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NHL predictions: Lightning face Canadiens in Stanley Cup Playoffs first round

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A Florida-based team has represented the Eastern Conference in the Stanley Cup Final each of the last six years. The Tampa Bay Lightning will attempt to extend the Sunshine State’s streak to seven this postseason.

Tampa Bay is the state’s only hope as the Florida Panthers, who appeared in each of the last three Stanley Cup Finals and won the past two, failed to qualify for the playoffs for the first time in seven seasons. The Lightning, who won back-to-back championships in 2020 and 2021 before losing to the Colorado Avalanche in the Final the following year, begin their quest in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs with a first-round series against the Montreal Canadiens that gets underway Sunday.

The Lightning and Canadiens both finished the regular season with 106 points, but the former earned second place in the Atlantic Division by virtue of having more regulation victories. The clubs split their four-game season series, with Tampa Bay winning the first two meetings and Montreal taking the next two.

Fans who want to wager on the 2026 NHL Playoffs should check out the latest BetMGM promo code.

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Neither team enters their fifth postseason matchup on a roll. The Lightning lost four of their final six regular-season games, while the Canadiens dropped two of their last three after going 10-1-0 over their previous 11 contests.

Tampa Bay won three of its first four playoff series against Montreal, beginning with a four-game sweep in 2004 en route to the first Stanley Cup championship in franchise history. The Canadiens returned the favor 10 years later, but the Lightning won their showdown the following postseason and then defeated Montreal in the 2021 Stanley Cup Final in five games.

NHL betting odds at the major sportsbooks see the Lightning as the favorites in the first-round series, with futures betting odds in the -235 to -260 range. Meanwhile, the Canadiens are priced from +195 to +210. Learn how to read betting odds here.

Use the latest DraftKings promo code to wager on NHL games and playoff series.

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EASTERN CONFERENCE FIRST-ROUND SERIES

TEAM

DRAFTKINGS

FANDUEL

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CAESARS

BETMGM

Tampa Bay Lightning

-250

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-260

-250

-235

Montreal Canadiens

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+205

+210

+200

+195

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Pick: Lightning to advance

The Canadiens had an excellent regular season, finishing with their highest point total (106) since recording 110 and winning the Atlantic Division title in 2014-15. However, they were defeated by the Lightning in six games during their second-round series that postseason.

And even though Montreal won the final two meetings between the division rivals this campaign, I can’t see that success continuing in this matchup. Tampa Bay has a plethora of offensive weapons that will be looking to atone for their subpar performance against the Panthers in its first-round loss last postseason.

Nikita Kucherov is a notorious playoff performer who owns numerous franchise postseason records, including most points in one playoff season (34 in 2020) and most overall playoff goals (53), assists (114) and points (167). But the 32-year-old Russian right wing, who eclipsed the 100-point plateau for the fourth consecutive season and sixth time in his career with 130 this campaign, registered only four assists in Tampa Bay’s five-game series defeat in 2025.

Bet on the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs with the FanDuel promo code.

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Kucherov matched his career high with a team-leading 44 goals this season despite missing six games, while Jake Guentzel netted 38 goals and recorded a personal-best 88 points. Meanwhile, defenseman Darren Raddysh came up with the best offensive effort of his five-year career as he collected 22 goals, 48 assists and 70 points.

Montreal has a dangerous one-two punch with Nick Suzuki (career-high 101 points) and Cole Caufield (personal-best 51 goals, second in NHL entering Thursday), while Juraj Slafkovsky (30 goals, 43 assists, 73 points) and 2025 Calder Trophy-winning defenseman Lane Hutson (12, 66, 78) also set career highs. But 2021 Conn Smyth Trophy recipient Andrei Vasilevskiy will be in the crease for the Lightning, and his playoff credentials outweigh Canadiens rookie goaltender Jakub Dobes‘ accomplishments (29 wins, 2.78 goals-against average, .901 save percentage) this season. Tampa Bay should end its streak of three straight first-round exits.

Bet on NHL futures odds, including Lightning vs. Canadiens, with the latest Caesars Sportsbook promo code.

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Tim Bradley names the one man who can beat Shakur Stevenson: “I’ve watched their sparring sessions”

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Shakur Stevenson has looked unbeatable in recent fights, but in the eyes of two-division world champion Tim Bradley, there is one man he would struggle against.

