second-round draft pick out of LSU in 2024, Jump is the No. 41 overall prospect in baseball per MLB Pipeline, which rated him third among A’s prospects behind shortstop Leo De Vries and left-hander Jamie Arnold. Arnold was the 11th overall pick in the 2025 draft out of Florida State and is currently pitching at Double-A Midland.


Civale was pulled after four innings on Monday, raising red flags with a velocity drop that manager Mark Kotsay traced postgame to an issue with his right shoulder or lat. The A’s said Civale would undergo testing Tuesday.

He allowed seven runs on nine hits and one walk, tossing only 73 pitches in Monday’s 9-2 loss to the visiting Seattle Mariners. He allowed five runs in five innings to the Los Angeles Angels last week, when he said he had been “working through” the arm issue “for a little bit.”

His fastball velocity averaged 88.3 mph on the stadium radar gun on Monday, more than 3 mph off of his 2026 season average.

Civale, 30, is 5-2 this season and his ERA stands at 4.20 through 11 starts. Prior to facing the Angels and Mariners in the past two turns through the rotation, he had a 2.70 ERA. He surrendered 14 hits (six home runs) and 12 earned runs in those two games.


–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #promote #top #prospect #LHP #Gage #Jump #Aaron #Civale #hurt">Deadspin | A’s promote top prospect, LHP Gage Jump, with Aaron Civale hurt Feb 23, 2026; Scottsdale, Arizona, USA; Athletics pitcher Gage Jump (79) throws against the San Francisco Giants in the third inning at Scottsdale Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images Top prospect Gage Jump is set to join the Athletics’ roster when starter Aaron Civale is placed on the injured list, according to multiple reports Tuesday. A left-handed strikeout pitcher, Jump has fanned 56 batters in 38 innings over nine starts at Triple-A Las Vegas this season. The 23-year-old has walked 20 and posted a 4.50 ERA with an 0-2 record. A second-round draft pick out of LSU in 2024, Jump is the No. 41 overall prospect in baseball per MLB Pipeline, which rated him third among A’s prospects behind shortstop Leo De Vries and left-hander Jamie Arnold. Arnold was the 11th overall pick in the 2025 draft out of Florida State and is currently pitching at Double-A Midland. Civale was pulled after four innings on Monday, raising red flags with a velocity drop that manager Mark Kotsay traced postgame to an issue with his right shoulder or lat. The A’s said Civale would undergo testing Tuesday. He allowed seven runs on nine hits and one walk, tossing only 73 pitches in Monday’s 9-2 loss to the visiting Seattle Mariners. He allowed five runs in five innings to the Los Angeles Angels last week, when he said he had been “working through” the arm issue “for a little bit.” His fastball velocity averaged 88.3 mph on the stadium radar gun on Monday, more than 3 mph off of his 2026 season average. Civale, 30, is 5-2 this season and his ERA stands at 4.20 through 11 starts. Prior to facing the Angels and Mariners in the past two turns through the rotation, he had a 2.70 ERA. He surrendered 14 hits (six home runs) and 12 earned runs in those two games. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #promote #top #prospect #LHP #Gage #Jump #Aaron #Civale #hurt

The NHL has hit the business end of the Stanley Cup Playoffs with just four teams remaining. The Eastern Conference Finals is entering its fourth game between the Carolina Hurricanes and Montreal Canadiens, with Carolina leading 2-1. The West sees the Colorado Avalanche trying to stave off elimination against the Vegas Golden Knights, who are leading 3-0.

That’s the top-down view, but if you haven’t been keeping up with the NHL postseason so far, but want to dive in, let’s go a little deeper into these four remaining teams, as well as discuss the broader theme of the playoffs so far.

The Hurricanes have been the most consistent team in the playoffs with an overall record of 10-1, built on the back of their lane-clogging defense and suffocating forecheck. It’s also fair to say they’ve been one of the least-tested teams in the postseason thanks to back-to-back series against the Senators and Flyers to kick off their run.

