Sports
Dan Hurley, UConn one win away from claiming a modern sports dynasty
INDIANAPOLIS — Dan Hurley may well be inevitable.
The best coach in college basketball conducted Connecticut to a 71-62 crunching of Illinois in the national semifinals on Saturday, sending the Huskies to their seventh national title game. It’s both familiar and favorable territory for the program. UConn has never lost on the final night of the season; it’s 6-0 in previous trips, including the past two in 2023 and 2024 under Hurley’s colorful command.
No one should be remotely surprised that this team is headed back for another Monday night April opportunity.
This is Connecticut in the tournament under Hurley. Yet at the same time, what’s happening here is beyond remarkable. It’s unprecedented in the modern era of the tournament and may well prove unrepeatable for the next few generations.
For those keeping track at home, UConn is 18-1 in its last 19 NCAA Tournament games. The lone loss came in a thriller by two points last year against eventual champion Florida. Hurley’s still yet to experience a loss in the Sweet 16 or later, boasting an 11-0 record from that stage and beyond. In national semifinals and title games, UConn has trailed for a total of 13:39 out of 200 minutes since 2023.
Borderline fictional.
A quick reset on where we’re at with the best men’s program of the past 30 years: Connecticut’s blue blood status was firmed up for good with its dominant 2023 title run and fifth NCAA crown. Hurley’s status as a Hall of Famer was then clinched with an even better team that snagged a second straight national championship the next year in Phoenix, in 2024.
But three natties in four seasons?
If Hurley can scheme-and-scream up this team to win just one more game, a third national title in four years would validate outright dynasty status in American sports, not just college basketball. Especially when factoring in the opponent that awaits — Michigan, which mowed down Arizona in a stunning letdown of a semifinal — one more UConn conquest would cap off one of the greatest team and coaching accomplishments in any sport this century. This kind of thing is not supposed to happen anymore in men’s college basketball. Not in this era, the one before it and even the one further back than that.
We haven’t seen a school win three out of four since John Wooden was ruling the sport during a much different age at UCLA in the 1970s. Back when the tournament didn’t have automatic bids and was far fewer than 68 or 64 teams and wasn’t nearly as spread out with talent the way things are in the 21st century.
Force of personality has always played a prominent role in college athletics and in the success that can often come with it. Hurley’s as much an embodiment of that sentiment as perhaps any coach ever. He’s 199-74 at Connecticut, the 199th win on Saturday hardly being a work of art. But Hurley has always been way more Jackson Pollock than Pablo Picasso. He and his staff will throw everything at the canvas; that tapestry of sets and Xs and Os can be as beautiful as it is unpredictable.
Illinois, which entered this Final Four as the No. 1 offense in college basketball, played 37 games this season. The only two times it didn’t score at least 65 points came against the same team: Nov. 28 against at Madison Square Garden and April 4 against at Lucas Oil Stadium against the Connecticut Huskies.
Making it even more unbearable for the guys in orange, Illinois’ only other loss draped in infamy and anemia in recent seasons came against Hurley’s guys in the 2024 Elite Eight, a 77-52 loss that featured one of the most dominant in-game runs in NCAA history: UConn buried that Illini team with a 30-0 avalanche to secure a Final Four trip.
I won’t overstate it and say UConn was overlooked coming into this Final Four. That can’t happen with that coach, those uniforms, that nonpareil status in the sport.
But the Huskies were an underdog going into Saturday. Even with the miracle 3-pointer from Braylon Mullins that vaulted UConn over No. 1 overall seed Duke in an instant classic East Regional final, the Huskies had less glitz and hype attached to them in this year’s Final Four than the two most recent runs.
Despite the 13-point win over the Illini the day after Thanksgiving — and five more wins than Illinois overall — the Huskies were not the favored side. On Saturday, UConn held an Illini team that averaged almost 15 assists per game to just three. Illinois scored just .98 points per possession and only had two players in double figures, led by Keaton Wagler’s 20 in the final game of his fabulous freshman season.
The Huskies got just enough from Mullins: 15 points, including four 3s, the last of which made it 66-59 with under a minute to go and was the shot that essentially sealed the deal. Tarris Reed Jr. continued his outstanding tournament with another double-double: 17 points, 11 rebounds.
