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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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The longest no-hitter drought in baseball lives on. Cleveland Guardians rookie left-hander Parker Messick lost his no-hit bid against the Baltimore Orioles on Leody Taveras‘ leadoff single in the ninth inning Thursday night at Progressive Field (CLE 4, BAL 2). After another single, closer Cade Smith replaced Messick to finish the game.

The Guardians have not thrown a no-hitter since Len Barker’s perfect game against the Toronto Blue Jays on May 15, 1981. Cleveland’s no-hitter drought is at 7,055 games and counting, far and away the longest in baseball. The Blue Jays are a distant second at 5,548 games. The only no-hitter in Toronto’s history is Dave Stieb’s against Cleveland on Sept. 2, 1990.

Here is Taveras’ leadoff single to ruin Messick’s no-hit bid. You can categorize this as well-placed, not well-struck.

Smith allowed both runners he inherited from Messick to score, so he finished the game with two runs on two hits and two walks in eight innings. He struck out nine and threw 112 pitches, the most by any pitcher in baseball this season. Messick has a 1.05 ERA in four starts and 25 ⅔ innings this season.

Messick, 25, ranked fourth in our rookie power rankings last week. The 2022 second-round pick out of Florida State made his MLB debut last Aug. 20 and pitched to a 2.72 ERA in seven starts and 39 ⅔ innings. Messick gave the Guardians a big lift down the stretch as they stormed to the AL Central title.

MLB’s no-hitter drought continues

There has not been a no-hitter since Shota Imanaga and two Chicago Cubs relievers no-hit the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sept. 4, 2024. There has not been a single-pitcher no-hitter since Blake Snell, then with the San Francisco Giants, no-hit the Cincinnati Reds on Aug. 2, 2024. The 2025 season was baseball’s first without a no-hitter since 2005.

Messick’s no-hit bid was easily the longest in baseball this season. No other pitcher or team has taken a no-hitter into the seventh inning in 2026. Last year, four no-hitters were lost in the ninth inning, most notably Yoshinobu Yamamoto‘s against the Orioles on Sept. 6. The O’s made a dramatic comeback and won that game on a walk-off.

José Ramírez provided Messick with early run support with his first-inning two-run homer off Shane Baz. It was Ramírez’s 289th career home run. He is 11 homers and five stolen bases away from becoming the ninth player in history with 300 homers and 300 steals. Cleveland later tacked on runs in the fifth and sixth innings. 

Cleveland’s no-hitter drought is not the longest in baseball history. That record belongs to the Philadelphia Phillies, who went 8,944 games between no-hitters spanning 1906 and 1964.

Manchester City star Antoine Semenyo is looking forward to facing England at World Cup 2026. That’s despite the fact he could have been heading to the United States in white this summer had things panned out differently.

Semenyo, 26, will travel to the biggest sporting event of the year as one of Ghana’s crown jewels. It’s been almost exactly four years since the winger made his senior debut for the Black Stars and he’s since evolved to become one of the team’s greatest assets.

This summer will see Semenyo square off against his birth country, as well as Croatia and Panama in Group L. Looking back now, the Football Association may wish it showed a little more diligence in its recruiting after overlooking the £64million man.

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“I was never in the England rankings like that anyway,” he told In The Mixer, brought to you by Sky Bet. “Ghana came [when I was] 20, 21? And I can’t turn down playing first team for Ghana, so it was such an easy decision.”

Born in London to Ghanaian parents, there was a major risk of Semenyo’s head being turned if his birth country came calling. However, there was one member of his family who has happier than most the phone never rang.

Speaking about his first Ghana cap in May 2022, Semenyo said: “My dad was so happy, celebrating. He was like, ‘Yeah, you don’t play for England!’

“Everyone in my family was so happy. They support Ghana…I couldn’t even tell you. They watch games and it’s crazy. Shouting, kicking stuff in the house. It’s serious.”

Semenyo’s father, Larry, was a footballer himself and played in Ghana’s top flight. He even shared the field with Tony Yeboah, who etched his name in the history books as one of the greatest finishers Africa has produced.

The Black Stars aren’t getting ahead of themselves in that Semenyo says the first priority is progressing out of their group. And he’ll have at least a couple of loved ones stateside to cheer him on.

“I imagine so, yeah,” he replied when asked if family will be flying out to watch him in action. “Mum and dad will be there, for sure. Uncles, aunties, they’ll probably be there too. There’ll be loads of them.”

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Asked whether he was looking forward to facing England in the second group game, he replied: “Yeah. It’s gonna be tough but yeah.”

The only previous meeting between England and Ghana was a 2011 friendly that ended as a 1-1 draw. Despite Thomas Tuchel‘s side coming through qualifying without a scratch, Semenyo and co would delight in staging one of the surprises of the World Cup when they meet at Gillette Stadium come June 23.