On paper this team has every tool needed to hoist the cup, but they have two glaring issues right now:

Firstly is in net, where veteran Freddie Andersen has been extremely unreliable in the ECF. In three games he’s allowed 10 goals on 47 shots, an abysmal save percentage of 0.787% — not all of that is on Andersen, with Carolina having defensive breakdowns in every goal allowed, but a playoff-caliber netminder shouldn’t let in as many easy goals as he has.

The second issue is that the Hurricanes’ top line really hasn’t separated itself to prove it can be a cup-winning unit. Andrei Svechnikov/Sebastian Aho/Seth Jarvis have had a lot of opportunities, but not a lot of results. They need this top line to pick up their play in order to really feel like a team that can go all the way.

MONTREAL, CANADA - MAY 25: Andrei Svechnikov #37 of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrates with Jordan Martinook #48 and Jalen Chatfield #5 after scoring the game-winning goal against the Montréal Canadiens during overtime in Game Three of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Bell Centre on May 25, 2026 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

MONTREAL, CANADA – MAY 25: Andrei Svechnikov #37 of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrates with Jordan Martinook #48 and Jalen Chatfield #5 after scoring the game-winning goal against the Montréal Canadiens during overtime in Game Three of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Bell Centre on May 25, 2026 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
Getty Images

Montreal has re-emerged this season to become an exciting and young team, with legitimate Stanley Cup potential in the future. I say, “in the future,” because the ECF thus far has proven there’s still a lot to work on for the Habs. Their free-flowing offense based on long outlet passes to the wings is a beautiful tactic, but it’s too predictable and one-note. It caught Carolina off guard in Game 1, but they’ve since adjusted to allow only 25 shots in two games, after Montreal had 22 shots in Game 1 alone.

The team needs more toughness, both up front and on the blue line — which can come with time. The real story of the postseason for Montreal has been the breakout performance of rookie goalie Jakub Dobeš, who is cementing himself as an absolute phenom. Without Dobeš in goal the Canadiens would have likely allowed five or six more goals in this series, and the rookie legitimately looks like a future Vezina-caliber tender.

This series is far from over with Carolina really struggling to get quality opportunities because of Dobeš, while also having extreme goaltending issues of their own. Montreal is fast, skilled, and if they can crack the code to breaking through the Canes’ defense then they will cause problems.

The Canadiens went through the No. 2 and No. 3 ranked teams in the East to reach this point. They proved their mettle against the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Buffalo Sabres, both of whom were outclassed. Meanwhile the Hurricanes had an easier route through the Metropolitan division, but showed why they were the top team in the Eastern Conference this season.

The Avs were the runaway favorites to win the Stanley Cup this year on the back of an astounding regular season that saw the team finish at 55-16-11 to win the Presidents’ Cup — but everything is going wrong. A late-season injury to phenom defenseman Cale Makar carried into the playoffs, and his absence is really showing in the Western Conference Finals.

Without Makar at full strength, the shape of Colorado falls apart, both offensively and defensively. You can see the void on the ice, and problematically other players haven’t stepped up. Martin Necas has largely disappeared this postseason, and with him playing poorly we’ve see Nathan McKinnon suffer as well.

Call it the Presidents’ Cup Curse, but this doesn’t look anything like the Avalanche team which bodied the league during the regular season, then beat the Stars and Wild. Colorado is out of gas, and down 3-0 against the Knights means it’s almost assured they will go home.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MAY 24: Mark Stone #61 of the Vegas Golden Knights celebrates his goal with Tomas Hertl #48 and Mitch Marner #93 during the second period in Game Three of the Western Conference Final of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Colorado Avalanche at T-Mobile Arena on May 24, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Golden Knights defeated the Avalanche 5-3. (Photo by Candice Ward/Getty Images)

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MAY 24: Mark Stone #61 of the Vegas Golden Knights celebrates his goal with Tomas Hertl #48 and Mitch Marner #93 during the second period in Game Three of the Western Conference Final of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Colorado Avalanche at T-Mobile Arena on May 24, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Golden Knights defeated the Avalanche 5-3. (Photo by Candice Ward/Getty Images)
Getty Images

Full credit to the Knights, because they really looked nothing like a cup team until they installed John Tortarella as head coach late in the season. This team is an entirely different animal with Torts on the bench, and their veteran experience paired with star power have made them a team to watch.