“The confidence from [the November game], there probably wasn’t enough made of that,” Hurley told CBS Sports, “where we just probably were a tough matchup for them, because we do have size and we had some tenacity defensively. … I was kind of surprised at how big of an underdog we were coming into it, based on the fact that that first game, I think we were up 21.”
Maybe it’s because UConn didn’t win the Big East regular season or postseason championships. It also took bad losses at home to Creighton and on the road to Marquette. But this team started 22-1! Earlier this season it beat BYU, won at Kansas and knocked off Florida in a revenge game. Against Arizona in mid-December without Mullins and Reed, the Huskies lost in the closing seconds in one of the best games of the first two months of the season.
In February, they held St. John’s to 40 points, giving Rick Pitino the worst statistical loss of his incredible career. Did people forget what this team is capable of?
It’s no shock whatsoever that UConn’s done this again and made it to another NCAA championship affair. The reasons are in the dozens but they all filter back to the guy at the top who’s the face of college basketball.
Hurley is as superstitious as it gets, and as he made his way to the locker room before the game Saturday, he walked by a television that had an old Duke game playing; the stadium was showing highlights of every Final Four held in Indianapolis over the years. He saw a much younger version of his brother, Bobby, playing in this city back in 1991.
Duke won its first national championship that year. Hurley took it as a positive omen.
“I’m looking for signs,” Hurley told CBS Sports after the win. “Indiana boy (Mullins) brings us back here. Michigan‘s playing in the Final Four, Tarris Reed on the team (was previously at Michigan). AK (Alex Karaban) comes back. You know, it’s just a lot of things pointing in our direction.”
Hurley was so excitable in the throes of Saturday night’s win, he was also yelling out for a local tailor as he went back into the celebratory locker room. His lucky beaded bracelet wasn’t built the right way, either.
“There’s multiple things happening,” he said. “I actually didn’t have my beads for the beginning of the game, and so my wife did like a half‑ass job. The beads should be all the way there, but the (jacket) lining is completely ripped. It’s coming out during the game. I got all types of problems right now.”
Hurley isn’t getting that jacket fixed now, though. No way. It’s good luck.
For Monday night’s mammoth Michigan matchup, Hurley said, “I’m going grimy.”
It’s almost never pretty with Hurley, but his force of personality and everything that comes with him — the good, bad, crazy and otherwise — has him one win away from elevating his status to one of the sport’s true all-time great coaches.
Remember, as Hurley said Thursday, the Huskies came here for rings, not watches.
They’ll win something even greater than jewelry if they can find a way to beat Michigan Monday night: all-time sports immortality.
Rajasthan Royals are set to face Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Eliminator match of IPL 2026 on Wednesday in Mullanpur. Riyan Parag and Co sealed their Playoffs berth with a convincing 30-run victory over Mumbai Indians in their final league-stage match. Batting first, RR posted 205/8 in 20 overs and later restricted MI to 175/9. With this result, Punjab Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders were knocked out of the Playoffs race. Ahead of the Eliminator clash, the RR squad departed from Mumbai and arrived in Mullanpur.
At the airport, RR’s young batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi shared a light-hearted moment with skipper Riyan Parag. At just 15, Sooryavanshi has taken the cricketing world by storm with his power-packed performances and has quickly become a favourite among the paparazzi, who are eager to capture the Bihar-based batter on camera.
In a video that has gone viral on social media, photographers were seen requesting Parag to pose with Sooryavanshi. However, the RR captain declined, saying, “We aren’t film stars,” before walking away. Reacting to his captain’s remark, Sooryavanshi gave a puzzled look but continued posing for pictures.
Look at Vaibhav Suryavanshi‘s reaction when the paparazzis said to Riyan Parag, “Riyan, Vaibhav ke saath ek photo please,” and Riyan replied, “Hum koi film star nahi hain.” After hearing this, Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s smile disappeared.