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Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package

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Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.

Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.

Once again, a ‘like’ controversy has followed Indian cricket icon Virat Kohli, and social media is refusing to keep calm. In 2025, Kohli had mistakenly liked a photo of Indian model/influencer Avneet Kaur. The incident became a huge topic of debate among fans on social media, prompting Kohli even to issue a clarification. After a like from his profile was allegedly spotted on the Instagram account of model LizLaz, fans have set the internet on fire, suggesting it was another ‘algorithm’ issue with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) stalwart’s profile.

After the ‘like’ was spotted, screenshots began circulating on social media within seconds, turning a small action into a viral moment. The entire situation and the buzz around the topic is also being mocked by fans on the internet.

Kohli liked this Instagram post we have to bare another algorithm paragraph pic.twitter.com/DC0dVoxzC4

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— mr. villa (@Luccydevil07) April 16, 2026

“Chain se like bhi ni krne deta ye samaaj,” one fan wrote on Instagram. “Relax guys, it’s algorithm,” wrote another one. 

During the Avneet Kaur episode, Kohli had issued a statement saying: “I’d like to clarify that while clearing my feed, it appears the algorithm may have mistakenly registered an interaction. There was absolutely no intent behind it. I request that no unnecessary assumptions be made. Thank you for your understanding”.

Some fans expect Kohli to issue another such statement, saying this was another ‘algorithm mistake’ and not something he intentionally did. 

Will we see this soon https://t.co/IJ6yYO8Oii pic.twitter.com/PVnNANLlGR

— Incognito (@Incognito_qfs) April 17, 2026

As for the on-field affairs, Kohli has looked in sublime touch this season for RCB. In the previous match against the Lucknow Super Giants, the opening batter played as an Impact Player for the first time in his career. He was dismissed just 1 run shy of a half-century, though his contribution was enogh for RCB to secure an easy victory over LSG.

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In other news, the two Europa League semi-final fixtures are now known. Meanwhile, Hugo Ekitike has spoken for the first time since sustaining a serious injury on Tuesday evening in the Champions League match against Liverpool, which rules him out of the World Cup with the French national team.

The French striker ruptured his Achilles tendon and will be sidelined for many months. In tennis, Arthur Fils comfortably reached the quarter-finals of the ATP 500 in Barcelona, getting his clay-court season off to a perfect start with Roland Garros just a month away.

Whenever the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) suffer an unfavourable result in the Indian Premier League (IPL), owner Sanjiv Goenka inevitably becomes a focal point of social media discourse. Goenka, a man of undeniable passion for the sport, is often seen engaging in on-field conversations with his players. A recent exchange with captain Rishabh Pant immediately drew comparisons to his animated discussion with then-skipper KL Rahul during the 2024 season. After fans shared edited clips of the interaction with Pant online, it sparked a fresh wave of controversy. In an exclusive interview with NDTV’s CEO and Editor-in-Chief Rahul Kanwal in “Walk The Talk”, Goenka opened up about becoming a “punching bag” for social media platforms seeking views through unjust narratives.

The “Scolding” Myth

Addressing the recent chat with Pant, Goenka clarified that the interaction was far from the “scolding” it was portrayed to be.

“Look, with a player like Rishabh, there is never a ‘daat’ (scolding) situation,” Goenka explained. “But on social media, even if Sanjiv Goenka moves his hands a certain way, it becomes breaking news. I’ve become a very convenient punching bag. If you run a headline saying ‘Sanjiv Goenka scolds his player,’ you get instant views.”

He emphasised that the public’s perception is often skewed by isolated moments. “People need to understand that one incident doesn’t define a person. We make mistakes, we learn, and we ensure we don’t repeat them. The dressing room is happy, and the environment is positive; these outside narratives aren’t actual issues.”

Goenka admitted that his natural communication style, specifically his hand gestures, has been repeatedly misinterpreted. This has reached a point where he is consciously trying to alter his physical presence during conversations.

“It’s funny how a simple gesture or hand movement outside the field becomes a national headline,” he remarked. “I am naturally someone who speaks with a lot of hand movements, but seeing how things get misinterpreted, I am now literally learning to keep my hands behind my back while talking!”

On Allegations of “Interference”

As a businessman leading a high-profile sports franchise, Goenka has frequently faced accusations of interfering in technical cricketing matters. He countered these suggestions by pointing out the illogical nature of such a move.

“How do I respond to critics who say I interfere? Honestly, for someone who has never played professional cricket, it would be foolish of me to tell my players how to play. I have a massive team of experts who handle the technical side of the game.”

While acknowledging his deep personal investment in the franchise’s success, he drew a firm line between passion and professional coaching.