One of the biggest benefactors of the new coaching scheme has been Mitch Marner, who was the Knights’ big free agent signing last summer. Initially, he struggled to find his footing in Vegas, but in the postseason he has 21 points in 15 games — earning every cent of his big money contract.

This is a team that is really difficult to put in a box. They were so average during the regular season it’s tough to ignore, but so good now that it can’t be overlooked. Now they’re taking it to Colorado in the Western Conference Finals to give themselves a legitimate shot to win it all.

This was a similar story to the East where the Avalanche went thought the toughest competition inside the conference, while the Golden Knights got an easy road. If you see people complaining about the playoff structure in the NHL then the west is the best reason why, because the Avs had to play the No. 2 and No. 3 ranked teams in the West just to reach the conference finals, despite being the best team in the conference — while Vegas drew No. 6 and No. 7 ranked teams, while finishing 5th in the division.

Stanley Cup Finals prediction

The Golden Knights should close out against the Avalanche, while I believe the Hurricanes will need six games to put away Montreal. This sets us up for Vegas vs. Carolina in the Stanley Cup Finals.

It’s been a tremendous run for the Golden Knights, but Carolina is the toughest team in these playoffs. Their defense alone makes them nearly impenetrable, and no team has solved it so far.

Carolina Hurricanes win the Stanley Cup, 4-2

#NHL #Stanley #Cup #Playoffs #Conference #primer #race #cup #real">NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs: Conference primer as the race for the cup gets real The NHL has hit the business end of the Stanley Cup Playoffs with just four teams remaining. The Eastern Conference Finals is entering its fourth game between the Carolina Hurricanes and Montreal Canadiens, with Carolina leading 2-1. The West sees the Colorado Avalanche trying to stave off elimination against the Vegas Golden Knights, who are leading 3-0.That’s the top-down view, but if you haven’t been keeping up with the NHL postseason so far, but want to dive in, let’s go a little deeper into these four remaining teams, as well as discuss the broader theme of the playoffs so far.The Hurricanes have been the most consistent team in the playoffs with an overall record of 10-1, built on the back of their lane-clogging defense and suffocating forecheck. It’s also fair to say they’ve been one of the least-tested teams in the postseason thanks to back-to-back series against the Senators and Flyers to kick off their run.On paper this team has every tool needed to hoist the cup, but they have two glaring issues right now:Firstly is in net, where veteran Freddie Andersen has been extremely unreliable in the ECF. In three games he’s allowed 10 goals on 47 shots, an abysmal save percentage of 0.787% — not all of that is on Andersen, with Carolina having defensive breakdowns in every goal allowed, but a playoff-caliber netminder shouldn’t let in as many easy goals as he has.The second issue is that the Hurricanes’ top line really hasn’t separated itself to prove it can be a cup-winning unit. Andrei Svechnikov/Sebastian Aho/Seth Jarvis have had a lot of opportunities, but not a lot of results. They need this top line to pick up their play in order to really feel like a team that can go all the way.MONTREAL, CANADA – MAY 25: Andrei Svechnikov #37 of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrates with Jordan Martinook #48 and Jalen Chatfield #5 after scoring the game-winning goal against the Montréal Canadiens during overtime in Game Three of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Bell Centre on May 25, 2026 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) Getty ImagesMontreal has re-emerged this season to become an exciting and young team, with legitimate Stanley Cup potential in the future. I say, “in the future,” because the ECF thus far has proven there’s still a lot to work on for the Habs. Their free-flowing offense based on long outlet passes to the wings is a beautiful tactic, but it’s too predictable and one-note. It caught Carolina off guard in Game 1, but they’ve since adjusted to allow only 25 shots in two games, after Montreal had 22 shots in Game 1 alone.The team needs more toughness, both up front and on the blue line — which can come with time. The real story of the postseason for Montreal has been the breakout performance of rookie goalie Jakub Dobeš, who is cementing himself as an absolute phenom. Without Dobeš in goal the Canadiens would have likely allowed five or six more goals in this series, and the rookie legitimately looks like a future Vezina-caliber tender.This series is far from over with Carolina really struggling to get quality opportunities because of Dobeš, while also having extreme goaltending issues of their own. Montreal is fast, skilled, and if they can crack the code to breaking through the Canes’ defense then