Later, the paparazzis said to Vaibhav,… pic.twitter.com/sXsyhTGgCb
— Sonu (@Cricket_live247) May 26, 2026
There is no denying that Sooryavanshi has enjoyed strong backing from Parag within the RR setup. Following the departure of former head coach Rahul Dravid, Parag has stood firmly in support of the teenager.
Meanwhile, the win over MI confirmed RR’s place as the fourth and final team in the IPL 2026 Playoffs.
“Obviously it’s good when things go to plan. I know we’ve won the game, we’ve qualified, but a lot of areas that we can do better. Wanted the set batter to play a little longer (the move to have Jofra at 7, Jaddu at 9). We needed runs. It’s a wicket where you can’t have two players batting in the middle and going at a run a ball. Wanted one guy to take the initiative, take the risk. And the other guy could stay a little bit longer. And Jadeja is as reliable as always. I knew back-end he would get us at least 20 off 10 which he did,” said Parag after win against MI.
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Last summer, controversy swirled when it was revealed that former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, in his role as a Florida high school football coach, paid for his team’s meals and transportation. Evidently strictly forbidden, Bridgewater eventually left his job and returned to the NFL. He was also suspended. Fast forward to May 2026, and Florida lawmakers changed the rules.
Bridgewater’s generosity became a fight over rules, but Florida lawmakers ultimately sided with common sense.
The Bridgewater Act now allows exactly what the man provided: aid.
The Bridgewater Act Flips Last Summer’s Controversy
They got this one right.
The Bridgewater Act Goes into Law
It’s done. Associated Press reported Saturday: “Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the ‘Teddy Bridgewater Act’ into law Friday, meaning high school coaches in the state will now be able to use their own money to help their players with expenses such as food, transportation, physical therapy and rehabilitation services.”
“The Bridgewater Act is named for the Florida native and longtime NFL quarterback who coached his alma mater, Miami Northwestern High, to a state championship in 2024. But he was suspended for the 2025 season after revealing that he personally paid for meals, ride-share services and treatments for some players.”
Bridgewater was totally miffed by the outrage last summer.
“There will be strict rules regarding how — and how much — coaches can spend. It would apply to a team’s head coach only, cannot be used in recruiting, must be reported in full to a state agency and is capped at $15,000 per team per year,” AP added.
FL Governor on the Law
Bridgewater had Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on his side, paving the way for change.
DeSantis said before signing the bill into law, “He got into this situation where he was paying for meals and rides for some of his players who were underprivileged and he was using his personal funds to do this. These were people that he was mentoring and that somehow got him suspended because of the way the rules were written.”
“Look, there’s some possible downsides if you don’t have a structure like we have. But I also think the previous rules didn’t allow for the upside for a coach that really wants to make a difference in folks’ lives.”
NFL fans and Florida residents largely sided with Bridgewater’s cause last summer, embracing the Robin Hood feel of his deeds. In that vein, it wasn’t difficult to see his intent.
A Bizarre Grievance
Bridgewater personally funded Uber rides, meals, clothing, and strength-and-conditioning support. When the story broke in July, many people simply shrugged. A wealthy former NFL quarterback using his own money to help high school players didn’t strike most as a major scandal.
The FHSAA, however, viewed the situation differently.
From their perspective, Bridgewater’s generosity provided certain athletes an unfair advantage. Since other high school players lacked access to similar resources, this, by their rules, rendered the entire arrangement illegal.
The public’s reaction was far simpler: “Who cares?”
Bridgewater wasn’t accused of exploiting children, steering them toward agents, or running a clandestine recruiting operation. The sole complaint was that he had simply provided too much assistance. Most people found this perfectly acceptable; “He’s not hurting anyone,” was the obvious response, and it’s difficult to argue otherwise.
Bridgewater, 10 months ago, said about the allegations: “I’m protective, and I’m a father first before anything. And when I decided to coach, those players became my sons. And I wanted to make sure that I just protected them in the best way that I can.”
“I think that’s what came about. Miami Northwestern in a tough neighborhood and sometimes things can happen when the kids are walking home and things like that. So I was just trying to protect them and give them a ride home instead of having to take those dangerous walks.”
Bridgewater Back with Lions
Meanwhile, Bridgewater has not returned to high school football — the FHSAA suspended him — and is now the Detroit Lions’ backup quarterback. He’d be the first line of defense if something happened to Jared Goff.