“Yes, I am passionate about the team. I want them to succeed and do well, but I don’t understand the nuances of cricket the way an expert does. It would be completely out of place for me to give ‘cricketing lessons’ to professional athletes. My role is to support the team, not to coach them,” he asserted.

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There’s been a lot of twists and turns in the saga of quarterback Taylor Elgersma and the start of his football career, but for now, he will be a Winnipeg Blue Bomber. Elgersma, a U Sports product from Canada, got a shot with the Green Bay Packers, despite being a top CFL prospect, last offseason. Elgersma was let go by the Packers at the cutdown deadline and did not re-sign with the team’s practice squad, but he did receive several visits with other teams during the 2025 season.

This offseason, he signed with the UFL’s Birmingham Stallions and even practiced with the team leading up to their season, but he ultimately ended up back up north. He also threw at the 2026 scouting combine as an extra arm during the event, likely a last-chance opportunity to show his skills to NFL teams before deciding between the UFL and CFL.

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According to 3DownNation, Elgersma’s rookie contract with the CFL will take him through the 2028 season. Elgersma was taken 18th overall, a second-round pick, by the Bombers in 2025, with the hopes that he would eventually end back up in Canada. The Canadian scouting service ranked Elgersma as the 14th overall prospect in the 2025 CFL crop, behind just one other quarterback, Kurtis Rouke. Rouke was picked 25th, behind Elgersma, in part because he was drafted in the seventh round by the San Francisco 49ers that year. Rouke has yet to sign with a CFL team.

3DownNation also has stated that Elgerma’s work visa was an issue with him playing at the UFL level. To play in the league, he would have had to be an unpaid player

Now, the question is how quickly Elgersma will get on the field. At the moment, Winnipeg has Zach Collaros, Terry Wilson, Bryce Perkins, Payton Thorne and Chase Artopoeus under contract at the position. Canadian quarterbacks playing the position in the CFL are viewed as “ratio breakers,” as there are rules about how many non-Canadians can be on the field at one time. Generally, Americans play quarterback up north, so the fact that Elgersma can credibly line up under center could allow the Bombers to play another American elsewhere on the offense.

The Bombers also hold the rights to 11 other quarterbacks, according to their negotiation list, including the likes of Haynes King, Diego Pavia and Mark Gronowski, who are quarterbacks in the upcoming NFL draft class.

The NFL Draft is here, and the Fantasy landscape is about to change dramatically. Some draft picks will work in our favor, while others will cause chaos. It’s the same drill every season, and it’s fun to react to the rookies.

Prior to the NFL Draft, we have our wish list for each AFC West team — pros and cons — of what we want to see happen. While the obvious choice is upgraded offensive lines across the board, we won’t get into that here. We also want to avoid as many crowded backfields as possible.

Ultimately, we want situations that will make our Fantasy rosters better. Hopefully, that’s what will happen when the NFL Draft is done.

Denver

Picks: Round 2 (62 overall), Round 4 (108), Round 4 (111), Round 5 (170), Round 7 (246), Round 7 (256), Round 7 (257)
Team Needs: TE, LB, DL, IOL, OT, CB, S
Fantasy Want: Tight end
Fantasy Don’t Want: Wide receiver

The Broncos addressed two significant needs this offseason by trading for receiver Jaylen Waddle from Miami and re-signing free agent running back JK Dobbins. The receiving corps is now loaded with talent with Waddle, Courtland Sutton, Troy Franklin, Pat Bryant and Marvin Mims Jr., so no additions are needed there. I would draft Waddle in Round 4 in the majority of leagues, and Sutton is worth drafting in Round 6. Dobbins and RJ Harvey will share the workload in the backfield, and Harvey will likely need another Dobbins injury to maximize his Fantasy value, which is what happened last year. The earliest I would draft Harvey is Round 5, and Dobbins is worth drafting as early as Round 6. Tight end is the only potential area of need for the Broncos’ skill players after Evan Engram disappointed with his production in 2025. He’s also 31 and will be a free agent after this year, so finding his eventual replacement in the NFL Draft is a good idea.

Kansas City

Picks: Round 1 (9 overall), Round 1 (29), Round 2 (40), Round 3 (74), Round 4 (109), Round 5 (148), Round 5 (169), Round 5 (176), Round 6 (210)
Team Needs: CB, OT, S, DL, RB, EDGE, WR, TE
Fantasy Want: Running back depth
Fantasy Don’t Want: Wide receiver

Kansas City’s receiving corps is a little thin right now, with Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy locked into the top two spots, and Tyquan Thornton is currently the No. 3 receiver. While the Chiefs will likely add someone to that group, I want to see Rice, Worthy and Travis Kelce get as many targets as possible, especially if Patrick Mahomes (knee) is healthy for Week 1. Rice is worth drafting as early as Round 2 in the majority of Fantasy leagues, and Worthy and Kelce should be mid-round selections. Kansas City can also try to find its tight end of the future since Kelce, 36, will likely retire after this season. I can also see the Chiefs adding another running back for depth behind Kenneth Walker III, and that rookie could be the handcuff to target with a late-round pick. While Brashard Smith and Emari Demercado have potential, I don’t see either one as a featured running back if Walker were to miss any time due to injury.