they will cause problems.The Canadiens went through the No. 2 and No. 3 ranked teams in the East to reach this point. They proved their mettle against the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Buffalo Sabres, both of whom were outclassed. Meanwhile the Hurricanes had an easier route through the Metropolitan division, but showed why they were the top team in the Eastern Conference this season.The Avs were the runaway favorites to win the Stanley Cup this year on the back of an astounding regular season that saw the team finish at 55-16-11 to win the Presidents’ Cup — but everything is going wrong. A late-season injury to phenom defenseman Cale Makar carried into the playoffs, and his absence is really showing in the Western Conference Finals.Without Makar at full strength, the shape of Colorado falls apart, both offensively and defensively. You can see the void on the ice, and problematically other players haven’t stepped up. Martin Necas has largely disappeared this postseason, and with him playing poorly we’ve see Nathan McKinnon suffer as well.Call it the Presidents’ Cup Curse, but this doesn’t look anything like the Avalanche team which bodied the league during the regular season, then beat the Stars and Wild. Colorado is out of gas, and down 3-0 against the Knights means it’s almost assured they will go home.LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MAY 24: Mark Stone #61 of the Vegas Golden Knights celebrates his goal with Tomas Hertl #48 and Mitch Marner #93 during the second period in Game Three of the Western Conference Final of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Colorado Avalanche at T-Mobile Arena on May 24, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Golden Knights defeated the Avalanche 5-3. (Photo by Candice Ward/Getty Images) Getty ImagesFull credit to the Knights, because they really looked nothing like a cup team until they installed John Tortarella as head coach late in the season. This team is an entirely different animal with Torts on the bench, and their veteran experience paired with star power have made them a team to watch.One of the biggest benefactors of the new coaching scheme has been Mitch Marner, who was the Knights’ big free agent signing last summer. Initially, he struggled to find his footing in Vegas, but in the postseason he has 21 points in 15 games — earning every cent of his big money contract.This is a team that is really difficult to put in a box. They were so average during the regular season it’s tough to ignore, but so good now that it can’t be overlooked. Now they’re taking it to Colorado in the Western Conference Finals to give themselves a legitimate shot to win it all.This was a similar story to the East where the Avalanche went thought the toughest competition inside the conference, while the Golden Knights got an easy road. If you see people complaining about the playoff structure in the NHL then the west is the best reason why, because the Avs had to play the No. 2 and No. 3 ranked teams in the West just to reach the conference finals, despite being the best team in the conference — while Vegas drew No. 6 and No. 7 ranked teams, while finishing 5th in the division.Stanley Cup Finals predictionThe Golden Knights should close out against the Avalanche, while I believe the Hurricanes will need six games to put away Montreal. This sets us up for Vegas vs. Carolina in the Stanley Cup Finals.It’s been a tremendous run for the Golden Knights, but Carolina is the toughest team in these playoffs. Their defense alone makes them nearly impenetrable, and no team has solved it so far.Carolina Hurricanes win the Stanley Cup, 4-2 #NHL #Stanley #Cup #Playoffs #Conference #primer #race #cup #real

MONTREAL, CANADA - MAY 25: Andrei Svechnikov #37 of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrates with Jordan Martinook #48 and Jalen Chatfield #5 after scoring the game-winning goal against the Montréal Canadiens during overtime in Game Three of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Bell Centre on May 25, 2026 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

MONTREAL, CANADA – MAY 25: Andrei Svechnikov #37 of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrates with Jordan Martinook #48 and Jalen Chatfield #5 after scoring the game-winning goal against the Montréal Canadiens during overtime in Game Three of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Bell Centre on May 25, 2026 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
Getty Images

Montreal has re-emerged this season to become an exciting and young team, with legitimate Stanley Cup potential in the future. I say, “in the future,” because the ECF thus far has proven there’s still a lot to work on for the Habs. Their free-flowing offense based on long outlet passes to the wings is a beautiful tactic, but it’s too predictable and one-note. It caught Carolina off guard in Game 1, but they’ve since adjusted to allow only 25 shots in two games, after Montreal had 22 shots in Game 1 alone.