Bridgewater played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2025.
It’s unclear if Bridgewater will return to coaching when he formally retires (again) from the NFL. He did, though, effectuate change.
Bridgewater will turn 34 in November and was the Vikings’ main ray of hope at quarterback in 2014 and 2015. The Vikings and Lions will lock horns for the first time in 2026 on November 1st.
The Minnesota Vikings’ defense was the backbone of the team, keeping the 2025 Vikings competitive while the offense struggled all season. There have been some changes to the unit this offseason, and there could be room for one more move. Here are three Vikings trade candidates to boost the defense ahead of the 2026 season.
Defensive Depth Could Become Minnesota’s Trade Focus
I recently wrote about Pro Football Focus’s selection of Blake Cashman as a potential trade candidate. The three players named here appear in the same article and are players the Vikings should be interested in if they want to improve their team.
Minnesota isn’t blessed with a ton of salary cap space, but that can be worked around if you want it to. If the Vikings really want to be competitive in a tough division, here are three defensive players who can make a difference.
Ronnie Hickman (S), Cleveland Browns
Safety was one of the big areas of concern in Minnesota coming into the offseason, and there hasn’t been much done to alleviate those concerns other than drafting Jakobe Thomas in the third round of this year’s draft. Adding a player like Cleveland’s Ronnie Hickman would give the team a solid starter who thrives on coverage, and at a good age to be a long-term solution. Here is what PFF says about Hickman and his trade potential.
Although the Browns were widely lauded for assembling one of the league’s best draft classes, their rookie crop might have ripple effects on someone like Hickman.
The 24-year-old has been sneakily good since being an undrafted free agent out of Ohio State, producing at least a 70.6 overall PFF grade in every year. In 2025 specifically, Hickman thrived in coverage with a 75.3 PFF coverage mark — the 10th-best among qualified safeties — while averaging a sound 29.0 snaps per reception.
After Cleveland drafted Emmanuel McNeil-Warren in the second round, it suggests that either Hickman or Grant Delpit isn’t in the team’s long-term future. Both are on expiring contracts, although Hickman seems like the better trade piece given his superior production and younger age.
Jeremy Chinn (S), Las Vegas Raiders
Chinn is the more veteran option at safety with six seasons accrued in the league. He would be a solid option and would improve the Vikings’ safety unit, but he’s not the coverage guy I believe the team needs. Here is what PFF says about his availability.
Chinn enjoyed a resurgent season with the Raiders, but his future with the team might be in doubt.
The former second-round pick played to a 67.7 overall PFF grade in his first campaign in Las Vegas, his best since 2021. Chinn’s 69.5 PFF run-defense grade placed in the 67th percentile at the position, and he missed a modest 9.9% of his tackle attempts.
The Raiders made a splash when they selected versatile Arizona defensive back Treydan Stukes with the 38th overall pick. While Stukes may play all over the secondary, he figures to be more of a traditional safety considering the team also acquired slot corner Taron Johnson. As a result, organizations could call about Chinn with just one year left on his contract.
Jer’Zhan Newton (DT), Washington Commanders
Minnesota bolstered its interior defensive line in this year’s draft, selecting both Caleb Banks (first round) and Domonique Orange (third round). So did Washington, and that could leave former second-round pick Jer’Zhan Newton available. Newton has struggled in run defense, but he has proven he can be an effective pass rusher, and at the right price, Brian Flores could make good use of him as a pass rush specialist. Here is PFF’s lowdown on Newton.
The Commanders relentlessly fortified their ailing defense this offseason, including along the defensive line. However, that negatively affects someone like Newton.
The 36th overall pick in 2024 hasn’t blossomed as Washington would’ve hoped, notching a career 50.0 overall PFF grade with a 38.6 PFF run-defense grade. Yet what has been encouraging is Newton’s pass-rushing, as his 9.3% pass-rush win rate placed in the 63rd percentile last year.
The Commanders inked former Texans interior defender Tim Settle to a three-year, $25.5 million contract during free agency, which only pushes Newton down the depth chart. The 23-year-old former Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year could garner attention for teams looking to bet on his upside.