Los Angeles Chargers

Picks: Round 1 (22 overall), Round 2 (55), Round 3 (86), Round 4 (123), Round 6 (204)
Team Needs: IOL, DL, EDGE, LB, CB, S, WR
Fantasy Want: Wide receiver depth
Fantasy Don’t Want: Running back depth

I’m excited about the Chargers this season, and I like most of their personnel as is. The biggest thing for Los Angeles is keeping the offensive tackles healthy after Rashawn Slater (knee) and Joe Alt (ankle) missed most of the 2025 campaign. The addition of offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel is fantastic, and I expect Justin Herbert, Omarion Hampton and Ladd McConkey to be Fantasy starters all season, while Quentin Johnston and Oronde Gadsden II offer sleeper appeal. I could see the Chargers looking to add another receiver, but I want to see what Tre Harris or KeAndre Lambert-Smith can do in an expanded role this season. Hopefully, the backfield remains as is with Hampton, Kimani Vidal and Keaton Mitchell as the top three options. Hampton is one of my favorite breakout candidates for 2026, and Vidal proved capable of being a solid handcuff when Hampton missed time due to a foot injury as a rookie in 2025. Mitchell will also get touches, but I don’t want someone to mess with Hampton’s upside. He’s someone to target in Round 2 in all Fantasy leagues this year.

Las Vegas

Picks: Round 1 (1 overall), Round 2 (36), Round 3 (67), Round 4 (102), Round 4 (117), Round 4 (134), Round 5 (175), Round 6 (185), Round 6 (208), Round 7 (219)
Team Needs: QB, WR, CB, S, DL, IOL, RB, OT
Fantasy Want: Wide receiver
Fantasy Don’t Want: Tight end depth

The Raiders need a lot, starting with a quarterback, but we know they plan to select Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza at No. 1 overall. He will hopefully become a starting Fantasy option sooner rather than later, but he’s only worth a late-round flier in one-quarterback leagues this season. Ashton Jeanty is a top-10 Fantasy running back, and he’s worth drafting as early as Round 2 in the majority of leagues. I wouldn’t be surprised if Las Vegas drafted his backup or at least someone to compete with Dylan Laube, so keep an eye on what happens there. Wide receiver could use an upgrade as well, even though the Raiders added Jalen Nailor as a free agent this offseason. The rest of the receiving corps is led by Tre Tucker, Jack Bech and Dont’e Thornton Jr., so adding to that group is a priority. As it stands now, I wouldn’t plan to draft any of the Las Vegas receivers until Round 10 at the earliest, and Nailor would be the one to target first. Tight end is set for the Raiders with Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer, so no one else is worth adding in the NFL Draft. Bowers should be the TE2 in all Fantasy leagues behind Trey McBride, and I would draft Bowers toward the end of Round 2.

Ingle has come a long way since beginning her junior career with Vale Wanderers, a boys’ team in Barry.

She was forced to give up the sport when aged 12 because Football Association of Wales (FAW) rules meant she could no longer play with the boys.

Thankfully for Welsh football, Ingle returned to the pitch when her Vale Wanderers coach set up a girls’ team when she was 14.

She then played for Dinas Powys Ladies and Cardiff City Ladies before joining Chelsea for the first of two spells in 2012.

By that stage, Ingle was an established Wales international, having made her senior debut in a 2-1 World Cup qualifying defeat to Azerbaijan three years earlier, only a matter of weeks after her 18th birthday.

Ward scored Wales’ goal in Baku, with Ingle coming off the bench.

“It was a horrible game, horrible pitch, but this kid just made it look like she’d been doing it her whole life,” Ward remembers.

“She’s just a top player… technique is unbelievable, the way she reads a game, the way she can find a pass.

“She’s my favourite footballer in the world.”

Adrian Tucker was the manager who gave Ingle her first cap, in an era when the landscape was very different in women’s football.

“She was good technically but she was also really good on the physical side, which was a really big thing at that time,” he says.

“Did I think she would go on to win 150 caps? In 2009, I didn’t think Wales would play 150 games. We were struggling to get five games a season.

“But since then there has been a boom in women’s football and Sophie has been on the crest of that wave.”