The team needs more toughness, both up front and on the blue line — which can come with time. The real story of the postseason for Montreal has been the breakout performance of rookie goalie Jakub Dobeš, who is cementing himself as an absolute phenom. Without Dobeš in goal the Canadiens would have likely allowed five or six more goals in this series, and the rookie legitimately looks like a future Vezina-caliber tender.

This series is far from over with Carolina really struggling to get quality opportunities because of Dobeš, while also having extreme goaltending issues of their own. Montreal is fast, skilled, and if they can crack the code to breaking through the Canes’ defense then they will cause problems.

The Canadiens went through the No. 2 and No. 3 ranked teams in the East to reach this point. They proved their mettle against the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Buffalo Sabres, both of whom were outclassed. Meanwhile the Hurricanes had an easier route through the Metropolitan division, but showed why they were the top team in the Eastern Conference this season.

The Avs were the runaway favorites to win the Stanley Cup this year on the back of an astounding regular season that saw the team finish at 55-16-11 to win the Presidents’ Cup — but everything is going wrong. A late-season injury to phenom defenseman Cale Makar carried into the playoffs, and his absence is really showing in the Western Conference Finals.

Without Makar at full strength, the shape of Colorado falls apart, both offensively and defensively. You can see the void on the ice, and problematically other players haven’t stepped up. Martin Necas has largely disappeared this postseason, and with him playing poorly we’ve see Nathan McKinnon suffer as well.

Call it the Presidents’ Cup Curse, but this doesn’t look anything like the Avalanche team which bodied the league during the regular season, then beat the Stars and Wild. Colorado is out of gas, and down 3-0 against the Knights means it’s almost assured they will go home.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MAY 24: Mark Stone #61 of the Vegas Golden Knights celebrates his goal with Tomas Hertl #48 and Mitch Marner #93 during the second period in Game Three of the Western Conference Final of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Colorado Avalanche at T-Mobile Arena on May 24, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Golden Knights defeated the Avalanche 5-3. (Photo by Candice Ward/Getty Images)

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MAY 24: Mark Stone #61 of the Vegas Golden Knights celebrates his goal with Tomas Hertl #48 and Mitch Marner #93 during the second period in Game Three of the Western Conference Final of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Colorado Avalanche at T-Mobile Arena on May 24, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Golden Knights defeated the Avalanche 5-3. (Photo by Candice Ward/Getty Images)
Getty Images

Full credit to the Knights, because they really looked nothing like a cup team until they installed John Tortarella as head coach late in the season. This team is an entirely different animal with Torts on the bench, and their veteran experience paired with star power have made them a team to watch.

One of the biggest benefactors of the new coaching scheme has been Mitch Marner, who was the Knights’ big free agent signing last summer. Initially, he struggled to find his footing in Vegas, but in the postseason he has 21 points in 15 games — earning every cent of his big money contract.

This is a team that is really difficult to put in a box. They were so average during the regular season it’s tough to ignore, but so good now that it can’t be overlooked. Now they’re taking it to Colorado in the Western Conference Finals to give themselves a legitimate shot to win it all.

This was a similar story to the East where the Avalanche went thought the toughest competition inside the conference, while the Golden Knights got an easy road. If you see people complaining about the playoff structure in the NHL then the west is the best reason why, because the Avs had to play the No. 2 and No. 3 ranked teams in the West just to reach the conference finals, despite being the best team in the conference — while Vegas drew No. 6 and No. 7 ranked teams, while finishing 5th in the division.

Stanley Cup Finals prediction

The Golden Knights should close out against the Avalanche, while I believe the Hurricanes will need six games to put away Montreal. This sets us up for Vegas vs. Carolina in the Stanley Cup Finals.

It’s been a tremendous run for the Golden Knights, but Carolina is the toughest team in these playoffs. Their defense alone makes them nearly impenetrable, and no team has solved it so far.