Of these three options, Hickman would be the top prize and the player I’d most like to see the Vikings pursue. However, Newton would also be an intriguing option. It remains to be seen if Minnesota has any desire to be in the trade market.
Proud UK Viking. Family Man. Enjoy writing about my team. Away from football an advocate for autism acceptance.
Travis Scott was subjected to online abuse© X (Formerly Twitter)
The on-field controversy between Virat Kohli and Travis Head is taking new turns with each passing day. What began as a banter during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL 2026 match against Sunrisers Hyderabad quickly escalated after Kohli refused to shake hands with Head following the game. The situation worsened when several fans dragged Head’s wife, Jessica, into the controversy, subjecting her to online trolling. In a bizarre twist, American rapper Travis Scott also found himself caught in the middle of the storm, as some Kohli fans mistakenly identified him as Travis Head.
Taking to Instagram, several users flooded Scott’s pictures with hateful comments, confusing him with the Australian cricketer. The posts soon went viral, once again highlighting the darker side of fan behaviour.
Earlier on Monday, Jessica Head spoke about her ordeal, revealing how she was targeted by fans over her husband’s on-field altercation with Kohli.
This is not the first instance of players’ families facing the brunt of on-field incidents. During the 2023 ODI World Cup final between India and Australia, Travis Head’s stunning catch to dismiss Rohit Sharma had triggered a similar wave of online abuse directed at Jessica. The aftermath of the recent Kohli-Head clash in IPL 2026 has proven to be no different for her.
“It feels like a repeat of the abuse that happened after the World Cup. I woke up to my socials blasting… we are fine but they are attacking my friends and family,” Jessica said while speaking to Australian media outlet The Advertiser.
“I think across all sports at the moment there’s an important conversation around mental health, perspective and the way we speak to one another. Passion will always be part of sport, but so is remembering there are real people and families behind the game. Hopefully this encourages more kindness and support for one another,” she added.
Bengaluru and Hyderabad could clash again in IPL 2026 season as both have qualified for the playoffs.
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Gaël Monfils played the final match of his career at Roland Garros. He lost in five sets to Hugo Gaston (6-2, 6-3, 3-6, 2-6, 6-0).
Spain has announced World Cup squad, which includes no Real Madrid players. Bruno Génésio is leaving LOSC. In Italy, AC Milan is undergoing a major shake-up following its disastrous end to the season.
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The second-ranked Texas Longhorns softball team clinched the Austin Super Regional and earned a trip Women’s College World Series, with a 5-0 win over Arizona State on Sunday. But the victory was overshadowed by an explicit hot mic moment.
ESPN microphones picked up an unidentified person whispering obscene remarks after Texas pitcher Teagan Kavan got ahead 1-0 against the opposing batter.
A male voice was then heard over the microphone directing listeners — and likely viewers — to lick a specific part of his anatomy, video showed.
The remark, however, did not seem to distract play-by-play announcer Kevin Brown, who continued the broadcast without acknowledging it.
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A general view of Red & Charline McCombs Field in Austin, Texas, before the SEC college softball game between Texas Longhorns and Tennessee Volunteers on April 12, 2025. (David Buono/Icon Sportswire)
“You’re going to compete for national championships as an assistant, and then they’re going to send you off,” Brown said while discussing Arizona State manager Megan Bartlett’s track record of developing assistants.
UMPIRE CURSES HIMSELF OUT ON HOT MIC AFTER MISSING CALL
Sunday’s moment was just one of several surprising developments leading up to the tournament.
An Arizona State Sun Devils softball helmet is shown during a college softball game between the CSUN Matadors and Arizona State Sun Devils at Alberta B. Farrington Softball Stadium in Tempe, Ariz., on Feb. 10, 2019. (Jacob Snow/Icon Sportswire)
A celebration involving former NBA star Jason Williams and his daughter, Mia, led to Williams’ ejection during Texas Tech’s game against Florida over the weekend.
Mia hit a two-run homer to help push the Red Raider past the Gators, her former team, last Friday.