Stevenson won the WBO super-lightweight title and became the third-youngest four-division world champion in boxing history when he dethroned Teofimo Lopez in a dominant display back in January.

Now, he has options at 135lbs and 140lbs, but is also being called out by several welterweights to jump up to 147. Ryan Garcia, Conor Benn and Devin Haney have all targeted the pound-for-pound star, who has said he would only agree with either a rehydration clause or catchweight in the contract.

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Rumours of a potential showdown with Haney emerged recently and, speaking to FightHype, Bradley said that he believes that the match-up favours Haney if it is at the welterweight limit.

“Right now, at 147lbs, I would give Devin the edge, but at 144lbs I would give it to Shakur.

“Devin understands Shakur, he understands how to deal with him and knows what he has got to do. It will be a mixture of boxing and smart pressure and letting his hands go. I have watched their sparring sessions a hundred times and Devin has got some dog in him too.

“Shakur has got dog in him, as well, but Shakur wouldn’t be able to be cute on the outside and beat him with just one hand, ain’t no way. So, at 147lbs, right now, I would favour Devin.”

Both Haney and Stevenson have been linked to a move to Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing ahead of that proposed fight, although their signatures have not yet been confirmed, and Stevenson has told fans that there is little truth in the reported fight talks.

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Overall Winning %, Records for CFB Programs in the West

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  By SuperWest Sports Staff


There’s no better indicator of the long-term success of a college football program than its overall winning percentage over a couple of consecutive decades.

Winning consistently attracts talented players, coaches, and wealthy donors, which breeds more winning.

The table below shows the overall winning percentages and win-loss records for the region’s top programs over the last 20 seasons.

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Overall Winning % and Records for CFB Programs in the West
Win % Team Win-Loss Record
79.3% Boise St 207-54-0
76.0% Oregon 199-63-0
68.3% BYU 177-82-0
68.1% USC 173-81-0
67.2% Utah 170-83-0
57.9% Washington 146-106-0
57.7% Air Force 143-105-0
56.5% Fresno St 143-110-0
56.4% San Diego St 142-110-0
54.8% Stanford 136-112-0
54.3% Arizona St 134-113-0
50.0% UCLA 124-124-0
48.8% Arizona 119-125-0
48.6% Nevada 122-129-0
48.2% California 117-126-0
47.9% Hawai’i 124-135-0
47.4% Utah St 118-131-0
46.1% Oregon St 113-132-0
45.3% Wyoming 110-133-0
45.3% Washington St 110-133-0
42.0% San Jose St 102-141-0
39.6% Colorado St 95-145-0
35.4% Colorado 85-155-0
35.3% UNLV 86-158-0
34.0% New Mexico 82-159-0
31.4% UTEP 75-164-0
29.2% New Mexico St 69-167-0

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Memphis Grizzlies star Brandon Clarke dies at 29

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Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke has died, the team, his agency and the NBA said Tuesday. He was 29.

Neither the Grizzlies nor Clarke’s agency, Priority Sports, immediately provided any details about when, where or how Clarke died.

“We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of Brandon Clarke. Brandon was an outstanding teammate and an even better person whose impact on the organization and the greater Memphis community will not be forgotten,” the Grizzlies said in a statement. “We express our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones during this difficult time.”

His agents wrote on social media that they were “beyond devastated” by Clarke’s death.

Clarke was the 21st overall pick out of Gonzaga in the 2019 NBA draft by Oklahoma, which dealt his rights to the Grizzlies
Clarke was the 21st overall pick out of Gonzaga in the 2019 NBA draft by Oklahoma, which dealt his rights to the Grizzlies (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

“He was so loved by all of us here and everyone whose life he touched,” Priority Sports said. “He was the gentlest soul who was the first to be there for all of his friends and family.”

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver expressed sympathy to Clarke’s family and friends and the Grizzlies organization.

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“We are devastated to learn of the passing of Brandon Clarke,” Silver said. “As one of the longest-tenured members of the Grizzlies, Brandon was a beloved teammate and leader who played the game with enormous passion and grit.”

The National Basketball Players Association said, “This is an incredible loss for the brotherhood. We will remember Brandon not only for the immense joy he brought to so many throughout his career, but for the genuine friendships he built far beyond basketball.”