Carolina Hurricanes win the Stanley Cup, 4-2

#NHL #Stanley #Cup #Playoffs #Conference #primer #race #cup #real">NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs: Conference primer as the race for the cup gets real

The NHL has hit the business end of the Stanley Cup Playoffs with just four teams remaining. The Eastern Conference Finals is entering its fourth game between the Carolina Hurricanes and Montreal Canadiens, with Carolina leading 2-1. The West sees the Colorado Avalanche trying to stave off elimination against the Vegas Golden Knights, who are leading 3-0.

That’s the top-down view, but if you haven’t been keeping up with the NHL postseason so far, but want to dive in, let’s go a little deeper into these four remaining teams, as well as discuss the broader theme of the playoffs so far.

The Hurricanes have been the most consistent team in the playoffs with an overall record of 10-1, built on the back of their lane-clogging defense and suffocating forecheck. It’s also fair to say they’ve been one of the least-tested teams in the postseason thanks to back-to-back series against the Senators and Flyers to kick off their run.

On paper this team has every tool needed to hoist the cup, but they have two glaring issues right now:

Firstly is in net, where veteran Freddie Andersen has been extremely unreliable in the ECF. In three games he’s allowed 10 goals on 47 shots, an abysmal save percentage of 0.787% — not all of that is on Andersen, with Carolina having defensive breakdowns in every goal allowed, but a playoff-caliber netminder shouldn’t let in as many easy goals as he has.

The second issue is that the Hurricanes’ top line really hasn’t separated itself to prove it can be a cup-winning unit. Andrei Svechnikov/Sebastian Aho/Seth Jarvis have had a lot of opportunities, but not a lot of results. They need this top line to pick up their play in order to really feel like a team that can go all the way.

MONTREAL, CANADA - MAY 25: Andrei Svechnikov #37 of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrates with Jordan Martinook #48 and Jalen Chatfield #5 after scoring the game-winning goal against the Montréal Canadiens during overtime in Game Three of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Bell Centre on May 25, 2026 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

MONTREAL, CANADA – MAY 25: Andrei Svechnikov #37 of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrates with Jordan Martinook #48 and Jalen Chatfield #5 after scoring the game-winning goal against the Montréal Canadiens during overtime in Game Three of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Bell Centre on May 25, 2026 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
Getty Images

Montreal has re-emerged this season to become an exciting and young team, with legitimate Stanley Cup potential in the future. I say, “in the future,” because the ECF thus far has proven there’s still a lot to work on for the Habs. Their free-flowing offense based on long outlet passes to the wings is a beautiful tactic, but it’s too predictable and one-note. It caught Carolina off guard in Game 1, but they’ve since adjusted to allow only 25 shots in two games, after Montreal had 22 shots in Game 1 alone.

The team needs more toughness, both up front and on the blue line — which can come with time. The real story of the postseason for Montreal has been the breakout performance of rookie goalie Jakub Dobeš, who is cementing himself as an absolute phenom. Without Dobeš in goal the Canadiens would have likely allowed five or six more goals in this series, and the rookie legitimately looks like a future Vezina-caliber tender.

This series is far from over with Carolina really struggling to get quality opportunities because of Dobeš, while also having extreme goaltending issues of their own. Montreal is fast, skilled, and if they can crack the code to breaking through the Canes’ defense then they will cause problems.

The Canadiens went through the No. 2 and No. 3 ranked teams in the East to reach this point. They proved their mettle against the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Buffalo Sabres, both of whom were outclassed. Meanwhile the Hurricanes had an easier route through the Metropolitan division, but showed why they were the top team in the Eastern Conference this season.

The Avs were the runaway favorites to win the Stanley Cup this year on the back of an astounding regular season that saw the team finish at 55-16-11 to win the Presidents’ Cup — but everything is going wrong. A late-season injury to phenom defenseman Cale Makar carried into the playoffs, and his absence is really showing in the Western Conference Finals.

Without Makar at full strength, the shape of Colorado falls apart, both offensively and defensively. You can see the void on the ice, and problematically other players haven’t stepped up. Martin Necas has largely disappeared this postseason, and with him playing poorly we’ve see Nathan McKinnon suffer as well.