NCAA signage is displayed before the Division II women’s softball championship game between the UT Tyler Patriots and Western Washington Vikings at Boombah-Soldiers Creek Park in Longwood, Fla., on May 25, 2024. (Tyler Schank/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
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Texas will take on the Tennessee Volunteers on Thursday in the double-elimination round of the Women’s College World Series.
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Captain Dean Henderson has challenged Crystal Palace to “finish the movie off” when their Conference League final brings down the curtain on Oliver Glasner’s glittering spell in south London.
The Austrian manager has already guided the Eagles to an historic FA Cup and a Community Shield, and on Wednesday night in Leipzig could leave Palace with the ultimate parting gift, should they beat Rayo Vallecano and require even more room in their trophy cabinet.
Henderson inherited the armband following Marc Guehi’s January departure to Manchester City, and, despite admitting to feeling “depressed” during the post-FA Cup comedown, wants nothing more than to polish off a “sensational” script for his departing boss.
“The togetherness in this group is phenomenal,” said the England goalkeeper. “All the lads are pushing in the right direction for each other. All the staff at the training ground, everyone.
“It’s just like a family club. We’re all pushing towards the same end goal. Obviously, it would be a great way to finish the movie off for Glasner as well. Everyone wants that happy ending and everyone’s working towards that.
“It’d be unbelievable for him, wouldn’t it? Obviously the best manager this club’s ever had and to finish on such a high would be sensational.”
Henderson was instrumental in Palace’s 2025 FA Cup triumph over Manchester City, saving Omar Marmoush’s first-half penalty in their 1-0 win at Wembley, where they secured their first major silverware and a proper European campaign.
The passionate and popular skipper is candid about how he felt after that day, admitting: “The high to the low. I remember after the FA Cup final, three days after, I didn’t want to get out of bed. I was like, ‘what has gone on here?’
“I swear. I don’t know whether that was alcohol, or… but I actually think it was like, I felt depressed. It was mad. But I don’t know why. I’ve never really spoken about it.”
Henderson admitted Wednesday’s European final has been playing on his mind during the final stages of the campaign.
“Naturally, you’re thinking about it,” he said. “Even for the last couple of weeks, you’re probably thinking, ‘let’s try and win the final’. It’s natural. No one speaks about it. No one speaks about it to each other. It’s just about your individual battles, isn’t it?”
While it remains uncertain who will follow in Glasner’s indelible footprints, when the credits finally roll on Palace’s topsy-turvy campaign, Henderson and his fellow Premier League protagonists want to be holding a trophy.”
He added: “When the tournament’s got real, we’ve turned up haven’t we? We’ve delivered some great performances and some good results, obviously, since we got out of the group stage.
“So, yeah, as I say, we’re looking forward to it. We won’t freeze. We’ll play with no fear and we’ll have confidence.”
MONTREAL — Two nights after becoming just the second team in NHL history to have as few as 12 shots in a Stanley Cup Playoff game that extended beyond regulation time, the Montreal Canadiens generated just 13 and ended up with the same result.
It was a 3-2 overtime loss to the Carolina Hurricanes, who hadn’t beaten them all season before responding to Montreal’s Game 1 win with a 3-2 overtime win on Saturday.
In both games, the Canadiens were one shot away from winning. In both games, they couldn’t find a way to have that shot hit the net, let alone put it in, hence their first consecutive losses in 71 days.
The Canadiens had chances. Heck, they had three of them in overtime before Andrei Svechnikov launched the point shot that tipped off Juraj Slafkovsky 74:04 into the game.
But Nick Suzuki missed the net on a breakaway 35 seconds into the extra period. Mike Matheson shot his into the crossbar 25 seconds later. And Alex Newhook’s shot through a screen hit Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen’s toe and didn’t originally count as a shot on net until it was reviewed and added long after Svechnikov ended the game.
Lane Hutson, who got caught between two decisions and made the wrong one on that play, blamed himself twice for the loss, which was sealed shortly after his turnover near his own blue line.
But the Canadiens had a chance to recover from Hutson’s gaffe and didn’t. And their own mismanagement of the puck near the offensive blue line was the biggest reason they found themselves in overtime to begin with.