Clarke was arrested on April 1 in Arkansas for speeding and possession of a controlled substance that was reportedly kratom, an herbal supplement promoted as an alternative pain remedy that is legal to possess in Tennessee. He was released on bond a day later.

Clarke was the 21st overall pick out of Gonzaga in the 2019 NBA draft by Oklahoma, which dealt his rights to the Grizzlies, who already took guard Ja Morant at No. 2 overall. Clarke joined Morant on the NBA’s All-Rookie team in 2020, and the Grizzlies gave him a multiyear contract extension in October 2022.

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He tore his left Achilles tendon on March 3, 2023, in a loss to the Denver Nuggets in a showdown of the top two teams in the Western Conference. Injuries limited him to 72 of a possible 246 games over the past three seasons, including only two this season.

Clarke averaged 10.2 points and 5.5 rebounds over his seven seasons with the Grizzlies

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Ligue 1: Ousmane Dembélé named player of the year for second straight year – Sports

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Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembélé on Monday was named the Ligue 1 player of the year for the second year running. Paris Saint-Germain and RC Lens shared the main trophies.

In the Premier League, Tottenham squandered a golden opportunity in the battle to avoid relegation. In tennis, Jannik Sinner made short work of his opponents on home soil in Rome. There was relief for Victor Wembanyama, who will not face a suspension in the NBA. Finally, FC Barcelona celebrated their title.

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TRICON and Tanner Gray announce Greg Biffle tribute for Dover with special livery

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TRICON Garage will honor Greg Biffle this weekend at Dover Motor Speedway, with Tanner Gray running a special throwback scheme on the No. 15 Toyota Tundra. The tribute, announced ahead of the All-Star weekend, revisits one of Biffle’s most recognizable Busch Series (now O’Reilly Series) designs.

Biffle died on December 18, 2025, in a private jet that crashed near Statesville Regional Airport in North Carolina. The crash claimed seven lives, including his wife Cristina Grossu, his children Ryder and Emma, along with his friend Dennis Dutton, his son Jack, and Craig Wadsworth. The loss continues to be felt across the NASCAR garage months later.

Several teams have since paid multiple tributes to Biffle this year. TRICON Garage has now confirmed their homage on X, writing:

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“Be like Biff. Tanner Gray and the No. 15 team will pay homage to 17x @NASCAR_Trucks winner Greg Biffle this weekend at Dover 🎨.”

The truck itself mirrors Greg Biffle’s 2006 Dover Ameriquest-era design. It carries a bright, multicolored layout with bold abstract patterns, staying close to the original look. The updated version also includes personal elements, with the names of those lost in the December crash placed on the rear of the truck as part of the tribute.

Fans called it one of the best tribute designs of the season, praising both the accuracy to the original and the emotional detail added. There has also been early demand for a diecast version, reflecting how strongly the design has connected with the fan base.

Greg Biffle’s 2006 season remains one of the defining stretches of his career. He finished 13th in the Cup Series with 4,075 points and two wins, coming at Darlington and Homestead. He also ran 30 Busch Series races and finished ninth in the final standings. At Dover that year, he finished eighth in both Series, driving the No. 16 Roush Racing Ford, making it a fitting place for the tribute to return.

For Tanner Gray, the weekend also carries a competitive arc. Through eight Truck Series races in 2026, he has yet to record a top-10 finish in the No. 15 entry, while teammate Kaden Honeycutt in the No. 11 truck currently leads the standings.

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Investigation continues in Greg Biffle’s crash

Greg Biffle - Private jet crash in North Carolina - Source: GettyGreg Biffle - Private jet crash in North Carolina - Source: Getty
Greg Biffle – Private jet crash in North Carolina – Source: Getty

The investigation into Greg Biffle’s December crash remains ongoing, with NTSB and federal authorities still working toward a final report. Preliminary findings confirmed that Dennis Dutton was the pilot in command, with his son beside him.

Four occupants on board held pilot certifications, including Biffle, but there was no clearly structured two-pilot setup. Investigators also pointed to a mix of instrument-related issues and increasing cockpit workload during the flight. There were also signs of system anomalies, which may have affected situational awareness during the final landing.

A final determination on the cause is expected once the full report is completed. Away from the investigation, Greg Biffle’s personal estate has also been in the spotlight. Reports of a burglary at his North Carolina home and other incidents around his assets have added to an already difficult period for those close to him.