Call it the Presidents’ Cup Curse, but this doesn’t look anything like the Avalanche team which bodied the league during the regular season, then beat the Stars and Wild. Colorado is out of gas, and down 3-0 against the Knights means it’s almost assured they will go home.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MAY 24: Mark Stone #61 of the Vegas Golden Knights celebrates his goal with Tomas Hertl #48 and Mitch Marner #93 during the second period in Game Three of the Western Conference Final of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Colorado Avalanche at T-Mobile Arena on May 24, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Golden Knights defeated the Avalanche 5-3. (Photo by Candice Ward/Getty Images)

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MAY 24: Mark Stone #61 of the Vegas Golden Knights celebrates his goal with Tomas Hertl #48 and Mitch Marner #93 during the second period in Game Three of the Western Conference Final of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Colorado Avalanche at T-Mobile Arena on May 24, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Golden Knights defeated the Avalanche 5-3. (Photo by Candice Ward/Getty Images)
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Full credit to the Knights, because they really looked nothing like a cup team until they installed John Tortarella as head coach late in the season. This team is an entirely different animal with Torts on the bench, and their veteran experience paired with star power have made them a team to watch.

One of the biggest benefactors of the new coaching scheme has been Mitch Marner, who was the Knights’ big free agent signing last summer. Initially, he struggled to find his footing in Vegas, but in the postseason he has 21 points in 15 games — earning every cent of his big money contract.

This is a team that is really difficult to put in a box. They were so average during the regular season it’s tough to ignore, but so good now that it can’t be overlooked. Now they’re taking it to Colorado in the Western Conference Finals to give themselves a legitimate shot to win it all.

This was a similar story to the East where the Avalanche went thought the toughest competition inside the conference, while the Golden Knights got an easy road. If you see people complaining about the playoff structure in the NHL then the west is the best reason why, because the Avs had to play the No. 2 and No. 3 ranked teams in the West just to reach the conference finals, despite being the best team in the conference — while Vegas drew No. 6 and No. 7 ranked teams, while finishing 5th in the division.

Stanley Cup Finals prediction

The Golden Knights should close out against the Avalanche, while I believe the Hurricanes will need six games to put away Montreal. This sets us up for Vegas vs. Carolina in the Stanley Cup Finals.

It’s been a tremendous run for the Golden Knights, but Carolina is the toughest team in these playoffs. Their defense alone makes them nearly impenetrable, and no team has solved it so far.

Carolina Hurricanes win the Stanley Cup, 4-2

#NHL #Stanley #Cup #Playoffs #Conference #primer #race #cup #real

Royal Challengers Bengaluru became only the fourth team to make it to consecutive finals in the Indian Premier League.

Defending champion RCB achieved the feat by beating Gujarat Titans by 92 runs in the Qualifier 1 in Dharamsala on Tuesday.

Chennai Super Kings, Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians are the other three teams to pull off the feat.

CSK’s streak extended to four consecutive finals, from 2010 to 2013, with the side winning two of them.

Mumbai Indians followed suit by winning the 2019 and 2020 titles. Titans joined in by entering the 2022 and 2023 summit clashes, winning the first one.

Teams to make consecutive IPL finals

Chennai Super Kings: 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013 (four consecutive finals)

Mumbai Indians: 2019 and 2020

Gujarat Titans: 2022 and 2023

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: 2025 and 2026

Published on May 26, 2026

#RCB #fourth #team #enter #consecutive #IPL #finals">RCB becomes fourth team to enter consecutive IPL finals Royal Challengers Bengaluru became only the fourth team to make it to consecutive finals in the Indian Premier League.Defending champion RCB achieved the feat by beating Gujarat Titans by 92 runs in the Qualifier 1 in Dharamsala on Tuesday.Chennai Super Kings, Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians are the other three teams to pull off the feat.CSK’s streak extended to four consecutive finals, from 2010 to 2013, with the side winning two of them.Mumbai Indians followed suit by winning the 2019 and 2020 titles. Titans joined in by entering the 2022 and 2023 summit clashes, winning the first one. Teams to make consecutive IPL finals Chennai Super Kings: 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013 (four consecutive finals) Mumbai Indians: 2019 and 2020 Gujarat Titans: 2022 and 2023 Royal Challengers Bengaluru: 2025 and 2026 Published on May 26, 2026 #RCB #fourth #team #enter #consecutive #IPL #finals

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