“I think we’re missing too many chances to get in on the forecheck and go get the puck back,” said Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis. “They’re a team that is hard to put good pucks in on because they’re really on top of you. But you have to find a way. I found that, at the blue line, we didn’t read situations well enough. We should’ve put more pucks deep and gotten in on the forecheck, and there’s a balance between possessing on the other side of the blue line and getting it past them and going to get it.”
The Canadiens never quite found that balance, with SportLogiq tracking their zone-entry success rate at just 40 per cent.
When the Canadiens got in, St. Louis said he felt they made better plays in possession than they did in Game 2.
But they didn’t make enough of them.
“We can still do a better job of holding onto pucks in the offensive zone,” said Mike Matheson, “and generating more time in the O-zone.”
The task has felt monumental over the last two games.
The Hurricanes, who were disconnected and gave the Canadiens far too much space in a 6-2 Game 1 loss, have rebounded with the same pristine execution that netted them eight consecutive wins before the Eastern Conference Final. They smothered the Ottawa Senators and Philadelphia Flyers, and now they’ve spent the better part of two games suffocating the Canadiens.
“They’ve been on top of the league for the last couple of years and you know there’s a reason why they’ve consistently been in this position (The Hurricanes are in their third conference final since 2023),” said Cole Caufield. “You can ask every team; they’re a tough team to play and they’ve been doing it for a while. So, I guess they’re all really on the same page and we’ve just got to find ways to break them down.”
On this night, the Canadiens broke themselves down too much.
Giving up 38 shots to the volume-shooting Hurricanes was one thing. Giving them 11 from nine feet or less was a recipe to lose by more than one goal, which assuredly would’ve happened had Jakub Dobes not conjured miraculous saves.
He made two on Taylor Hall and Logan Stankoven in succession before Svechnikov shot one off Slafkovsky as the Slovak was passing right through his Czech netminder’s crease.
“(Dobes has) been great all playoffs. Not surprised,” said Hutson. “He battled so hard. It sucks that I blew it for him, but it is what it is.”
Taking the blame was a noble gesture from the 22-year-old, but, as St. Louis said afterwards, the outcome of this game wasn’t on him.
“I didn’t love the play (from Hutson), but whatever,” said St. Louis. “It’s what’s next, and we didn’t do what’s next. We didn’t get the job done.”
He was talking about the winning goal, but he just as easily could’ve been referring to the decisions that led to the Canadiens getting less than 23 minutes of offensive-zone time to take some pressure off themselves and apply it on the Hurricanes.
It’s a Herculean lift against a team that has fired on all cylinders for all but one game of these playoffs.
And while the Hurricanes were undoubtedly rusty after an 11-day break between the second round and the third before playing that one game, the Canadiens showed in that one game to what extent they can make that heavy lift.
They pushed in spurts of Games 2 and 3 but wobbled too much to win, even if they were one shot away in each game.
“We definitely have another level,” said Hutson.
He and Matheson, who each scored Monday, need to find it. As do the rest of their teammates come Wednesday’s Game 4, which will present the Canadiens a chance to even the series 2-2 and improve their playoff home record to 3-5.
It will take everyone playing their best, and much more.
“You need everything working against a team like that,” said St. Louis. “You’re at this stage right now, you’ve got to put it all together. Execution’s part of that. Jam is part of that. It’s not one thing. We’ve just got to put it all together.
“I know we can. We didn’t expect this to be easy, and we’re OK with that.”
Pacer Yash Dayal has finally opened up on missing the ongoing season of the IPL for the defending champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, saying that he is still part of the squad despite his absence this year. Before the start of the season, RCB Director of Cricket Mo Bobat revealed that Dayal would not feature for the Bengaluru side this year due to a “personal situation.” However, the 28-year-old has differed from the explanation given by Bobat regarding his absence from the team this season.
Speaking on the Talk with Manvendra podcast, Dayal revealed that he misses the team and insisted that opting out of the ongoing season was not his decision.
“Obviously, if you are sitting outside. When I watch them on television, sometimes I just get up. But then it is my team, and they haven’t removed me. They kept me on the retain list and didn’t get me a replacement. They probably think that I am an important part. The other thing is that my opting out of this season wasn’t my personal decision. The statement could be controversial, but the decision is always made by the authority. I don’t know what was the reason was behind RCB’s decision. I miss them a lot. I don’t know if the team misses me, the fans will say that,” said Dayal.
Dayal added that he remains in regular contact with the RCB management, including team mentor Dinesh Karthik, despite his absence from the field this season.
“I have been in conversations with the management. I have spoken to the director, and with the coach too, and also Dinesh Karthik. We communicate in intervals, and the connection hasn’t broken. There is no communication gap. Everything is clear and sorted,” he added.
For context, Dayal’s absence is linked to ongoing legal proceedings that have prevented him from returning to competitive cricket.
The pacer faces allegations of sexual exploitation in one matter, alongside a separate case registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
The first FIR against 27-year-old Dayal, who plays for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the IPL, was registered on July 6 at the Indirapuram police station in Ghaziabad district under Section 69 (Sexual intercourse by employing deceitful means etc.) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Dayal has been accused of sexually exploiting a woman on the pretext of marriage.
Regarding the second instance, NDTV accessed the FIR report, which was registered against Dayal at Jaipur’s Sanganer Police Station for allegedly raping a girl over a period of two years while emotionally blackmailing her. It was revealed that Dayal lured her with promises of a cricketing career and invited her to a hotel in Sitapura, where the first sexual assault took place. The girl was only 17 when the abuse began, prompting the police to register the case under the POCSO Act.
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The Garden crowd isn’t ready for this.
The New York Knicks demolished the Cleveland Cavaliers 130-93, capping a dominant four-game sweep to reach the franchise’s first NBA Finals since 1999.
The Knicks controlled Game 4 from the opening tip, racing out to a double-digit lead and never allowing Cleveland back into contention.
New York buried 19 of 43 3-pointers while dominating the rebounding battle.
Karl-Anthony Towns of the New York Knicks celebrates during the third quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game Four of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, on May 25, 2026. (Jason Miller/Getty Images)
OutKick founder Clay Travis summed up Cleveland’s no-show effort perfectly …
“The Cavs just totally quit this series after the fourth-quarter collapse in Game 1. Embarrassing effort since then,” Travis posted on X. “Congrats to the Knicks, party like it’s 1999.”
The blowout capped a stunning collapse for Cleveland, which entered the series viewed by many as the East’s most complete team.
KNICKS STAR JOSH HART LEAVES KARL-ANTHONY TOWNS BEWILDERED WITH HILARIOUS ANALYTICS ANALOGY
With more than eight minutes remaining in the fourth quarter of Game 4, Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson pulled his starters, effectively conceding the series as the Knicks turned the final minutes into a celebration.
On Sunday, Atkinson told reporters he believed the Cavaliers had “analytically” won two of the first three games. Instead, New York responded with overwhelming physical dominance.
Head coach Kenny Atkinson of the Cleveland Cavaliers reacts during the third quarter against the New York Knicks in Game Four of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals at Rocket Arena on May 25, 2026, in Cleveland, Ohio. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks is defended by James Harden of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the third quarter in Game Four of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, on May 25, 2026. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Karl-Anthony Towns anchored the interior with 19 points and 14 rebounds, while Jalen Brunson orchestrated the offense without committing a turnover.
Even Donovan Mitchell’s 31-point performance wasn’t enough to keep Cleveland competitive as the Knicks’ defense smothered the Cavaliers’ perimeter attack for the fourth straight game.
The victory also marked New York’s sixth consecutive road playoff win.
The Finals appearance serves as a massive validation for the organization after the Knicks moved on from Tom Thibodeau following last season and hired Mike Brown amid heavy skepticism and immense pressure to win immediately. Under Brown, the Knicks have become the NBA’s hottest team, carrying an undefeated streak of more than a month into the Finals.
New York will now face either the Oklahoma City Thunder or San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals, which begin June 3.
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The road to the Larry O’Brien Trophy runs through Madison Square Garden.
Send us your thoughts: alejandro.avila@outkick.com / Follow along on X: @alejandroaveela
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